An Ordinary Drowning, Book One of The Mermaid's Pendant by LeAnn Neal Reilly

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drinking. Tomás looked out from behind them and when he caught John’s eye,
nodded and returned to drying a rack of glasses.
    The
scent of hot corn oil and fried dough made John’s stomach grumble. He ordered arepas stuffed with queso and a Medalla. The dumplings’ flaky crust tasted so
wonderful that he found himself ordering more. Tomás grinned at him when the
waitress brought over a second plate heaped with extra arepas . John ate
these so quickly that the bubbling cheese burned his palate, but still his
stomach felt hollow. Perhaps he’d better order something more sustaining,
something more basic like rice and beans. When the waitress set the bowl of arroz con habichuelas in front of him, he started to sigh until he caught sight of the chunk of ham,
a dark pink iceberg floating in a sea of rich brown. Even then, he almost
tasted it. His mouth watered while he struggled against the complex scent of
cilantro, garlic, and smoked meat. The waitress, who’d come to check on his
food, saved him from himself. He sent the bowl back untouched.
    Tomás
came over looking concerned. “The arroz con habichuelas , they are bad, señor ?
They are una especialidad de mi esposa .”
    John
squirmed and made an embarrassed face. “I’m sure they’re deliciosa ,
Tomás. But I don’t eat ham.”
    Tomás’s
face cleared. “Oh, I see, señor . No problema . I will tell her to
make you some without.”
    “You
don’t have to do that.”
    “Oh,
it’s no problema . Many people, they don’t like ham. We often eat it
without ourselves.”
    Thankfully
Tomás hurried away before John could protest again. He longed for the ham, but
everything tasted so good here that he shouldn’t give in to his baser cravings,
even though the hollowness in the pit of his stomach had spread down his
thighs. To distract himself while he waited for the
vegetarian beans and rice, he pulled Zoë’s postcard out and laid it on
the table to consider.
    Fifteen
minutes later, the waitress deposited another bowl in front of him with a thunk .
John looked at her, but she’d already turned, disapproval in her meaty
shoulders. John shrugged and scooped up a mouthful of the savory beans and
rice. Before he could stop himself, he’d shoveled the contents of the bowl into
his maw. Afterwards, he still felt empty. He’d hardly begun to study the menu
when Raimunda, pink and brown and luscious, sauntered into his line of vision.
She stopped at his table, a hand-rolled cigarette dangling from her fingers.
She smiled, her dark eyes bold.
    “Find
your mystery woman yet?” He couldn’t believe how attractive he found her husky
voice. The hollow feeling spread to his chest.
    “Nope.”
John hoped that he sounded casual. He nodded toward a seat. “You’ll have to
do.”
    Raimunda
sat down and pulled her chair closer to his. “Buy me a beer?”
    John
waved the waitress over and ordered two Medallas. Raimunda put soft fingers on
his wrist. He felt rather than heard his stomach growl.
    “A plate
of alcapurrias , too. You do not mind?” She smiled. “I am ravenous.”
    When the
basket of deep-fried yucca fritters arrived, John’s stomach did rumble aloud.
He smiled and shrugged and focused on his order of sorullos , a cornmeal
“log” stuffed with cheese.
    Raimunda
picked up one of the alcapurrias , broke it in half, and offered it to
him. John shook his head, but his gaze stayed on the tantalizing deep-orange
pocket filled with what looked like ground beef. Raimunda took a dainty bite
from her half, and John could almost taste the savory meat-and-yucca.
    “Have
some, my friend,” Raimunda said and brought the alcapurria nearer to his
nose.
    They sat
that way for an eternity while John’s heartbeat filled his head and hunger
filled his whole body. He leaned over and took a deliberate, large bite from
the fritter. It was his first taste of beef in almost a year and it tasted out
of this world. He took another bite, his lips brushing Raimunda’s fingers