Delia’s Gift (18 page)

I looked for the most conservative outfit to wear from among the clothes Fani had bought for me, but everything was more her style than mine. I had never worn skirts so short, I thought as I tried them on and looked at myself in the full-length mirror on the wall beside the closet. What would Edward think of me? But I didn’t want to insult Fani, either. I couldn’t decide what to do.

There was a black satin minidress with boots to match, a sequined T-shirt dress I couldn’t imagine myself ever wearing, a purple silk halter dress that was cut so low I felt half naked, and a petrol silk layered
minidress. Nothing went more than an inch or two below my knees. One orange and black outfit looked as if it came from a cheerleader’s costume. She had bought me a pair of designer jeans and a strapless gray tube top with a jeweled black centerpiece. Both were very tight. I could imagine someone saying they were painted on me. I was about to take these off, too, when Fani came in.

“Perfect choice!” she cried. “I was hoping you’d wear that. How about me coming up with the right size, too? I’ve got an eye for fashion.”

“It’s too tight, Fani.”

“Nonsense. That’s exactly the frame of mind you have to get yourself out of, Delia. You’re free now, really free. Look at yourself,” she ordered, and turned me around to gaze at myself in the mirror. “You’re a very sexy-looking chick. I think I might even be a little jealous.”

“Jealous of me? You wouldn’t trade places for even a second if you had to live my life,” I told her.

She shrugged. “Yesterday doesn’t matter. Only tomorrow. C’mon,” she said. “Let’s do what we used to do, sip wine and talk.”

She took my hand and led me out of the bedroom to the living room. She poured me a glass of wine and sat on the sofa. There was a plate of cheese and crackers on the table.

“Okay, now tell me all of it. Ray actually threw you out?”

“
Sí.
”

“I didn’t understand what you were babbling about.”

“Last night, when I went to Adan Jr.’s room, I found
Señor Bovio crying very hard by the crib. Mrs. Newell was there just letting him cry and cry. I thought there was something wrong with my baby, but she wouldn’t let me see him.”

“Did you ask Ray to let you see him?”

“She shut the door in my face. I was so shocked that I couldn’t speak for a few moments. Then I cried for Señor Bovio and pounded on the door. She came out and told me I would be thrown out of the house. You should have seen how evil she looked, how happy.”

Fani shrugged and sipped her wine. “She won’t be there forever.”

“It was very strange, Fani. Señor Bovio was sitting by the crib crying so hard.”

“That’s not strange, Delia. You didn’t know him and Adan that long. They were more like brothers than father and son. Sometimes I thought Ray believed Adan was literally part of his body, especially after his wife was killed. At the funeral, they were never more than an inch apart, and they held each other so long at the gravesite that people were bawling openly. I thought my chest would explode. I’ve never seen grown men that devastated. You fell into the middle of all that and were barely there long enough to…to get pregnant!”

“I thought he was in there alone, but when I started to enter, she appeared in her nightgown. I think she was upset about my discovering her there while Señor Bovio was crying so hard. It’s not right,” I said, shaking my head. “Something is very, very wrong. She’s taking advantage of your cousin’s grief. Señor Bovio’s maid Teresa told me some stories about her. There was a couple who fired her because of the way she be
haved. Do you know she acts as if she’s the one who’s pregnant, following the same diet?”

“You’re getting yourself all worked up, Delia.”

“How can I not? I’m no longer there to stand in her way,” I cried, the tears coming into my eyes.

“Great,” she said, grimacing angrily. “Dwell on it night and day. You’ll get yourself sick and be utterly worthless to your son and to everyone else, including me.”

“I’m worthless to him now,” I said.

She sipped her wine. She remained angry for a moment longer and then suddenly smiled, as if she could turn her emotions on and off like a faucet.

“Okay. First, we’ll get you settled in, get you into some sort of a life so you can get yourself mentally stronger. Until you start at your own school, I’ll make you part of mine. You will go to everything I go to here. Then, when you’re stronger, you and I will pay my father a visit and ask him to look into things for you, check up on Ray and the nurse and see about your baby.”

