Chapter 2

Fred looked around the hotel room, then tossed the bags on the floor. Walking over to the single queen sized bed, he fell over onto his face, bouncing twice before coming to a stop. A loud snoring sound was soon heard, which got him a laugh and a light swat on the butt. He turned over to see Taylor standing next to him with a tired expression on her face.

"Is air travel always that bad?" She sat down next to him with a plop, and as Fred sat up she leaned against his large frame. It had been a long day. Thirteen hour with two layovers, the second being four hours in Texas. That was too long to be in Texas. "I wanna sleep..."

Fred looked at the clock. 9:35 PM. He closed his eyes, did some mental calculations, carried the one, then sighed.

"No, we really should go out and take a quick walk."

"But whyyyyyyyyyy?" Taylor used her best little girl voice, but Fred's complaining had never worked on his father while on vacation so he wasn't about to let such outbursts affect him today. He reached up and pet her head.

"Well, first, if things are still open we can get a jump on things. I'd love to find out the best way to get to the various Mayan sites. Second, and more importantly, I'm starved. Come on, don't you want your first meal in a foreign country?"

"Doesn't eating in Canada count?" Taylor looked up at him, pleading. "I guess not. Sigh ... OK, you win. You big meanie."

Five minutes later they were walking back out into the warm night air.

Merida was the largest, well maybe the only, city in the Yucatan Mexico. About a two hour bus ride from the tourist mecca of Cancun, it was more up Fred's alley then that tourist trap. Not only did it have a historic old city to explore, but from there you could easily go out to the ancient ruins that were his passion. No beaches, though. Taylor would just have to deal.

The hotel, sort of a mid range affair, was just inside the old city. A few blocks to the right the streets became modern and sterile, with the occasional attempt to mimic the past. Turning to the left, though, led you into the heart of the city, the part with hundreds of years of history, of building and rebuilding. Narrow stone paved streets, lined with three story stucco covered buildings. Fred and Taylor walked down these hand in hand, the way well lit, just enjoying each others company. Taylor noticed other couples, including teens, and the odd smattering of tourists. Passing one small plaza ringed by statues and columns, she saw every shadow contained a young couple standing and kissing. They were ignored by the world around them, society respecting their illusion of privacy due to the lack of any other place for them to go. She squeezed Fred's hand.

After a few blocks they found themselves at the edge of the main plaza, and Taylor was enchanted. The large square was full of trees, benches, and happy people. To the left was a huge stone church, its doors open although she wasn't sure if there was a mass. A series of archways ran down two sides of the plaza, behind which were shops and such. Fred was looking that way, and gave a happy shout.

"A tourist place! And the door's open!" He pulled her along, and Taylor was very amused to see this side of him. Fred had warned her that sightseeing to him was serious business, and this 33 year old's inner child was out in full force. And this was probably just the beginning...

They had caught the helpful employees five minutes before they were going to lock the doors for the night, and ten minutes later Fred led her out holding a bag full of pamphlets and maps. You'd think they had just been in a toy store. Soon they were seated in a small restaurant and going over their loot.

"So," said Fred, taking a swig from the bottle of water, "I say we start by doing Chichen Itza tomorrow. Bus station is only a half hour walk from here and the first bus leaves at 8 AM, so..."

"Nooo!" Taylor gave her little girl pout, which wasn't much different then her normal pout except she wasn't serious when she used it.

"Suck it up."

She raised an eyebrow at this.

"Right here? Only if we get to sleep in!"

"Ha!" Fred just grinned at her. Leaning back in his chair, he looked around and gave a content sigh. "My parents use to take us on tons of vacations. Dad drove, to save money, and we usually camped for the same reason. They didn't buy expensive luxuries, but instead took us to see incredible places. I wouldn't have changed that experience for anything." He raised an eyebrow at Taylor. "So, if you're going to be my woman you're going to have to adapt. Our kids are going to go through the same thing and I'll need you on my side."

Grinning, she leaned over and took his hand.

"So, this trip is to break me in, is it?"

