Confessions of the Five De Silva Girls
By: ChocolateEclar
Disclaimer: I don't own anything that has to do with the Mediator Series by Meg Cabot/Jenny Carroll, including Jesse (*cough*darn*cough) But I really wish I did, so I'll just keep dreaming, okay?
Claimer: I may not own the fact that Jesse has five sisters (ages 6-16 when he died), but I do own who the five girls are – i.e. their personalities and names. In short, I own Juanita "Nita" De Silva, Estefana De Silva, Felicidad "Felly" De Silva, Dolores "Dolly" De Silva, and most of all Carmen De Silva. I also own their parents' personas and names.
A/N: If you haven't read my other Mediator fanfic, "Timeout," then there way be a few things you don't understand about my version of Jesse and his family. Like, for instance, that Carmen – Jesse's youngest sister in my version of Jesse's past – is a mediator, but that they all call her a spirit shaman because they know no other name for what Carmen is. So, to cut a long story short, I recommend reading (and reviewing) "Timeout" before reading this. It isn't necessary though as long as you remember some things I may have already explained in "Timeout" and am just summarizing or stating in greater detail.
A/N 2: By the way, this story is in Jesse's five sisters' POV. (Expect lots of mention of Jesse in future chapters though. ^_-) In addition, I'll be using a few Spanish words here and there, but not too many because I only have 2 ½ years of Spanish in school and a Spanish-English dictionary under my belt. ^__^ If you happen to speak more Spanish than I and find a mistake, let me know. I'm still learning the language, so, naturally, I won't take offence as long as you're polite. ^_- Let the story begin!
A/N 3: This chapter is under the POV of Jesse's youngest sister – who I've dubbed "Carmen."
Chapter 1: Carmen's Chronicle – Numero Uno
I missed him when he "disappeared." Uncle Ricardo said Jesse must've gotten cold feet and left for the North or East, but we knew otherwise. William and me, I mean. I bet Alicia believed me too, but being a dog, I bet she would've believed anything I told her.
We found out the day of the wedding. Uncle Ricardo and Papi went to look for Jesse after he didn't show up on time at the chapel, and they came back an hour later empty-handed. Uncle Ricardo was shaking his head as he whispered things with Mami and Papi that I couldn't make out. I was only six-years-old anyway, so I wouldn't have understood much even if I had heard. I knew something was wrong though.
I was sitting in a pew by the door – Juanita was braiding pale pink flowers in my hair – with Alicia – who was only a puppy at the time – in my lap. 'Nita stood up and whispered, "I'll be right back." She went over by the three adults and started talking with them.
I patted Alicia's soft black and white head as she yawned. Her muzzle was a light chestnut color, as were her legs and backside. The rest of her coat was black with a few bits of white hither and thither.
I looked up as Nita came back to see her fighting back tears. Fear gripped me. I didn't understand what was going on, but I knew my eldest hermana. Something had to be terribly amiss for her to want to cry.
"Nita, what's wrong?" I asked her, standing up and cradling Alicia in my arms.
"Jesse's…Jesse's," she began, tears were slowly trickling down her cheeks and ruining the face powder Mami had helped her put on. In my six years I'd never seen my now sixteen-year-old hermana cry.
I soon learned there's a first time for everything.
"Carmen, Jesse's gone!" Nita finally finished.
"Gone?" I squeaked. "What do you mean?"
"Papi and Tío Ricardo can't find him anywhere!"
"But the wedding's in two hours!" I screeched, waking Alicia who whimpered and licked my fingers with her little pink tongue.
Dolores – who was two years my senior and another one of my hermanas – came over to us in her own pale pink gown and braided hair. "What's happening?" she queried. "Mami is crying, and Maria is demanding to know where Jesse is."
"Nita says Jesse's gone, Dolly!" I yelled, yanking on one of my two braids.
"¿Que?" shrieked Dolly.
