Chapter 9

The ranch

As soon as she heard the carriage approach, doña Luisa rushed to the window and saw it stopping by right in front of don Pedro's house, just like last time. She was already preparing the gossip and aggrandizing it with details of her own invention (the niece running away with that De la Vega young man, all by themselves and almost at dinner time, she'd come back in the morning, most likely) when her prying turned into disbelief and finally into astonishment, when seeing uncle and niece, the both of them, get on the carriage with don Diego and leave.

Not like she was going to keep the secret, she was nobody's tomb.

(…)

You're Diego's fiancée.

We're going to his home to formally meet his father.

Vertigo and euphoria were running through her veins and became almost solid at the sight of the main entrance of the De la Vega ranch.

"Is everything all right?" he asked her. On the back, Bernardo was helping uncle Pedro get off of the carriage.

"Yes." She couldn't get herself to tell this man even one per cent of a lie: "Sort of. I just want everything to turn out well."

"And it will" he replied, with a kiss on her hand that would be able to melt a sheet of iron: "I'm sure he'll like you."

"How do you know?"

"Because I like you. Shall we?"

No silk shawls.

Just her, in Diego's arm, and the truth.

"I was born in this house. I used to run around this patio and climb on those trees when I was a kid."

"But you've quit on those odysseys now, haven't you?" don Pedro said jokingly; he seemed to be in quite a good mood this day.

The other two shared a knowing glance.

"That's true. These days I spend my time helping my father with the ranch and the business, reading and soon, getting married."

Oddly enough, she felt a bit calmer all of a sudden. How not to, with him by her side and saying those things?

Bernardo opened the door to the house. On the other side: don Alejandro de la Vega.

"Josefina" he greeted, holding both of her hands.

"Don Alejandro, thank you so much for inviting us over."

"People always say it's a pleasure to meet someone, as a mere formality. But I'm saying it to you in all sincerity: I'm so very glad to meet you and to have you and your uncle here at home."

The old shopkeeper and his former customer greeted each other with a handshake.

"Don Alejandro" the uncle continued once they'd taken a seat in the entrance hall: "Just as my niece said, I would like to thank you for the invite, it truly is an honor."

"I assure the honor is all mine."

Everyone agreed, different comments were made and several topics were brought up. Josefina did her best in focusing all of her attention in the conversation, not to let herself be overwhelmed by the idea of the surrealism of the scene. There was a moment in which she noticed Diego's father (he'd be her father in law… her father in law!) was taking a look at her left hand, in which was shining the jewel that was already at the third generation.

"May I?" he extended his hand. She gave hers to him. Had he noticed it was cold? "Twenty six years… was the time this ring was kept at the bottom of a trunk, sad about losing its previous owner, but hopeful that someday, another woman worthy of wearing it would arrive. I know we barely know each other, Josefina, but if Diego says you are that woman, I believe him."

Don't you dare cry in here.

She swallowed the tears that had only started to mist her eyes:

"Thank you, don Alejandro. I understand what it means for your family and I assure you I'm carrying it with a lot of respect and I always will, and with… all of the love I have for your son."

"Well. But stop trembling, will you?" he squeezed her hand softly: "We're among family here."

Bernardo brought wine. Dinner would be ready soon.

(…)

There were books and more books wherever you turned to, inside the dreamy library decorate in polished wood.

"What do you think?"

Josefina saw History and Poetry books, also a method to learn French of seven volumes of about a thousand pages each.

"It's incredible, I hadn't seen so many books in one place in years."

"Better get used to it, this will be your home."

Living with him.

Don't you dare faint in here.

"Our home?"

"Exactly, our home" he agreed and glanced at the doorway: two voices that chattered about horses at the dining room could be heard. The coast was clear, a little kiss wouldn't hurt.

Right then, Bernardo stepped a foot in the library and when being met by said sight, he turned on his heel and vanished, loaded with the tray and the teapot, the tea cups, sugar and honey.

She didn't notice him at all. All of her five senses were in that kiss.

"You know, I've been thinking about uncle Pedro living on his own. I'll have to visit him often and-"

"You don't have to visit him if he comes to live here."

"Are you serious?"

"This house is too big, there's an entire wing that no one uses. We'd have our space and he would too."

"Anyway, he's very attached to his things. I don't think he'd want to just pack his bags and move somewhere else."

"Well, let's do something: you make the offer and if he says no, we'll get someone to help him around the house and you can visit him whenever you like. How about that?"

