“Do you want such a trip, or don’t you?”
“Sí,” I said. It was my best hope to see Ignacio this year.
She smiled. “A mention of Mexico, and you revert to Spanish. How appropriate. Well, then,” she said, rising. “It’s all settled. You’ll make me proud. Edward will stop hovering over you. The rumors will go away. Sophia will behave, and we’ll turn this into a happy, productive family after all.”
She started out and turned back to me at the door.
“You and I will spend more time together now, Delia. There are things I can teach you about high society that you might not learn yourself. I didn’t anticipate all of this happening so quickly. I’ll admit that I underestimated you, but I’m going to correct all that. Someday you’ll thank me. Someday,” she added, “you will even respect me.”
I said nothing.
She nodded and left. I sat there looking at the floor.
Why did I feel as if I had just been forced into a bargain with the devil?
There was another knock at the door. Edward entered.
“We’re on our way back to L.A., Delia. I think you’re going to be all right now.”
“You should not have made such an agreement with your mother, Edward.”
“It’s all right for now. Let’s see if she lives up to her part of the bargain. She knows if she doesn’t, you’ll be on the phone to me immediately, and she knows I’ll be doing my own checking up periodically. I’ll say this for the queen, Delia, when she promises to do something, she does it. In that sense, she is most trustworthy. Often my mother is the harshest critic of herself.
“She’s right about much of this, anyway. I suppose Jesse and I in our own way have been holding you back. You should have had some boyfriends by now, been dating more.”
“No,” I said. “It has nothing to do with you.”
Ignacio’s name and all that had been kept secret were once again about to spill from my lips.
“It certainly has nothing to do with you,” he replied. “My mother admits that you are an outstanding Latin beauty. I even heard some faint notes of family pride in her voice. Maybe this is what she needs, what will bring her back. I do not hate my mother, Delia. I hate what she has made of herself, but I understand some of it, too. Let’s just give it all a chance. I think Miss Horror Face is steaming in regret right now and realizing she has only hurt herself. Who knows, maybe this will help her, too, although it’s hard to believe anything will.”
“Edward—”
He put his finger on my lips.
“Shh…don’t worry. Maybe Adan Bovio will help you get used to your new car. Anyway, he’s had more experience with cars than I have. Enjoy, Delia. Have some fun. Don’t live every day so seriously, intently. You’ll miss some of the best times of your life. Listen to me. I’m talking as if I were already on social security. I’d better get out of here.”
He kissed me on the cheek and left before I could say another word. I wanted to run after him, but instead I went to the window and watched him and Jesse get into his car right after Jesse looked up at me and waved. I waved back. Despite all Edward had said and hoped, I felt as if a lifeboat were sailing off in the distance when they drove off the grounds and disappeared behind a turn.
Almost as if he were watching from somewhere very close by, Adan Bovio called me moments later. “How’s your ankle?” he asked first.
“It’s much improved.”
“Good. Maybe you’ll be dancing sooner than you think. I suppose you’ve seen or been told about your picture in the newspaper today?”
“Yes, my cousin Edward brought it to me,” I said, and Adan was quiet a moment. “He and his friend Jesse have started back to Los Angeles.”
“Right. Well, if I can, I’d like to swing by in an hour or so just to give you something.”
“Give me something? What?”
“It’s a surprise. Nothing big. Not like a car,” he added, and laughed. “I won’t stay long. I know you have work for school.”
“Yes, I do,” I said.
“I’ll be in and out. See you soon,” he said, and hung up before I could think of any other reason to keep him from coming. Maybe…maybe I didn’t want to think of one, I thought.
I brought my tray down and spoke to Señora Rosario and Inez for a few minutes. They were both concerned about my ankle, but I reassured them that I was doing well. They had both seen my picture in the newspaper, too, and they were impressed.