THE RIGHT TURN OF THE ROAD
Chapter 15
After the encounter with Zorro, Gabriel returned to his room at the tavern. It was late, but he found he couldn't even think about going to bed. His mind was racing, and he felt like he had enough energy to fight with a bull. He went to his seat by the window and leaned to stare outside at the dark street below.
It was only then that his body seemed to realise what had happened. The memory of the terror he had felt as the people had held him still and pointed the pistol at him suddenly came back. They had almost killed him. He tried to, but he couldn't will his hands to stop shaking. It had been so close. The hatred in everyone's eyes had been so vivid.
He felt more alone than he could ever remember. There had to be countless more people in San Tasco who wanted him dead. He might not be that lucky next time. Even now, he was alive only because Zorro had stepped in. His anger at having been saved by his enemy now felt ridiculous and embarrassing.
"Damn him," he growled.
He closed his eyes for a moment and forced himself to calm down and stop thinking about Zorro. As the memory of his near death became less vivid, he realised how tired he was. It had been a long day for him, and not a very pleasant one. Dr. Timothy's words hurt like an open wound.
Regardless of anything, one thing was clear. He couldn't just keep sitting in this room all day. He had to find something productive to do. Only then would he be in a position to have his revenge on Raymond and Zorro. Everything was their fault, and one day he'd see them both crushed before him. It didn't matter how long it would take or how hard he would have to work – revenge would be his one day.
But first there were more mundane matters to attend to. He had to find a job. He had some savings, but they wouldn't last forever, especially if he had to keep living in a tavern. He already owed more money to the owner than he was willing count. He would also have to buy his own food and clothes from now on. And a horse if he wanted to be able to leave the town every once in a while. He frowned as he realised how much the army had provided him with and how he didn't have any of it anymore. Even if he found a job that paid well, he couldn't maintain the standard of living he was used to.
The biggest problem was how to get a job. Gabriel grimaced at the thought of working on some farm or in the mines. It was beneath him, but there wasn't much else in San Tasco. However, he only had to think about Zorro's self-important attitude that night to find the will to endure anything. He would polish shoes if that was the only way. He would just first have to find someone who would hire him.
The ache he felt in his chest at every inhale was a good reminder of what the people in San Tasco thought of him. He would be lucky if they didn't throw stones at him when he went to ask for work. He'd just have to keep looking. He'd do anything if it helped him get into a position to have revenge on those who had ruined his life.
He was sure his blood flowed faster when he thought about Zorro and Raymond. Both of them would see what happened when they insulted him like this. He didn't yet know what he would do to them, but it would be painful. He would delight in seeing the disbelief and fear in their eyes.
The next morning saw him feeling just as determined as the previous night. He wasn't even bothered by the way his body ached from the attack. If anything, it reminded him of how much he had to do and that he had better get started. He began the day by paying the owner of the tavern for his room – an act that left him with less money than he had been hoping, but he reminded himself that he was soon going to have a job, so it didn't matter. After that he had some breakfast. The food at the tavern wasn't very good, but he hadn't eaten much during the past week, so he hardly noticed.
It was still early when he walked outside. The day had just dawned, and there was still a mild, fresh scent in the air. Only a few people were in the streets, mostly shopkeepers hurrying to prepare everything for the day. Gabriel watched them and suddenly found himself feeling somewhat awkward. He had always looked down on them, but now he would have to ask them for work. Not demand but ask.
He might just as well get it over with. He spotted an old merchant who was loading heavy bags on his wagon. Gabriel decided to go and help. If there was something he knew, it was how to manipulate people into liking him.
"Good morning," he said as a greeting.
"Good mo–"the merchant started and began to turn around, but his words died on his lips as he saw who he was talking to. The bag fell from his hands and he stumbled backwards, nearly losing his balance.
"What do you want?" he asked in an accusing tone. He glanced to his sides to see if there was anyone who could help him, but they were alone in the street.
"I just wanted to give you a hand. This looks like a lot of work for one man," Gabriel said. He bent down to pick up the bag, but the merchant's frantic yell made him stop.
"No, don't take it! I already paid my taxes!"
Gabriel frowned at the man and put the bag on the wagon. "I'm not going to steal it."
"The army always steals everything!" the man said, but then his brows shot up, like he had just now remembered something. "But hey, you aren't in the army anymore, are you?"
"No," Gabriel grumbled.
