|
 Menu
|
|
|
|
|
Social
|
|
|
|
|
Margarita XLVI
Contributed by
ramfire
on
Saturday, 19th February 2005 @ 07:47:02 PM in AEST
Topic:
StoryPoetry
|
Mission San Stephanos made its new guests welcome. After eating, Don Hernandez and Theresa were shown to their room. It had been a tiring ride from Casa Hernandez to the mission and both were ready for an early bed. Theresa couldn't go to sleep. Something on her mind was giving her trouble.
" Jose, are you awake? Jose, I know you're not sleeping." Dona Theresa gave her husband a little push next to her." Why do you pretend to be sleeping? I know you're awake. You're not snoring."
Jose rolled over reluctantly to face his wife. It was true, he wasn't sleeping." What is it you want?" he asked. " It's late and we have to get up early."
" I can't sleep, Jose, because there's something on my mind and I must talk to you about it."
He opened one eye in the dark wondering what was so important it couldn't wait for the morning.
" While riding home Sunday after church, Margarita frightened me."
Jose opened his other eye. "Eh? What is it you say?"
" Margarita's still not over the gringo affair. We've got to do something."
" Not over the gringo affair? What do you mean?"
" He waits for her some place. She plans to go to him."
" She told you this?"
" Si, Jose. I'm frightened. What will we do?"
" Miguel has told me he will give Margarita to Senor Huerra. Luisa especially likes the man."
" You didn't see the look in her eyes, Jose. You didn't see the tears I saw. She blames her mother for all her unhappiness and is determined to have no one but the gringo."
" She will change her mind."
" How can that be, Jose? If three years in a convent didn't change her mind how can being home do it?"
" When we learn the gringo's name a simple conversation will put end to this thing."
" Ha! For being such an important man, Jose, you're very naive about things of the heart. A
simple conversation you say? Listen to me husband. I say it is not so. I say Margarita will never change her mind about the gringo. I say she will ruin her life unless we do more than talk to this unknown man. She is stubborn and holds on to the things she wants. Do you really think talking to the gringo will make him change his mind? Bah! It's ridiculous and you make me laugh."
" What would you have me do, woman? What would you have Miguel do? Offer money? Kill him?"
" No, just speak to Margarita like the uncle you are. Tell her the dangers of running off with the gringo. Tell her what will happen if she does this thing. She respects you and will listen."
Jose made a sigh of regret. " It's not easy to speak of such things," he said.
" It's your duty, Jose. If you don't, something bad will happen to this family. I feel it here." She put a pudgy hand over her heart.
Jose rolled over, away from his wife. " I'll do it when we get to San Laurius," he promised sleepily.
" I don't think you will, Jose. That's your trouble. You can give business advice but not
personal. It has always been so. Your mother told me about you forty years ago. You can talk to men, but you can't talk to women. Think back, Jose. You couldn't even ask for my hand in marriage - Miguel did it for you. Even your daughters learned they couldn't ask anything of you! Such a man!"
" Yes, Theresa. It is so. I know it. Now can we go to sleep?"
" My mother told me you would be nothing but trouble if I married you. She was right. Why must I be burdened with a jellyfish? Just once, Jose, try to be the leader of this family. Speak to Margarita!"
" Yes dear. I'll speak to her when we get to the rancho. Good night." He lay still waiting for sleep to come. Theresa's insults hurt; for years her tongue had given him pain. He purposely thought of other things. Eventually he went to sleep.
Copyright ©
ramfire
... [
2005-02-19 19:47:02]
(Date/Time posted on
site)
Advertisments:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sorry, comments are no longer allowed for anonymous, please register for a free membership to access this feature and more
|
|
All comments are owned by the poster. Your Poetry
Dot Com is not responsible for the content of any
comment.
That said, if you find an offensive comment, please
contact via the FeedBack Form with details, including poem title
etc.
|
|
|
|
· 
Poetry
Community
Members
Areas
Reference
Search
Top
Others
