“I’ll start the day I get engaged to the woman of my dreams,” he said. “I want it to be the first and maybe only home we have. As you see,” he said, smiling, “I do have a very serious side and know when it’s time to put my sowing of wild oats aside. You know,” he added, looking at his land, “if my father gets elected and serves successfully, it’s not unusual for his son to follow in his political footsteps. I may be a future U.S. senator myself. It’s very important to be a family man if you want to be in politics.”
“Where is this woman of your dreams?”
“In here,” he said, pointing to his temple, “and in here,” he added, pointing to his heart. “I’ll know her when I’m sure.”
“I wish you good fortune, Adan.”
He sat back, smiling at me. “I’m not going to be one of those guys who fills your head with romantic lies to get you to go to bed with him, Delia, but I will tell you that I’ve been with enough young women to know when someone is real, authentic, and you are. I want to know more about you, about the family you had in Mexico, about your childhood, everything, because when I learn about you, I think I’ll learn something about myself as well.”
He put up his hands.
“No more, no más. Don’t make any judgments about me yet. Be suspicious and skeptical. I want to earn your trust,” he said. He put the car into drive again and started back.
I felt myself relax. My mind was reeling with all sorts of thoughts. I was somewhat exhausted from the roller-coaster ride of emotions I had traveled this night. My feelings about Adan were guarded. I liked him, but I was afraid that I would like him too much and in a real sense put Ignacio into the third death even before he had really died. Every warm feeling I had toward Adan felt like a cold betrayal of Ignacio. He had sacrificed so much for me, for us.
“You’re very quiet, Delia,” Adan said. “I hop
e I haven’t said anything to offend you.”
“Oh, no. I am sorry. I am just very tired.”
“Sure. That’s understandable. How is your ankle?”
“It feels numb now,” I said. “I think it’s getting better quickly.”
“You’d better get off those crutches soon,” he said as we turned into mi tía Isabela’s driveway. “You have a car sitting and waiting,” he said, nodding at my car, glittering in the moonlight in front of mi tía Isabela’s hacienda.
“Yes,” I said, still shocked at the realization.
We pulled up behind the car, and he hopped out quickly to get my crutches. He helped me out and then up the stairway to the front entrance.
“Well,” he said, “I hope despite some of it that you had a good time with me.”
“Oh, yes.”
“Great. Then you’ll go to dinner with me tomorrow night? I promise to get you home early.”
“I’d rather not go out on a night before school. I’m afraid I haven’t done any of my homework yet,” I said.
“I understand. How about next Friday night, then? A friend of mine opened a great new Italian restaurant in Indian Wells, and I’d like to take you there.”
His smile started to fade with my hesitation. My heart jumped a beat when I saw it. It was like watching a kite with a broken string drift off in the wind.
“Yes,” I said quickly. “That would be fine. Thank you.”
“Thank you, Delia. I had a great evening,” he said, and kissed me softly again, but this time more quickly. Then he started down the stairway. “Hey,” he said when I opened the door. “Maybe I’ll get you to give me a ride in your car. I can help you break it in.”
“Soon,” I said.
He waited until I entered the house. I closed the door behind me and stood in the entryway a moment to catch my breath. The stairway loomed ahead and above me suddenly looking more like a mountain to climb. I started toward it, holding both crutches in my left hand and then holding on to the banister to keep from putting too much pressure on my swollen ankle. I felt like an old lady, moving as slowly as Señora Baca. I was halfway up when the front door opened and closed. Sophia stood there looking up at me.
“Home before me? That must have been a quickie,” she said, starting up. “Maybe Adan’s not as good as his reputation.”
I didn’t respond, but I didn’t turn my back on her, either. The way I glared down at her made her hesitate. Her eyes went from me to the stairway and then to her imagination.
“You’d better not try anything,” she said.
I enjoyed seeing the fear in her face. She climbed the stairs slowly, staying as far to my left as she could, and when I brought a crutch down a little, she charged up the steps ahead of me. I couldn’t help but smile.