"Haha, well in that case you can just shove off. I can do this alone," the old man said. He went to take another bag from the ground and carried it over to the wagon, nearly falling over under the weight. Gabriel watched that for a while before he pushed the man aside and marched to finish his work for him.
"Hey! I said I don't need you!" the old man snapped. He grabbed a hold of the bag Gabriel was carrying and tried to snatch it from his hands.
"And I say you do, you old fool!"
The merchant let go of the bag, which sent Gabriel stumbling backwards and losing his balance. He cursed as he fell down and the bag crashed against his chest, reminding him again of the beating he had taken the previous night.
"What are you planning? You never helped anyone before," the old man said as he came to take the bag away.
"Maybe I changed my mind," Gabriel said.
"Haha, that's a good one," the old man said with a guffaw. He chuckled to himself all the way to his wagon and then leaned against it after he had put the bag on it. He wiped the sweat off his forehead. "But I guess I can't blame you. I'd be feeling pretty desperate, too, if I were you."
"I'm not desperate," Gabriel snarled as he got up from the ground and brushed some sand off his pants.
"Yes, I'm sure you just wanted to help out an old man. I can just hear your heart break into tiny pieces as you watch me work," the merchant said.
"One more word out of you and I'll punch your teeth in!"
"Then I'll report you to the army. A day in jail might cool you off," the merchant said. The smile on his face turned snide when he added, "It must be frustrating to know that you now have to follow those same laws that were so convenient for you when you served in the army. You're just another citizen now and face all the same problems as we do."
"Like hell I do," Gabriel muttered. He had had enough of this idiot, so he simply marched past him down the street. It had been a stupid idea to approach this man anyway. He could find something more worth his time.
"Thanks for the help!" the merchant called out after him, and his laughter was echoing in Gabriel's ears long after he had disappeared from view.
It turned out that getting a job was going to be even more difficult than Gabriel had anticipated. He found some men working on construction and asked if there was any work for him. At first it looked like he might have some luck since they were short of a few men and the man in charge of the project was from another town. Then one of the workers recognised him and he was promptly told to leave and never come back.
The same happened when he approached a couple of farmers about any work on their lands. He said he was willing to do anything, but the men were even more vicious than the construction workers about what they thought of him. His recent actions regarding the wheat were still fresh in their memories.
Gabriel decided that he had better raise the stakes and put all of his acting skills into use. The next place he tried was the docks. The response he got was the same, but he wasn't about to give up that easily this time.
"I guess I can't blame you for not trusting me," he said with the most regretful voice he could muster. He turned his head away, like he was ashamed to even look at the sailors he was talking to.
"My brother-in-law almost lost his farm because of the army. Don't try to get any sympathy from me," one of the sailors said gruffly.
"I know I've done terrible things, but that's in the past. I am a completely different man now," Gabriel said.
The sailors exchanged doubtful looks. One of them, an old, bearded seadog who was standing with his arms crossed on his chest, let out a disdainful snort.
"It's in the past because you were kicked out of the army. If it wasn't for that, you'd be terrorising the people as always," he said.
Damn these people and their stubbornness, Gabriel thought. "You probably won't believe me, but that's not true," he said. "For a while now, I've had doubts about the way the army operates here. When I was on leave, I was able to see everything from a different perspective. I just didn't know what I could do about it. I felt like one man could never make a difference."
"Zorro has made a difference," one of the sailors remarked.
"What does he have to do with anything?" Gabriel asked, letting his anger show for a brief moment.
"He has always come to help us despite the risks. If you had ever truly wanted to do anything for the people, you could have easily done it with far less danger than Zorro. You could have done much good with your position in the army," the old sailor remarked.
"But I -" Gabriel started.
"Whether this sudden change of heart is genuine or not doesn't matter. You have nothing to offer us now that you're no longer a lieutenant," the old sailor said. His voice turned grim as he continued, "And we won't forget everything you've done that fast."
Gabriel was left with nothing to say. He tried to find some quick lie that he could use to counter the man's argument, but his mind was completely empty. He could only watch as the sailors started to leave, muttering to themselves about what a nerve he had to even talk to them. One of them grumbled that he should have died the previous night but that he would respect Zorro's advice.
"What damn fools!" Gabriel snarled. Did they really think they would get rid of him that easily? That he would just give up? They were all wrong. He would never admit defeat before these pathetic idiots. With these words echoing in his head like a mantra, he marched to find more people to talk to.