“Really? You would go to your father?”

“Why not? He’d do anything I ask him to do, especially now.”

“
Gracias,
Fani.”

“
De nada,
” she said. “It’s great being able to speak in Spanish, too. Most of the boys we’ll meet can barely speak English. Whenever we want to talk about them in front of them, we’ll speak Spanish.”

I had to laugh. It felt good to let myself go, even for a split second or two.

“That’s better,” she said.

The phone rang.

“That’s Jake telling me I have a visitor, I bet, and we know who that could be,” she added, winking.

My heart began to thump. She picked up the phone and nodded at me.

“He’s coming right up. I’ve decided to let you two talk in private. I have to run out to do an errand, anyway,” she said. I didn’t believe her, but I did want to be alone with Edward.

We heard the door buzzer.

I stood up.

She opened the door, and Edward looked in at us. He was in a sea-blue short-sleeve shirt and jeans and looked much thinner to me. His hair was longer and not nearly as neatly trimmed as he always had kept it. Of course, he still wore his eye patch.

“Edward the First!” Fani cried, and hugged him. He didn’t hug her back. He continued to stare past her at me. “Well, I can see you’re happy to see me,” she said.

He looked at her. “Hello, Fani.”

“Well, I’m not going to stay here and be ignored,” she said. “I have something to do.”

“Some boy’s heart to break?” Edward said.

She laughed. “How did you know? I’ll be back in an hour or so.” She grabbed a light-pink jacket with a white fur collar off the rack at the door. “There’s wine, cheese, and crackers or something stronger in the cabinet, if you want. Have fun, you guys,” she added, and walked out.

Edward stood there looking at me. “You look good, Delia.”

“I don’t feel good, Edward.”

He nodded, concerned. “Fani told me about all the complications with your pregnancy. I’m sorry about that.”

“Did she tell you that they insist I had drugs in me and that was what caused my near-miscarriage?”

He shook his head. “I’m sure they made it up.”

“Señor Bovio said there was proof from the hospital’s lab tests.”

“When you are as powerful and as rich as Ray Bovio is, you can get whatever proof you want from anywhere you want,” he said.

I looked down, nodding, and finally he came to me to hold me.

“Poor Delia. What a big disaster coming to America and your American relatives have been for you.” He kissed my forehead, and then we both sat on the sofa.

“Where have you been, Edward? I know you left school. When I saw you at Fani’s home, you seemed okay. You told me you were thinking of law school. What changed?”

“I wasn’t as over Jesse as I thought I was, but let’s not talk about me just yet. Tell me what’s been happening at the Bovio estate.”

I described how Mrs. Newell had treated me during my pregnancy and the emergency that had led to Adan Jr.’s premature birth. He listened quietly, thoughtfully, and sipped some wine. I couldn’t help but start to cry when I described my baby and how little I had seen of him.

“First,” Edward began, “if she is such a good maternity nurse, how come she didn’t see you were having trouble?”

“I didn’t know myself until it was too late.”

“You’re not a nurse, not yet, and this was your first pregnancy. Second, you know I didn’t give you any drugs. Did Fani?”

“No, Edward. And I’ve read about these drugs. I had none of those symptoms. At least, none so strong I’d think anything of them.”

He thought a moment. “Something is very wrong here. Tell me again about this bargain you made with Señor Bovio.”

I described all of the arrangements. He asked to see the documents that listed the money I was given. I watched him study everything. Just having him take interest in me and being near him reassured me.

“Yes, he’s apparently given you quite a lot of money, Delia. It’s all in order. And this paper you signed giving him custody has been recorded in family court. I’m sure Ray used his influence to get it all moving faster than it normally would. It’s official.”

“I did not want to give up my baby, Edward.”

He nodded. “I have a friend whose father is an influential attorney here in Los Angeles. I’ll discuss it with him.”

“You will?”

He folded it all and put it back into the envelope. “I’ll try to see him tomorrow.”