"It's true. Your hermano has disappeared," said a cool voice from the front doorway of the chapel.
All three of us whipped around and scowled at the man leaning against the doorway. "Felix Diego!" hissed Nita. Diego was tall with a black jacket over a white linen shirt and navy pants. His favorite sombrero - a black wide-brimmed hat with silver designs along its edges – was in his hands.
Dolly shoved me behind her and yelled, "Papi, the slave-runner is hassling us!"
Our padre, Fernando De Silva, was at our side in an instant. He couldn't stand slavery just like his hermano – our Uncle Ricardo – so, naturally, he didn't much like Diego.
Not to mention the fact Jesse's fiancée Maria and Diego wanted to get married, but Uncle Ricardo forbade it.
So, to be brief, my familia – except for my prima Maria – didn't like Diego at all. I actually even found him quite…sinister.
"What do you want, Diego?" growled Papi.
"Maria invited me to the wedding, Señor De Silva," Diego replied calmly. He was tugging lazily on his goatee and mustache as he spoke and now looked at Papi with unfriendly dark eyes.
"Then you're too early, Diego. Get out!" yelled Papi.
"Aren't I allowed in the house of God, Señor De Silva?" Diego questioned. "After all, they allow woman and pets in here." He gave my hermanas, Alicia, and I a meaningful look and added, "So shouldn't I be allowed as well?"
That was when I saw him. The little ghost I'd been trying to help get to heaven just like Abuela told me to. His name was William, and he was a year younger than me when he'd died. He had been killed by a stampede of cattle.
William was pointing at Diego expressively, his messy blonde curls in more disarray than usual as he looked at me with wide blue eyes. "Carmen, he did it! I saw 'im!" William proclaimed.
"Did what?" I mouthed.
"I came as soon as I could," William insisted. "He killed that boy I saw on the horse! The one you told me was your brother!"
William had no reason to lie, and Diego had every reason to kill Jesse. After all, with my hermano gone, couldn't he now marry Maria?
"You killed him!" I shouted, pointing towards Diego. "You killed Jesse!"
"Carmen!" shrieked Nita and Dolly in shock, as Papi and Diego looked at me with open mouths.
"I know he did it!" I screamed. I was in tears now. It was worse than knowing Jesse was gone. Knowing he was dead, I mean. "He did!" I yelled. I was hysterical as I screeched one last time, "He killed our Jesse!" Then I sank to my knees.
None of Alicia's licks or Mami's kisses in my hair could heal the ache in my chest though.
************************************************************************
I opened one bleary dark eye and quickly shut it. Sunlight was streaming in through my bedroom window and the wind was rustling the curtains. I could feel the soothing petite weight of Alicia's small form snoozing on my stomach.
I slowly sat up, yawning. Alicia rolled onto her back – exposing her dark belly – and gazed up at me with bright blue eyes.
Blue eyes. Wide blue eyes under untidy flaxen hair.
William!
I bolted out of bed, calling his name. He appeared at my side. He was the same height as me then and had on tan britches and a cream linen shirt. "I'm glad you're awake," he said, smiling.
"Why am I here? What happened?" I yelled. I was in a panic.
'Jesse's dead!' my brain kept reminding me.
"Your family brought you back here," explained William. "The wedding was canceled."
"Did they…Did they…" I couldn't say it.
"Find the body?" finished William. He shook his head. "No. Diego hid it well."
"What about Diego? Are they gonna lock him away?" I asked.
"Why?" William said with a shrug. "They have no evidence except you and me."
"Oh," I gasped. No. Of course no one would believe a little girl who claimed to see ghosts. Not even if her Abuela claimed she was a blessed spirit shaman.
I could find no evidence to avenge Jesse's death.
************************************************************************
A/N: So there's the first chapter. The next one is probably going to be under Dolores's POV considering she's the second youngest and I'm trying to go in order.
A/N 2: if you want the next chapter, you had better review. The title may change by the way. ^__^ See you guys around!