By the end of the day, he had to admit that finding a job in San Tasco just might be impossible for him. Nobody wanted to hire him, not even those who weren't openly hostile to him. More than once, he had been told that they didn't have anything particular against him but that they wanted to remain loyal to their fellow townspeople. Hiring someone half of the town hated would be bad for business.
The more such talk he had to listen to, the more he was starting to regret the way he had been treating Gonzales. The sergeant was the only one who had bothered to sympathise with him and offer help. It had been foolish of him to try to push him away.
Gabriel stopped when he realised that it wasn't just this selfish need that was causing him discomfort. He actually felt a little bad about his actions and words. Gonzales had been patient and understanding; he hadn't uttered one mocking word when Gabriel had been recovering. He had seemed genuinely happy when he had got better. Gabriel couldn't remember the last time someone had cared about him without wanting anything back. It had never bothered him because he didn't particularly care for anyone either, but now he found himself feeling guilty.
"This is pathetic," he muttered. He was actually missing Gonzales' company and having someone friendly to talk to. Had he really sunk to such depths already?
Maybe he shouldn't think of it like that. It would just make him angry if he saw it as degrading himself. Rather, he should be grateful for the fact that there was even one person who had his back. Maybe he should even let Gonzales know before it was too late.
Lolita stopped to look at the table with all the dishes and tried to remember if they had everything they needed. She hadn't often seen so much food at once, and she was feeling a little overwhelmed when she looked at it. She wondered if they could ever eat all of it.
"Maybe we overdid it a little," she said to Maria as the housekeeper arrived with one more dish.
"Nonsense," she said. "You'd be surprised by how much people can eat when the food is free. Besides, it's always better to have too much than too little."
"You're probably right," Lolita admitted. She glanced briefly at the sky that was starting to turn orange. The guests would be arriving in a few hours, so this was her last moment to get some rest. She would have never thought that cooking, cleaning and arranging everything for a party could get her so exhausted. Maria had done a lot more than her, but she still seemed to be full of energy.
"That smells good. I'm sure Don Augusto will love it," she said when she saw the pie Maria had just brought from the kitchen.
"It's Diego's favourite. One of these days, I'll show you how to make it. Then you can make it for him when you're married."
Lolita's smile wavered a little. "That would be lovely," she said. In truth, she didn't know how she felt about her and Diego's engagement. He was the best friend she could ever ask for. He had a kind heart, and Lolita knew he would always be there for her. She just didn't know if she saw him as anything more than a friend. Before he had gone to Spain she had been sure that she loved him, but he had changed so much. Maybe it had been just a silly crush.
There were times when she thought she could see glimpses of the old Diego. Sometimes when the soldiers were terrorising someone, she was sure she saw fire flare up in his eyes. She always expected him to take action and was always disappointed when he didn't, no matter how many times it happened.
"You should go and get yourself ready. They might come back a little early," Maria suggested.
"Don't you need more help?"
"No, I can handle everything. You've already helped me through most of it."
"Alright, I'll be back in a moment," Lolita said. She went back inside the house to one of the guestrooms where she had brought a few of her things. As she walked through the main hall, she recalled Maria's earlier words and realised that if she married Diego, she would be living in this house one day. She got a warm feeling in her stomach at the thought. The de la Vegas had been good to her, and their home had always felt like it was hers, too.
I mustn't get sentimental, she scolded herself. This was not the time to think about her and Diego. He and his father had gone to greet Augusto and his son at their estate and bring them to the party. The two men had arrived two days earlier, and Lolita was very curious to meet them both.
She changed into a different dress and redid her hair to look presentable. She was so lost in thought when she brushed her hair that she didn't even realise how long she was taking. She had to hurry to finish, and she was glad to see that nobody had yet arrived when she went downstairs. She spotted Bernard on his way out.
"Are the Diego and the others back yet?" she asked.
"I don't think so." Bernard's face was lit up by a smile as he turned to look at her. "Hey, you look great!"
"You think so? This is the new dress my father just bought me," Lolita said. Before Bernard could reply, they heard the sound of a carriage arriving. As they went outside, they noticed that the first guests were there. Lolita hurried to greet and welcome them, hoping that it would be a great night for everyone.
Diego was glad when he saw the familiar curve of the road that would take them to the de la Vega estate. They were running a little late because Don Augusto's son, Rafael, had taken a mysteriously long time to get himself ready. Diego was certain that everyone else was already at the party and waiting for them.
