The Body Speaks
Disclaimer: I don't own this.
"Where have they gone too?" Victoria queried of no one in particular. Felipe and Diego had been sitting at a table in her tavern just a moment ago pouring over a new book that Diego had picked up during a recent trip to Monterrey. But now the duo was nowhere to be seen. Of course the gentlemanly Diego had left more than enough pesos sitting on the table to cover the two plates of enchiladas they had ordered only two minutes prior.
"Boys," she mumbled to herself as she picked up the money and wondered what she was going to do with the food. Should she keep the two plates warm in the kitchen in case they returned or ask around to see if anyone else in the tavern was hungry? Thankfully Sergeant Mendoza was there and quickly made her decision for her.
"Senorita I will happily take the extra food off your hands. I do not think that Don Diego and Felipe will be returning anytime soon. They left in quite a rush. In fact they even forgot that new book that Don Diego was so interested in."
Victoria momentarily wondered what could have prompted the duo to leave the tavern so quickly as she handed the food to Sergeant Mendoza. No doubt Diego had thought of some experiment he wanted to try or a story he wanted to include in the next issue of the Guardian. She smiled at the thought of Felipe and Diego covered in dust from an experiment gone wrong as she made her way back to the kitchen. She was just about to pull over the curtain to the kitchen when she caught sight of the book left abandoned on their table out of he corner of her eye. It was a new book and no doubt they had not had time to finish it. She had better pick it up so she could keep it safe for when they returned.
The unobtrusive book sat innocently on her cupboard the whole day without Victoria giving it any more consideration. But that evening when she was finished closing up the tavern and the last of the ceramic dishes were done and she was just about to head upstairs to bed the book caught her eye. She was not quite ready to sleep yet. It had been an exciting day with Zorro riding into the pueblo to protest the latest produce tax. So she picked up the book with the intention of reading a few pages until she was able to go to sleep.
"Body Language Interpreted" she mouthed as she read the title of the book. The title caused her to giggle. The way Diego and Felipe had been so absorbed by the book she would have guessed it's subject to be something much more interesting than about body language of all things. But then again, it was just the kind of scholarly topic that Diego would put way too much thought into. I mean, it didn't take a genius to figure out what a shaking fist or an angry tone meant. Did people really need a book to explain what a person could easily see? But then she was a woman and naturally more in-tune to those things. She prided herself on being an excellent judge of character and quick to realize when a fight or new romance was budding within her tavern walls. But despite her obvious lack of appreciation for the book's subject she picked it up and began reading.
While the book was full of obvious suggestions there were plenty of tidbits about human nature that Victoria had never really thought to think about and she quickly found herself absorbed in the book. She especially enjoyed the description of the dominant male. The dominant male adapted a low voice, a wide based stance, erect shoulders and often held his hands on his hips ready to reach for his weapon. It made her think of Zorro. In fact her fiance was much more dominant in his demeanour than even the examples sketched in the book.
What's a phallic display? she thought in confusion as she read on. The book stated that males often try to assert their dominance with phallic displays. She supposed she would have to ask Diego about it later. But then she saw the following pictures and descriptions which gave her a pretty good idea of what it was exactly. She thanked her lucky stars that she had not been naive enough to ask Diego. At that embarrassing thought she blushed to herself. Then for some reason an image of the impressive sword that Zorro carried popped into her head and she could not prevent herself from giggling into the darkness. But by now it was far to late so she gave up and put the book away to catch a few fleeting hours of sleep before sunrise.
The next few days went by without too much excitement in the pueblo. In fact things had been so calm that she had plenty of time to finish Diego's book. She had to admit if nothing else the book was quite entertaining. Victoria even found herself watching her patrons' private interactions, looking for the small clues the book had talked about. It was remarkable as she was soon able to pick up who was bluffing at a game of poker, who was the most respected person in a group, who was interested in their lunch companion and who wished they could be left alone to eat! It was fascinating.
Having finished the book she was pondering riding to the de la Vega hacienda to return it this afternoon. Normally she would have just waited until Diego showed up on his own but she was concerned since she had not seen him all week after he and Felipe had left in such a hurry. But just as she was wondering if Pillar would be able to handle the tavern for a few hours Don Alejandro walked into her tavern.
For all intents and purposes Don Alejandro was an excellent example of the dominant male. The way he walked into the tavern with his head held high and shoulders erect. Victoria noticed that the few people who wished him hello always broke eye contact with him first. Alejandro would pat his well-wishers on the shoulder but no one dared pat at him in kind. And he wasn't just trying to exert his dominance but was granted it willingly. When the men shook his hand Alejandro always had the upper hand. If she did not know him personally it would not be hard to guess that he was one of the most well-respected and wealthy landowners in the pueblo.
Victoria smiled as she thought that no one could quite measure up to the dominance that Don Alejandro exuded except for Zorro. She wondered who would have the upper hand between those two men? Surely Zorro, with his hand at his hips ready to wield his sword was the alpha male, but perhaps he would grant the upper hand to Alejandro as a sign of respect.
While Victoria was pondering this Diego entered the tavern with Felipe at his side. She noted his hunched shoulders and attempts to make himself smaller than he was. His light airy voice and upturned hands proclaiming his pacifistic attitude. Oh Diego! So unlike his father.
Victoria marvelled at the huge difference between the two men as Pillar prepared their orders. She was picking up their food dishes when a most unwelcome customer entered the tavern.
