Fathers and Sons Chapter Fourteen: Madrina y Padrinos
I'm so jittery, I'm gonna bust, Roy thought, standing in the front of the church at noon. Sweat beads popped out on his forehead and he chewed his lip. His breathing came in short erratic bursts. His heart beat against his chest like a drum.
"Calma, hombre, calma! Everything is going to be fine. Your bride will be here soon. You have no need to worry." Mano spoke in a sing-song lilt, gritting his teeth and smiling, barely moving his lips. He exuded confidence, appearing calm, but inside, his heart pounded, too. Madre de Dios, ayúdame, por favor! So much to think about. Does Buck have the lasso? Where is Pacquito with the ring? Have I got the gold coins? Ay yi yi! He perspired more than he wished in his black suit and white ruffled shirt. Nerves, he supposed.
Roy, hair plastered slick, cut a handsome figure in his white wedding shirt. Victoria sewed all them purty flowers an' such on Roy's shirt, Buck remembered. She is a angel for shore. Buck stretched his own neck a bit; the string tie was a might tight and the white shirt stiff with starch. He patted the side pocket of his black leather vest again to be sure the lasso hadn't fallen out.
Padre Sanchez stood in front of the altar in a black cassock, white ceremonial stole draped around his neck. His smile took in the whole sanctuary. Bet he ain't jittery, Roy thought.
The villagers packed the small church. Dozens stood outside. As the horns and guitars of the mariachi band of Casa Cueva sounded a traditional tune, those outside the church parted to make room for the bride and those inside stood. Teresa glided down the center aisle on the arm of her uncle. A tall white lace mantilla fell about her shoulders, spilling over a silken bolero jacket-an item borrowed from Señora Canon-which covered a simple white dress that trailed along the floor. Small white flowers adorned luxurious black hair. Her dark eyes sparkled.
She look like a angel, too, Buck mused.
Vaquero, erect and smiling, wore a dark blue suit, black embroidered designs decorating its lapels, cuffs, and trouser seams.
Roy sucked in his breath and stared. My, my, ain't she beautiful? An' she's gonna be mine. Teresa's progress up the aisle was slow, and Roy got twitchier by the second. Eyes not swerving from the bride, Mano caught Roy's hand as it began to creep up to straighten his already straight bolo tie; he forced the hand back down by Roy's side. Roy glanced at him, surprised. Mano's smile and raised eyebrows made the groom realize his friend was trying to stop him from looking so nervous. Roy managed a small smile and relaxed his arm, which Mano then released.
Padre Sanchez bid the young couple approach the altar, where they knelt together, side by side, at the rail. The congregation sat down and the service began with the exchange of traditional vows. Roy tried to listen. Padre Sanchez said somethin' about marriage bein' a picture of Jesu Christu and His church, Roy thought, and somethin' else 'bout children. A whole lot about children. Roy's face reddened and he was glad he was kneeling and not standing. He sneaked a peek at Teresa. Her face was shining. Then the padre told them to stand.
Padre Sanchez motioned for Pacquito to come forward, and he did so, bearing a silk cushion from Don Sebastian upon which rested a silver ring that had belonged to Teresa's mother. The ring scooted across the slick pillow as Roy fumbled while trying to grab it with his large fingers. Disaster was averted by Paco's quick maneuver, and Roy managed to secure the ring and place it upon the finger of his beloved.
Mano handed the gold coins to Roy at the correct moment, and Roy gave them to Teresa, who lifted her hands to accept them. Next, Buck, with a big grin, wound the silk lasso over the heads of the couple, allowing the rope to rest around their shoulders where it formed a figure eight, symbolizing their love and unity. Mano smiled but his throat caught as his thoughts drifted again to Mercedes for just a moment.
The ceremony over, the congregation burst into cheers, shouts of joy, loud applause. Trumpets blared and guitars resounded as Roy and Teresa made their way down the aisle. Men slapped Roy on the back and spouted things in rapid Spanish that he could not understand. But he was happy. Teresa was holding his hand in hers. They couldn't part even if they wanted to, for they were roped together with the colorful silken lasso that Victoria had braided and which symbolized their permanent union.
Smiling and laughing, the couple made for the cantina, awash in paper flowers of primary colors and a sea of piñatas and streamers. Outside, many gaily colored covered stalls featured food and drink for the guests.
"Now, Seee-ñora Lauder, let's get that rope off!" Buck exclaimed inside the cantina as he lifted off the lasso and presented it to Teresa as a permanent reminder of their joining.
A long trestle table groaned under the weight of dishes of tamales, rice, enchiladas, beans, barbacoa and fruits. Bowls of candied yams and shiny marzipan oranges, nuts and candies abounded. Crisp sugary cookies lay on platters. The village women stood behind the table to serve the guests.
The bride and groom had to do everything first. Take the first food. Have the first drink. The musicians remained outside, but the music filtered into the cantina and called for the first dance. Roy ain't so good at dancin', Buck noted. Mano's been teachin' him an' he'd gotten some better, unless you looked at his mouth an' seen him countin' to hisself. Buck shook his head and rolled his eyes.
