"Come with me to the local market Maria. I want to show you something."
Julia had been keeping a secret from Maria since she was a little girl and believed it time to share it with her. Since Julia's counseling sessions and the two of them becoming closer, Julia had no hesitation with what she was about to do.
"Now? This is a really good book I'm reading." Maria said as she lay sprawled across her bed.
"Yes! I think you might want to come. Put a bookmark there and come with me. That book will be here when you return."
"Geesh! Here I come." Maria responded as she climbed out of her bed. "This better be worth it."
"Oh, trust me. It will."
When they entered the local market, Maria paid little attention to the older, heavyset woman who stood by the cash register. She didn't notice the dark brown eyes with thick eyebrows that resembled hers or the birthmark behind her ear identical to the one she was embarrassed by. But the woman noticed Maria and immediately darted to the rear of the store, hiding in the storage room. Maria's attention was on the handsome man who was stocking the shelves. Something about him seemed familiar and her suspicions were confirmed when the man turned around and it was Victor Bordón.
"Oh my God. It's him," Maria said as she ducked behind a display of fruits.
"Who?" Julia asked.
"Victor, the guy from the beach. He's over there, stocking the shelves."
"This isn't why I brought you here, but let's not let this opportunity pass us by. Go talk to him."
"No way. You go talk to him for me."
"Come with me to the storage room. Let's practice so you won't be afraid," Julia said.
"That's a good idea." Maria responded trying her best not to be seen.
Julia grabbed Maria's hand and guided her to the storage room. Upon entering, her mother stood, eyes puffy.
"Hello," the lady said.
"Hello," Maria said. "We're sorry to interrupt but --"
"No need to apologize, Maria"
"How do you know my name?" Maria asked looking dumbfounded.
"Maria, this is why I brought you here. This is your mother, Ramona," said Julia.
Maria stumbled backwards, tripping over boxes of oranges that sat in the middle of the floor.
"What? What do you mean, my mother?"
"It's time you knew who your mother is," Julia whispered as Maria began to sob.
"Why didn't you tell me this was the reason we were coming so I could prepare myself?"
"Because I wasn't sure if you'd come. Not your fault or hers, but I kept her away from you because of my own selfish reasons, and I'm so very sorry."
Her mother stood with a smile on her face, overjoyed at the sight of her daughter. She examined Maria from head to toe. The void of not knowing her daughter haunted her since the day she dropped her off at the Louis' doorstep. This was a prayer finally answered.
Maria and Ramona stared at each other for what seemed like eternity. "So, you're my mother?"
Ramona rushed towards Maria and tightly embraced her.
"I've prayed for this day for so many years," Ramona said.
Her mother was so excited that she requested an early lunch so the two of them could catch up. They sat at a table outside the back of the grocery store where the employees snacked or took cigarette breaks and the two of them talked for the next hour. Julia stayed in the limo so they could have privacy.
Ramona sat close to her, twirling her fingers through Maria's hair and rubbing her cheeks with the back of her hand. She was in admiration at how beautiful her oldest daughter was. Maria learned she had three sisters who were younger and a brother who died when he was five years old of an illness. Her sisters knew she existed but didn't know the details of her whereabouts. Maria spoke on and on about Solono and how she couldn't wait for her mother to meet him. She told her mother that she, Julia and Solono had been in and out of this store numerous times and never once paid attention to the beautiful old lady at the checkout counter that had been working there for the last fifteen years. All the emotions were too much to digest at one time.
As the lunch break drew to an end, they promised to stay in touch. Maria looked forward to meeting her sisters and wanted them all to meet her family.
As they said their goodbyes, Victor appeared from inside the store with the same charming smile Maria remembered. She wasn't going to let this opportunity pass her by again. Her mother noticed the mutual attraction, kissed her daughter on the forehead, and told Victor to behave around her daughter before returning inside.
The two exchanged pleasantries for the next few minutes, both expressing their regret for not speaking up when they originally met. Neither realized at the time, but six months later, they would be happily engaged. Ninety days after their engagement, the biggest wedding that Paraguay had ever witnessed took place on January 1.
Everyone was invited.
