A/N: Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate! Sorry I'm a bit late.
CHAPTER SIX – Making Adjustments
The next morning, Diego again awakened refreshed, with renewed energy. He got out of bed a bit wobbly, but was able to walk on his heel with the help of the cane. He walked over to the bed, sat down, put his left leg over his right knee, and began to remove the bandages on his foot. He looked up as Alejandro came to the door.
"Father, please come in. I'm sorry about yesterday. I didn't mean to upset you. I can't explain everything right now. I'm still trying to understand it myself." Diego looked down at his foot a moment.
Alejandro cocked his head to one side, then the other. "I'm sorry, son. I didn't mean to leave so abruptly. When you began to share your experience, your whole countenance changed – and well – it made me feel uncomfortable."
Diego was thoughtful. "What did you feel, Father? And how did my countenance change?"
"Well, you seemed to – sort of – glow! It was unnerving." He paused a moment. "I've seen you extraordinarily happy before, but this was different. When you first came home from Spain, you looked around the house as if you'd never seen it before. It was like heaven to you to be home. You were so happy. Your smile, the light in your eyes…" Alejandro looked at the floor a moment, then straight into Diego's eyes. "Yesterday, your expression was similar to that – only much more. I'm searching for the right word here – like joyful, but more. Maybe more like – rapturous. Yes, that's the right word to describe it."
Alejandro looked down, then up. "As to how it made me feel, I just knew I had to leave. I felt I was intruding. I was uncomfortable, like when something unexplained happens, and you get goose bumps. Only this went far beyond the 'goose bump' feeling. I can't explain it any better than that."
Diego was silent a moment, thinking. "Thank you for telling me, Father. Do you still feel that way?"
"No son, not today. When I left you yesterday – I went to the altar your mother had built in our bedroom. I'd never knelt there before. It was her altar."
"Mother's altar – I see. Did it bring you comfort?" Diego wasn't ready to tell his father anything about his experience yet. He didn't want to make Alejandro feel uncomfortable again. He forced himself to concentrate on his foot.
"Father, will you help me remove the bandages on my foot? I thought I'd check it. It itched powerfully last night for quite some time before I went to bed."
"I'm glad to hear that son. Burns do itch as they heal. Let's see how that foot is coming along."
Z
It was Market Day in the pueblo. Felipe drove the wagon towards town for supplies. He stopped just outside the tavern, because he wanted to listen to conversations as people came and went. Not that Zorro could do anything even if he was needed, but Felipe was in the habit of listening. This time he heard nothing useful. He purchased what he needed and made arrangements for pickup a half an hour later. He had a note from Alejandro for Victoria, and he also wanted to stop by the Mission to see Father Benites.
When he entered the tavern, he noticed Victoria was busy. He sat down at a table and waited for her to come over.
"Buenos Dias, Felipe. How are you?" Victoria smiled a gracious smile. Felipe knew Victoria liked him. She had always treated him with respect and affection. He hoped she and Diego would find a way to get together someday. He looked up to her and held her in high regard, and with great fondness.
Felipe returned the smile and pulled the note from his sash and handed it to Victoria. She took it and read:
Dear Senorita Victoria,
I sent this note to you to let you know that Diego is resting comfortably and doing well since being struck by lightning the other day. It's actually a miracle he's alive, and we're very thankful.
If you could keep him in your prayers as he recuperates and please tell Father Benites to pray as well, we would be appreciative. Diego is well enough to receive visitors, should you or anyone else be inclined to do so.
You have always been a good friend to our family, Victoria, and I felt it necessary to let you know what happened.
Your servant,
Alejandro de la Vega
Victoria looked up from the letter to Felipe. "Do you know what this says?" Felipe shook his head, his eyes widening with innocence.
"It says Don Diego was struck by lightning the other day. Is he all right?"
Felipe cocked his head to one side and then another to show ambivalence. He signed slowly so that Victoria could understand. She interpreted.
"He's healing quickly. His foot, his left foot and right shoulder were burned, but they are healing well. Are you sure he's going to be all right, Felipe?" Small lines appeared around her eyes as her eyelids closed slightly and her facial muscles tightened.
Felipe smiled and nodded. There was so much more he wished he could tell her, but he dare not. Victoria made sure he looked at her when she spoke.
"Tell Don Alejandro I will come to visit during siesta either today or tomorrow. Tell Don Diego I will pray for his speedy recovery, and that I'll bring him some vanilla flan to help him along. Comprende, Felipe?"
Felipe smiled and nodded, then went to see Father Benites.
Z
Alejandro grunted as he looked at Diego's foot and shook his head back and forth. "Son, this is positively astonishing! I know your foot was seriously burned the other day. I've never seen a recovery like this before! I once had a third degree burn on my arm after some hot tar spilled on me. It took nearly two months to heal – and it was painful and slow."
