Times with Solono were very sacred for Louis. The two never spoke of Solono's father or the circumstances behind his death, but Louis knew one day the conversation would surface. He had been preparing himself for that talk for years.
Not much longer after his arrival, Solono was a pleasant child. There were periods that Louis wondered what Solono's thoughts were, but he always comforted him when he'd run to Louis frightened about something or requested his advice.
Solono had grown to be a handsome man who Louis knew his real father would have been proud of. He cared for Solono as if he was his own child and would let no harm come his way. Once there was an incident in the ninth grade when a student made fun of Solono because he didn't know the answer to a question the instructor asked. Solono felt humiliated, darted out the classroom and disappeared for hours before he returned home upset. When Louis got word of what transpired, he became enraged. He immediately scheduled a meeting with the student's parents, the principal, and the instructor and chastised them all about the student's behavior. Needless to say, Solono never had any future incidents of the sort.
Louis often wondered if his interventions would harm Solono in the long run. But on the other hand, he felt that it disrespectful for someone to poke fun at a member of the royal family.
Solono knew that there was nothing that Louis wouldn't do for him. His sister and him were the only people who truly mattered. Julia, even though she was a good woman with a good heart, she could never replace his children and she was highly aware of his admiration for them. Costly, tangible items was how he'd show his appreciation for her. Trips to beautiful, remote islands, extravagant parties, expensive clothing and jewelry, if she asked, it was hers. But she didn't fill his heart like his children. Something was missing between the two of them and he only magnified the distance with the circumstances of Maria's birth.
Julia never trusted Louis with Maria's mother, a young beautiful woman. The minute she was hired, Julia made sure she was rarely in the room with him. If he was in the library reading a book, Julia made sure that Maria's mother was outside of the Presidential Palace tending to the animals. He was completely aware of Julia's strategy and he did his best to avoid or limit their interactions. This, however, only made him want her more. He would often catch her staring at him or when they crossed paths, a gentle brush of the shoulders would send a tingle throughout his body. Her strong brown eyes told him that she wanted him more than just her boss.
Louis never knew Maria's mother's name. Neither did Maria. It was a one-time encounter that nine months later, produced a beautiful little girl at the Presidential Palace's doorstep.
On the evening of Maria's conception, Louis held an extravagant political fundraiser. Dignitaries from Argentina, military officials from Bolivia, and the First Lady of Brazil were all in attendance. Jose Asunción and Juan B. Mora performed live in front of two hundred guests. Maria's mother navigated through the grand ballroom offering the guest Chipa Guasú and kosereva. Her black, curly hair and long, golden legs moved softly with the music. After a few glasses of caña, Louis approached her.
"In twenty minutes, bring me a piece of kosereva to the east bedroom in the basement!" he whispered in her ear.
After briefly hesitating, she walked away.
The basement in the Presidential Palace included a carpenter's shop, a cigar room, and four bedrooms for visitors. Louis spoke briefly to a couple of guests, scanned the room to see that Julia was diligently entertaining, and headed to the basement.
A baroque quilt covered the king-sized bed in the middle of the bedroom. In the corner was a barely worn bergere that was given to President Carlos Antonio López during his reign in the 18th century. As he walked towards the bergere to sit, awaiting his guest, he noticed a black and white picture on the wooden console of a gentleman in his neatly ironed military uniform, with a beautiful woman standing behind him, her hands resting on his shoulder. The couple looked no older than 18 or 19 years old. He wasn't sure who they were, so he assumed they were someone in Julia's family, maybe her grandparents or great grandparents. He was shocked that he hadn't noticed them before tonight. Shortly after he noticed his visitor standing in the doorway. He walked to her, placed both hands on each side of her face and kissed her. She pulled back for a second and closed her eyes. Raising her skirt, he placed her on the bed. Her heavy breathing indicated she was enjoying herself. While clinching her buttocks, she eagerly reached for and unzipped his zipper and began stroking his erection with great force. Though in the moment, he peeked at the wide-open door to make sure they didn't have any unexpected visitors. He could still hear the faint sounds of Jose Asunción playing just above them. He removed her
underclothing and inserted himself inside her. In a matter of minutes, he was done.
"We have to get back," he whispered. "My guests will wonder where I disappeared to. Frankly, so will my wife."
He climbed off the bed and grabbed his tuxedo pants. As he got dressed, she laid motionless on the bed.
"We shall never speak of this. Do you understand?"
She nodded.
Navigating his way down the dark hallway towards the stairs that lead back to the main floor, Juan, his Chief-of-Security, abruptly appeared. He advised Louis that he was needed in the military room immediately, that an uprising was underway in the Itapúa Department, in the town of Edelira.
"Mr. President, this needs our immediate attention." Juan said. Louis agreed. For a quick second Louis wondered how Juan knew his whereabouts. If he knew, did Julia?
"Let Julia know that I'm needed on a pressing matter and I'll return to the guest shorty." Louis said.
Louis never saw Maria's mom again. In order not to raise suspicion with Julia, he never questioned the maid's absence. About a year later Julia approached him while he sat in his study with tears in her eyes and sat a little baby girl wrapped in a blanket on his lap.
"I believe this belongs to you Mr. President," Julia whispered.
Louis sat speechless, astonished at the head full of black curly hair and ocean blue eyes. A rush of unconditional love immediately jolted through his body. There was no question who the mother was. It looked like a twin of the missing maid.
"I saw you leave the room with her Louis." Julia spoke as her face turned red and her eyes began to swell. Louis could see the single vein form in her forehead that only became noticeable when she was upset.
"I saw when you whispered in her ear. I saw the look of anticipation in your eyes, like a child. Is that all I am to you, Louis? It's ok for me to prance around your fucking bullshit political events and entertain guest. Most, who would love to see you assassinated. While you go off and sleep with the help? Are you serious?"
Louis sat speechless.
"So now what? Are you going to tell the people that this little bastard is mine? Emasculate conception?"
"Yes. You will raise her as if she is your own daughter."
"I can't believe you." She whimpered. "Do you hate me that much? Do you wish me this much heartache that you would do this to me? You treat me as if I'm a stranger in the streets."
Julia kneeled in front of Louis with her elbows on the edge of the large dirty brown canapé that he sat on. Maria lay curled in his arms. Tears streamed down Julia's face. Her heart felt like it was inside her stomach. She was devastated.
Julia lifted herself from the floor and walked towards the door before turning to Louis.
"That child is not mine. I will never accept her as my daughter, but for the sake of this family and for the stability of this government, I won't leave you."
She exited.
Louis pondered his book, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon, and the baby. He looked her in her eyes.
"I'm going to name you Maria Sofia Silvay, after my great grandmother. Welcome my little angel. I'm so happy to meet you. I've always wanted a little girl. I will never let any harm come your way. I promise."
He kissed her on her cheek and inhaled her baby scent. His heart was hers the moment he laid eyes on her.