The Dream Fulfilled
2 - Observations
Chapter 2: Observations
Doña Elvira Ramirez was enjoying a cup of tea in her sala when her maid/seamstress Luisa returned from market day. "Buenos tardes, Señora" said the maid, entering the room.
"Buenos tardes, Luisa. And how are things in the pueblo?" enquired her mistress.
"Very much as usual," Luisa replied. "Although I did observe something of interest."
"Come, sit, and have tea. And you will of course tell me what that was," continued her mistress, picking up the teapot and filling a cup. Some of the doñas would call Luisa a gossip. Doña Elvira preferred to think of her maid as simply someone who made it a point to be very well informed about the goings-on of the pueblo.
"I saw Margarita De la Vega in Señor Avila's store."
"Ah." said Doña Elvira. "And this was interesting because?"
"She was fingering the linen and the fine wool. The very fine wool."
"Ah," said Doña Elvira, as her eyebrows rose slightly.
"In fact, she asked Señor Avila if he had anything that was softer."
"Ah!" said Doña Elvira, as now her voice rose slightly to match her eyebrows.
"He said he did not, but that in a few weeks something might come in. Then Señor Avila asked her if she needed it right away. Doña Margarita said that the need was not pressing, that she could wait a while."
"Ah!" said Doña Elvira once more, now smiling.
"Then the Señora De la Vega left the store and crossed the plaza to her carriage, and she was driven away."
"She did not ride her horse? She left in a carriage?"
"Sí." replied Luisa.
"Ah," said Doña Elvira, one last time, nodding. Then she continued: "Luisa, I want you to go into Los Angeles for the next three next market days whether you need anything or not. I want to know if Doña Margarita is again driven in a carriage.
"Sí Señora." replied Luisa.
"And Luisa..."
"Señora?"
"...you know how to sew clothing for infants, do you not?"
"Oh sí Señora!" was the smiling reply.
"We must talk about that sometime soon. Now let us have some more tea," said Doña Elvira, as she reached again for the pot.
A/N: Doña Elvira has been a sort of "guardian angel" to Maggie since she and her father arrived in Los Angeles, and I thought she deserved a place in this story.