He carried her into the hotel room, closing the door with his foot. Fred almost threw her onto the bed, but quickly ruled that out and instead dropped her three inches onto the mattress. Taylor looked up at him with lust in her eyes, and he let his roam over her. The white perfect skin, the baby doll t-shirt and denim shorts ... the shirt had to go. Standing on the floor next to her, he grabbed the bottom of the blue t-shirt and pulled it up over her head, but when he got to her wrists he suddenly twisted and tied it, causing her to give a surprised cry. Her eyes followed his every move as he softly ran his hands back down her arms, down her sides, then up to her naked breasts. They already looked a little bigger, and he gently explored each square inch to check. Maybe the taste had changed. He leaned down and went back over them with his tongue. No, she was sweaty and trembling, but that was normal. Fred's mouth slowly made its way down to her belly, and she moaned as he kissed the slight swell. The denim was in his way, so he paused to remove it and everything else below the waist.

As he removed the last sock her legs fell onto the bed already spread, and Fred followed through on this end by running his hands up each leg, meeting at her pink slit. Taylor had offered to regrow her bush, as he actually liked how that looked, but for now he liked her the way he had found her. Well, with the addition of a baby inside her. His hands move over her smooth skin and then into the hot wetness. She was bucking at him, wanting more, and he had the sudden thought that he needed rope. Now that would be something to ask the hotel desk for! Smiling, he grabbed her legs and lowered his head to taste her.

Taylor's eyes were closed, and she just concentrated on each jolt of pleasure. Her cries and moans seemed to be a second language, correctly interpreted by her lover ... ahh, left ... ohh, harder ... toes curled against his back, keep doing that. Finally she just shuddered ... five second ... ten. Then she collapsed, and Fred moved to undress and lay down next to her. He undid her arms, and she rolled into him.

"How am I suppose to walk all day tomorrow after that?" she asked. Taylor was still shaking, so he ran his hands gently over her back, giving her bottom the attention it deserved as well.

"It won't happen again if you don't."

Taylor gave her little girl pout again at this.

"That's not fair!"

His hands moved up to her shoulders and gently indicated a downward direction.

"Suck me, and maybe I'll reconsider."

He didn't.

The pyramid was ... incredible.

Fred just had to stop as soon as it came into view. The path from the visitors center curved through the jungle trees, one minute nothing but green in front of you and the next the huge open clearing with the step pyramid in the center. Long wide staircases led up to the very top, and seeing that tourists were already up there Fred knew the first thing he was going to do.

"My god..." Taylor was speechless beside him, her shoulder bag with their drinks and such in it almost slipping to the ground before she caught it. She finally understood.

"No, not your god, and you may want to be thankful for that." Fred smiled down at her, and took Taylor's hand. "I don't think they required virgins for their sacrifices so if someone offers to take you to a church service here politely refuse."

Laughing, she let him lead the way into the city.

From the top, the view was even better. They walked around, and through, the small temple that capped the pyramid, often pausing to just stand and stare in wonder or take a photo. In one direction was a huge mass of free standing columns, ending at another large temple. Turning right from that you could see the observatory popping out from the jungle, and he wondered how much more beautiful it would have seemed to Stephens and his artist friend Frederick Catherwood when there was NO clearings at all. There is something to just leaving a ruin in its natural state.

The decent was more interesting then the climb, as there were no hand holds apart from a rope they had strung up the middle of the stair case. Fred opted to climb down on all fours backwards. Dignity doesn't matter to the dead!

The rest of the morning was spent exploring. Fred had chosen not to hire a guide, as family tradition was just to wander around at your own pace. You may learn less, but it's much more fun. They climbed up inside the main structure, after which Fred decided losing a few pounds might be good. He was rather pissed at those with him in that ancient holy chamber. The Mayans built over old holy sites instead of tearing them down, and at the center of the pyramid was an alter, protected from the elements. Next to it was a sign, saying not to take flash photos so as not to damage the sensitive paints. So what do the bozos do? They all whip out their cameras. The historian in him wanted to bash their heads in.

By early afternoon, Fred and Taylor had seen most of the site. They were wandering along the edge of the cleared jungle, still laughing about the bats. Taylor had stood inside a darkened doorway for a photo, only to have someone point above her shouting "Look at the bats!" Fred doubted she had ever moved so fast before.