Staring straight to the front, her eyes got almost to his chin. There, his skin was so close to her. She could reach for it with two fingers, as if examining the bone of his jaw, the almost invisible shadow of stubble.

"Just making sure you're real" she replied to his inquisitive look: "You're a prince."

A kiss on her fingers.

"Prince? No: Zorro." Another kiss. This time, there was no ill-timed Bernardo. Then, he spoke again: "What do you think about the engagement party? I think my father was so caught up by the idea, he didn't even ask you."

"I like it. It's not intimidating at all that all of the guests will be the rancheros and their families, captains, governors and I don't know, the King too?"

"In fact, it's customary to send him an invitation as well, though it's understood that he won't come because of the distance."

"Ah, that makes me feel better. No, you know I'm kidding. It does intimidate me a bit but they are a part of your life and wherever you are, I want to be there. No matter what."

"No matter what and for life. And… I wanted to ask you something else: if we're getting married in a month, don't you think it's not necessary that you work anymore? You're going to be my wife. And it should be your decision, but I want you to know you can count of me if you decide not to go back to the tavern."

"…"

"Promise you're not taking it the wrong way."

"Of course I'm not, it's just that…"

"Yes?"

"…"

"We can say anything to each other, right?"

"It's just that I don't want anyone to think that I'm with you because of…"

"Hm?"

It was hard to put it into words. But he was right: no secrets.

No silk shawls.

"…because of your money. You know it's not like that."

"You've just said it yourself: I know it's not like that. That's what matters to me. If the neighbor or an associate of an associate of my father thinks differently, I'm not able to care less."

"Yes but also my uncle, the tavern's salary is the only thing that supports him too."

"You mean my uncle?" he winked and added: "No matter what."

Another thing about Diego: he always smelled so good. She didn't think it was perfume, maybe it was soap or the cigars or all of it. Maybe it was him.

She tapped and brushed his jaw again: ah, yes, he was actual flesh and bone.

"I'll work one more month, up until the wedding. Yes?"

"Whatever you say. And I want to give you something else."

"More?"

"I've only just started."

(…)

"What's all that? Who are you? Josefina?!"

From his bedroom, in his pajamas and laying down among several pillows, don Pedro saw a bunch of strangers carrying trunks and invading his living room.

"Ah, tío" she stuck her head in through the doorway: "Remember I told you some people were coming over."

"What for?"

"To bring some dresses, it seems. Listen, I'm going to close here, alright?"

"Dresses? Wha-"

Eight trunks, two wooden clothes rack and a full body mirror left almost no room to step a foot in the living room. Finally, an extremely pretty and elegant lady made an entrance:

"You're Josefina then! Great to meet you, darling. I'm Graciela and it looks like we have an enormous deal of work ahead of us."

The first order of business was taking the measurements for the wedding dress. She hadn't had them taken in probably over ten years, when she had her first communion. Doña Graciela and her assistant (the people who'd carried the stuff in had gone out) made Josefina remove her skirt and blouse and measured it all, pretty much eyelashes as well, meticulously writing down every number in the pristine pages of a thick book.

"…we need a long and vaporous veil, such as this one, as you can see, now the lace in this other one is Spaniard and very luxurious, the satin here and the embroidery add a lovely touch, while the fullness in this one mirrors the foam of the ocean, wouldn't you think so? Now, this…"

Standing there half naked, Josefina could hardly focus more than five seconds in any of the charcoal designs they passed and passed in front of her nose.

"I think I would like something a little bit less… excessive". She rescued a sheet that was half hidden among the others: "How about this one?"

"Too simple for my taste, but I recognize its lines are quite pure. It'll become you."

And if Josefina had gotten to think the time to be strip naked had finished, oh was she wrong. Now, dress after dress emerged from the trunks for her to try on: the emerald green, gold yellow, orchid violet and sapphire blue ones. And a hundred more, perhaps. She didn't remember either the last time someone'd helped her get dressed or the last time she'd seen her reflection in a full body mirror. No, she did remember that. There was this one that used to belong to her mother, one with a white base and frame. The images that came to mind about her were mostly blurry, but one of the most recurrent ones was of her sitting on her mom's lap in front of the mirror, the both of them laughing.

Her mother was surely smiling now as well.

(…)

Diego gave a quick read to the note Bernardo had just brought him.

"See, Ricardo wants us to meet at the tavern to sign that contract."

