Title: The Best Man
Author: MadaMag
Working Title: Box Story
Summary: Wishing for a family of her own, Victoria overlooks the one man who wants to fulfill her dreams.
A/N: This story was thought as an writing experiment - a memory in a memory.
A/N: This story was edited by Mary Beth. Thanks a lot!
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Diego slowly drank his coffee, while openly looking at Victoria. His usually passive, yet cheerful face seemed to be gone.
Victoria, sensing his gaze, looked a few times in his direction. However, when their eyes met, she immediately looked away. His face was so sad and full of concern, she could not stand it. She had noticed his bad mood ever since she had broken with Zorro, and since then, it seemed to have only worsened.
Yes, she had done it. She had broken with Zorro. Not that she could have stopped loving him, she still loved him very much. However, there were no signs that Zorro's fight would stop soon, and Victoria realized that if she wanted a home, a family and children, she couldn't wait any longer.
Victoria usually didn't spend much time with other women. The tavern took almost all of her time, so she usually missed the women's evening meetings. It was three months before there was one of the rare days she didn't have overnight customers and her helper could manage the few evening patrons.
The meeting was in the home of one of the pueblo's mother's-to-be. She was expecting her first child, and as was custom, other women would gather together a few weeks before to prepare outfits for the little one. Some of them would sew clothing, others knitted shoes or caps, while others sewed a coverlet.
Victoria liked to crochet. When she was a little girl, she often laced handkerchiefs. These days, every third or forth one she gave to Diego. Victoria's mother taught her the basics of crocheting when she was young. Once, Victoria decided to make a handkerchief for herself. However, when she proudly presented her work to other children, they teased her. In spite of the time spent, Victoria had to admit to herself that it was really bad, full of knots and very uneven, but she was very proud of it. Their comments hurt her, so she ran away and hid. Diego found her. He talked with Victoria for a while, asking what was wrong. She sadly told him about her handiwork, but didn't want to show him. She was afraid that he would laugh at her too.
While they talked, Diego asked her if she had something he could wipe the sweat off his forehead. With hesitation, she gave him her handkerchief. After using it, he asked if he could keep it. He explained to the surprised girl that he could use it in the future. Then added, he would probably need more of them, and asked if she could make them. Victoria agreed, and with time, her skill improved, until she made the prettiest crochet around. All this was due to Diego's belief in her.
Victoria smiled sadly. Diego being five years older than she was, had been something like a hero for her. When he was thirteen or fourteen years old, he was a natural leader of all the children around. He was the bravest, smartest, strongest and the funniest boy around. He was more serious and sensible, probably due to his mother's death, his passion for science and books was visible even then. However, he used his knowledge and his passion to change the words in action. He showed the other children interesting experiments, made new plays and games with support of his historical or adventure books.
He was the one who organized a big fire and while they roasted potatoes and sausage, he explained how to make charcoal. Of course, most of the peon children couldn't afford the sausage, but to Victoria's surprise, somehow Diego worked out something appropriate for everyone.
Another time, he took a large group of children into the mountains for a few days. It was surprising how much the people trusted him. He convinced all the parents to let the children come. He took care of the food, the horses for the children that didn't have their own rides, and decided the trail. Of course, he needed help from adults, but he was a very outgoing boy, sometimes even outrageously polite. He borrowed horses from several caballeros, from another vegetables, yet another one the meat. He knew exactly to whom to go with what request. The pueblo's women baked bread for his group, after he somehow managed to get a full sack of corn for free. Victoria remembered the trip very well. Almost all the children over ten years of age took part in it. For some of them, it was the longest trip they had made ever. Thanks to careful preparation and Diego's natural leadership skills, it was the best time she had had as a child.
Victoria sometimes wondered what had happened to Diego while studying in Madrid, what had changed him so much. Nowadays it seemed as if no one could remember the courageous, careless and full of energy young lad. Even his father only saw the passionless, quiet man he had become. Yet, he was still the same gentle, caring and polite person. However, his courage and spirit seemed to have disappeared. He tried to avoid danger, almost never raised his voice in open situations, and avoided anything that could draw attention toward him.
Still, he was an easy man to love. He cared so much about the people in the pueblo. For a long time, she refused to see his devotion. However, after his brother's death she decided to pay more attention to him, to make sure that he would be alright.
Even if Diego didn't know his brother, his death hurt him more than he wanted to admit in front of anyone. Since he didn't like to talk about it, Victoria decided to look after him. Because of her work in the tavern, she couldn't spend much time with him, however every time someone mentioned Diego, Victoria listened carefully to the words.
