Inez Recillos, Aguas Frescas(Fresh Waters) Fruit Drinks and the Church Fair

[gemspegasus]

Hi All,

This fic was inspired by lit_gal's wonderful Mag 7 AU - The Tucson Seven. Hope you enjoy. :)

Title: Inez Recillos, Aguas Frescas(Fresh Waters) Fruit Drinks and the Church Fair
Author: gemspegasus
Characters: Buck Wilmington, Inez Recillos, Ezra Standish, Vin Tanner
Rating: Gen
Status: Complete
Disclaimer: The Seven don't belong to me. I'm only saddling them up for a 'ride' or 7. I will return them to MGM, Mirisch, Trilogy and John Watson when we're done. No copyright infringement intended. This was written for fun only. No profit made. Thank you to Kristen for naming Ezra’s horse.
A/N’s: Fic inspired by lit_gal’s fantastic Sunstroke, Insanity and Faith. Summary: "Vin Tanner is a cop who is sent into one of the more dangerous neighborhoods in Tucson to investigate gangs and human smugglers who are turning the place into a no-man's land. Instead, this disillusioned cop finds a team of men who he can trust with his life." My fic is set after "Sunstroke, Insanity and Faith" but before lit_gal's "Flesh and Blood and Heart." Please read lit_gal's story first then my story will make a bit more sense. In my fic, the opening dialogue between Inez and Ezra is taken from The Magnificent Seven episode, "Sins of the Past."






Buck gallantly held the door of the Player's Club open as a beautiful, slim, dark-haired woman ducked under his arm and stepped up to the bar. He would stay and meet the lady but he and JD were on a case hunting down a Lucas James who had jumped bail earlier in the day. Buck had stopped by the club to see if Vin whom was the bouncer at the club had heard anything about this Lucas character. And Vin had heard of him. Buck took one last long look at the Hispanic beauty before quietly slipping out of the club.

Ezra was tending the tables and bar tonight because he had fired the barkeeper whom he had caught stealing from the till.

From the other end of the bar, Ezra heard a man's voice shout out, "Hey, I need another drink over here."

Ezra muttered to himself, "I was not made out for honest labor."

Inez answered, "Then let me do it."

Ezra focused on the woman and asked, "Do what?"

Inez replied, "Tend your bar and tables, I also clean and make repairs. Then when you and I really get this place going, you can make me your partner."

While he strode up to the lady, Ezra responded, "Listen, senorita, I'm not looking for a partner. And you certainly cannot tend bar here."

"And you can?" Inez asked.

Ezra looked over Inez's shoulder and then said, "See that gentleman at the end of the bar?"

Inez, turned her head slightly, saw the man, turned back and nodded yes to Ezra's question.

"He'd eat you up like half a taco." Ezra concluded.

"Would you care to make a bet? One month's wages. I serve him and if there's any trouble, you keep my first month's wages."

A frazzled Ezra agreed. "Fine it will be it will be more money than I've made these past few days."

Inez pivoted around on her heels and strode behind the bar. She walked up to the counter in front of the customer, smiled at him and said, "What will it be?"

The slightly tipsy man grinned and answered, "You lovely little senorita, can serve me a whiskey straight."

Inez answered, "Si Senor." She pulled out a bottle sitting on one of the shelves behind her and poured a shot for the man.

The man drank the shot down with a sigh of satisfaction, he then said, "Now I need a kiss.

Inez replied, "Do you?"

Ezra overheard their conversation and smirked at the audacity of the man.

"No kiss... no money." the customer flashed a twenty dollar bill in front of Inez's face. He then leaned in to kiss Inez, saying, "Get ready to taste heaven..."

Inez waited until the man was really close than with one hand she pulled his hat down over his eyes while with her other hand she punched the bottom of the man's jaw.

This knocked the man clean off his bar stool and he landed out cold on the floor.

Inez caught the twenty dollar bill which flew out of the man's hand and said, "there's your kiss."

A startled Ezra walked up to Inez and palmed the twenty which Inez handed over, asking, "What's your name?"

Inez replied, "Inez Recillos."

