It was late, almost two in the morning, when they finally left the club.  “It’s been so long since I went dancing like that,” said Maite, her cheeks flush from the heat and physical exertion. She sighed as a gentle breeze hit her face.  “You guys have great clubs over there,” replied Javi. “Why aren’t […]

Before long, dinner came and went. As they were finishing up, Javi looked over at his cousin and Maite. “Are you still up for dancing?” Kepa looked over at Maite who simply smiled and gave him a slight nod. Kepa beamed as he turned back to Javi. “Bai! Noski!” Javi led them out of the […]

After lunch, the small cuadrilla wandered to some of the wine tasting rooms that dotted downtown. At each stop, they got a small glass of wine, just for tasting, before moving on to the next one. It really reminded Maite of the txikiteo of the Basque Country and she felt more at home than she […]

Soon, they all found themselves downtown. Javi led them to a small pub tucked in a corner. “This is one of my favorite places. Low key, but good food. And good beer if you want it. Julie’s going to meet us here.” As Javi checked in with the host, Kepa noticed a woman sitting at […]

The beach was picture perfect. The air was cool, but not cold, just enough to counter the heat of the sun. A gentle breeze came off the ocean, bringing with it the salty smell of the sea. Maite took a deep breath.  “Almost reminds me of home,” she said, suddenly homesick. Javi chuckled. “You haven’t […]

Kepa and Maite sat down at the dining room table. In front of them sat a selection of pastries and fruit. Javi brought some cups of coffee as he joined them. “Wow,” said Kepa, “this looks great!” “No problem,” replied Javi. “It isn’t quite bollos de mantequilla, but it’s as close as we can get […]

Though Javi and Kepa didn’t drink all that much, it was still late when they finally made it back to Javi’s place. Kepa quietly slipped into his and Maite’s room, into the bed, and was soon fast asleep.  Maite, lying awake next to him, simply smiled to herself. She mused over the time since they […]

The pub that Javi found was both familiar but completely different from the places Kepa hung out at home. It was full of students from the university as well as a mix of other people. Javi ordered two pints at the bar and led them to a table in the corner, where the crowd noise […]

A couple of hours later, long after the sun had set and the night sky had filled with stars, they pulled into Javi’s driveway in Santa Barbara. Kepa had woken up just as Maite had pulled the car onto Javi’s street, the speedbumps jostling him awake. As they pulled in, the front door of the […]

“We should get going,” said Maite, her head resting on Kepa’s chest as they both lay on the dusty floor of the Noriega’s bar. She listened as his heart beat normally, and wondered if the effects of the bullet were really completely erased. “Bai,” replied Kepa. “Javi’s still expecting us tonight.” He paused. “It’s so […]