“
Gracias.
Are you returning to school, Edward?”

“Probably.”

“I’m sorry about you and Jesse. I know how close you two were.”

“It’s not uncommon for people who are close to grow apart when they move on, go to college or work or something. I just took it a little harder than he did. Maybe a lot harder,” he admitted.

“Where have you been?”

“I wanted to be alone, travel, discover more about myself and in the process make my mother feel bad,” he added with a smile. “She had her lawyer make some moves on me after I had disobeyed her and seen you. At the time, I didn’t care, but I’ve come back, and now I have my own lawyer. My father did some things for Sophia and me that she cannot change, and I think she’s finally realized it.”

“What about Sophia?”

“I saw her the day before yesterday. She’s worse than ever, a time bomb waiting to explode. She’s into everything, drugs, sex, and rock and roll,” he added. “My mother can’t do much about that, either. Sophia turned eighteen last month. How long are you going to stay with Fani?”

“Until I get my own apartment. Señor Bovio gave me this,” I said, showing him the information.

“Rental broker. He’s lined up some places near your school. The nursing school isn’t far from here. Maybe we’ll get an apartment together,” he said.

“Really?”

“You’d like that?”

“Oh, very much, Edward.”

“I’ll take care of this,” he said. “Don’t depend too much on Fani. She likes to toy with people.”

“I know.”

“I’ll move as quickly as I can on everything.”

“
Gracias,
Edward.”

He took another sip of wine. “What about your boyfriend, Ignacio?” he asked.

I described my visit at the prison and Señor Bovio’s failure to deliver on the promise he had made.

“Can’t blame Ignacio for being bitter, and I’m sure that place isn’t exactly a walk on the beach. Sorry about all that, Delia.”

“I should have told you everything.”

“Water under the bridge now. Let’s just think about the future.” He finished his wine and stood.

“What will I do if your friend’s father says I can do nothing now about my baby, Edward?”

“Let’s wait to see before we get too depressed about it, Delia. There might be a good case for proving you were coerced into this.”

“But what if there’s not, Edward? What could I do then?”

He shrugged. “The question is not what could you do, but what wouldn’t you do, Delia. Is there anything you wouldn’t do?”

“Nothing,
nada.
”

He nodded and started for the door. I followed him. He turned back to me at the door.

“Would you return to Mexico? You could live very well with the money you have.”

“You mean, with Adan Jr.?”

“Yes.”

“I would.”

He thought a moment. “Well, maybe that will come to be someday,” Edward said. He leaned over to kiss my cheek and waved the slip of paper with the broker’s information. “I’ll get right on this and see about finding a place as soon as possible. I don’t like you being under Fani’s influence too long.”

“And the lawyer?”

“I’ll speak to him in the morning. Don’t worry, Delia. Things will change for the better.”

“I pray so, Edward.”

“Pray for both of us,” he added. “I’ll call you later.”

I stood in the doorway as he walked down the hall to the elevator.

“Wash that solemn look from your face, Delia Yebarra. Remember what you told me your mother told you,” he said. “
La esperanza enciende mañana.
” Hope lights tomorrow.

“
Sí,
Edward. I remember.”

He pointed both thumbs up and went into the elevator.

And my heart felt as if it had returned.

“W
here’s Mr. Wonderful?” Fani asked as she came into her apartment and saw that Edward was no longer there.

“He went to look into some things for me,” I said.

“Well, is he coming back?”

“I don’t know.”

“Is he taking us to dinner or not?”

“He didn’t mention it.”

“I thought he said he was. Where did he go? What’s he doing for you?” she asked.

“He is going to see about my apartment. I gave him the information Señor Bovio gave me.”

“I told you I would do that.”

“I know, but…”

“But what?”

“He and I might room together,” I said, and her eyes nearly exploded.

“Edward wants to take an apartment with you? Interesting. Did you get any more out of him than I did? Where did he go? Where has he been all this time? What did he do?”

