Chapter 9
Victoria and Alejandro took turns sitting with Diego for the next half-hour. Don Alejandro was sitting on the dirt floor with his son's head in his lap. Victoria was standing at the tiny window, trying not to think about anything, when she heard Diego moan again. She spun around and dropped to her knees beside him, just as his eyelids fluttered and finally opened. His blue eyes, normally so full of life, were dulled by pain and fever, but they fixed on his father with an intensity Victoria had never before seen Diego express.
"F-father? How-how long have I been out?"
His voice was little more than a hoarse croak. Victoria helped Alejandro gently raise his head enough that they could give him a little water to drink. They were afraid to give him very much at a time until they knew more about his injuries.
Even that slight movement caused Diego to gasp, and his hand instinctively groped for the nearest object, which happened to be his father's forearm. Diego's grip tightened convulsively in reaction to the pain, and Victoria saw Don Alejandro grimace. When she glanced down at the don's arm, she realized that Diego's grip on it was so strong it was a wonder the bone hadn't snapped. She'd never before realized just how strong Diego was. Alejandro was going to have a bad bruise on that arm.
But she also noticed that Alejandro made no attempt to loosen his son's grip. He just rested his other hand on top of Diego's head and stroked his son's hair, much as Victoria had been doing earlier.
"Shhhh. Don't try to talk, Diego. Stay quiet. You've been out most of the afternoon. You've had us pretty scared."
"Can't….I…can't think ...straight."
Santa Maria, Madre de Dios. He's hurting so badly. Por favor, Dios, please stop the pain.
"Don't worry about it, Diego. Just rest. I don't think they're going to bother us any more tonight."
"You…you need to…look for…a way out of here."
"I've already looked, son. I'm afraid Ramiro has a pretty good setup here. There's no way we're getting out of this room without help."
Diego closed his eyes, but his head moved restlessly against his father's supportive hand. Victoria suddenly realized what Diego was thinking, but it was already too late to stop him.
"Help me up, please." Diego was white as a sheet, and there was no strength at all in his attempt to raise his head off Alejandro's hand. He hadn't moved two inches before his head fell back down. Perspiration streamed from his ashen face. His good hand grabbed his side. Not that his hand looked that good, with the rope burns and bruising around his wrist. Cradling his broken ribs from the movement, and from the sudden onset of pain-induced nausea, he fought an overwhelming urge to vomit. He lost the battle.
"Mierda! Diego, I told you not to move!"
Alejandro and Victoria eased Diego onto his side as quickly and gently as they could, and held him until the heaving stopped. With each spasm, Victoria could feel Diego's broken ribs grinding together, stabbing farther into his side, increasing the risk of a punctured lung. She could also feel Diego's entire body shuddering from the pain.
By the time the nausea subsided, Diego was drenched with sweat, and hadn't even the strength to groan. While Victoria cleaned up the mess the best she could, Alejandro just sat there, holding Diego half in his lap. The slight elevation seemed to ease his breathing a little, but Victoria wasn't sure if he was conscious or not. She wiped the perspiration from his face and laid the wet cloth across his forehead, but it was several minutes before he opened his eyes again.
"Diego, whatever you do, do not try to move again! What were you thinking of?"
Victoria hadn't thought it possible for Diego's voice to sound any weaker, but it did. She had to strain to understand what he was saying. Even then, she wasn't sure what to think about his words.
"I...was…thinking…of finding a way…out of here. I'm sorry...I'm ...I'm afraid…I'm not going to be able to help."
"Oh, Diego! What did you…." But Diego had passed out again.
What did Diego think he was going to accomplish by trying to get up? Surely he wouldn't think he could find a way out of here when his father couldn't! Don Alejandro spent ten years in the military when he was younger. Even if he wasn't hurt, Diego isn't exactly the heroic type. Although, he did try to get away when we first got to the cabin. As badly as he is hurt, I guess that was pretty heroic, wasn't it?
And he did manage to put those first two men out of action, even if it was just for a few minutes. He was so weak he could barely stand, and he still managed to knock their heads together hard enough to daze them for several minutes. I would never have believed Diego capable of doing something like that, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.
I think I've learned more about Diego today than I have in the entire five years he's been home from Spain. I've always known he's a very private person, but he hides his feelings about so many things. Why is he so afraid to let us see the real Don Diego de la Vega?
Victoria considered again all of the things she'd seen that day---especially Diego's reactions to everything that had happened. He always seems so passive about everything. But the man I've seen today is anything but passive. And the look in his eyes when he…. She shook her head violently, still unable to really comprehend the one thing she'd learned that confused her the most.
Diego loves me? My best friend---my "big brother", is in love with me? Why hasn't he ever said anything?
Victoria blinked back more tears, and started to wipe her eyes, but stopped with her hand halfway to her face, unable to look away from the blood on the back of her sleeve. Diego's blood. She fingered the stain, then looked at Don Alejandro. He was still sitting on the dirt with Diego's head in his lap, watching him, but not really seeing anything---still gently stroking his son's hair, probably not even aware of what he was doing.
Victoria felt about the same way that Don Alejandro looked. Numb. Scared. Worried that any rescuer who might show up, Zorro or lancers or whoever, might just be too late to save Diego.
NO! I won't think that way! I can't! We will be rescued. Diego will be all right. He has to be all right---he---
She came back to that one idea---the one discovery that had just turned her whole life upside-down.
Diegois in love with me!
No matter what happens next, no matter how this turns out, my life is never going to be the same again. My relationship with Diego will never be the same again. Whether he lives or dies, (Dios, please let him live!) now I know his secret.
Diego loves me!
TBC
