“And school?”
“A minor inconvenience,” she said, laughing again. “Oh, it’s so good to see you here, Delia. Look how far you’ve come from that first day you entered the private school and hovered in the shadows your cousin Sophia and her friends cast over you like a fishnet. You’re a woman, and she’s still a spoiled brat.”
“I know nothing about her.”
“What’s to know? Supposedly, your aunt is working on getting her into another school. I don’t know what for except to get her out of the house. She happens to be in L.A. now, too, you know. She’s hanging out with her friend Trudy Taylor, who goes to a community college here.”
“Has Edward seen her?”
“I don’t know. Ask him when he comes, if you want.”
“What is he doing?”
“I don’t think he knows yet himself. He’s living in some crummy hotel. I don’t know why. Maybe he’s punishing himself. I don’t know that much more about him and what he’s been doing than you do, Delia.”
“You know how terrible things became for him after we met at your house. Mi tía Isabela was very angry and made all sorts of threats.”
“Right, and it wasn’t long after that when he left college and went wherever, so she has no one to blame but herself. Go freshen up,” she said, and left me.
I stood looking around. The room was very nice, and it was very kind of her to buy me all of these clothes and things, but I couldn’t help asking myself, What am I doing here? I belong with my baby.
I heard Fani put on some music. The phone rang. She was laughing loudly. It would be difficult to be depressed here, I thought. Maybe that was a good thing. Nevertheless, without much enthusiasm, I unpacked my basic things and put them in the dresser drawers. Then I went into the bathroom to shower and fix my hair so I would at least look alive when Edward arrived. I was very nervous about seeing him, afraid he would not be as friendly or care as much about me as he once had. Perhaps he blamed me somehow for his new trouble.
I looked for the most conservative outfit to wear from among the clothes Fani had bought for me, but everything was more her style than mine. I had never worn skirts so short, I thought as I tried them on and looked at myself in the full-length mirror on the wall beside the closet. What would Edward think of me? But I didn’t want to insult Fani, either. I couldn’t decide what to do.
There was a black satin minidress with boots to match, a sequined T-shirt dress I couldn’t imagine myself ever wearing, a purple silk halter dress that was cut so low I felt half naked, and a petrol silk layered minidress. Nothing went more than an inch or two below my knees. One orange and black outfit looked as if it came from a cheerleader’s costume. She had bought me a pair of designer jeans and a strapless gray tube top with a jeweled black centerpiece. Both were very tight. I could imagine someone saying they were painted on me. I was about to take these off, too, when Fani came in.
“Perfect choice!” she cried. “I was hoping you’d wear that. How about me coming up with the right size, too? I’ve got an eye for fashion.”
“It’s too tight, Fani.”
“Nonsense. That’s exactly the frame of mind you have to get yourself out of, Delia. You’re free now, really free. Look at yourself,” she ordered, and turned me around to gaze at myself in the mirror. “You’re a very sexy-looking chick. I think I might even be a little jealous.”
“Jealous of me? You wouldn’t trade places for even a second if you had to live my life,” I told her.
She shrugged. “Yesterday doesn’t matter. Only tomorrow. C’mon,” she said. “Let’s do what we used to do, sip wine and talk.”
She took my hand and led me out of the bedroom to the living room. She poured me a glass of wine and sat on the sofa. There was a plate of cheese and crackers on the table.
“Okay, now tell me all of it. Ray actually threw you out?”
“Sí.”
“I didn’t understand what you were babbling about.”
“Last night, when I went to Adan Jr.’s room, I found Señor Bovio crying very hard by the crib. Mrs. Newell was there just letting him cry and cry. I thought there was something wrong with my baby, but she wouldn’t let me see him.”
“Did you ask Ray to let you see him?”
“She shut the door in my face. I was so shocked that I couldn’t speak for a few moments. Then I cried for Señor Bovio and pounded on the door. She came out and told me I would be thrown out of the house. You should have seen how evil she looked, how happy.”
Fani shrugged and sipped her wine. “She won’t be there forever.”
“It was very strange, Fani. Señor Bovio was sitting by the crib crying so hard.”
“That’s not strange, Delia. You didn’t know him and Adan that long. They were more like brothers than father and son. Sometimes I thought Ray believed Adan was literally part of his body, especially after his wife was killed. At the funeral, they were never more than an inch apart, and they held each other so long at the gravesite that people were bawling openly. I thought my chest would explode. I’ve never seen grown men that devastated. You fell into the middle of all that and were barely there long enough to…to get pregnant!”
“I thought he was in there alone, but when I started to enter, she appeared in her nightgown. I think she was upset about my discovering her there while Señor Bovio was crying so hard. It’s not right,” I said, shaking my head. “Something is very, very wrong. She’s taking advantage of your cousin’s grief. Señor Bovio’s maid Teresa told me some stories about her. There was a couple who fired her because of the way she behaved. Do you know she acts as if she’s the one who’s pregnant, following the same diet?”
“You’re getting yourself all worked up, Delia.”
“How can I not? I’m no longer there to stand in her way,” I cried, the tears coming into my eyes.
