Rafael Vargas quickly closed the door behind him after entering the warm household, escaping the chilly weather of late October. He hated this kind of weather. The very air stung whenever he inhaled, chilling him right down to the marrow. He quickly took off his shoes, leaving his scarf and leather jacket on and adjusted the hold on the grocery bag that he had bought along. Judging by the laughter and music coming from the kitchen he knew he would find his sisters there.

"Honey, I'm home!"

"Rafael!"

"Hermanito!"

Rafael's smile widened when his sisters dropped whatever they were doing and rushed towards him. They gathered around him and peppered him with hugs and kiss, showering him with their affections. "Okay, okay, enough already!" Rafael laughed and tried to take cover behind the grocery bag but his sisters were three strong women and didn't let him go that easily.

"Oh, come on Rafael."

"It's been forever since we last saw you, hermanito."

"You never visit."

"Or call."

"Text us."

"In other words, you pretty much avoid us like we were the plague."

"Alright, alright, I get it," Rafael chuckled and managed to pull away. "Let me put this away so I can hug you guys. One at the time."

"I get the first hug because I know you like me the most!" Maria squeezed past her sisters. Esmee snorted with a roll of her eyes while Giselle sighed over Maria's antics. They were all used to it. Out of all four of them Maria was the most mischievous one with a sharp tongue and no bullshit attitude. And it was no wonder. With beautifully almond shaped eyes and a beauty spot just above full lips, Maria got away with anything. All she needed to do was wink or smile.

"I see you're still the same, sis."

"And you've grown bro," Maria remarked with a teasing glint in her brown eyes, patting his toned arms. She stepped back and pointedly eyed Rafael from head to toe. "When you left you were skinner then a gato callejero but now you're packing some guns."

"It's not a big deal. Just been hitting the gym lately." Rafael answered smoothly with a shrug.

But his cool act didn't convince Maria and a knowingly grin spread across her lips. Rafael dropped his gaze, his cheeks starting to burn. Leave to Maria to see right through him.

"Ignore her. You look good, Rafael." Giselle smiled gently and hugged him just gently. Giselle was the youngest of the three sisters and more soft spoken. She was shorter then Maria with a nicely curved body but didn't have the same confidence as her other two even though she posed a timeless beauty with large brown eyes and long flowing hair.

"What? I didn't say anything."

"Stop teasing, Maria and go and make yourself useful. " Esmee scolded her with a sharp tone.

"Wha-"

"Come on." Giselle injected and started to pull Maria's arm.

"I just thought it was interesting. Usually when guys start hitting the gym, they want to impress someone. Is there someone you want to impress, Rafael?" Maria grinned.

Rafael's glare sharpened when Maria's sly grin only widened. He knew exactly what she was hinting about. Or rather who. "Hey," Rafael looked away and met Esmee's warm gaze. "Can I get my hug now?"

"Of course, sis."

He wrapped his arms around his big sister, his much taller frame nearly swallowing her whole. "It's good to see you, hermanito. It's been too long."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Esmee pulled away and looked up at her baby brother. She shared the same big eyes as Giselle and thick curly hair like him. She was a proud, curvy woman and had the same no bullshit attitude like Maria. "I know you got a lot going on at Uni but you're here now and I'm happy." Esmee smiled brightly and laughed softly when Rafael bent down and hugged Esmee tighter this time.

Esmee was more then a big sister. She became their centre when their mother up and left one day, leaving some note that she was sorry. During that time Esmee was studying to become a doctor but was forced to drop out so that she could take care of them.

Knowing the sacrifice she made for them and the strength she has shown throughout the years helped carrying Rafael through the days when assignments seem to pile up on him. "However hermanito I should've gotten the first hug. I'm the oldest."

"Really Esmee, is your age something to brag about?" Maria laughed loudly which was cut short when Giselle moved in and nearly smacked her arm. "What? It's true." Maria laughed again and dogded another attempt from Giselle. "Anyway, could you two break up your hug fest and come over here and help us so that we can finish this? I'm starving."

"Wow! I can really feel the love, Mia." 

"Did you buy the chipotle?"

"Yeah and everything else you guys ordered." Rafael answered, taking a seat by the kitchen island and watched Maria empty the grocery bag.

"I'm surprised you even got started. I thought you guys were bringing the stuff."

"We were but Maria decided to sit at home and sulk because I didn't bail her out when she was stuck with that the guy, Alvaro or whatever."

"Hey, don't blame me!" Maria defended herself, shooting Giselle a narrowed glare. "Giselle had the car and took her sweet time with Nicky. There was nothing I could do."

"You could've taken the bus and bought the stuff yourself. It's not hard. A bus is a big four-wheeled vehicle with the word bus written on the sides. You get on, pay the ticket and then get off where you suppose to. Again. Not that hard."

"Well, excuse me...!"

"I still can't believe you hooked up with him. I swear that guy sweats onions."

"He doesn't smell...much." Giselle snorted at Maria's words. Something Maria didn't appreciate and within seconds the two sisters were in full-out word feud.

