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“You’ve always been an honorable man, Julius. I’ll take that into mind when you share whatever this is you have to say,” Mazimo interjects.
“Told you so,” Shayne subtly whispers beside me. “I’m not the only one who knows you’re honorable.” I nod my head and hide my smirk. In the middle of a tense interaction, she has to have the upper hand and give me a “told you so” scolding.
“That you did,” I concur, to which she hums with jubilant satisfaction.
Something I’ve slowly come to learn about my woman is that she likes to hear the verbal affirmation when she’s right about something, and I’ll happily give her that.
Shayne
I can’t believethis is happening.
This is really happening!I internally let out a little eek.
I’m both excited and bewildered.
Petrified. What if they don’t want me?
What if them knowing about my existence blows back in our faces?
They could truly not care. That’s far scarier than answering all the questions they surely will have. The man across from me is my grandfather.My grandfather!
He has a kind face, but I can see something died inside of him a long time ago. His eyes hold a lifetime of anger. The long life he’s had hasn’t been kind to him, which shows by the way his eyes have lost most of their compassionate light that humans are born with. That light blinks out with each loss you face.
But again, losing his daughter may have killed a part of him he’s never recovered from. It makes me want to reach out and wrap my arms around his neck.
But we aren’t there yet. I’m not sure that we ever will be.
One of two things could happen in this scenario. He could either embrace me and forgive Julius for keeping this secret, or he could hate him and make an enemy of him.
My fingers are crossed underneath this table that it’s the former and not the latter. I silently pray that things will work out in our favor.
I knew that my maternal grandparents were still around, but I never dreamed the day would come to fruition when I’d meet them. I always thought I’d stay tucked away and hidden from any family members other than my siblings.
Mera, feeling my anxiousness, reaches out and places a comforting hand on my knee to reassure me that I’m not alone, and that she’ll always be at my side to help me through any mental distress. She always has been, and she always will be. I lay my hand atop of hers, squeezing it in acknowledgment and thanks. She’s always been my rock, my closest confidant, and knows what this day means to me.
“I think your girl there is going to be sick, Mr. Alvarez,” Geronimo announces, and all eyes twist in my direction.
“Are you alright, dear?” Mazimo asks me.
“Country, could you grab a bottle of water, please?” Julius demands as he turns in his seat to face me, pulls me into his arms, and kisses my temple. “It’s going to be okay, baby girl. Try to calm down for me, alright?”
“Yeah,” I answer him before turning my attention to the two men across from us whose eyes are glued to me. “I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.” Geronimo nods his head, but Mazimo’s eyes narrow into small slits, staring at me as if he’s trying to dissect me and discover all my buried secrets. It’s clear that he’s not convinced I’m being the most honest with my answers, but soon, he’ll undoubtedly understand my current discomfort.
Thanking Country for the water, I gulp it down, trying to keep my hands from trembling. Julius shoots me a wink, then gives my grandfather his steadfast attention. “We received information a few months back about a woman who was being sheltered, hidden, and acted on it. We weren’t sure of the details surrounding her existence, or why she was tucked away and being kept a secret. We only knew we needed to speak with her before letting anyone know she was with us. Then it came down to us keeping her safe from your grandsons.”
“I admit this is intriguing, but you’re beating around the bush, Mr. Alvarez. I’m too damn old to play games and solve riddles. I can appreciate your position here, but I’d appreciate it if you’d get past that and tell me bluntly what this has to do with me and the lady,” Mazimo exasperatingly snaps.
“May I?” I ask, leaning forward.
Julius nods his approval as Mazimo tilts his head to the side in curiosity, wondering why I’m interjecting myself into a man’s world. Business such as what they’re exchanging usually means women stay in the background, hiding in the shadows, and don’t speak out.
Peering into his eyes, I start to explain. “In a moment, Mr. Fitzgerald, you’ll see why I’m inserting myself into this conversation. I have more details than Julius does with how my life came to be and how it involves you. Some of what I’m going to say will be shocking, and it’ll make you mad, but I need you to let me tell my story in full before you begin any form of tirade. I know this is a lot to ask of you, but it would be appreciated.”
“I’ll do my best,” my grandfather professes.
“That’s all I can ask of you, and the effort on your part is appreciated,” I say, settling for what he’s capable of offering me. Taking a deep breath, I find my inner strength then launch into my tale, starting from the very beginning, even if the details are secondhand knowledge. “I don’t know much about my birth, but I was told about how I came to be at the convent, and that’s where I’m going to start. According to the sisters, my mother was caught in the midst of an ambush. In an attempt to save me from the attackers, she curled herself around me and protected me from the intruders. My brothers, even being teenagers, knew that my life was vulnerable. They chose to convince everyone that I’d died alongside my mother and tucked me away, according to them, to keep me safe.”
“Dear God,” my grandfather states, slumping back in his seat, his pallor turning ghostly white.
