Chapter 11: There's a Place for Us (Valentina POV)

This is one of my favorite chapters to write. I wanted to give Valentina's story because of the influence she has on Tony and Maria's love.

Valentina watch as the girl, who she now realized was Tony's Maria, leave the store. She had to hold back her laughter as the two tried to be subtle. She wanted to tease Tony and point out how he shouldn't wink at "customers". Mostly, she wanted to tell him how happy she was to know he found love. She could tell by the way they looked at each other it was true. She had only ever seen that look once before… on her lovely husband, Oliver. He had been gone 5 years now, but she would never forget their love.

Flashback: Virginia, 1927

Valentina had only been in America for a year and in that time, she secured a job manning the counter at the department store and found an apartment. Well, it was an efficiency apartment with a shared bathroom and no hot water, but it was still home. After her parents died, Valentina took every penny she had to leave San Juan and come to America. She dreamed of going to a big city like New York, but she only had enough to get as far as Virginia. She hoped one day she would get to see the buildings that reached the sky, but till then, she would just manage.

One crisp day in autumn, she went to the local drugstore to pick up some things for her boss. Ms. Danvers thought Valentina was her personal handmaiden to do all her errands for her. Valentina never complained because she needed the job. She hoped in time, Ms. Danvers would promote her, and she could make more money.

As Valentina walked to the front counter, she told the older man working the counter she was there for an order. The man yelled for his son to get it ready. When he was done, the boy turned to Valentina and froze. She didn't know what was wrong with him. Maybe he was ill, or perhaps it was because he'd never seen a Puerto Rican girl before. Since he made to point to hand her the order, Valentina reached over and grabbed it from him. When she did her hand brushed his and both jumped back from the spark they felt. She suddenly felt uncomfortable and quickly left, but before she made it halfway down the street the boy called after her.

"Miss, wait! You dropped this.", he handed her pen she always kept in her purse.

"Thank you.", she grabbed the pen with the intent to leave.

"Can I have your name?"

"Why?", she asked confused.

"Because I want to know the name of the prettiest dame I've ever seen".

"I don't give my name to strange men.", she said trying to hide her grin.

"Very well. Let me take you to the picture show, then I won't be a stranger no more." This boy didn't surrender easily.

"No", she said and walked away.

Unfortunately, with every order she picked up for Ms. Danvers, the boy continued to ask her for her name and a date. He even began telling her information about himself. So far, Valentina knew his name was Oliver, he was studying to take over his family's drugstore, he had an older brother Henry who live in the country, and he really, really wanted to know her name.

Over the past month his persistent was beginning to work. Valentina finally surrendered and went with him to see "The Desired Woman". He said the title made him think of her. She just shook her head at him while trying to hide her amusement. While she watched the picture, she noticed Oliver staring at her through the entire movie. She found it sweet. That night when he walked her home, he kissed her hand and wished her a goodnight. She returned the goodnight, but filling bold, planted a kiss on his cheek ever so close to his lips. That night she dreamed sweet dreams of her Oliver.

It was 6 months following their first date Valentina realized Oliver loved her. His father had found out about them and confronted them one evening in spring. They had been walking in the park when he found them. Oliver's father shouted profanity and kept telling Oliver to leave that "stupid, ugly brown girl". Oliver retorted by punching his father and escorted both him and Valentina away. That night Oliver told her she was everything to him. He showed her a ring and asked her to marry him. She wanted to say his family would never allow it and she won't have him lose his family, but it was never said. All she heard leave her lips was "Yes." They were able to get some money from Oliver's brother, and they both took the first train to New York.

Times were not easy in New York. It was almost impossible to run a drugstore when the Depression hit, but somehow Oliver kept everything running and they never went hungry. It was also difficult when customers or strangers on the street would look at them and sneer. It always made her uneasy when people looked at her with disgust just because she was married to a gringo. Oliver never let it bother him or Valentina. He just held her hand and would say someday people would be different. Valentina truly hoped he was right.

Their marriage was filled with many happy moments, like every anniversary and birthday celebrated at home dancing in the living room. Their marriage also had terrible moments, like once they realized Valentina could never have children. She felt so empty and sad when the doctor gave her the news. Instead of being upset, Oliver just held her tight and whispered she was his everything. After 25 years of marriage, they had navigated through many ups and downs.

Valentina was never more scared than when Oliver had his heart attack. The doctors had told her he wouldn't make it the night, so all she did was pray. As she went to his bedside, she held his hand like they always did.

He looked up and said, "Don't be sad, sweety. There will be a time when were together again. I'll be there waiting, just like I did outside my old man's store when we were young."

Valentina chuckled, letting a tear fall down her face. She never let go of his hand. Not when he died, not even when the doctors came to take him away. She would never let go of her love.

Present:

Valentina was brought back from her memories. She looked over at her Oliver's picture from the day they opened Doc's Drugstore. Five years alone felt like a lifetime. Whenever she started to miss him, she'd grip his side of the picture, as if she was still holding his hand again. That night, she whispered to her love in heaven; asking him to watch over Tony and Maria.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next chapters will be ... interesting ;D