Ezra leaned on the bar, smiled and said, "well, senorita Recillos welcome to your new job."

Inez gave him a blinding smile.

The next day, Buck stepped into the club when Inez was trying to convince Ezra to serve her chicken enchiladas with green tomatillo sauce as the main entree of the dinner hour at the club that night.

Ezra was leery of the dish because he had once eaten some less than tasty enchiladas which had given him a terrible stomach discomfort for two days.

"Senor Ezra, take one little bite of the enchiladas verdes and taste for yourself how good they are." Inez said to no avail as Ezra refused to try the chicken dish.

Buck interrupted, "I'll try it, darling. If it tastes half as good as you look, it'll be delicious. And I surely can persuade old Ez here, to serve it for supper." Buck picked up the fork next to the plate. He then speared a good-size bite of the sauce-covered enchiladas onto the fork and popped it into his mouth.

Ezra replied, "Less of the old, Mr. Wilmington, my name is Ezra. Surely, even you can manage to pronounce two syllables together. And that will be $9.00 for the enchiladas."

Buck continued to eat, but with his free hand fished out his wallet from his jean's back pocket.

He handed it over to Inez. After he swallowed another bite, Buck said, "Honey, take two twenties and a ten out and give me four more plates to go. And keep the change as your tip."

Inez answered while she took out the money from the wallet as instructed, "I am not your honey, nor your darling but I thank you for the compliment and the tip, senor." And then she plunked the wallet down on the bar next to the half-eaten plate.

Food momentarily forgotten, Buck pocketed his wallet and responded. "You can thank me by going out with me tonight, after your shift ends."

Inez immediately replied, "Nunca, senor!"

"So, tonight?" Buck asked.

Ezra had to stifle a laugh at Inez's reply and he said, "Mr. Wilmington, nunca means never."

Buck winked at Inez before replying, "Never isn't in my vocabulary."

Before either Inez or Ezra could respond, Vin Tanner walked into the club from the basement area. Hearing Buck's voice, he said, "Buck, you're late. We were supposed to be at Josiah's half an hour ago..." He tailed off as he saw Inez huff haughtily before she pivoted around and stalked off back towards the kitchen.

"Everything alright here?" Vin asked a snickering Ezra and a still eating Buck who just nodded because his mouth was full.

"If you're done eating, let's go or do you want Josiah to come looking for us?" Vin continued as Buck wiped his lips with a napkin and stood to leave.

Buck answered, "Hell, no. Because then I'd be listening to a sermon about punctuality that somehow will turn philosophical which will make my head hurt."


The three men shot the breeze while Buck waited for Inez to bring him the food to go and was disappointed when another young lady brought him his order.

Ezra reminded him that they were holding a billiards tournament that evening and Inez was in the the back getting ready for it.

Buck and Vin headed toward the door.


Vin opened the club door as Buck stepped through and they both waved goodbye to Ezra.


Two Weeks Later

Josiah smiled toothily as he rubbed his hands together and watched the ladies set up their booths for the church fair.

He threw a glance over to the booth where Vin Tanner was helping the newest member of the woman's auxilary of the church, Inez Recillos set up her Aguas Frescas or Fresh Waters fruit drinks stand.

It was good to see Tanner becoming more involved with the community and Ms. Recillos was new to the neighborhood, so Josiah was glad to see them getting them along so well.

Maria called Josiah over to taste her enchiladas, so he missed Inez giving Vin a glass of watermelon-flavored aguas frescas.

Vin drank the refreshing fruit drink quickly and then graciously thanked Inez before moving on to continue helping set up for the church fair.

A couple of hours later, Buck happily strolled through the brightly decorated booths. He stopped to chat with Maria for a few minutes during a momentary lull at her enchilada booth. When Maria's next customer arrived, Buck ambled on over to Inez's stand which was two booths down from Maria's. He stood patiently in line, enjoying the sight of the pretty and feisty senorita serving the people in front of him.

The man ahead of Buck stepped up to the booth counter and gave his order for two agua frescas.

Buck recognized the man's voice and patted the older man's shoulder. "Hello Judge Travis, it is good to see you out of the court for once."