"Here we are," he said as he went to open the door after he had stopped the carriage before the house.
The first person to get out of the carriage was Don Alejandro. He was followed by a tall, elderly man with such wide shoulders that he almost had difficulties fitting out through the door. His hair was a dark shade of grey but showed no signs of growing thin. Diego was struck by the powerful look in his eyes as the man turned to give him a brief look. Don Augusto certainly knew his worth.
The young man who followed him was far less impressive. He had the same body build, but he carried his frame without strength or pride. He might have looked handsome with his angular face and black hair if it hadn't been for the idle and nonchalant expression that never left his eyes.
The father and son sure are like day and night, Diego mused.
"Welcome to my home, Don Augusto. We're all happy to have you here in San Tasco," Alejandro said to their guest.
Augusto nodded. "Thank you. From what I've seen, this town is exactly what I was looking for."
Diego noted the puzzled expression on his father's face. Before Alejandro could ask what Augusto had meant by that, Lolita arrived to greet them. For a moment, Diego was startled by how beautiful she was in the blue dress and with the day's last sunrays dancing in her hair.
"Lolita, you're -" he started to say, but he was quickly interrupted.
"Oh, there are quite a lot of people in here. I don't like crowds. I always get such a dreadful headache," Rafael remarked, looking around as if searching for a quieter spot.
"It's a party," Augusto pointed out to his son.
"That's nice, but I think I'll go sit down somewhere."
"You could at least properly introduce yourself first," Augusto said. His voice had grown edgy, and he was glaring at his son with an intimidating frown that Diego was sure had turned many men into nervous wrecks. It didn't seem to have any effect on his son who only yawned and shrugged.
"If you insist, father," Rafael said. A half-smile appeared on his face, and somehow he made it look like it took great effort.
"Maybe you can give a short speech later tonight. I'm sure everyone is eager to hear more about you and your plans here in San Tasco, but now you must want something to drink and talk to the guests," Alejandro suggested.
"I'd be delighted," Augusto replied. He took one more glance at his son. "Maybe we should leave the young folk to get to know each other."
Alejandro agreed, and the two of them soon went to join the other guests at the party.
"So, you're Rafael. I'm Lolita. It's nice to meet you."
Rafael spent a moment eying her from head to toe. "Likewise," he said, his smile growing a little warmer.
"And you already know me, but we haven't had the chance to talk yet," Diego said.
"Diego, right?" Rafael asked and then nodded, as if to confirm his guess. He turned to glance at the other guests, and the slightest wrinkle appeared around his nose. "So, what do you do all day in this town?"
"What do you mean?" Lolita asked.
Rafael looked at her like she was stupid. Diego was starting to realise that he didn't like this man very much. Keeping the pleasant smile on his face was beginning to ache.
"I mean whether you have any theatres or music halls or anything of the sort," Rafael said.
"We've got plenty of good musicians. They often play at parties like this, and on holidays they -" Lolita started to say, but Rafael cut her off with a dismissive wave of his hand.
"Fine, fine. I suppose I can't be picky. Even a simple poetry circle would be good. San Tasco isn't Madrid, after all," he said.
Lolita wasn't anywhere near as good at hiding her distaste as Diego was. She was glaring at Rafael with fire flashing in her eyes, and Diego was sure that she would give him a piece of her mind as soon as she got over the first shock of how rude their guest was.
"So, your father bought all that land in south, didn't he? You've got some good wine fields there," Diego said to change the subject.
"That's right, but such matters don't really interest me. I'll leave farming to people like my father."
"What do you mean people like him?" Lolita asked sharply.
"People with no ambition or appreciation for what's important in life," Rafael said nonchalantly.
"My father is a farmer," Lolita snapped. "And while he may have a flaw or two, he's still the most important man in my life. You shouldn't talk about anyone with that tone."
Rafael shrugged. "If meddling with corn or cattle makes one happy, who am I to judge? Work like that simply isn't for me."
"Then I guess you and Diego are going to get along just great!" Lolita snarled. She turned around and stormed off with her head held high and her hands clenched into fists.
"Lolita, you know I don't think like that!" Diego called out after her, but she didn't stop to listen.
"A feisty one, isn't she? In Madrid, they wouldn't allow girls with such terrible manners into any significant social gathering," Rafael said.
