They were laughing at everything now, and even though I had anticipated it, I couldn’t help being a little annoyed.
“This isn’t Palm Springs,” I told them, “but you will not find the people less friendly.”
“She’s right,” Edward said. “Besides, I come from this place, too. Let’s go right to the house, Delia.”
It didn’t take us long to settle into the rooms, and then we started up the street.
“Where’s the school?” Jesse asked.
“Back there,” I said, pointing behind us. “We can see it later, if you like.”
When we reached the town square, I told them how, as a child, I believed the prayers said in church went up through the steeple and directly to God’s ears.
“Maybe it’s true,” Edward said.
“You see what that boy is eating?” I asked, nodding at a little boy enjoying a chocolate-dipped churro. “It’s nothing more than chocolate-dipped fried dough, but it’s delicious. You’ll have to have one before we leave.”
We walked past the menudo shop, and I saw Señora Rubio’s son, Pascual, serving a customer. He looked even heavier. It was hard now to imagine that I had almost married him. Neither Edward nor Jesse noticed how I looked back and shook my head. They were taking in everything as if they had gone to Disneyland.
We turned down the dirt street to my family’s casa. There was still no lawn or even any grass in front of it, just some shrubs, stubble of grass, stones, and the remnants of the faded pink and white fountain that no longer had water running through it unless it rained hard. We hadn’t sold it or removed it, because it had an angel at the top, and mi abuela Anabela believed that if you had a replica of an angel in or around your house, real angels would stop to bless you.
“This is it, Edward,” I said.
He and Jesse stopped and just gaped at it for a few moments, before Edward took out his camera.
“I can’t imagine Isabela Dallas living in this,” Jesse muttered. “In fact, Delia, I can’t imagine you living here.”
“I did, Jesse, and I didn’t think myself so bad off. In fact, this casa is one of the nicest in the village. My grandmother and I had slept in our own bedroom.”
“You are truly a remarkable girl,” he said.
Edward agreed, took more pictures, and then, because of the time and the heat, suggested we return to the hotel and cantina and have some cerveza.
“I want to go to the square tonight and hear the music and see the people, the artisans, all of it. We have to do some shopping and bring back some nice gifts for Sophia and my mother.”
All the while, I was trying to think of a way to separate from them so I could meet Ignacio at the cantina just a little ways north of the village. I thought I might use the excuse of visiting with some old girlfriends. I would tell them they would be bored, so I would visit and return to be with them in the square.
I waited until darkness began to fall and they had become very relaxed, drinking their beer. Neither objected. In fact, Edward said I should feel free to do whatever I liked.
“I know you want very much to go to the cemetery yourself, Delia. Don’t worry about us. We’ll amuse ourselves fine.”
I went up to my room and changed into the dress I had brought for my meeting with Ignacio. Now that I was literally only an hour or so away from seeing him, I was trembling with excitement and nervousness. Would he think I had changed? Would I bring disappointment instead of great happiness to him? Would our reunion be sad or wonderful? Had I done the right thing by coming here, or should I have waited for him to make his way back?
I knocked on Edward and Jesse’s door and told them I would meet them in the square later.
“If you get hungry, don’t wait for me,” I said.
“We’ll wait,” Edward insisted. “We’ve been gorging on the chips and salsa and some empanadas in the hotel cantina.”
“Okay,” I said. “See you later.”
I hurried out. It would be a long walk that would take me past the cemetery. I decided I would stop there on my return.
As I walked, I did see some of my girlfriends and some of the boys I knew, but I didn’t approach them. I did not want to do anything to delay my reunion with Ignacio. I clung tightly to my purse, which contained the cross his mother had given me for him and her letter.
When the cantina came into view, my heart started to pound again. My legs felt wobbly, and my stomach did flip-flops. I saw some trucks and some cars nearby, but I did not see Ignacio. What if he had been unable to come? How would I know? How would he get a message to me? How long could I wait? Why wasn’t he standing outside watching for me?
Drawing closer, I could see men and women and some children eating in the outside patio, but I did not see Ignacio. My heart seemed to drop in my chest. I had come all this way to be disappointed, and I would have to bring back his mother’s cross and letter. I looked inside but still did not see him. For a few moments, I just stood in front looking down the street and then up from the way I had come. No one approaching from any direction looked at all like him.