LA MENTIRA
Chapter Two
There was certain sadness hanging around the hallways in the Main House at the De Silva Ranch. You could feel it in the thick, warm air, in the quietness that made the house feel haunted, in the hushed voices of the maids when Jesse walked pass them. I had been at the Ranch's grounds quite a few times. Just a couple to the actual house, but never this far in.
After saying goodbye to Father Dominic, with whom we both were kind of peeved, Jesse showed me my room. It was the former room of his oldest younger sister –Tess – who had married three months before. He explained – in a brisk, detached voice – the basic layout of the house – for example, that Julia's and Mapi's room were to the left of my room, and that Margarita's and Delia's room (his other two sisters that were currently visiting Tess) across the hall. He informed me of my obligations and the basic schedule of the house, that three meals were served a day – at eight, two and seven – and stuff like that.
Then he reminded me that I shouldn't be crossing paths with him more than necessary – meaning we were never to be alone, and that the only times I would see him would be at meals when we would be surrounded by other people – and then leaved me to unpack my belongings and settle in.
I didn't hurry, it would only take my a few minutes to unpack, I didn't possessed that much clothes, though I loved fashion I wasn't exactly swimming in money. If it hadn't been for the combined support of my grandmother and my stepfather I would have never been able to pay for finishing school. I was opening the windows to let the fresh air come in, being so close to the ocean, Carmel had a lovely weather. Warm, but lovely.
As I turned around, I saw two pairs of dark chocolate eyes…
"Hi, there!" I said and two girls came into view.
"Are you our new teacher?" Asked one of them.
"Yes, I'm Suze Simon,"
"I'm Julia," the girl said, "This is Mapi," she added pointing at the youngest girl, "She doesn't say much since mom died."
For what Jesse had told me, I was guessing Julia was eleven and Mapi eight. They were adorable little girls. Both had that healthy rosy color that kids get when they are healthy, brown eyes and darkish hair. I kneel down so I would be on eye level with Mapi.
"Hi, Mapi."
"You look familiar," a sweet little voice said. I smiled, just a little. "Doesn't she looks familiar, July?"
Julia looked shocked. "That's the most words you have put together in weeks."
"You're not answering my question," Mapi said impatiently. Julia stopped looking at her and turned to me.
"Yeah, you do look familiar. But I don't know from were."
"Probably church," I said, "My mother is married to Andrew Ackerman, I used to live on the hills."
"Yeah, possibly." Julia agreed.
They stayed in my room helping me to get settled in. As predicted, unpacking didn't take much time. But surprisingly, by the time we were doing it was 6:50 in the afternoon.
"I'm going for Abuela," Julia announced and disappeared.
Mapi and I started to walk towards the dining room, and she challenged me to a race.
"Maria del Pilar, what is this behavior?" Jesse's stern voice inquired the second she entered running ahead of me.
"I won!" Mapi squealed happily jumping around him, who was trying to appear mad at her but was failing miserably. "I won! I won!!"
"Yes, you did." I said trying to catch my breath. "I so need to do more exercise,"
"¿Quién eres tú?" (Who are you?)
"Es Suze, abuela," Julia said in perfect spanish, "Te hable de ella, es nuestra nueva maestra." (It's Suze, grandma, I told you about her, is our new teacher.)
"Oh. I'm Eugenia De Silva," the elderly woman said in a just slightly accented English. "Welcome to the house, make yourself feel like home," she said and to my utter most surprise, pulled me into a hug. "You can call me abuela, like anyone else,"
"Um. Thanks." I said. No one had hugged me since my grandma passed away. Then she let me go and started to walk towards her seat at the end of the table.
"Suze is going to sit next to me," Mapi told Jesse who just muttered a 'fine'
Jesse was about to sit down at the head of the table when abuela smacked him whit her cane. For a woman around 65, she moved very quickly "Aren't you going to help the young lady?"
Jesse, murmuring something that sounded a lot like curses in Spanish, got walked to me, pulled my chair back, I sat down and he pushed the chair again.
Julia, Abuela and Mapi were inquiring me about all sorts of things. I was answering politely about school, my friends and such.
"Now lets get to the juicy part," Abuela said, "Man. Do you have one?"
Both Jesse and I chocked with the soup we were eating. "No ma'am." I answered through a fit of coughing. "I was focusing on school and taking care of my grandmother,"
"What about our old friend Paul?" Jesse inquired.
"Spawn of Satan never had anything to do with me." I answered defensively. "And you should know that."
"Yes, of course," he said in a voice that told me he didn't believed me.
Look, I know that it probably wasn't a hot idea; you just don't do that to your employer. But I was really upset. I mean, after swearing he loved me, Jesse had gone off and agreed to marry Maria, and then I had the belle of Salinas' County, Maria De Silva herself, saying it to my face.
So yeah, I threw a piece of breed to his head, and it hit him squarely on the face. He shot me a look of deep disgust, I did just the same. And then as if on cue, both of us stood up saying "I'm not hungry." And stormed out in opposite directions.
On my first night at the De Silva Ranch, I went to bed hungry and heartbroken. I couldn't help it. I cried. Being around Jesse had finally gotten to my nerves. I still missed him, when I was sad my first impulse still was to run to him. Jesse would hold me in his arms and say everything would be all right. Just that nothing would ever be all right again. Jesse, the only man I had ever loved, had betrayed my belief that he would never hurt me.
…
End of Chapter Two
…
Notes:
Here is the deal:
(Only read if you want to know why Suze and Jesse are acting the way they are=
By the time the story begins two years have elapsed since last time Jesse and Suze saw each other. On the same day Jesse broke his betrothal to Maria, so he could finally tell everyone he wanted – and was going to – marry Suze, Maria got very pissed off and to make Jesse suffer she made a deal with Paul Slater. Maria went and told Suze that Jesse had asked her –Maria - to marry him and that they were going to marry. At the same time, Paul found Jesse and told him Suze had agreed to marry him – Paul.
Jesse and Suze would have talked and solve things, but when Suze got to her house, her mother told her that she had to marry Paul, Suze said "no way" and ran to San Francisco without talking to Jesse about what Maria said. Jesse could never ask Suze the truth about what Paul had told him.
So they both believe the other lied. And they are angry at each other. They are so angry by now that the last thing they want is to ever be in sight of the other ever again.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed! YOU GUYS ROCK!!!
Much Love,
Alex.
P. S Sorry about the bad grammar and stuff.
P. S2 PEACE, LOVE, FRUIT AND JESSE!!!