Diego gritted his teeth, fighting back the scorching temptation to punch the other man. He reasoned that he couldn't do that to someone who was a guest at his home, especially since it would be very out of character for Diego the weakling. He had to repeat these thoughts in his head several times before he trusted his voice.
"Lolita's father is one of the wealthiest farmers in the area," he pointed out.
"Really? Then my father will surely like to talk to him. As I said, I'm not interested in that."
"In Madrid, I guess you could find another party with guests more suitable for your tastes," Diego said before he could stop himself.
"What would you know about Madrid?" Rafael asked.
"I studied there for a while. I only came home about half a year ago," Diego replied.
Rafael's eyes immediately lit up. "You've been to Madrid? Oh, then you have to tell me about it."
"Well…" Diego started with some hesitation in his voice. Did he really want to spend any more time talking to this man? He could easily distract him by introducing him to someone else and then slipping away. He thought about Lolita and how upset she had been and felt the need to go after her.
"Now, don't hesitate. Madrid is my home, and I'd love to hear your opinion of it. Even if it's unfavourable," Rafael said. For the first time during their conversation, Diego was sure that his smile was genuine.
"I loved Madrid. There was so much to see, and I made some good friends there," he started. He proceeded to tell Rafael about his studies, the books he had read, the plays he had seen and everything he had enjoyed in the city. Rafael turned out to be an excellent listener when he was interested in the topic, and he didn't make a single snide comment during Diego's story, not even when Diego lied about how badly his studies had gone. After some time, he realised that he was actually having fun.
"I must apologize for my son's behaviour. I don't know where he gets that," Don Augusto said as he and Don Alejandro were sharing half a bottle of wine.
"It's perfectly alright. I'm sure he's just tired after the trip. And maybe he needs time to adjust to San Tasco after living his whole life in Madrid."
"I wish it were just that, but I'm afraid this is usual for him."
"Hmm," Alejandro said diplomatically and chose to take a sip of his wine.
"I'm sorry that I'm just complaining. It's just that I was hoping San Tasco would make my son change for the better, but so far it has only made him worse," Augusto said.
"What exactly is the problem?" From what Alejandro had seen so far, Rafael didn't seem so bad. Terrible manners were hardly the biggest flaw in a man. It could be easily fixed.
"He's lazy," Augusto blurted out. "I hate to say that about my own son, but Rafael is a good-for-nothing idler. I don't think he has ever done an honest day's work in his life. His mother coddled him all too much. No matter what I do, I can't get him interested in any kind of work."
"That sounds all too familiar," Alejandro said. "Diego has been exactly like that ever since he got back from Spain."
The two men turned to look at their sons who were competing on who could empty a glass of wine faster.
"And that's why I didn't study for my final exams!" Diego was just saying.
"Haha! I never actually took any notes during lectures, so I couldn't have studied even if I had wanted!" Rafael replied.
Alejandro and Augusto sighed.
"There must be something in the Spanish air that ruins young men," Augusto muttered.
When Diego was certain that Rafael wasn't looking, he poured some of his wine away. Even now he wanted to make sure he didn't get drunk – he could never be sure when he'd need to move fast and be in complete control of his words and actions.
"I'm glad I met someone who has been to Spain. Otherwise I'd be bored to death already," Rafael said. His cheeks were flushed and the smile on his face had turned into a lopsided grin.
"San Tasco isn't that bad. You should give the town a chance," Diego said. As much as he had loved his time in Spain, he knew that San Tasco would always be his real home. He had so many fond memories of the town and the surrounding countryside that he doubted he could ever love any other place like that. It was painful to watch the way the army was terrorising the area so dear to him.
Rafael snorted. "No. No offence, Diego, but I hate this place already."
"You've been here for two days," Diego pointed out.
"I can't stand the countryside. My father forced me here because he thinks life here will make a man out of me. But I'm not interested in the kind of life he wants for me," Rafael said. He raised his glass of wine and laughed. "I'd much rather sleep all day and have fun at night!"
Is this guy for real, Diego wondered. He had sometimes worried that his disguise as the lazy and stupid coward was too over the top, but Rafael was even worse – and he was genuine. He had no idea what he could say.
Thankfully, Bernard came to save the situation by bringing them some sweet cakes. Rather than introduce the boy to Rafael, Diego grabbed him by his sleeve and started to drag him away.
"I'm sorry, but I really have to make sure some things are running. I'll be right back," he said.