“He didn’t say where he went, exactly, Fani, but I think he did a lot of thinking about himself, and he’s going to be all right now. I’m sure if he wants to take an apartment with me, he wants to return to school.”

She moved her lips around as if she were rinsing her mouth with something as she thought.

“Okay, forget about him for now,” she said, moving to the phone. “I have a blind date on the hook for you, a friend of a guy I’ve been tormenting. This guy’s father owns a chain of movie theaters. We’ll go out with them tonight. It’s a big night around here.”

“A date tonight? But I just arrived, Fani, and I’m—”

“Don’t say something stupid like you’re too tired or anything, Delia. You’re here now, where everything’s going to be different. There’s no one laying down any rules on you, no restrictions. We’re going to have fun,” she declared with the same sort of authority Señor Bovio had when he was carving his words in cement.

She held up her hand before I could respond, went to the phone, tapped out a number, and smiled at me.

“Hello, Larry,” she sang. “Did you talk to Cliff about tonight? Good. Come get us in…” She looked at her watch. “An hour, and prepare to spend a lot of money on us.” She laughed and hung up. “He’s been trying to get me to go out with him for weeks. I could practically hear him panting through the phone. You don’t have to change or anything. I like you in that, but now I’m going to have to pick out something sexier for me. C’mon. We’ll talk in my bedroom.”

I felt like a balloon on a string and followed her.

“So,” she said, pulling off her blouse and undoing her jeans, which I thought were as tight as mine. “What else did King Edward have to say?”

“He wanted to know how I was and what had happened at Señor Bovio’s
hacienda.
He didn’t believe they had found any trace of any drugs in me at the hospital,” I said.

She picked out another pair of pants with sequins running down the sides and a pullover with a deep V neck. She was so concerned about her clothes I didn’t think she had heard anything I had said. Then she turned.

“How’s this?”

“You always look nice, Fani.”

“Very diplomatic,” she said, and laughed. “What were you saying?”

“Edward didn’t believe they had found traces of drugs in my blood.”

“So?”

“He felt very sorry for me. He wants to help me with Señor Bovio.”

“He shouldn’t keep you thinking about all this. That doesn’t help right now. He just loves wallowing in misery. He’s become such a drag to be around. Actually, now that I think about it, I’m glad he’s not hanging with us on your first night here. You should have seen him when Jesse started with someone else. He was all doom and gloom. It was like being with an undertaker burying smiles and laughter daily, even after I arranged for you two to meet. Nothing helped.”

“I’m sure he was in emotional pain. They were very close, Fani.”

“Very close. I can tell you this,” she said, brushing out her hair. “I’ll never let anyone get me down like that. If I’m not good enough for him, he’s definitely not good enough for me.”

She turned to me and shook her head.

“He should be a good example for you, an example of how you can drag yourself down so far nothing can help. You’ve got to relax, Delia. I told you I’ll speak to my father for you. That will do tons more than anything Edward does. Ray will come to his senses after a while. He’s just going through his mourning period, and for now, the baby is a breath of fresh air. Let him have it for a while. You know the baby will get the best possible care. And anyway, you had better think hard about this. If you get the baby back, you’ll have to hire someone to help, won’t you? It’s the same thing. Most of the time, someone else will be with him. I mean, you still want to become a nurse or something, I imagine. You can’t bring your baby with you to class.”

“
Sí,
I do want to be a nurse, more than ever. I am very interested in medicine and helping people. While I was at Señor Bovio’s, I read as much as I could. I even read about this drug they accused me of taking. It can be very dangerous.”

“So’s too much milk,” Fani said, laughing.

“But I want my baby to be with me, too,” I said. “He belongs with me. He should be with his mother, not some stranger.”

“Oh, brother. Okay, okay. I promise. I won’t wait. In fact, first chance I get, I’ll speak to my father tomorrow. Does that make you happy?”

“
Sí,
it does.
Gracias,
Fani.”

“Good. Let’s not talk about any of that for a while. Let’s concentrate on having a good time.”

She started on her makeup.

