“It doesn’t sit well with her matchmaker plans, is that it?” Jesse asked.
“Sí. She is afraid it will upset Adan and Señor Bovio.”
“That’s a twist,” Jesse said. “Ray Bovio is running as a Latino candidate, and she’s saying he’d be upset if you took a trip to Mexico.”
“She wants me to forget my past and think only of the future.”
“Think only of her future,” Edward said. “That’s what she really means. Well, we’re not going to do it,” he said.
“Not go to Mexico?” Jesse asked, surprised.
“No, not listen to her. Don’t worry about it, Delia. Her threats are empty threats. She’d never put the police on us. It would bring too much shame to the Dallas name.
“But for now,” he continued, thinking aloud, “we’ll let her believe she’s frightened us off. Don’t mention the trip anymore to anyone, Delia. If anyone asks, it’s off, especially Sophia. Put on an act for her or something. Act very sad about it. She’ll enjoy seeing you sad and believe you.”
“And then?” Jesse asked.
“And then we’ll go as planned,” Edward said, smiling. “You’ll sneak out of the house that day, and we’ll pick you up. Before she knows anything, we’ll have flown to Mexico City,” he said. “She’ll get over it just the way she gets over everything. One thing about my mother, she never lets anything annoy her too much. She’s afraid it would age her. This is one time I’m grateful for her vanity.”
Jesse smiled.
“Okay, Delia?” Edward asked.
I had my chance. I could have stopped it all then.
But I didn’t.
I nodded and added one more secret to my backpack, another burden to weigh on my soul.
We drove on now talking about Mexico.
All I could think about was how I had to sneak up to the Davilas’ and give Ignacio’s mother the details.
And then, after that, there was just the waiting and constantly looking for the evil eye.
15
Give the Devil Her Due
It was hard for me to concentrate on preparing for the fund-raiser dinner. After lunch, Edward and Jesse spent another hour or so with me. They complimented me on the dress and shoes Tía Isabela had bought me. Edward said he had to give the devil her due. His mother had impeccable taste. They left to return to Los Angeles. Moments after they had, Sophia came to spy. Of course, she pretended only to be interested in my new dress at first, and then, in a by-the-way tone of voice, asked, “Well, what are you going to do about the trip to Mexico?”
“We can do nothing,” I said, and as Edward advised, I pretended I was about to break into tears. “I had so wanted to show them where I had lived, where your mother had once lived, but Edward says it is true. Your mother is my legal guardian, and it would cause much trouble if we defied her wishes.”
“Really?” she asked, sounding disappointed. “I would never have thought Edward was such a coward.”
“Jesse is worried, too,” I said.
“Yes, I can understand that. He should be worried. He’s not related. He probably could get into serious trouble, and his parents would be quite upset. My mother would have him charged with kidnapping. Maybe,” she added, still looking for a way to tease and disturb me, “Edward isn’t trying to make you happy anymore because he’s simply too upset about your budding romance with Adan.”
“He is not!”
She laughed. Then she grew serious. “Or maybe you’re just pretending to be upset about not going yourself, huh? Maybe you’ve finally learned how to kiss up to my mother and get things out of her, like that expensive dress and those shoes. Maybe you just love being wined and dined and being with the wealthy like Adan and Fani.”
“Think what you like,” I said. “You will, anyway.”
She nodded, happy about her conclusions. “You’re not so innocent anymore, Delia Yebarra. In fact, you’re more like me than you’d care to admit. That’s all right,” she said. “Eventually, we’ll help each other get what we want.”
She laughed and left.