~*Prologue*~
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A little chuckle escapes her lips, their corners form a contented smile. Closing her eyes... she gives a contented exhale of air and, when she opens them again, there is a spark of love and tenderness behind them.
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She puts the letter down, folds it carefully, and leaves it inside a small chest of ornated wood. The chest in question rests inside an open balize. With a swift move, she closes the colossalrectangle and tights the straps that go around it. As if on cue, Juan appears on the entrance of her room. Those long years have done nothing to change the habit of knocking on the wall and giving the room the back. Amelia smiles...
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"You can enter Juan," she allows and only at that moment, the man turns around and goes inside. His taciturn demeanor and eternal frown might have scared or intimidated many women away.
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At first, when she met him, she was tempted to do the same; but she was glad she didn't ... the man was what people would call a 'gentle giant'. Hegrabbed the balize and then moved to also take an oval shaped case... the one that belonged to the violin.
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"Oh.. I'll take that one," Amelia piped in and hurried to cradle the case in her arms with care. The servant made a face and took the balize downstairs, Amelia close behind him.
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"I still don't understand" After a moment of silence, he grunted, and Amelia hid a smile behind the black case.
"Well... It's about time I go back. Father and sister miss me greatly and there's... of course, the weather. I better leave now before the heavy summer rains say otherwise" she commented with a 'matter of fact' tone.
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Juan grunted again... she supposed she gave a good argument. Deep inside Amelia wished she didn't have that many excuses. But it was easier, either way, to think of this as a welcome change... and not a sad ending.
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"And yet you said... you still had job to do"
"Well... most of it involves a desk and a chair more than anything else... Either way," She hesitated "Juan, has..has Dolores come around today?" her voice became a soft whisper.
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The man said nothing for a long couple of minutes... then, they reached the end of the stairs, and before he walked to the front door and to the carriage he turned to answer. Amelia schooled her features, for she was taken aback by the look of sadness he had shared with her.
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"She stayed on her room all morning, she won't come out." With that, Juan walked outside, leaving Amelia alone.
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She caressed the soft material of the violin's case absentmindedly, her face an unusual mixture of emotion and nonchalance. With a silent puff of air, she decided to use that time instead to give a last look at the manor. It has been five years... Five years in which she has gotten used to this ranch vibe. A certain austerity on the look off otherwise a mansion as good and as sumptuous as any other. She had to admit she had come used to the light colored woods, the exotic feathers and vases that decorated the rooms, the white clay and painted the walls made of stone and brick, of the numerous hunt trophies and the large stone-clobbered chimneys. For five years she has lived between yellows, greens, purples, and oranges... between fields and farms, between woods and jungles. But as she just said, it was time to leave. After all, in her mind, this place had a purpose... and she wished to believe it had been accomplished.
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With a sense of calm finality, she walked outside. There, three maids and the housekeeper were waiting for her. Juan took the violin of her hands. Smiling, she walked forward and said her goodbyes to the first three. When she arrived in front of the round and merry housekeeper, her smile widened... but her brows furrowed.
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"My Anita" she greeted.
"We will miss you señorita... greatly" the housekeeper could no longer keep still. She let out a sad moaning sound while letting go of her wrinkled apron and stepped forward. Her chubby arms wrapped around Amelia's waist and hugged her tightly.
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Amelia let out a shuddering breath, her own arms going around the smaller woman; without a second thought, her nose buried on the short grey curls and she inhaled deeply... a strange mix of caramel onions, cinnamon, and orchids that she had grown to associate with safety and comfort.
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"I'll miss you too... I'll miss Dolores...I'll miss this place" she absentmindedly stroke the woman's back "Buy wait... Ana, Are you crying? Don't be so distraught... Who says I won't come back?" She asked with a lighter tone, not at all comfortable with the other woman's distress.
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"Oh... Señorita, old women like me know... when their children won't come back in a long, long time." She lifts her wrinkled hand and caresses Amelia's cheek. She leans into the touch.