“You should try this lip gloss. Here,” she offered. “Go on, take it, Delia. You’re not going to turn into a pumpkin or something. It’s not a sin to look attractive and sexy, either. In fact,” she said, “it’s a sin not to.”

“Where will these boys take us?” I asked, putting on the lipstick.

“Beverly Hills. There’s this very expensive restaurant I have wanted to go to. We’ll eat and then go dancing and have some fun.”

“Dancing, too? I hope I don’t fall asleep.”

“You won’t. I’ll give you something to help you stay awake if you need it,” she said.

“A drug?”

“A boost. Don’t be such a…such an Edward!” she cried.

I thought a moment. “When I told you what Señor Bovio said you had said, you told me you couldn’t be sure Edward hadn’t given me something.”

“That was then. This is now. Believe me. He’s a changed man, Delia. Fun to him now is reading the obituaries. In fact, now that I think about it, I’m not so sure you should jump into rooming with him. You could stay here with me as long as you want. You probably don’t even need your own apartment. There’s plenty of room here.”

“
Gracias,
but I don’t want to insult him.”

“Insult him? What about insulting me?” she muttered. “All right. Forget about it for now. Fun. That’s the only order we have.”

When she was satisfied with how she and I looked, we sat in the living room and waited for our dates. She saw that I was very nervous. I hadn’t gone on what could be called a date since the day Adan was killed.

I told her, and she said it was like falling off a bike.

“You get up as soon as possible and start riding again, or you won’t ever. You’re taking it all too seriously.”

She continued, “Now, let me give you some advice on how to behave with a college boy.”

“How to behave with a college boy?”

She laughed. “It sounds like a college subject, I know. Actually, I can teach a class in the subject.”

“Why does any girl have to learn such a thing?”

“Why? I’ll tell you why,” she said, looking angry. “Most of the guys around here and everywhere on all college campuses, for that matter, think that every girl is looking for an intense, marry-me relationship. I admit some girls are, but most just want to have a good time. So, my first advice to you is to be as nonchalant as possible. Don’t act as if the guy you meet is another Mr. Wonderful so fast. Make him work for your attention, and give him the strong impression that you are an independent person. Once he knows you can take him or leave him, he’ll relax, and you’ll have a better time. Get it?”

“I think so,” I said, and wondered if this was how it was for all young women in America. I certainly had none of these feelings when I was with Adan. She seemed to read my mind.

“That could have been your problem with Adan,” she said, pointing at me. “He was a very sensitive,
compassionate guy. He probably felt sorry for you and gave you more attention than necessary.”

“I don’t think that is true, Fani.”

“Of course not. You’re like every other damsel in distress here. You want to be thought a goddess.”

“No, that’s not true, either. Besides, you once told me he was head over heels in love with me, didn’t you? You told me you even thought of him romantically but gave up when you saw how much he cared for me.”

“Whatever,” she said. “That game is over. You’re in a new game now.”

“This is not a game, Fani.”

“Sure it is. All of life is,” she said. She leaned toward me. “There are winners and losers, period. Be a winner, Delia. It’s easy to be a loser, and you’re well on your way. Take charge of yourself, and don’t depend on poor Edward to come to the rescue here. He has enough trouble figuring out how to rescue himself.”

Her words fell like stones on my budding flowers of hope.

“Edward said he would call here later.”

“Well, we can’t wait around for him, can we? He’ll leave a message. All right, Delia?” she insisted.

I nodded.

“And another thing,” she said. “You’ll find that these boys just love talking about themselves. From minute one, they’ll be out to impress you and try to make you feel lucky they’re spending any time with you. If you like him well enough and want to be with him, give him the impression that he’s right. If you don’t, act bored.”

“How do you know all this?”

“Natural instincts. I was born girl-smart. My father says I even teased the doctor and wouldn’t cry until he caressed my rear more softly.”

She expected me to laugh, but my mind had drifted back to Edward and his asking me what would I not do to get my baby back. I thought I would make a deal with the devil, but now I wondered why I had to make deals with anyone. Adan Jr. was my baby, my flesh and blood.