"I don't know what to say, Father. I don't understand it either. Something happened to me when I was struck by lightning. Something I'm not ready to talk about yet. I'm just as astounded as you are – maybe more so. It's hard to believe this is happening to me."
More burn ointment was applied to his foot and Alejandro wrapped it with clean bandages, shaking his head as he wrapped. "Son, I think we're witnessing some kind of miracle – although I'm hesitant to say so. I don't know if I've ever seen anything quite like this before."
"I'm with you, Father. I think tomorrow, I'll try putting some weight on it and see what happens. I'll double wrap it and put a moccasin on – just to try it out."
"Are you sure, son? Isn't it a bit soon?"
"I don't know. I'm going by how it feels, not by how it looks, because it's so much further along than it should be. I'm at a loss as to timetable. In the meantime, Father, would you show me again how to use your cane?"
"Certainly son."
Z
Felipe left the tavern to seek Father Benites. He had written a note he wanted to personally hand to Benites.
He found the kindly padre pruning his roses in the Mission garden. "Ah, Felipe. How are you today?"
Felipe nodded and smiled, and took the note out of his sash.
After Benites read it, he looked up at Felipe with a twinkle in his eye. "I'll come tomorrow, Felipe. You've got me curious. May I bless you, my son?"
Felipe nodded and knelt. Father Benites laid his hand on Felipe's head and prayed. "Sante Padre…" It seemed for both of them that something extra special happened during that prayer. Peace came over Felipe and his smile widened. Father Benites smiled. He knew something he hadn't felt for a while – more than peace, more than love, almost an approval.
After Felipe left, Benites took the note out of his pocket and re-read it.
Dear Father Benites,
You probably didn't know that Don Diego was struck by lightning on our way home from the pueblo the other day during the fierce late afternoon thunderstorm. I know he would appreciate a visit from you.
He doesn't know I've come to see you. In order to prepare you, should you decide to visit, I have to tell you that some strange happenings are occurring as a result of this experience. Leave me out of it, but just say you 'heard' something had happened to him, and you wanted to find out what.
Your humble servant,
Felipe
Z
At siesta, Diego was stretched out on the couch in the Library reading a book, but he dozed off and it sat closed in his lap. He heard a familiar voice. He wasn't sure if he was asleep or awake. No one else was around.
"Diego, oh dear Diego, wake up!"
Diego grunted and opened his eyes. "Oh! Don Fernando! I had a dream…"
Don Fernando interjected, "Yes, I know. I was in it. I've been sent here, as I told you, to help you along on your spiritual journey in this very natural and unspiritual world. How's your foot? How's your shoulder?"
"You don't know? Why don't you tell me?"
Don Fernando smiled a placating smile, as his eyes looked upward a moment "HE – doesn't tell me everything! I really do want to know."
Diego looked a bit puzzled. It seemed to him that Don Fernando was irritated with him. "Don Fernando, have I done something wrong? Are you upset with me?"
Don Fernando's expression immediately changed to compassionate concern. "Dear Diego, no, I'm not upset with you. I've come here to help you with the first step, but I truly want to know how you are."
"I'm improving so very quickly – much faster than normal, I think. I have so many questions, Don Fernando. I have virtually no pain in my foot, but I should. I should be dead, but I'm not. Clocks and magnets sometimes go crazy around me. What's all that about? Did I really see heaven? Did I really see the Savior, my mother, my uncle? What's the journey about? What's my deeper understanding of life? I don't understand…"
Don Fernando put a hand on Diego's back right shoulder – right on the burn. Instead of pain, Diego felt something like an ice-cold compress had just been put on his burned shoulder. The itching stopped and waves of coolness went right through his shirt. His skin felt like a melting ice cube had been put on it, then like someone blew on it.
"I'm so glad you're improving daily. Once you have your strength back, it's possible even more unusual things will happen to you."
"Really? What things?"
Don Fernando said nothing a moment.
"Dear Diego, the first step on your spiritual journey will be one of exploring your property. You are to examine and explore everything you have, everything you own, and everything that is yours. Evaluate how you feel about it. Think as if you had nothing in this world, no property, no books, no horses. Remember this: What does it profiteth a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his own soul. Learn what that means. Explore how you would feel if you had no property. I will come back at an opportune time to hear your answer, and give you the next step along your journey if your answer is satisfactory. But first, I have been instructed to do this."
He reached over and extended his hand, placing it on Diego's foot. The same icy cold 'breeze' went through the bandages to his foot. The itching stopped and all residual pain also stopped.
"When? How much time do I have to find the answer? Is there a right or wrong answer? Don Fernando?"
Diego blinked. When he looked up, the compassionate man was gone. The Library was empty. The book was still on his lap. Am I dreaming? Was Don Fernando really here – or not? Am I going loco?
TBC