"What brings you into the tavern this afternoon De Soto?" asked Alejandro, a barely contained undertone of contempt in his question. While Alejandro was still sitting calmly in his seat Victoria was still able to recognize the confrontation stance that had come over the previously relaxed caballero.
"I am merely here to ensure that the senorita is aware of the new food tax. I am being fair Don Alejandro in that I am giving her plenty of warning so that she can change her charging scheme appropriately," announced De Soto.
The two men glared at each other angrily. Neither willing to give up their ground like a bunch of baboons as Diego's book would have said noted Victoria. Alejandro stood up from his seat to properly face the alcalde before continuing.
"I see. Well I hope you realize you run the risk of ruining her business if you make people pay a tax on all their foods. And this is the only place to stay in the whole pueblo for out of towners. People will stop coming to our pueblo because of this ridiculous food tax and the merchants who you tax so heavily will have nothing left to give. Are you purposely trying to run this pueblo into the dirt?"
The alcalde was about to retort when Diego placed himself between the two men.
Victoria thought with some interest that Diego's action was quite aggressive for such a passive man. But as she continued to watch the little drama in front of her she began noticing quite a few things about the passive Diego. First of all he stood like a warrior, with a wide-based stance and one hand on his hip. And that hand was busy clenching and unclenching as if he were preparing to grasp a non-present weapon. Of course those clearly alpha male actions were undermined by the fact that he was not standing at his full height and was not making eye contact with either man. He merely stood slumped between them. But he stood his ground.
"Father we must learn to respect the alcalde's taxes. It could bring in revenue for a new school. And at least he warned Victoria before collecting," said Diego in that airy voice of his. Not at all commanding in word or deed. But Diego staunchly stared at his father until the elder man broke eye contact first.
Victoria did not pay mcuh attention to Alejandro subsequently. He was busy muttering to himself about what made a true de la Vega and his son's repeated inactions. Ranting that Diego would accept any of the alcalde's insane taxes. And it certainly appeared that way to the untrained eye. But Victoria knew better. Diego had pressed his finger against his lips while telling his father they must respect the alcalde's tax. And that, as his book had educated her, was a sure sign a person was lying. Diego had no respect for De Soto's laws. Perhaps this unspoken taunt was why De Soto always seemed annoyed with Diego for no reason. As if Diego were a threat to him.
"Diego I have something for you in the kitchen," she piped up suddenly unsure of why she did it. Perhaps she wanted to extricate Diego from his father's displeasure and De Soto's smug grin. Either way he seemed grateful to be saved from the situation as he meekly followed her into the kitchen.
"Diego you left this book behind earlier in the week. I thought you might want it back," stated Victoria as her mind pondered the scene she had just witnessed. As she handed the book to Diego she studied his face for a sign of the commanding man he could be, but unfortunately his eyes were trained on the book and not on her. It was then that she realized Diego rarely made eye contact with her. A sure sign he was hiding something from her!
"Diego?" she prompted as she held unto the book that he was trying to take from her. This time he looked up into her eyes.
It was only for the briefest of seconds that they held eye contact. But long enough for Victoria to notice it, the barely perceptible dilation of his pupils. The slight blush at the base of his neck. It was obvious if you only knew what to look for. Diego de la Vega was attracted to her. But was that really a surprise? In her deepest heart she already knew that. His body had shown her long ago but she would never let herself believe it. It was too dangerous an admission. Because deep down she knew that her body reacted to him as well. Reacted to him as if he were a powerful man. The kind of man she could respect. The kind of man she could be submissive too if he proved himself worthy.
Victoria panicked at her thoughts. She could not be standing in her kitchen thinking about her attraction to Diego. About how he was anything more than he appeared to be. It was ridiculous. Why would he hide under a coat of incompetence? But the moment silence in the kitchen seemed to stretch on forever so Victoria spoke without thinking to lighten the tension.
"Diego you give yourself away. De Soto and your father are the two most powerful men in this pueblo. And you put yourself between them as if it were nothing. You're not as cowardly as your father thinks if you are willing to diffuse an argument between those hot tempers. You use lame excuses about schools but the whole time your hand is acting as if it wanted to reach for your sabre."
In her panic Victoria barely realized what she had said. But she had gotten Diego's attention whatever it was. Because this time he raised his eyes to hers for more than the fleeting second. She opened her mouth in surprise but managed to suppress the exclamation of wonder that wanted to escape. As Diego stood about her at his full height and full commanding presence it was only too obvious who he really was. His broad jaw and blue eyes practically screamed it.
"You can only mask so much," she finished as if it had been her original discovery and not dumb luck she had stumbled on his secret.
"I will have to be more careful," he whispered huskily as he took the book from her and placed it into his inner coat pocket.
They stared at each other.
"You should go back before they get suspicious," whispered Victoria realizing that she badly needed a moment to calm herself down and process all she had discovered. While her body was urging her to embrace the man across from her, she could hardly risk the action with De Soto and Alejandro sitting in her tavern, on the other side of a flimsy curtain.
"As you wish," he replied, his face falling only slightly. But as he walked away she could tell the sag in his shoulders was not an act, but her doing. He felt rejected.
"Diego, come back later tonight," she whispered as he pulled back the curtain, rejoining his father and Felipe as if everything was still the same.
He made no reply to her words, but he walked just a little bit taller.
The End