"Diego, what are you doing?" Bernard asked as soon as they had made it inside the house and away from everyone else.
"I had to have a moment away from Rafael," Diego said.
"Is he boring?" Bernard asked.
"No, he's alright. At least if we're talking about Spain. He seems to have an attitude problem about living here, and he's not even trying to hide it," Diego said. He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "You should have seen how mad Lolita got when Rafael insulted farmers."
Bernard winced. "I can imagine. So that's why she's been the whole evening with Lapaz, not you."
Diego frowned in discomfort. After the terrible incident with his father, Lapaz had told his family all about the problems he had faced in Spain. His father had been strict but understanding, and ever since that Lapaz had done his best to make up for his mistakes. He worked on his family's land every day and was sometimes allowed to take part in the meetings the local landowners had. Lapaz was becoming the kind of man that Diego wanted to be. He couldn't help but wonder if Lolita preferred his friend over him.
"Hey, cheer up. You didn't say any of those things," Bernard said.
"I know, but I always act the way that I might just as well have," Diego remarked.
Bernard bit his lip, hesitating for a moment. "Then why don't you tell Lolita the truth? Then you wouldn't have to deal with this."
"You know I can't. She would want to help, and I can't expose her to such danger," Diego said.
"I think Lolita can take care of herself."
"I don't doubt that. It's just easier this way," Diego said. He was glad he had Bernard to talk to. It wasn't right to burden the boy with his worries and the dangers Zorro had to face, but he didn't know how long he could have carried his secret alone.
"Well, it's your call. And I don't think Lolita will be angry for long. She gets upset with you all the time," Bernard said.
"I hope so. Rafael made her really angry."
An annoyed frown appeared on Bernard's face. "He can't be as bad as his father."
"What do you mean?" Diego asked in surprise. He hadn't talked to Don Augusto personally, but he had got the impression that he was an honest and hard-working man. He had spotted Augusto talking to his father and some other landowners; there had been nothing but laughter and pleased smiles.
"I don't know. Something about him just rubs me the wrong way. I heard him telling Lolita's father about the wine fields he bought and that he needs to hire workers there. All he talked about was how effective and obedient they should be. It was like he thought of them as slaves," Bernard said. He crossed his arms on his chest and glared at Diego in a way that reminded him of how he hadn't believed Bernard and Lolita about Don Dias.
"It's not illegal to talk like that, but we'll keep an eye on him," he said. He hoped that Augusto wouldn't turn out to be a dishonest man. The last thing the locals needed was another man who only wanted to exploit them.
Diego exchanged a few more words with Bernard, but then he had to return to the party. He did his best to enjoy the rest of the night, but his worry over Lolita and Bernard's words kept him on the edge. He couldn't help but think that something was going to go wrong soon.
Sergeant Gonzales was humming to himself as he rode through the streets of San Tasco. He was returning from the welcome party at the de la Vega estate. It had been a fun evening. Maria's cooking had been particularly good, and he would have gladly stayed at the party even longer, but he had work to do in the morning.
He blinked as he thought he had passed a familiar figure. Was that Gabriel going behind a corner? He stopped his horse and jumped down. When he hurried after the man, he noticed that it was indeed Gabriel.
"Hey! Wait!" he called out.
Gabriel whirled around, and for the briefest moment Gonzales could see anxiety flash on his face. Then it quickly turned into relieved recognition.
"Oh, it's you," Gabriel said.
"Oh, dear, what happened to you?" Gonzales asked as he noticed the bruises on Gabriel's face. It looked like someone had hit him with a shovel. Gonzales couldn't help but wince in sympathy.
"An unfortunate run-in with the locals," Gabriel replied. He was glaring to his side, so Gonzales guessed he didn't want to talk about it. The sergeant could very well imagine what had happened. It was no surprise that some people would try to have their revenge on the former lieutenant. He was just glad they had let Gabriel live.
"You should make a report about that so that they can be arrested," he suggested.
Gabriel snorted. "And who in the army would even care?"
"I care," Gonzales said at once.
"That's just because you're such a useless bleeding heart," Gabriel said.
"Yes, well…" Gonzales said, trying not to be offended by the harsh tone in Gabriel's voice.
At this, Gabriel turned to look away again. "It's… not necessarily a bad thing," he said.
"What?" Gonzales asked.
