Delia's Crossing (Delia 1)

The Rolls was there when I stepped out of the building. I hurried to it, and Señor Garman opened the door. I stood there for a moment. My aunt was not in the car.

“Dónde está mi tía Isabela?”

“How should I know? She just told me where to deliver you. Someone is there at the store waiting with instructions. I have her name. I’m to deliver you to the right department at the store,” he said. “Get in.”

So my aunt wouldn’t be taking me shopping. Sophia had nothing to be jealous about after all. Rather than mi tía Isabela presenting me with loving gifts from a loving aunt, she was treating me like someone who was to be paid off for carrying out orders. It made me feel even cheaper and more ashamed of myself.

I could feel the eyes of salespeople and customers on me as Señor Garman marched me into the store and to the young women’s department. A short woman with dark brown hair greeted us and introduced herself as Mrs. Lester. She was very businesslike and had all of the garments for me to try on set aside. There were a half-dozen dresses, another half-dozen skirts and blouses, and, amazingly, the pair of shoes I needed to match the dress Sophia had given me. Apparently, the dress had been bought here and was on some record they kept at the store.

Mrs. Lester complemented everything with the proper accessories. There were three different purses and some costume jewelry, stockings, even a stylish red hat. Señor Garman stood off to the side, waiting, but he glanced my way every time I emerged from the dressing room and Mrs. Lester studied and adjusted the clothing. An assistant was called to carry the boxes and bags out to the Rolls. Señor Garman stood there gazing at it all in the trunk.

“You hit the jackpot here, Delia,” he said. It was the first time I had heard him say my name. “You must have done something to please your aunt.”

I said nothing. I was still quite shocked myself at how much I had been given. I did not see the bill, but I did see some of the price tags and estimated it was well into the thousands of dollars. Señor Garman’s remark stirred up my guilt and embarrassment again. How could I face Edward? What would I say to him, and what would he say to me?

When we arrived at the house, I carried in as much as I could, and then Señor Garman sent for Inez to carry in the rest. Her eyes bulged. She followed me up to my room, her arms full, and then went down to get what was left. I knew her brain was twisting and turning with all sorts of questions. After all, one day I was working beside her, cleaning grease off pots and pans, and almost the next day, this. She asked nothing, however. Before she left, she simply turned to me and said, “Usted es muy afortunada, Delia.”

I

looked away.

I didn’t feel very lucky. The truth was, I was so conflicted inside that my stomach twisted like a rubber band. At the moment, it seemed everything Abuela Anabela had wished for me was coming true. I had the beautiful room and now the beautiful clothing. I was being treated like a princess, taken to school in a most expensive automobile driven by a chauffeur. I did not have to do housework, and I had been accepted as a member of the family.

Perhaps there was a way for me to apologize to Edward and win back his affection and respect. I did not know how to explain what I had done without angering my aunt, of course, but another apology might help. With that in mind, I left my room and went to his. As if he were able to see through the closed door, Jesse opened it before I knocked and stepped out, closing the door behind him. I saw from the look on his face that Edward had told him everything that had happened the night before.

“I want to speak with Edward,” I said.

He shook his head. “Edward asked me to tell you to leave him be for now. He is not very happy. No está felíz.”

My lips trembled. “I am sorry for what happened,” I said.

“He is sad, Delia. He thinks he might have hurt himself for a lie.”

“No. It is not so.”

“Just leave it be for now,” he said, holding his hand up.

I wiped a tear back before it could emerge and shook my head.

Jesse grimaced. “Why did you do it? Por qué?”

I stared at him. How could I begin to explain? What could I tell him? My aunt thought he and Edward were lovers? I was there to test Edward’s sexuality? Not only would it not make things better, but it could cause an explosion in this hacienda, and in the end, everyone would hate me.

“I think we both know why you did it, Delia. Disgusting,” he said. “Disgusto.”

He turned toward the door and then turned back to hand me something before he went into Edward’s room.

It was the CD of Spanish lessons.

I started to protest, but he closed the door in my face. I stood there looking down at the floor until I heard footsteps on the stairway and turned to see Sophia. She smiled immediately and hurried to me.

“What’s that?” she asked, nodding at the disc. “A present for Edward?”

I shook my head as the tears began streaming down my cheeks, and then I fled to my room.

She followed. I had thrown myself on my bed and lay there facedown.

“What’s your problem now?” she asked. “What’s wrong?”