house with little Eduardo running after her. I strolled over to Jacob and picked him up.
Sublime innocence.
Giving my boys a happy childhood did in many ways make up for the loss of mine. Through them, I found myself reliving all that I’d missed out on.
Jacob stared up at me with that mischievous grin of his and then vomited onto my shirt. Annabelle’s laughter rippled around the garden and Jacob giggled and Eduardo screamed. I too saw the funny side. Annabelle offered to take Jacob, but I gestured I was fine, and planted kisses onto his soft cheek and to the top of his head.
The stickiness soaked through to my skin. Jacob stared at the gooey mess and giggled again.
“Have I no power in this house?” I winked.
In an hour, the boys would be in bed and I’d steal precious time with the woman who’d taught me how to trust and how to love.
I welcomed the happiness in.
* * * *
Later that evening, I read the dispatch from Señor Teofilo’s office.
The letter from Salvador and Alicia had originated in Italy, routed via the attorney’s office, and even then written in code. After reading the letter, I memorized the words, the tone, then threw it into the fire.
A small price to pay for the peace of mind that Felipe wouldn’t find them. Ever wary, I ordered my workers to take turns in guarding our residence. I fired three men I found napping during their watch before they took my paranoia seriously.
Smoke spiraled up and into the chimney. I heard a knock on the study door and Annabelle entered.
She wrapped her arms around me and we both watched the flames burst up, taking with them more than just words.
“How would you feel if I gave Eduardo his first riding lesson?” I asked.
She scrunched up her face. “On those big horses of yours?”
“We’ll get him a pony.”
“Perhaps when he’s a year older?”
I nudged her. “They’ll grow up one day, you know.” I smiled. “Speaking of babies, Alicia’s pregnant.”
“How far?”
“Five months.”
“And Salvador?”
“He’s well. Ricardo, too.”
“Perhaps we’ll be blessed with another child.”
I hugged her. “What would you say to us moving?”
“But I love it here.”
“We can rebuild.”
Annabelle squeezed me tighter. “This is our home. I won’t let that man run us out of it.” She gazed up at me. “He’s forgotten all of that now.”
I knew that’s what she wanted to believe, and so did I, but Felipe had proven himself to be vicious.
“What could he do to you now?” Her eyes widened, as though she’d read my mind.
Some part of me knew, despite the five years that had passed since I’d last seen him, Felipe still held a grudge. His thirst for power paled in comparison to his desire for wealth. We lived on the very land he believed should be his. Yet Annabelle was right, we had been left alone. No dispatches from his lawyers and no more threats.
“I have something to show you.” Annabelle placed her small hand in mine and guided me out of the study.
“Where are we going?” I pulled her toward me and stole a kiss.
“You’ll see.”
I followed her out onto the lawn that crushed beneath our feet, above us a clear night sky.
I cringed. “Oh, God, I haven’t forgotten our anniversary, have I?”
“Silly.” She pointed to a row of small shrubs. “This is the best place for them.”
I stared down at the twigs sprouting out of the ground.
She beamed with pride. “Rose bushes.”
“What color?”
“Red.”
I pretended to find joy in this moment, even though disconcerting memories were stirred by the scent of a rose. I studied the barest shrubs and considered the wisdom of staying here to see them grow.
“There’s plenty of sun here.” I knelt to examine more closely one of the buds. My fingertip caught on a thorn, and the puncture went deep. I sucked on the oozing drop of blood, quietly alarmed that coupled with the sharp sting, it brought with it a terrible omen.
Chapter 19
AN AUGUST EVENING
Sublime innocence.
Giving my boys a happy childhood did in many ways make up for the loss of mine. Through them, I found myself reliving all that I’d missed out on.
Jacob stared up at me with that mischievous grin of his and then vomited onto my shirt. Annabelle’s laughter rippled around the garden and Jacob giggled and Eduardo screamed. I too saw the funny side. Annabelle offered to take Jacob, but I gestured I was fine, and planted kisses onto his soft cheek and to the top of his head.
The stickiness soaked through to my skin. Jacob stared at the gooey mess and giggled again.
“Have I no power in this house?” I winked.
In an hour, the boys would be in bed and I’d steal precious time with the woman who’d taught me how to trust and how to love.
I welcomed the happiness in.
* * * *
Later that evening, I read the dispatch from Señor Teofilo’s office.
The letter from Salvador and Alicia had originated in Italy, routed via the attorney’s office, and even then written in code. After reading the letter, I memorized the words, the tone, then threw it into the fire.
A small price to pay for the peace of mind that Felipe wouldn’t find them. Ever wary, I ordered my workers to take turns in guarding our residence. I fired three men I found napping during their watch before they took my paranoia seriously.
Smoke spiraled up and into the chimney. I heard a knock on the study door and Annabelle entered.
She wrapped her arms around me and we both watched the flames burst up, taking with them more than just words.
“How would you feel if I gave Eduardo his first riding lesson?” I asked.
She scrunched up her face. “On those big horses of yours?”
“We’ll get him a pony.”
“Perhaps when he’s a year older?”
I nudged her. “They’ll grow up one day, you know.” I smiled. “Speaking of babies, Alicia’s pregnant.”
“How far?”
“Five months.”
“And Salvador?”
“He’s well. Ricardo, too.”
“Perhaps we’ll be blessed with another child.”
I hugged her. “What would you say to us moving?”
“But I love it here.”
“We can rebuild.”
Annabelle squeezed me tighter. “This is our home. I won’t let that man run us out of it.” She gazed up at me. “He’s forgotten all of that now.”
I knew that’s what she wanted to believe, and so did I, but Felipe had proven himself to be vicious.
“What could he do to you now?” Her eyes widened, as though she’d read my mind.
Some part of me knew, despite the five years that had passed since I’d last seen him, Felipe still held a grudge. His thirst for power paled in comparison to his desire for wealth. We lived on the very land he believed should be his. Yet Annabelle was right, we had been left alone. No dispatches from his lawyers and no more threats.
“I have something to show you.” Annabelle placed her small hand in mine and guided me out of the study.
“Where are we going?” I pulled her toward me and stole a kiss.
“You’ll see.”
I followed her out onto the lawn that crushed beneath our feet, above us a clear night sky.
I cringed. “Oh, God, I haven’t forgotten our anniversary, have I?”
“Silly.” She pointed to a row of small shrubs. “This is the best place for them.”
I stared down at the twigs sprouting out of the ground.
She beamed with pride. “Rose bushes.”
“What color?”
“Red.”
I pretended to find joy in this moment, even though disconcerting memories were stirred by the scent of a rose. I studied the barest shrubs and considered the wisdom of staying here to see them grow.
“There’s plenty of sun here.” I knelt to examine more closely one of the buds. My fingertip caught on a thorn, and the puncture went deep. I sucked on the oozing drop of blood, quietly alarmed that coupled with the sharp sting, it brought with it a terrible omen.
Chapter 19
AN AUGUST EVENING
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