“Hello?” Fani sang at me. “I was trying to be funny, Delia. Oh, brother. Don’t sit there with such a dark, brooding look on your face. Brighten up!” she ordered. Just then, the phone rang. “They’re here. Good!” she cried, and went to the phone to speak to the doorman. Then she checked her hair and toyed with mine and rattled off her instructions again before we heard the buzzer.

She paused at the door, turned to me, and said, “One more very important thing, Delia. Obviously, these boys don’t know anything about you. No one you will meet knows anything about your giving birth recently, so don’t dare mention it. That’s a turnoff.”

Before I could say anything, she opened the door and screamed, “Larry, what took you so long?”

“Long?” a tall, lean, dark-brown-haired boy said. He wore a light-blue sweater and jeans and had a thick gold necklace drooping under his Adam’s apple. I was surprised Fani had called him, because he wasn’t very good-looking. His nose was thin and long, his mouth was weak, and he had a soft, round chin. He grimaced and looked at his watch. “I got us here as fast as I could.” He tapped the face of his watch and held it up. “We’re actually a little early, Fani.”

“Oh, are you? Well, I guess us girls are just a little overanxious,” she teased.

The boy beside Larry stepped forward. He was a good four or five inches shorter, broad in the shoulders, and better-looking, with blue eyes, light-brown hair and high cheekbones. He wore a dark-blue shirt open at the collar and jeans.

“Oh. This is Cliff Alexander,” Larry said. “He’s a freshman from North Carolina, so don’t expect to understand anything he says when he talks.”

Cliff elbowed Larry in the ribs rather sharply. Larry rubbed his side and groaned.

“Pleased to meet you,” Cliff said, jabbing his hand toward me like a sword.

Fani froze a smile and widened her eyes at me. I took his hand.

“I’m Delia Yebarra,” I said.

“Yeah, I heard,” Larry quickly chimed in. “From Mexico.
Cómo Estefani
?” he quipped.

“You’re such a genuine idiot, Larry,” she replied. “That’s why I like you.”

He laughed, and she and I stepped out of the apartment.

“Larry said Fani told him you just arrived here in Los Angeles and will be going to nursing school. Is that right?” Cliff asked me on the way to the elevator.

“Yes,” I said.

“My aunt’s a nurse in a VA hospital. She hates it,” he added. “She says it’s too depressing. Maybe that’s not the best career for you.”

We stepped into the elevator.

Fani looked at me with an expression that said,
See?
They think they know everything. They can even run your life after meeting you for a minute.

“Then why does your aunt still do it?” I asked him. I saw Fani liked that quick comeback.

He shrugged. “She’s unmarried, almost fifty. What else can she do?”

“She can work in a supermarket packing groceries,” Fani said, and Larry laughed.

The door opened. As we walked out of the lobby, Cliff reached for my hand.

“You’re too pretty to be a nurse,” he said.

Fani was listening and turned on him. “Maybe that will make her patients get better faster. Ever think of that, Clifford?”

“I’m just Cliff,” he said.

“No one is just anything,” Fani told him, and he actually blanched.

Would I ever be as confident of myself around people as Fani was? Maybe if I was, what had happened to me and my baby wouldn’t have happened. Maybe Edward was wrong. Maybe being around Fani was good for me. She reached out and pulled me forward.

“We’ll sit in the back,” she told the boys as we stepped up to Larry’s late-model black Mercedes sedan.

Nobody poor went to college around here, I thought, and then recalled Fani telling me that Larry’s father owned a chain of movie theaters.

Contrary to what Fani had said about college boys, Cliff at first was interested enough in me to ask many questions about Mexico instead of talking about himself. I could see from the way Fani was looking at me
when I answered that she didn’t want me telling too much about my background. She made the point of telling him that I was living with my very rich aunt in Palm Springs, even though I wasn’t now, of course. She told him I had inherited a lot of money.