"If you weren't, you'd probably have told me to get lost a thousand times already," Gabriel said. He was eyeing the wall to his right and his arms were crossed defensively on his chest. Gonzales didn't think he had ever seen him look that awkward. Of course, he had never heard Gabriel almost admit that he might have been wrong, either.
"I'd never do that," he said, but in actuality he had been playing with the idea. Or rather, he had been thinking that maybe he should just tell Gabriel that he was busy with his duties. It wasn't that he didn't want to help; it was that he if his help wasn't appreciated, he saw no reason to subject himself to constant abuse and insults.
"Maybe you should. You shouldn't let people walk over you all the time," Gabriel said.
"Well, that might be true, but -"
"I'm going to say this only once, so listen," Gabriel said, and his tone immediately made Gonzales shut up. He was used to Gabriel telling him to keep quiet, so that was no wonder, but this time it wasn't just the anger that made him do it.
It took a moment before Gabriel continued. "I know I've been unfair to you. You've helped me more than I could have asked, and I've done nothing to deserve it or thank you for it." He paused for a moment, like he needed to gather his courage. "So, thank you."
Gabriel glanced at Gonzales, but the sergeant was too stunned to say anything. Irritation immediately flashed in Gabriel's eyes, and he asked, "What? Wasn't that good enough?"
"I… I just don't know what to say," Gonzales admitted. He had never expected to hear those words from Gabriel's mouth. Had he really admitted that he had been wrong? That Gonzales deserved better? He had to be dreaming, or maybe he had drunk more wine at the party than he had realised.
"Then I guess that's it," Gabriel said a little stiffly. Gonzales noticed only now how defensive he really looked like. It wasn't easy for him to admit something like that. It wasn't that good of a thank-you or apology, but it was more than Gonzales had ever hoped to get. The fact that Gabriel had tried meant a lot more than the actual words.
"Wait, not so fast. Did you really mean that?"
"Would I have said it if I didn't?"
Well, he was an excellent liar and actor, Gonzales mused. But maybe that just proved it. Since he was being so awkward, it had to be real. The sergeant could feel a smile tugging at his lips, and he couldn't quite hide it.
"And what are you laughing at?" Gabriel snarled.
"Nothing. I'm just so glad you said that," Gonzales said. "And I'm happy to see that you're out here. What are you doing?" he asked.
Gabriel's shoulders relaxed, and he looked relieved at the change of subject. "I've been trying to find a job."
"That's great! Any luck yet?" Gonzales asked, glad to hear that Gabriel was trying to do something productive. He had looked so down the last time he had seen him that the sergeant had been starting to think he'd never get back on his feet. He should have known that someone like Gabriel would never accept defeat.
"No," Gabriel said, frustration evident in his voice.
"That's too bad," Gonzales said, but he wasn't surprised. Apart from Raymond, Gabriel had to be the most unpopular person in San Tasco. Now that he was no longer in such a position that he could freely punish people, they had no reason to get along with him. As the bruises on Gabriel's face proved, quite a few townspeople even enjoyed his predicament.
"It's just a minor setback. I'll find something soon," Gabriel said at once.
"That's right. I'm sure you can do it. I'll let you know if I hear anything," Gonzales said.
"Good. And then I'll have my revenge!" Gabriel declared.
Gonzales blinked, surprised by the sudden change in tone. "What? On whom?" he asked.
"Are you stupid? On Zorro and Raymond, of course!"
"You shouldn't say such things in public," Gonzales said and took a wary glance around. Someone from the army might hear. Someone other than him, that was. Raymond was always fast to act when it came to arresting and executing rebels, and admitting to planning revenge on him was certainly a crime.
"Go ahead and tell the commander if you want to," Gabriel said.
"No, I wouldn't -"
"I'll never forget how he treated me that day. Nothing can ever make up for that humiliation. I don't know how I'll do it, but one day I'll watch him fall and enjoy every moment of it! And the same goes for Zorro! Without him, none of this would have ever happened!" Gabriel continued.
Gonzales sighed. He was starting to realise where Gabriel had suddenly found the motivation to go on with his life. As relieved as he was to see him do something other than sulk, he wished the desire to do so wouldn't stem from revenge and hatred. It might keep him going for a while, but Gonzales knew one couldn't build a solid life on that.
He almost said that out loud, but then he thought better of it. Gabriel wouldn't listen. He'd just get angry and then yell at him. It was much better to keep quiet for now and hope that the future would provide Gabriel something to lean on that wasn't so destructive.