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"Ms. Cushing, we'll be late for the train!"
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The young woman says a last goodbye before going into the carriage. As it leaves, the yellow dirt picks up after them. Amelia looks through the window, her head slightly out of the carriage. The sight of the manor is replaced by meters and meters of tobacco fields. Beyond their yellowish green color, she can see a bright green river forming in the distance. The tropical jungle looks massive... the real king of that far away land. Over its trees, the song of parrots and birds reaches her ears. Amelia closes her eyes, trying to remember by memory that entrancing sound. A shiver runs from her arms to the rest of her body, her heart accelerates... she opens her eyes one more time, but her vision is blurred by a wall of common trees, the jungle forest disappears behind it.
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With a sigh, she goes inside the carriage again and turns her attention to the interior. Beside her rests the violin and a small suitcase. Her fingers trace the ornamented lace and leather. She opens the case and from inside, she pulls out a small book. She positions it between her hands, her eyes rest over the side of the closed pages. Then, like a flower, her hands open and the book does as well, revealing a dried white rose between its pages. Her gloved fingertips barely caress the delicate flower, then they travel to the corner, turning the page. Behind it rests an old photo. Amelia pulls it outof the worn book and she examines it with an impassive face.
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As many times before, she struggles about what to do with it.
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Finally, her emotions break free... her eyebrows furrow and her eyes water. Realizing her outburst she blinks the tears away, looking again to the window. Only after half an hour... she decides to look back again and guardthe book on her suitcase again.
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"Here we are, Ms. Cushing. The train station"
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Amelia looks through the window. Sheltered from the sun that she has otherwise welcomed before. With a sigh, she goes for the door. The coach man opens it and helps her outside. She stretched her numb limbs and frowns at the sudden burst of noise that she had somehow managed to tune out on the way there.
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Vera Cruz was a city of constant movement, and after the dangerous times only a decade ago, the city seemed to persist and flourish. The coach extends Amelia her umbrella... open, and she takes her almost against her will. A young teenager runs over at his request. The child had dusty brown pants that seemed already too small for him, his lanky legs showing.
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"Bring yourpapá, there is at least three large baggages back there, all of them to the train to New York" he orders, with a smile the child runs away. Five minutes later, a man on his forties and another on hisearly twenties come over and give Amelia a short courtesy.
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"It's been a pleasure Miss Amelia" The coach said, turning to her and bowing deepely.
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"Vladimir, it's been my pleasure too," she said, pulling a couple of coins from her purse "I'll miss our escapades good friend"
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"I'll miss you bribing me with fine chocolate Amelia" he whispered and took the coins, not before turning her hand and kissing the back. Amelia couldn't hold her laugh and she waved her hand as the carriage drove away. When it turned the corner, she turned around and walked over the entrance of the train station.
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"Ah, yes Miss Amelia Cushing. Your luggage is being loaded" commented the machinist. Just as he said that the child reappeared out of nowhere.
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"Thank you Sir, I'll board shortly," she said with a smile and the man turned to look behind him. The child tugged his pockets nervous and the man left with a sneer on his mouth. When he was gone, Amelia beckoned the kid to her. He ran as fast as he could and arrived at her side just when his father and supposed brother were coming out of the train too.
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"Yourmaletas are ready señorita"he said with a little bow.
"Well you have done a great job" she said with a smirk. Giving him one large tip. Looking at the money, the child's eyes beamed in awe.
"You have a good trip,señorita!" he said and ran away, Amelia entered her wagon before she could see the face of his father. But that was fine with her.
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Only ten more minutes, and she would go back to Buffalo. To Edith, to Alan... to her father.
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She fiddled with the strap of her suitcase, and her fingers once again caressing the lace and leather of it.She heard the whistle and looked down. Without even registering it, she had pulled out the book and was about to open it to the center. She let out a hiss of breath... and with sharp movements, she tucked it inside her suitcase again. She supported her head in her elbow... the train started moving.
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She barely registered the teenager with her father and brother... her eyes were filling with tears again.
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