Hermanos de Sangre

[Alonso Fernandez]

Alonso cleared his throat, holding up a hammer. "Now that we have had a break, maybe we can get back to work so I don't have to explain to Mr. and Mrs. Harrison why the addition went over budget?"

He gave Joaquin a look of gratitude, though. "Not that I don't appreciate you taking one for the team."

"Taking one for the team?!" blustered Antonio as he got back to work. "He totally sniped that sweet ass - don't give me that look, she was totally into me before he pulled that whole sleazy photographer act." He rolled his eyes, "I can't believe women fall for that."

Alonso clapped him on the shoulder. "Sometimes I do not think you are as smart as you think you are, little brother."

[Joaquin Fernandez]

Joaquin clucked his tongue and grazed a hand over Antonio's short hair as he passed.

"Eh, don't worry so much, poco académico," he soothed in a crooning imitation of Teresa Fernandez in top (s)mothering form. "One day if you work hard maybe you will be as smooth as me. Besides, you get to practice on campus." Joaquin whistled reverently. "College girls, man."

The good-natured barbs flew back and forth as the morning ticked by and by the time early afternoon rolled around the brothers had somehow managed to make up for lost hours and make headway on the addition. Progress was helped along of course with the arrival of the rest of Alonso's crew, their presence shifting the atmosphere subtly from a fraternal air of jostling camaraderie to one of a more industrious bend.

Eventually Joaquin stepped back, stretching his arms over his head. He whistled a sharp burst across the room, drawing Alonso's attention.

"Bueno, he terminado. I will see you tomorrow morning," he said, unslinging his toolbelt from around his waist as he crossed the floor to his older brother with a grin. "Call me about the thing. You know Marcelo - he will want an exact date for his little book."

[Alonso Fernandez]

Alonso looked up and nodded. "Sounds good. I have to talk to Stephanie but probably sometime next week." He looked at Antonio across the addition from them and added, "Tonio offered to invite Jake."

He wiped his face with a clean rag. "I'm glad we are getting together. Circumstances aside, it's been too long. Anyway," he clapped Joaquin on the shoulder, "I'll see you tomorrow."

-------

Outside of P. F. Changs, Alonso looked at his watch. Traffic had been worse than usual and everyone was running a little late, including him, but he'd still somehow managed to get there first. The hostess assured him it would just be a few minutes until their table was ready, and so he was hanging out in the cool night air, waiting for his brothers to arrive.

[Marcelo Fernandez]

A lilting whistle danced through the summer air and Marcelo Fernandez grinned and lifted a hand to his older brother as he briskly walked up the street. Still clad in a pair of smartly pressed stone-washed slacks and dark dress shirt, hair stylishly combed back, the young man looked like a typical Los Angelenos flak catcher with the perpetually-buzzing Blackberry and practical company car that came with the juggling act that was public relations.

Glancing down at the watch on his wrist, Marcelo frowned. He disliked being late, an inclination from his youth that was only compounded now by his busy schedule and need to be on time for clients. Alonso wouldn't consider it an inconvenience and it wasn't as though Marcelo could have done anything about it - traffic was a brick wall this time of evening as the second round of commuters began their journeys home - but it still bothered him.

"Sorry," Marcelo apologized with a sheepish grin, slapping his brother on the shoulder and leaning back to study him. "Traffic was terrible. You're looking well, hermano."

Marcelo glanced behind Alonso and his eyes sparkled merrily. "Ah, don't tell me I'm the first one here - have you been waiting long?"

[Alonso Fernandez]

"The niños keep me young," Alonso said, a wide grin on his face. "I only just got here, myself." He held up his hand with the restaurant pager in it. "Should be seated soon though."

He looked past Marcelo into the parking lot, adding, "I think I just saw Joaquin's car, though, so then we are only missing two."

[Marcelo Fernandez]

Marcelo nodded and glanced absently over his shoulder at the parking lot, though if Joaquin's car was there it was out of view.

"He wouldn't tell me what this was about," Marcelo said, face set in open appraisal that seemed to invite confession. "Just stopped by the office to tell me and then tried to convince Janet to give him Lindsay Lohan's cell number."