When they arrived back, the Palace seemed strangely quiet. Maria was extremely happy at the fact that she met her mother and showed her appreciation by thanking Julia the entire commute. She also bragged how this day was one of the best days of her life and how she couldn't have asked for it to unfold any other way. Julia was proud that she had evolved past the bitterness and envy she once felt towards Maria. She took tremendous pride in knowing that she played an important part in Maria's happiness. She felt important. But the quietness in the
house was odd. Where is everyone? she thought to herself.
"Did Louis and Solono have plans today?" Julia asked Maria.
"Not to my knowledge. But you know them. There's no telling where they are." Maria said.
Besides the housekeepers and the groundsmen, there were no signs of anyone else being home. Maria ran to her room excited about her mother, her sisters and Victor.
Julia poured herself a glass of wine and took a long hot bath. The peace and quiet served her some well-deserved relaxation. She wished Juan was with her. Underneath the thick suds, she touched herself and thought of him in the bathtub with her, with her back against his chest. Just as she was about to reach climax, there was a knock at the door. Startled and embarrassed, she quickly climbed out of the tub and reached for her bathrobe.
"One second" she yelled through the door. "I'm coming!"
Water from the tub had splashed onto the floor, causing her to slip and fall, her head narrowly missing the edge.
"Are you ok in there?" said Ricardo from the other side of the door. "Yes, I'm fine!"
"Ok. Hurry. President Louis wants to see you."
As she walked down the stairs, she heard a whimpering moan. Ricardo followed close by. A rancid stench stopped her in her tracks. Ricardo pointed ahead. At the bottom of the stairs, Solono stood near Louis who was seated directly in front of two men who sat with pillowcases over their heads. Both their hands and ankles were tied to the chairs with thick rope. Their heads were bowed, and blood coated their clothing. One of the victim's pants was lowered to his ankles, exposing his penis, which had been badly burned by a makeshift torch. This was the source of the foul smell. She could hear his soft sobs. The other man sat motionless as if he was patiently awaiting his fate.
Louis nodded at Solono who removed the pillowcases from the two men's heads. On one chair sat Alfonzo Gomez with both his eyes swollen shut and blood exiting every orifice on his body. Julia dropped to her knees when she realized that the man with the burnt penis was Juan. Without thinking, she attempted to comfort him but was quickly grabbed by Ricardo. She screamed for Ricardo to release her. Louis could only watch.
"You son of a bitch!" she yelled. "I demand you release them both."
A somber Louis dropped his face in his hands, "Do you love him?"
Surprised, Julia fell silent.
"Answer me!" a deflated Louis said.
"Let them go and take up whatever issues you have with me directly."
"All this time." Louis said. "Right under my nose."
"What are you talking about? You're delusional."
"I'm delusional?"
"Yes. Maybe it should have been you seeing the therapist and not me. Release them now."
"Did you know the man that you have been sleeping with was also planning to kill me?"
Julia paled.
"Answer my goddamn question. Do you love this man?"
Before she could answer Louis grabbed a large knife from the floor and thrust it into Mr. Gomez's neck, causing his body to jerk then go limp. Blood squirted everywhere, including Louis' face. He rubbed the blood from his face and licked his fingers. Julia looked on in complete fear.
"Julia, if you don't love this man, take this knife and put it through his heart. If you decide that you'd rather not do it, I'll put it through yours."
Julia's dalliance was now coming to an abrupt ending. Not how she had envisioned it. The man that she truly loved fate was in her hands. She grabbed the knife from Louis, dropped to her knees and put the knife to her heart.
"Is this what you want? It would be better to die than to live with a man who doesn't love me."
Solono grabbed her.
"Give me the knife," he said.
She calmly handed the knife over to him. He stood over Juan with the knife and jammed it into his heart. Juan's eyes bulged as he gasped for air. Then his body went completely limp.
Solono removed the knife from his chest and continued to stab him, ignoring Julia's screams, until Louis stopped him.
Louis walked over to Julia, who was sprawled on the floor, and kneeled. He rubbed his hands through her hair as she stared at his bloody face.
"I'm giving you this one pass, my love. If you ever disrespect me again, I will make your death excruciating." He kissed her on her forehead before heading back up the stairs with Ricardo following close behind.
Solono lifted her from the floor.
"You killed Juan, but you should have killed me." She whimpered. "Juan didn't deserve to die."
Solono used an unbloodied portion of his shirt to wipe her soaked face.
"I'm sorry, but he had to die. Juan was family and I loved him, but he decided his fate when he planned to kill Louis. I had no choice."