It surprised her how often his name came up in conversations, and mostly because of his deeds. He did little things, like speak to someone, lend money, helped by repairing a wagon, or judge two people. He gave legal advice, or helped ordinary peons in their work. Usually, the peons went to him with their health problems. Victoria wondered why they didn't go to Dr. Hernandez, but if she asked carefully, she would get an answer. Diego was friendly with almost everyone, so no one was shy or ashamed to talk with him. They didn't want to bother Dr. Hernandez with little things, and Diego usually could help them as well as the doctor, a few declared even better.
Because of her new knowledge, Victoria felt a growing respect for the quiet caballero. It was strange to discover that her best friend, whom she had known almost all of her life, and whom she had thought was lazy and had his head in the clouds, would work so much for the benefit of the people of the pueblo.
Surprisingly, but not unexpected after all, he was also at the women's meeting. He was the only man in with this group of women. Any other man would have refused, but not him. Victoria felt strange about his presence. Why was he here? He probably wouldn't be sewing, nor knitting. Yet, he knew what he could do. Most of the women were mothers, having children of their own, that they had to take care of, so they brought them along. In short, all the children found themselves in Diego's custody. They played games, prepared coffee for their mothers and aunts, and then would gather around Diego to listen to stories he told to them. Victoria couldn't hear what the children and Diego were talking about, but the picture of them was cheerful and peaceful, and so natural, that she found tears in her eyes. There was the overwhelming wish to have her own little family-a husband and children of her own.
Today, probably sensing her look, he raised his head and sent her a smile. It was a sad smile. Victoria was struck with the realization that, in spite of common conviction, Diego also yearned for a family. A little girl wanted Diego's attention and she climbed up into his lap. Diego listened to her and whispered something in her ear, making her happy. Victoria wished too for a little girl. However, she knew that as long as there was a need for Zorro, they would be unable to marry and have a peaceful life.
Victoria had long struggled with the wish to have her own family. She wanted to wait for Zorro, but the sight while at the meeting painfully enlightened her. She realized this could never happen. She could fight with the common opinion, the tradition that a woman needs a man, but she couldn't fight with her feelings and deepest wishes. As much as it hurt her, she decided she must break with Zorro in order to find another man to be in her life. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she hoped that he would come after her and would court her without the mask.
Victoria was a bit scared before the talk with Zorro. She wasn't completely sure if she had made the right decision. Could she find someone else? Could she relax enough around another man to marry him? Or would Zorro forever be the only one in her heart and she would feel miserable for the rest of her life? Would Zorro understand why she wanted to end their relationship? Secretly she wished he could convince her to wait a bit longer for him. Was this the best decision in this situation?
Victoria didn't have to wait long for Zorro. Almost at the same moment she had decided to break up, he came to visit. She was unnaturally calm as she informed him of her decision. In a quiet and calm voice, Zorro told her he understood. He asked her if she was sure, and after she confirmed, he embraced her tightly. His calmness and understanding made Victoria doubt in his love for her. Momentarily, while he held her in his strong arms, he whispered into her ear, that he knew how much she wished for a family, and children, something he could not give her right now. He hoped that she could wait with her decision a while longer, but knew that he couldn't stop her doing what she thought was best for her. He asked her to choose her future husband wisely, and assured her that he would not interfere with her decision. Finally, as he pulled away, and Victoria could clearly see the tears on his cheeks. She was crying as well.
When Victoria announced her break up with Zorro, the people didn't believe it at first. Only when she went out with one of the farmers on a date, did they slowly started to acknowledge what had occurred. Some of the people thought she had betrayed Zorro, and were sad that the romance of the pueblo had come to an end. Others thought that she had finally come to her senses, and like other ordinary women, she would become a docile wife and mother.
There were a few peons and even a few dons attracted to her. After all, she was a beautiful woman and owner of a very prosperous business. Victoria told herself she didn't need to hurry and decided to look carefully and closely at all suitors she may have. Her source of information was usually Diego, and he was the only one she was comfortable enough to ask and trust completely. She noticed he tried to give her the best information he had, but she always had a feeling that he forced himself to discuss it with her.
Lately, Victoria had been dating one of the oldest caballeros, Don Esteban. In the pueblos' opinion, she had seriously considered marrying this caballero and probably would. Don Esteban was wealthy enough that no one would think he was after the tavern, and he seemed to really like the idea of having Victoria as a wife, and was not concerned about her past with Zorro.
--cdn.
