She had always known the truth, but she had pushed it away.Now she couldn’t ignore it.She was on her own.No one would save her.
Dios, please …
A knee slammed against her back and her knees and palms hit the ground.A cloud of dust and dirt bloomed around her.She scrambled to her feet, ignoring the burning pain.
“Think about it, Robles,” the vaquero spat.“We’ll be back soon and next time, we won’t leave empty-handed.”Snickering, the thugs left, tossing their cigarettes and empty glass bottles aside.
Then there was silence.No talking.No breathing.And certainly, no bubbles.
Until her mother whimpered, “Hija, are you okay?”She dabbed her eyes with her frayed shawl and turned to Carlos.“You too, mijo?”As ifhewas the one who almost got taken by disgusting men.
It wasn’t always like this.A lifetime ago, back when her mother wore beautiful silk gowns, she prided herself on every one of her children.But clearly that was only a luxury.Once they lost everything, she put her all into Carlos.If Carlos found a wife with a decent status, that could change everything for her.He was her savior, and if he failed, there was always Mateo.Or Manuel.Or even one of the twins once they grew up.
Never Mayté.
“Let’s get you cleaned up and then I’ll boil some café.”Her mother ambled back inside and Carlos helped their father up.Mayté stormed into the house behind them.
“Can I have some too?”Manuel bounced around his mother, clearly unbothered by the altercation.“Please, please, please?”He cupped his hands together, but almost tripped over a chair.The tiny main room was a mishmash between a kitchen, dining area, and sitting room.There was barely space for a few people, let alone all eight of them.A turquoise cross hanging on the stained concrete walls was the only splash of color in the dingy house.
Mayté’s room was even tinier with only a moth-eaten curtain dividing it from the area her brothers shared, but at least it was her own.The one perk of being the only girl.All it could fit was her bed along with some canvas and other painting supplies.Two heads full of black hair bounced in front of her half-painted canvas.
“What are you doing?”she shrieked at the sight of fingerprints and graphite scribbles on her commission.No, no, no, no!
The twin toddlers, Pablito and Benito, turned around with no remorse on their chubby brown faces.They pushed through the curtain, giggling.
“I can’t believe this!”
The older Robles kids had learned their manners, but after they moved here, it was like her mother forgot how to parent.The twins and Manuel did what they wanted without even the tiniest smack on the wrist.Meanwhile, Mayté had vivid memories of her mother whapping her with shoes, wooden spoons, and even a cross once when she’d stepped out of line.It wasn’t fair.Nothing was fair.She swiped at her eyes, failing to catch the falling tears.
“Mayté?”Carlos peeked in from behind the curtain.
“What do you want?”She turned away, wiping her face even harder.No matter how hard she rubbed, her eyes wouldn’t stop burning.
“I just wanted to see if you were okay,” he said but didn’t offer anything else.Didn’t tell her everything was going to be all right.Because it wasn’t.Didn’t tell her they were going to think of a way to protect her from those men.Because they wouldn’t.
He was useless.
All she had left was Fortune’s Kiss.The hot tears on her cheeks cooled.Fortune’s Kiss was her only choice.Her only option.
Her only chance.
And if she couldn’t get in—
No.Shecould.Shewould.She had to.
“Carlos.”
“Hmm?”
“Take care of everyone,” she croaked, her voice broken.
He wrinkled his eyebrows and gripped the curtain.“What do you—?”
“Marry someone with money.Ma’s counting on you.”Even if her family didn’t value her, she wanted the best for them.If anyone could pull them out of their financial troubles, it was Carlos.
“But what about you?”He frowned.The look in his eyes pricked her heart.In many ways, they had only each other.The eldest children, old enough to understand the consequences of their ruined name.Forced to bear the burden of their younger siblings.
Carlos had the advantage.Yet he never could admit it.
