Chapter 30

One Month Later
Maria’s Mom’s House
Harborton, Washington

“Mom, I’d like you to meet someone,” said Maria as she walked into their small house, trailed shyly by Tina.

“Miha! My love, I hardly see you anymore! “ asked Mrs. Garcia rushing over to hug her daughter, the fragrant smell of her famous pork pozole surrounding her. “Now who is this young lady?”

“Hi, Mrs. Garcia, I’m Tina,” said Tina in a small voice with a wave.

“Come, come child. Let me see you!” Mrs. Garcia said.

Maria coaxed Tina forward where Mrs. Garcia wrapped her arms around the slim blond girl in a warm hug.

“I hear you saved my daughter’s life. Thank you from my heart,” Mrs. Garcia said with her eyes shining.

“She saved me and the other girls as well Mrs. Garcia. I just did what anyone would do,” said Tina.

“Nonsense, and none of this Mrs. Garcia either. You call me mom or mama. Now let’s get you something to eat! You are nothing but skin and bones!” Mrs. Garcia said as she ushered Tina into the kitchen and gestured to her to sit at the small table in the kitchen.

“Now Maria, I think it’s time you tell me what’s really going on out at that ranch place,” said Mrs. Garcia turning to address Maria with her best ‘Mom’ look.

Maria and Adona had been keeping Mrs. Garcia up to date but hadn’t been telling her the whole story, especially details about Maria’s adventures undercover or about her romantic involvement with Ben and her sisters.

“Yes mama, but I really think this is something you need to see for yourself,” said Maria.

“Oh really?”

“Yes mama and there’s something else.”

“Yes?”

“We could really use your help.”

Kelly watched concerned as Maria’s mom Consuela sniffed at the sight of the ranch kitchen. She knew from talking with Maria that Consuela was very particular about how things were set up and Kelly could tell that the small, trim woman was a real dynamo when it came to cooking.

“Humph. I guess this will do for now. I can change it how I like?” Consuela said.

“Yes Mrs. Garcia, however you like. And if you’d rather work in other areas we really could use the help in other places as well,” said Kelly.

“No, this is what I do. It’s been a long time since I cooked for so many, I miss it.”

Kelly could see a relieved smile play across Maria’s face. The Nexus group was just growing so fast it was getting impossible to keep up with everything and they needed people they could trust. Maria had often brought samples of Consuela’s amazing cooking with her to the ranch and it had seemed a natural fit to Kelly so she immediately offered the position of cook and household administrator to Consuela.

“I think you’ll like it here momma. Everyone is so nice. We are just so busy we never seem to have time for proper meals and it’s hard to keep the household running with everyone’s different schedules,” said Maria.

Maria was right thought Kelly. It was incredibly hectic. Her own mom, Jill was taking on more responsibility for their clinic and counseling functions as well as their new daycare program. Adona was working closely with the Fae learning their magic and acting as an intermediary. Eesha was becoming what Ben called an “S1”, whatever that was, for their operational side. Even that sweet girl Tina, was trying to learn how to do virtually everything on the ranch, when she wasn’t in school. The rest of them pitched in everywhere they could.

Kelly had known for sure it was time to get more help when Ben had suggested they just order in some palettes of military MRE’s (Meals Refused by Everyone). She didn’t think he was serious but she wasn’t taking chances, so she had asked Maria to recruit her mom.

“I think you’ll like it here Mrs. Garcia and we can get you whatever you need,” said Kelly.

“No, no, no. You need to call me Consuela please, or even better mama. Everyone does,” said Consuela as she gave Kelly a hug.

“How about Mama ‘C’” said Kelly with a smile.

“Yes, I like that!” said the newly christened Mama C with a bright smile. “Now when do I get to meet the hombre who has stolen my little girl?”

“I think that would be me,” said Ben as he walked in from the back porch. “It is so nice to meet you Mrs. Garcia,” said Ben, extending his hand.

Consuela ignored the hand and gave Ben a tight hug instead.

“You call me Mama C, okay?”

“Yes Mama C,” said Ben with a grin.

Kelly could tell Ben already liked the firecracker of a woman who resembled a more mature, bustier Maria.

“I see the magic here. I see how my Maria looks at you, I think this is very good.”

“Maria is incredibly important Mama C- to the work we do, and to me, and to her sisters. You have raised an incredibly brave and intelligent young woman who I love dearly. I hope you will come to work with us as well.”

“Yes, I see this. I will work here, I think. Ben, In my country we have rich men, who take everything from the poor. There is no one to stop them. They even tried to take me when I was very young and had just found out I was carrying Maria. They killed my brave Julio when he fought to give us time to escape. With help from others, we ran away from them to this country. So I know what you do is right and very important.”

Maria ran to her mom with tears in her eyes.

“Mama, you never told me what happened to my dad,” said Maria.

“No child, I didn’t want the shadow of that to take from your sunshine. When you were born though, I could see you were surrounded by the light and blessed. I knew that someday you would do work like this to help others. It was destined.”

“So that’s why you never objected much to what I’ve been doing! You knew all along.”