“Great,” she said, grimacing angrily. “Dwell on it night and day. You’ll get yourself sick and be utterly worthless to your son and to everyone else, including me.”
“I’m worthless to him now,” I said.
She sipped her wine. She remained angry for a moment longer and then suddenly smiled, as if she could turn her emotions on and off like a faucet.
“Okay. First, we’ll get you settled in, get you into some sort of a life so you can get yourself mentally stronger. Until you start at your own school, I’ll make you part of mine. You will go to everything I go to here. Then, when you’re stronger, you and I will pay my father a visit and ask him to look into things for you, check up on Ray and the nurse and see about your baby.”
“Really? You would go to your father?”
“Why not? He’d do anything I ask him to do, especially now.”
“Gracias, Fani.”
“De nada,” she said. “It’s great being able to speak in Spanish, too. Most of the boys we’ll meet can barely speak English. Whenever we want to talk about them in front of them, we’ll speak Spanish.”
I had to laugh. It felt good to let myself go, even for a split second or two.
“That’s better,” she said.
The phone rang.
“That’s Jake telling me I have a visitor, I bet, and we know who that could be,” she added, winking.
My heart began to thump. She picked up the phone and nodded at me.
“He’s coming right up. I’ve decided to let you two talk in private. I have to run out to do an errand, anyway,” she said. I didn’t believe her, but I did want to be alone with Edward.
We heard the door buzzer.
I stood up.
She opened the door, and Edward looked in at us. He was in a sea-blue short-sleeve shirt and jeans and looked much thinner to me. His hair was longer and not nearly as neatly trimmed as he always had kept it. Of course, he still wore his eye patch.
“Edward the First!” Fani cried, and hugged him. He didn’t hug her back. He continued to stare past her at me. “Well, I can see you’re happy to see me,” she said.
He looked a
t her. “Hello, Fani.”
“Well, I’m not going to stay here and be ignored,” she said. “I have something to do.”
“Some boy’s heart to break?” Edward said.
She laughed. “How did you know? I’ll be back in an hour or so.” She grabbed a light-pink jacket with a white fur collar off the rack at the door. “There’s wine, cheese, and crackers or something stronger in the cabinet, if you want. Have fun, you guys,” she added, and walked out.
Edward stood there looking at me. “You look good, Delia.”
“I don’t feel good, Edward.”
He nodded, concerned. “Fani told me about all the complications with your pregnancy. I’m sorry about that.”
“Did she tell you that they insist I had drugs in me and that was what caused my near-miscarriage?”
He shook his head. “I’m sure they made it up.”
“Señor Bovio said there was proof from the hospital’s lab tests.”
“When you are as powerful and as rich as Ray Bovio is, you can get whatever proof you want from anywhere you want,” he said.
I looked down, nodding, and finally he came to me to hold me.
“Poor Delia. What a big disaster coming to America and your American relatives have been for you.” He kissed my forehead, and then we both sat on the sofa.
“Where have you been, Edward? I know you left school. When I saw you at Fani’s home, you seemed okay. You told me you were thinking of law school. What changed?”
“I wasn’t as over Jesse as I thought I was, but let’s not talk about me just yet. Tell me what’s been happening at the Bovio estate.”
I described how Mrs. Newell had treated me during my pregnancy and the emergency that had led to Adan Jr.’s premature birth. He listened quietly, thoughtfully, and sipped some wine. I couldn’t help but start to cry when I described my baby and how little I had seen of him.
“First,” Edward began, “if she is such a good maternity nurse, how come she didn’t see you were having trouble?”
“I didn’t know myself until it was too late.”
“You’re not a nurse, not yet, and this was your first pregnancy. Second, you know I didn’t give you any drugs. Did Fani?”
“No, Edward. And I’ve read about these drugs. I had none of those symptoms. At least, none so strong I’d think anything of them.”
He thought a moment. “Something is very wrong here. Tell me again about this bargain you made with Señor Bovio.”
I described all of the arrangements. He asked to see the documents that listed the money I was given. I watched him study everything. Just having him take interest in me and being near him reassured me.
“Yes, he’s apparently given you quite a lot of money, Delia. It’s all in order. And this paper you signed giving him custody has been recorded in family court. I’m sure Ray used his influence to get it all moving faster than it normally would. It’s official.”
“I did not want to give up my baby, Edward.”
He nodded. “I have a friend whose father is an influential attorney here in Los Angeles. I’ll discuss it with him.”
“You will?”
He folded it all and put it back into the envelope. “I’ll try to see him tomorrow.”
“Gracias. Are you returning to school, Edward?”
“Probably.”
“I’m sorry about you and Jesse. I know how close you two were.”
“It’s not uncommon for people who are close to grow apart when they move on, go to college or work or something. I just took it a little harder than he did. Maybe a lot harder,” he admitted.
“Where have you been?”
“I wanted to be alone, travel, discover more about myself and in the process make my mother feel bad,” he added with a smile. “She had her lawyer make some moves on me after I had disobeyed her and seen you. At the time, I didn’t care, but I’ve come back, and now I have my own lawyer. My father did some things for Sophia and me that she cannot change, and I think she’s finally realized it.”