Rafael stared at his sisters and shook his head with a smile. "It's good to be back, huh?" Rafael glanced to the side and caught Esmee's smile.

He nodded. "Yeah." He looked back at Giselle and Maria still at it. After becoming a full-time student Rafael decided to move to an apartment closer to campus since the University was nearly two hours away from home. He visited as often as he could but this semester had been a monster, leaving him drowning in assignments and no spare time.

He hadn't seen his sisters for nearly three months and truly missed them.

And Tomiko Yasuda or Tommy like her friends liked to call her.

Rafael shifted restlessly, his entire body tingling just by the mere thought of her. It's been so long since he last saw her. Only thirteen weeks, nine-two days and way too many hours and minutes.

Not that he was counting.

Rafael glanced down at his wristwatch and noted Tommy was late. He prayed that she would show up soon. He couldn't wait until he saw her beautiful smile. "Hey, hermanito!" Esmee snapped her fingers in front of Rafael's face, startling him.

"Uh...wait?"

"I asked you a question but you weren't listening," Esmee furrowed, folding her her arms across her chest. "What were you thinking about? You seemed miles away."

"Uh...nothing."

"Probably daydreaming about some woman." Maria snickered and Rafael's face instantly reddened.

Esmee smiled widely and clapped her hands happily. "Whaaat? Is there a girl you like? Wait. Do you have a girlfriend?"

"What? No!"

"But there's someone you like, right?"

"Oh, you can bet on that!"

"Maria!" Rafael cut Maria a sharp glare, shutting her up. What the hell was she doing? She knew why he kept his feelings for Tommy as a secret.

Esmee glanced between Maria and Rafael. "He told you?"

"Something I'm beginning to regret," Rafael answered without breaking the glare. "You promised."

"And I keep my promise, little brother. Sorry, sis!" Maria shrugged with a wink and exited to left, taking one of the stewpots from the stove and headed towards to the dining table.

"So...are you going to tell me who she is?"

Rafael glanced at Esmee and then dropped his gaze. He wanted to tell Esmee but knew any chance he had with Tommy would be reduced to none if he did. "It's complicated."

Esmee stared at him a moment longer. Her gaze heavy on his shoulders. "Well since you're going to be tight-lipped about it, you can get up and set the table." Rafael's head shot up. He opened his mouth to protest but Esmee beat him to it. "You haven't been around for awhile now  so it's only right to put you to work." She smiled sugary sweet at him.

"Fine." He stood up, shaking his head and rounded the kitchen island.

Rafael got what he needed and then headed towards the dining table. He started setting the table when he placed the fifth plate. "We won't be needing that. You can put it away."

"Why? Isn't Tommy coming?" Rafael looked up as Esmee approached the table, holding a bowl with black bean salad. He really hoped the panic he felt didn't show on his face. Tommy was the reason he powerwalked from the station.

"I don't think she'll make it." Esmee began to say when her cell started ringing. "Oh, speaking of the devil." Esmee answered the call with a smile.

Rafael followed Esmee with his gaze when she turned around and headed back to the kitchen. He sucked his teeth in annoyance. He really wished Esmee had stayed so he could hear what they were saying. "I see you're still hung up on Tommy."

Rafael nearly jumped out of his skin when Maria popped out from behind him. "Jesus, Maria! You need to stop sneaking up on people."

Maria shrugged and slid up next to him. "So? Am I right? I know I'm right. I saw the way your face lit up when Esmee mentioned her name."

"Like it matters," Rafael muttered. "I can't believe you almost told Esmee. Do you want her to kill me?"

"Please. As if she would. Plus you shouldn't let Esmee stand in your way," Maria smiled, a rare sight. "You need to tell Tommy that you love her."

"Shit, sis! She can hear you!"

"Leave him alone, Mia."

Rafael's heart slammed to his chest when he heard Giselle. He looked behind him and watched Giselle place the last stew on the table. She looked up and winked at him before turning around and headed back to the kitchen to get the drinks.

Rafael turned his head slowly back around and pinned Maria with a hard stare. Maria, at least, had the decency to look embarrassed. "You told her..."

"Well..." Maria began saying when her gaze shifted over his shoulder.

Rafael turned his head and saw Esmee walked back in the room with a worried look on her face. "What's wrong? Has something happened to Tommy?"

Esmee shook her head. "No, she's fine. But with her abuela being sick and in hospital, Tommy is left in charge of the company and is swamped so she won't be coming tonight."

"How's her abeula? Any changes?"

"No and the doctors has told the family to prepare for the worse." The room fell into a heavy silence. They all knew how close Tommy and her grandmother were and felt for her.

Rafael wanted so badly to be there for her. Comfort her through this difficult time.

"Yeah...but that's not all," Esmee continued and ended with a sigh, placing her hands on her hips.

An unsettling feeling started to fill Rafael's gut. He didn't know why but knew that he wasn't going to like what he was about to hear. "Tommy just told me that if she takes over the family company than she might have to move to Japan. Permanently."

And he was right.