"…"

"You know well Josefina is there, I don't want to cause her trouble with don Theo or anything like that."

"…"
"No, I don't think so."

"Diego!"

"Ricardo! What a surprise."

"I'm ahead of time and ahead of the game as always. I have the papers, let's go to the tavern."

"Yes but-"

"Come on now, I'm in the mood for some wine" and with that, Ricardo headed to the tavern on the other side of the street. Diego had no choice but to follow him with the conviction of signing the blasted paper and head out.

"Damn, I left the copy in the carriage, I'll be back in a minute."

Tough luck. Once in there, all he could do was take a seat at table one, his usual.

(…)

During the previous days, Josefina had noticed several stares on her. Stares followed by whispering, to be more precise, though no one had mentioned anything to her face. What could they say, anyway?

It was late already and there were only few people around, when he showed up at table one, of course.

After seeing him right in that spot, recently arrived from Spain, ready to disrupt her neurons one more time; after he sat there every time and she'd search for him and look at him with her ears, with eyes behind her neck and even with her elbows; after all of that, who could possible guess that she was carrying his engagement ring attached to the chest?

She smiled at him form the distance and more and more with each step:

"Good evening, señor."

"Good evening, señorita."

"What can I get you?"

It was interesting, this, and weird. Like they both beat down the wall that used to separate them before, in order to traverse to the other side; and still, right now, they're each on their own side again, staring at each other through a gap.

"Nothing, really. I'm just waiting for Ricardo to sign some papers and leave."

Her smile mostly vanished:

"Does it make you uncomfortable to see me here?"

"It makes me uncomfortable that you have to serve me as if we were strangers, when you'll be my wife in no time."

She understood perfectly, but she was trying not to give in. He'd noticed her and liked her not for being a little damsel in distress. She wanted him to know that she'd always be the same girl he fell in love with.

"Diego, you met me here."

"In fact, I met you at the market."

"You know what I mean."

"Besides, I don't want don Theo to tell you off because of me again. I want you to be comfortable, not having to work."

"I don't have to work. I'm doing it because I want to, aren't I?" She finally got him to smile. Despite their difference of opinion, she knew he liked her resolve: "It's just three or four more weeks."

"I surrender to that logic. But if you change your mind, you have just to say it."

He glanced at her bare hand. She placed it on her chest, showed him where the cord peeked out.

"What can I get you?"

"Anything you want."

She liked even the laugh lines on the sides of his eyes. God, how could it be possible to like everything about someone?

"Here" Ricardo dropped the missing papers on the table and dragged along a chair for himself. "Also, you'll have to forgive me, with all of this stuff I forgot to congratulate you. We received the invitation for your engagement party this morning."

"Thanks, I hope you all can come, you and your family."

"We'll be there. By the way, we're curious about something: my father always brags about knowing every family in California, but we don't know where you found this lucky señorita Iglesias. In Spain, maybe?"

"I assure you I am the lucky one. And no, I found her right here in Los Angeles."

"Did you? And where are you hiding her, eh?"

"Excuse me."

Two glasses appeared on the table. Someone filled them with wine.

"Thank you, beautiful."

Diego clenched his teeth. Unfortunately, he knew Ricardo well, who didn't hesitate in ogling her shamelessly as she walked away.

"Can't argue with that; the women in this town are gorgeous and the proof is in the pudding."

"I know, right? As a matter of fact, that's her."

It looked like Ricardo didn't hear well or like someone had just changed the subject:

"Sorry?"

"That's Josefina Iglesias, my fiancée."

"Who?" he asked, looking around.

"Ricardo, I don't see how it can be any clearer, but I'll make an effort: the señorita that just brought the wine is my fiancée."

Puzzlement in his face and right then, the burst of laughter.

"And then they say I'm the… I'm the jokester… a girl like that… it's fine to fool around for a while but-"

Any other man would have caused a mess of papers, glass and wine when grabbing someone by the lapels, but Zorro was skillful enough to do it without spilling a drop or making the table wobble an inch.

"Out of respect for your father I'm not going to smash your face in, but if you talk about Josefina that way or stare at her like that ever again, I swear I'll make you regret it."

He let him go with a shove that sent him back into his chair. Josefina had just gone to the storeroom to get something, so she didn't witness the scene.

Diego straightened his jacket and calmly sat back down before a shocked Ricardo.

"Where do I have to sign?"

(…)