After taking a quick drink of soda, Alexander snatched a couple of pretzels from the bowl sitting on the coffee table, before asking his friends the all-important question.
"So why is Felipe here, Chad – in Miami, and what are your plans regarding what to do with him? I cannot imagine you went through all the trouble to bring him to the U.S., just to set him free. The fool would get caught by the FBI in a heartbeat. On the other hand, you can't afford to keep him hidden. You'd be endangering your life – not to mention Jose's, possibly."
Chad chuckled. "You've brought up a good question, and you're right. After what Alexander's cousin did in New York on the idiot's behalf, the authorities are currently looking for his ass both here and in Chile. And when they finally get him – they're definitely going to be locking him up for a while."
"So why did you bring him to Miami? That doesn't make sense," Alexander stated. "As you stated, the local FBI is not only going to be on a lookout for him, they're going to be keeping a close watch on you and your brother, as well. You were his last boyfriend. Remember?"
Chad frowned. "Yeah. I know. But if their mode of operation works the way I heard, I didn't think they'd waste a whole lot of time observing us. They'd be mainly focusing on him."
"Man. You better start seriously re-thinking the total situation you're in, Chad," Josefina warned. "You're harboring a fugitive and I don't know about over here, but in Denmark that's illegal."
"Illegal?" Jose repeated before immediately turned wide-eyed.
Chad glanced toward the floor. "I hadn’t thought about that. If you’re right, then it sounds like we got a major problem and we're going to have to do something about it – quick."
"What?" Felipe yelled at the top of his voice. "You already almost killed my tail just getting me here via your wooden box, and now you want to do away with me? I've already said umpteen times I was sorry for what happened – you know - back in Chile. Doesn't that mean anything? After apologizing I don't think I deserve to just be discarded. Alexander's right. I'd get caught before you know it."
"I know," Chad replied. "I also know you're claiming you want to start things all over again, but this time you're swearing up and down you would treat me right – the way you should have originally."
"That's right," Felipe said, doing a scan of everyone's expression. "I just need a second chance."
Alexander laughed. "Right! And I need a hole in my head. With the FBI looking for your ass, it really doesn't matter what Chad wants or decides. Sooner or later, you're going to get a free trip to New York City. Think about that, butthead."
"Boy, aren't you rude," Felipe retorted. "I said I was sorry. What more can I offer? I can't undo the past."
Alexander paused a moment so he could stare at him, before changing his position so he could face both him and Chad. "Felipe, you've got to stop thinking about the here and now, and begin to think about the complex situation you've gotten yourself into. It's one heck of a pickle and I'm not sure if Chad or anyone else is going to be able to help you – no matter how much they try. You're in a super serious scenario and you've got no one else to blame but yourself. If Chad had been my boyfriend, I never would have treated him like a dang dog, only there to fill your needs. But you did, and to make things worse, you got your cousin involved in the mess you made and he ended up doing something that not only got his butt in trouble, it snared yours, as well."
Chad semi-grinned. Alexander was right. Felipe had treated him badly. But – it wasn't all his fault. I knew what was going on and how it wasn't right. And not only did I ignore it, I denied it was happening. "Alex, enough already. We've been through all of this more times than I care to remember. What's done is done. So start taking it easy on him. Okay? After all, I could have stopped it a heck of a lot earlier. But like a fool, I didn't."
Alexander took a deep breath and shook his head. "I don't get it. You tolerated what he was doing?"
Chad nodded. "I loved him and didn't want to stop what was going on even though it wasn't right. Inside, way deep, I refused to admit the truth. Just the thought of losing him, back then, was for me like the whole world coming to an end, so I accepted it."
Alexander couldn't believe his ears. "Oh, brother! Were you completely out of your mind? Did something about being involved with him make you deaf, dumb, and stupid? You should have spoken up the minute the relationship started to turn sour."
"I agree. You're right and in looking back I realize what I should have done and when," Chad admitted. "That's why I don't blame Felipe for everything that happened. It's not all his fault. Part of it is mine and that is why I decided to bring him with Jose and me to Miami – I'm hoping I can come up with a way to keep him from having to go to jail or prison."
Alex stared at Chad in disbelief. "You must be kidding? Because of what his cousin did, he's already so deep in legal problems the largest intelligent agency in the world wants him. And you think you, a young, stupid, eighteen-year-old is going to come up with something that is going to stop him from meeting his fate?"
"At least I can try", Chad replied.
Alexander chuckled. "Right! And I can try to make the skies pink."
"They already are sometimes," Jose suddenly blurted. "Haven't you ever looked up at a sunrise or sunset?"