He reached for my hand.
“Adan,” I began.
“No, no, don’t apologize. I’m glad you made us have this serious conversation, Delia,” he said. “When you return from Mexico, I want to continue it.”
My heart began to pound. I had not told him that mi tía Isabela had forbidden the trip. Apparently, she had not told him, either, or even mentioned it to his father.
I smiled. Maybe it was deceitful giving him such hope, giving such hope to myself, in fact, but I was too much of a coward to do or say anything that would change it. I held his hand as tightly as he held mine.
But the back of my neck felt hot. Behind me, in the shadows, the evil eye was surely beginning to open.
16
Escape
Schoolwork, studying for exams before our vacation break, kept me busy during the following ten days. Adan was busier as well, because his father’s campaign had picked up its pace. He traveled with his father all over the state and at the same time had to look after their business concerns. Edward and Jesse visited once more and again went into detail about our trip, which was now our secret escape. Sophia hovered about like some buzzard waiting for something, some mistake, some opening that would give her an opportunity to pounce on any of us, but we were all very careful. Tía Isabela’s rage the night of Sophia’s wild swimming party didn’t diminish all that much as time went by. She still refused to permit her any privileges and kept her from seeing her friends after school and on weekends. It made her more sour and bitchy, but Tía Isabela seemed determined this time to break her spirit. She kept reminding her of the alternative.
“Disobey me once more, Sophia, and you’re gone. I’m not kidding. Preliminary arrangements are all in place. You know I have friends high up in the judicial system who will take you in hand.”
Sophia was quite aware of what had happened to that boy, Philip Deutch. He was something of what they called an urban legend at our school, used by more than one parent from time to time to threaten a child. It was as if they said the wicked witch would get them. He loomed out there, embodying a punishment so severe it actually gave some of the students nightmares, including, I imagine, Sophia. Tía Isabela reminded her that she had already been in juvenile court. She had a record, so to speak, and was a prime candidate for more severe punishments.
She cowered and backed away but, like some rat in the corner, waited patiently for her opportunity. During the ten days, she wasn’t nasty to me, but her friendliness and at times overly sweet manner only put me on my guard even more. Fani was always there as well, chanting, reminding, warning.
Because I had said nothing more about Mexico, Tía Isabela dropped the subject, too. Edward and Jesse did a fine job of making it seem we all had moved off the idea. When they were home, they talked about college activities, their classes and plans for other trips. I thought Edward was being more pleasant to his mother than I had ever seen him while he winked at me behind her back. It all made me feel more deceitful, but I saw no other choice. Señora Davila’s cross and letter remained close to my heart. I dreamed of handing them both to Ignacio and finally seeing him again. Every night, I read his note describing the cantina where we would meet. I memorized every letter in every word, even the way he formed them with the curves in his S’s and the slightly tilted crosses in the T’s.
I was actually trembling the day school broke for the holidays. Everyone was excited about his or her time off. Most were going places with their families. Tía Isabela never once mentioned such an idea. She was even more involved now with Señor Bovio’s political campaign and attended a number of functions with him. She planned to attend many more. Adan still believed that I was off to Mexico with my cousins for a trip my aunt had sanctioned. He didn’t suggest any dates or dinners during the holidays. It seemed to me that he was so overwhelmed with new responsibilities he was grateful I would be on a holiday anyway.
Fortunately, Tía Isabela was so distracted preparing for a cocktail party that she didn’t notice just how nervous I was. Sophia looked at me suspiciously at dinner when I had trouble eating. I told her I was just not feeling well because I had gotten my period. She accepted that excuse readily. Whenever Sophia had hers, she acted as if the world were coming to an end. She moaned and groaned about her cramps and made all the servants miserable. Tía Isabela hated hearing about it.
After dinner, I packed a small satchel with what I considered essential. The plan was for me to sneak out at three A.M. and walk down to the road, where Edward and Jesse would be waiting. We would then drive off to the airport in San Diego, where they had booked a nonstop flight to Mexico City. They had reserved a rental car, and Jesse had the route all worked out. We would be in my village well before nig
htfall and check into the small hotel.
As if she could sense that something was happening, Sophia barged in on me twice. Fortunately, both times I was lying on my bed. I didn’t have the headache and cramps I had described to her, but I was so tense I felt better just lying still until the hour to leave had come. My appearance bored and disappointed her.
“Are Edward and Jesse coming down to spend time at home, at least?” she asked me.
“I don’t think so,” I said. “I think they’re going away with friends on a trip.”
She smirked skeptically. “My mother doesn’t know anything about any trip.”
“Maybe she does and just hasn’t said so,” I remarked as casually as I could. “Maybe she doesn’t think it’s any of your business or mine.”
“I don’t believe you,” she finally concluded. “You’ve become too good at lying.”
I looked at her and shook my head. She left, and when she returned a second time, I pretended I was fast asleep, but she kept her bedroom door wide open, and I had no doubt she was waiting and watching my door all night. My hope was that she would get bored and distracted and fall asleep herself. At ten to three in the morning, I opened my door just enough to slip through. Crawling, I moved as softly and silently as I could. Sophia still had a light on, but I could also see the blinking images from her television set bouncing off the walls. I was grateful for the soft carpeting on the stairway. Barefoot, my feet whispered me down and to the front door. I didn’t open it until I was certain there was no one nearby. Then I opened it as slightly as I had my bedroom door and seemingly glided on a shelf of air into the night.
My heart was pounding so hard I thought I would faint and be discovered at the entrance in the morning. Keeping myself as much as possible in the shadows, I made my way down the driveway. When I reached the gate, Edward triggered it with the clicker in his automobile, and it swung open. Jesse held the rear door open for me, and without a word, I got in. In fact, none of us spoke until we were well away from Tía Isabela’s property.
“Anyone suspicious?” Edward asked.
“Sophia was. She kept asking questions. She asked about you two, as well.”
“Figures. Being a sneaky person herself, she has a nose for anything sneaky,” Edward said. “But you feel sure no one saw you leave?”
“Yes, I feel sure.”
“Good. We’re on our way, then,” he said. “We’ve got the first flight out. By the time they realize you’re gone, we’ll be halfway to Mexico City.”