Orin Travis turned and greeted Buck, "Hello, Buck. I retired last week. You'll be taking your bail jumpers to stand in front of another judge from now on."

"You'll be missed." Buck told him as Inez handed the older man two cups. He then added, "Say hello to your lovely wife for me."

Travis grinned at him and replied, "Stop by the cake booth and say hello yourself. Evie will be there for another hour or so." He then moved to the side of the booth so Buck could give his own agua frescas order.

At that moment, Buck blinked in shock. Had Inez just blown him a kiss with her hand?

The former judge called out and two blushing and smiling boys ran out of the line which had formed behind Buck's back.

Billy Travis, the judge's grandson and his friend Tommy Potter waved at and uttered reluctant goodbyes to Miss Inez.

An astonished Buck turned from Inez in front of him to give the boys running past him a wink.

Tommy blushed and Billy glared.

Orin Travis just shook his head and hurried the youngsters over to the cake booth where Evie's sharp eyes would keep watch over the boys.

Twinkling midnight blue eyes returned his gaze to Inez and smiling said, "An agua fresca of mango, please darling."

Inez grumbled an annoyed,"I am not your darling, senor," as she ladeled the fruit drink out of the glass barrel and into a cup. She sloshed a bit of the drink over the lip of the cup and it splashed lightly over the back of Buck's hand.

Buck, cajoled, "Can I get a smile with that splash?"

Inez didn't smile as she apologized for spilling the drink. Then she quickly handed Buck a few hand-wipes and paper towel so Buck could clean his hand.

At that moment, Vin walked into the back of the booth and reminded Inez, "It's almost time for the supper crowd at The Player's Club and you know Ezra doesn't like to leave it unattended to. What time, did he tell you he needed you there today? Cause it's half past four already."

While Buck cleaned up he asked, "Josiah, finally talked him into doing magic tricks for the kids, huh?"

Vin nodded.

Inez ignored Buck and muttered to herself in Spanish and rapidly handed over the empty ladle to Vin who had come to relieve her.

Buck spoke up. "Inez, I can give you a ride over to the club." He took a long pull of the mango-flavored drink as Inez looked at him suspiciously.

She did not want to be late but she wasn't sure she trusted Buck Wilmington.

Inez agreed to go with Wilmington once he promised Vin that he, Buck would get her to the club safe and sound.

Vin replied, "You better or I might just give Miss Hilda your private cell number."

Buck shuddered, then laughed before he said, "I bet you would. See you later." He patted Vin good naturedly on the shoulder before gesturing for Inez to walk beside him.

Vin flashed them a boyish smile before turning and greeting the next customer in line.

Police Captain, Claude Rodriguez asked his undercover agent for an agua fresca of pina. As Vin poured the pineapple-flavored fruit drink, the captain spotted one of the East Side Cuatro Milpas. Rodriguez told Tanner to hold his drink for him and took off after the gang member.

Vin set the drink down to one side and battled his inner urge to also run after them. Instead, Vin stayed put at the fruit stand and continued to serve fruit drinks.

Meanwhile, Inez scowled at Buck's grinning face as they walked toward his truck.

She stopped at the door of the truck and frowned at him while she said, "No funny business."

Buck vowed, "No funny business, senorita," while he opened the door of his truck for Inez.

She stepped onto the truck's side rail and slid into the truck's passenger side.

Buck quietly closed the door after her and headed around the truck to the driver's side. Once out of Inez's sight, he did a happy fist pump before calmly getting into the truck.

After he turned the ignition on, the sound of music filled the cabin of the truck.

"Sorry about that. JD must have left the cd on repeat." Buck said and reached out to turn off the music.

With a still surprised look on her face, Inez stilled Buck's hand. She asked him to leave it on.

So, Shakira's "Sale el Sol"(Out comes the sun) kept playing in the background as Buck explained that listening to music in Spanish helped him with the language.

Inez confessed that listening to English music helped her with her English.

After that, they conversed more comfortably about Tucson, the neighborhood, Josiah's Church and the fair until they got to the club.

Buck gallantly held the door of the Player's Club open as Inez ducked under his arm and stepped up to the bar.


The End