"Ay, Padre, Dios mío," blubbered Senora Gonzalez, outside. Known to the niños as "La Gordita," she had been chosen as Madrina by Teresa because of her many kindnesses after the deaths of Señor and Señora Rosales from the terrible influenza. La Gordita, in tears, told Padre Sanchez that weddings always made her cry, even her own. Stay outside, then, thought Mano. Do not ruin their happiness with your tears, vieja.
Guests ate and drank their fill, dancing and then returning to the booths to eat and drink again. Children, their eyes blindfolded with colorful cloths, swatted at piñatas with sticks, squealing with pleasure each time one burst and showered its collection of treats which the children then scrambled to grab.
Mano, realizing his position not only as Padrino, but also as Don Manolo of the Rancho Montoya, enjoyed the festivities with a measure of restraint. Ay, Roy, you learned little in our lessons, he grimaced as he watched Roy dance with Teresa. No matter. She looked into his eyes with love, and if she did wince when he stepped on her toes, she kept her smile in place.
As the day wore on, serious drinking ensued. Sam, Joe, and Pedro drank most of the afternoon away, twirling señoritas around the plaza and refilling their glasses or raising wineskins. A boy set off a string of firecrackers, causing a donkey at the livery to kick and snort in alarm.
Mano felt himself more of an onlooker than a participant, and was quite at ease in this role, not wishing to embarrass Vaquero by getting drunk. Still, there were obligatory toasts which were expected of him as Padrino. And there was dancing, much dancing. Between toasts, a string of lovely señoritas awaited the opportunity to be whisked about the plaza and he obliged. Each time he ended a dance and made a toast, another young lady would claim his attention. He enjoyed himself in this, even dancing once with La Gordita.
"Amigo, hey...cómo estás?" Mano shouted to Buck over the noise of the mariachis. Buck sat at an outside table in a stupor, dizzy from drink and from watching the twirling dancers. His heavy lidded silence told Mano that his friend would remember little of this day.
Better not drink much more, Mano thought. Buck will never find the way back to the hacienda if I, Manolito, do not show him.
The afternoon waned, replaced by a moonlit night with stars twinkling brightly above. Late in the evening, Mano toasted the bride and groom, and then the villagers led them in a grand procession, full of ribald laughter and shouting, to the home of Vaquero. Roy's eyes grew wide in panic as he caught Mano's eye, but Teresa only smiled. Señora Gonzalez had prepared her for this. You will be smiling as she por la mañana, amigo Roy, Mano laughed.
La Gordita had directed the women of the village to decorate the room with fresh linens, flowers, and candles to welcome the newlyweds. Once the doors were closed, the villagers went outside as did Vaquero. He would sleep in a room above the cantina tonight to give Roy and Teresa privacy and peace for their first night together.
"Well, it is done," Mano said to Vaquero, outside the cantina.
"Sí. She looked so happy, did she not, Manolito?"
"Oh yes, and he looked scared to death."
"Sí," Vaquero laughed. "I only wish my sister had lived to see her this day."
Mano nodded and clapped him on the back. They stood in silence for a few moments. "Tomorrow you will drive them to Hermosillo?" Mano asked.
"Yes, it is most generous of you and the Cannons to provide for their stay in the city...and for two days."
"Por nada, amigo," Mano said, recalling how he and Victoria had spent hours arguing over the details: which hotel, which restaurante, which theatre...and then about who would pay for the short luna de miel. John had balked at contributing. "It is for Vaquero, John Cannon!" Victoria had insisted, dismissing her husband's objections.
"You know how my sister would have loved to have been here," Mano said. Ay Bendita, Roy, amigo, you better appreciate this, he thought.
"Señora Cannon is well?" Vaquero enquired.
"Oh yes. Very well. Ah, Vaquero, you will leave early in the morning, yes?"
"Sí."
"We may miss you when we come for the mares."
Vaquero nodded.
"Until I see you again, then, amigo?" Mano clapped Vaquero on the back as the alcalde, weary yet happy and proud, made his way into the cantina.
With the bride and groom ensconced in their bedchamber, the fiesta outside increased in volume. Drink flowed and dancing continued. Long after midnight, Mano realized he had repeated more than one toast. A look at blurry eyed Buck almost passed out across a table told him it was time to start for the hacienda while his friends still had the ability to ride.
"Amigos, vamonos, andale!" he called to Sam and Pedro. The three dragged Buck to the livery where Rebel awaited in the corral and they all pushed and prodded Buck onto the horse, finally laying him across the saddle like a dead man. Joe had passed out in the barn and Sam had to kick him twice to wake him up. Once all were mounted, Mano led the way at a walk, because it seemed to him that the cacti just might be multiplying all around him.
The familiar white buildings came into view and he breathed a sigh of relief as scurrying servants rushed out to help them all off their horses and into their rooms.
"Where is we?" Buck slurred, groggy and confused.
"We are home, amigo." Mano wrapped Buck's limp arm around his shoulders and together they staggered upstairs, trying to make as little noise as possible since Papá was asleep. Why had he not attended the wedding? Mano could not recall. He threw Buck into his bed and collapsed into a chair to catch his breath, loosening his ribbon tie, intending to go to his own room in just a moment...