“What about Sophia?”
“I saw her the day before yesterday. She’s worse than ever, a time bomb waiting to explode. She’s into everything, drugs, sex, and rock and roll,” he added. “My mother can’t do much about that, either. Sophia turned eighteen last month. How long are you going to stay with Fani?”
“Until I get my own apartment. Señor Bovio gave me this,” I said, showing him the information.
“Rental broker. He’s lined up some places near your school. The nursing school isn’t far from here. Maybe we’ll get an apartment together,” he said.
“Really?”
“You’d like that?”
“Oh, very much, Edward.”
“I’ll take care of this,” he said. “Don’t depend too much on Fani. She likes to toy with people.”
“I know.”
“I’ll move as quickly as I can on everything.”
“Gracias, Edward.”
He took another sip of wine. “What about your boyfriend, Ignacio?” he asked.
I described my visit at the prison and Señor Bovio’s failure to deliver on the promise he had made.
“Can’t blame Ignacio for being bitter, and I’m sure that place isn’t exactly a walk on the beach. Sorry about all that, Delia.”
“I should have told you everything.”
“Water under the bridge now. Let’s just think about the future.” He finished his wine and stood.
“What will I do if your friend’s father says I can do nothing now about my baby, Edward?”
“Let’s wait to see before we get too depressed about it, Delia. There might be a good case for proving you were coerced into this.”
“But what if there’s not, Edward? What could I do then?”
He shrugged. “The question is not what could you do, but what wouldn’t you do, Delia. Is there anything you wouldn’t do?”
“Nothing, nada.”
He nodded and started for the door. I followed him. He turned back to me at the door.
“Would you return to Mexico? You could live very well with the money you have.”
“You mean, with Adan Jr.?”
“Yes.”
“I would.”
He thought a moment. “Well, maybe that will come to be someday,” Edward said. He leaned over to kiss my cheek and waved the slip of paper with the broker’s information. “I’ll get right on this and see about finding a place as soon as possible. I don’t like you being under Fani’s influence too long.”
“And the lawyer?”
“I’ll speak to him in the morning. Don’t worry, Delia. Things will change for the better.”
“I pray so, Edward.”
“Pray for both of us,” he added. “I’ll call you later.”
I stood in the doorway as he walked down the hall to the elevator.
“Wash that solemn look from your face, Delia Yebarra. Remember what you told me your mother told you,” he said. “La esperanza enciende mañana.” Hope lights tomorrow.
“Sí, Edward. I remember.”
He pointed both thumbs up and went into the elevator.
And my heart felt as if it had returned.
14
Blind Date
“Where’s Mr. Wonderful?” Fani asked as she came into her apartment and saw that Edward was no longer there.
“He went to look into some things for me,” I said.
“Well, is he coming back?”
“I don’t know.”
“Is he taking us to dinner or not?”
“He didn’t mention it.”
“I thought he said he was. Where did he go? What’s he doing for you?” she asked.
“He is going to see about my apartment. I gave him the information Señor Bovio gave me.”
“I told you I would do that.”
“I know, but…”
“But what?”
“He and I might room together,” I said, and her eyes nearly explode
d.
“Edward wants to take an apartment with you? Interesting. Did you get any more out of him than I did? Where did he go? Where has he been all this time? What did he do?”
“He didn’t say where he went, exactly, Fani, but I think he did a lot of thinking about himself, and he’s going to be all right now. I’m sure if he wants to take an apartment with me, he wants to return to school.”
She moved her lips around as if she were rinsing her mouth with something as she thought.
“Okay, forget about him for now,” she said, moving to the phone. “I have a blind date on the hook for you, a friend of a guy I’ve been tormenting. This guy’s father owns a chain of movie theaters. We’ll go out with them tonight. It’s a big night around here.”
“A date tonight? But I just arrived, Fani, and I’m—”
“Don’t say something stupid like you’re too tired or anything, Delia. You’re here now, where everything’s going to be different. There’s no one laying down any rules on you, no restrictions. We’re going to have fun,” she declared with the same sort of authority Señor Bovio had when he was carving his words in cement.
She held up her hand before I could respond, went to the phone, tapped out a number, and smiled at me.
“Hello, Larry,” she sang. “Did you talk to Cliff about tonight? Good. Come get us in…” She looked at her watch. “An hour, and prepare to spend a lot of money on us.” She laughed and hung up. “He’s been trying to get me to go out with him for weeks. I could practically hear him panting through the phone. You don’t have to change or anything. I like you in that, but now I’m going to have to pick out something sexier for me. C’mon. We’ll talk in my bedroom.”
I felt like a balloon on a string and followed her.
“So,” she said, pulling off her blouse and undoing her jeans, which I thought were as tight as mine. “What else did King Edward have to say?”
“He wanted to know how I was and what had happened at Señor Bovio’s hacienda. He didn’t believe they had found any trace of any drugs in me at the hospital,” I said.
She picked out another pair of pants with sequins running down the sides and a pullover with a deep V neck. She was so concerned about her clothes I didn’t think she had heard anything I had said. Then she turned.