In front of them now were row after row of round stone columns, up on a stone slab maybe six inches think. The columns themselves rose maybe ten or twelve feet, towering over Fred and numbering in the hundreds. Seeing them excited the artist in Taylor, and she ordered Fred off aways next to one so she could compose a photo the way she wanted. Tired but in good spirits, he complied.

As Fred approached the columns, he was startled to hear ... a baby cry.

He paused. There it was again, somewhat muffled as if someone was trying to silence the infant. Walking to the side a bit, he tried to get a better view, and with the third cry saw the shape of someone sitting against the back side of the last column before the jungle took over.

Taylor was quickly walking up behind him, a question on her lips, but seeing how he was moving slowly she kept quiet. When she came near he pointed to what was now obviously a young woman and a baby, and she nodded. Taking his hand, they walked towards her.

The woman was crying. She was young, maybe close to Taylor's age although of a larger and curvier build, with black hair falling just past her shoulders and light brown skin. She had on a white blouse, of the style they'd seen other locals wear, and faded jeans. The baby, clad in a cloth diaper, was feeding on her right breast, and as she rocked back and forth in the shadow of the column tears just flowed from her eyes.

Taylor gave Fred a look, squeezing his hand, and he looked up into the sky with exasperation. Was Lisa going to drop beautiful women in distress in front of him everywhere he went? His hand got another squeeze to get his attention, so he put his mind to the matter at hand. Leaning over, he whispered to Taylor.

The woman looked up at the noise, and saw a young girl slowly walking towards her. She was pale, almost white, and so thin for a moment Anita though she was a spirit. The black t-shirt, with the odd name 'Nightwish' written in blue, and the denim shorts however marked her as part of the real world. This oddly made her even more scared, and she tightened her grip on her daughter who kept emptying her breast. The stranger stopped, smiled a nervous but real smile, and with both hands outlined the curve of her belly. Anita was only confused for a moment before realizing that this too was a mother. She tried to dry her eyes with her free hand. Too much was going on. She just wanted...

Looking up, she saw the girl was now kneeling a few feet in front of her. She was older then Anita had thought, with long brown hair that almost touched the ground. She was holding out a tissue, and it took a second for Anita to figure out why. Giving a faint smile in thanks, she took it, wiping her eyes and blowing her nose. A fussing baby indicated meal time was over, so dropping the tissue to the ground she put her breast back inside, brought her baby up for a quick burp, then left her pressed against her chest. Looking up, the newcomer was smiling at her with one hand on her own belly.

"She's beautiful."

Anita almost jumped at the sound. Well, that solved the question of where this girl was from. Her English was OK, but trust an American to not bothering to check.

"Do you speak English?" Anita smiled at that question. Give the girl a chance to ask before assuming she's arrogant!

"Yes, some." The stranger smiled.

"Good. My Spanish is horrible. I'm Taylor."

"Anita." The two nodded at each other. Anita was still too wary for a hand shake.

"And sitting behind me so you don't get nervous is my boyfriend, Fred." Anita's eyes shot up and saw him over Taylor's head. He was sitting 20 feet away next to a canvas tote bag, watching both them and the rest of the visible area. He was somewhat heavy set, wearing a black shirt with some writing on it, jeans, and a blue hat with a yellow buffalo. When he saw her attention was on him he smiled, tipping his hat.

"Fred was afraid he might scare you, if your problems were due to some guy." Taylor blushed, indicating some history here. "He's nice like that. Plus," she went on, "there was always the chance you were bait in some evil scheme. He's silly like that as well."

"Caution is good." She was now trying to figure out how to get away from these people. This wasn't helping. No one could help. She had to...

Anita looked down at her baby again and the tears came back. The stranger started to reach for her, and she reared back, pressing against the stone column.

"Go away!" She whispered in a harsh voice. Anita closed her eyes. Why couldn't they see ... she just wanted to do what she had to do.

"Let us help." It was a male voice, and close. Her eyes shot open and she saw the man was now sitting next to and slightly behind the girl. His black shirt said "I'm a Professional, but not at this", and his brown eyes looked at her with pity and kindness. She wanted neither. Anita started to make a move to stand, when suddenly the man's eyes got wide and his hand went to his girl's bare leg, gripping it tightly.

"Tell us why you have to do it."

She froze, looking back in horror. The girl in front of her looked at him in puzzlement.