He rolled his eyes and then shrugged. "Not that I'm not glad we're finally getting together but when Joaquin tries to be mysterious, problemas no se queda atrás." Marcelo winced. "Remember that Guatemalan girl?"

[Joaquin Fernandez]

"She was Colombian and I didn't know she was married," Joaquin's voice cut in and he slung an arm around Marcelo's neck, dragging his little brother down and knuckling roughly at his precise hair. "And what's with the judgement, Padre - that celibacy deal wearing a little thin, heh?"

Marcelo slapped at his arms and Joaquin let go with a laugh, nodding to Alonso and dodging a half-hearted punch from the former with the practiced ease of someone who'd avoided many a blow.

"Man, look at this kid," Joaquin rocked back on his heels with a grin. "All decked out like a proper businessman. Mama would be so proud." He skirted a glance to Antonio who'd ridden along with him. "You taking notes, 'Tonio?"

[Antonio Fernandez]

"Yeah, yeah," Antonio said, hugging Marcelo with a grin on his face. "I'm starved, we're all out of food at Casá de Joaquín. If only we could eat hair gel."

He clapped Marcelo on the back, releasing him and snagging the pager from Alonso. "This thing working? Ahh!" It buzzed and lit up, and he grinned, holding it up. "Proof God loves me!"

[Jacob Foley]

"You ladies turnin' tricks?"

An old Ford pickup truck stopped alongside the congregation of men, and Jake leaned out the window, giving Marcelo a leering once over. He jerked a thumb at the passenger seat and eased into a sleazy drawl.

"'Cause if so, I'm after a slice o' yo pie, sweet thang."

[Marcelo Fernandez]

That the ability to rattle his sensibilities hadn't been beaten out of him at an early age was some kind of miracle, Marcelo knew. His brothers took it as something of a filial mission to rid him of his modesty but throughout the years he had remained steadfast - a fact that only cemented to him that God really was on his side.

Still, he'd stopped blushing around fifteen or so and while he didn't quite have the volleying down to a fine art, he could deflect with the precision of an NHL goalie.

"Too rich for your blood," Marcelo winked and his eyes flicked over to Antonio and Joaquin. "But my boys here run a package deal more your style."

[Antonio Fernandez]

Antonio whistled at Jake, sauntering over and leaning against the door. "I'll cut you a deal on account of your purty mouth." He pushed up off the ground with his feet, climbing halfway into the window and hollering as Jake tapped the gas a little.

He shoved Jake's head to the side and hopped down and out. "Get parked, asshole, our table's ready!" Alonso was already heading into the restaurant.

[Joaquin Fernandez]

"Ho, the Padre's unclenching!" Joaquin whooped and thumped Marcelo on the back as he passed, trailing after Alonso. "I knew we'd corrupt you one day, ese!"

He received a long-suffering roll of the eyes in response and it only further propelled his laughter. Walking backwards, Joaquin tilted his head back and mimed downing a shot at Jake, flashing a thumbs up and a challenging grin.

[Jacob Foley]

"When are you gonna learn, cholo?"

In pity, he gave Joaquin a sad shake of the head and drove off with a creeping smile. It took him a minute to get parked up, and then another minute to backtrack and double-check the doors were locked, haunted by a recent experience which cost him a car stereo. Scrubbing up for Changs meant a smart shirt and t-shirt combo, which in turn meant he was a step closer to looking like a typical country music bumpkin - Julie even offered to buy him a stetson.

It wasn't difficult to locate the party of familiar faces, and even as he approached the table, a change came over him; an old familiar warmth which put a swagger in his step and a cheese-eating grin across his face. Alonso, who was nearest, and still standing as the waitress left, was greeted with a hefty embrace.

"Hey, old man. Good to see you," he said, and turned to address the raucous table at large, "Sup, brethren!"

[Alonso Fernandez]

Alonso slapped Jake on the back and released him from their hug. "Its been too long, Jake. Glad you could make it." His younger brothers were loud, but not obnoxiously so, as Jake found a seat at their table, and Alonso sat too, picking up a menu.

"Paolo said he'd be late, some sort of meeting with the LAPD in the afternoon and he didn't know how long it would be," he offered. "A working vacation, he called it, but seems like more work than vacation."