Her legs tangled in her long skirt and she braced herself for the fall.
“Valentina! Are you hurt?” She looked up to see Raulito kneeling on the ground beside her. He helped her up and she brushed the dirt from her dress.
“I was bringing you a plant from my mother,” Raulito said. “I dropped it somewhere.”
“I had a taste for grapefruit.”
“I’ll pick some for you.”
He maneuvered the pole among the branches; a bird with a green back and a black-and-white head flew out of the foliage. Raulito picked a dozen grapefruits and took off his shirt to carry them back to Valentina. She told him to take half to his mother and thank her for the plant.
They lay on their bed, his hand caressing the imperceptible swell of her stomach.
“It seems impossible,” he said.
Valentina laughed because he was so silly, because he loved her, because in his arms she felt that the world was wonderful.
“Should we tell them now?” Vicente kissed her belly.
“Not yet. It’s too soon.” Valentina ruffled his hair.
They heard las damas’ voices as they passed their room.
“I have to work,” Vicente said.
“Me, too, if I know your mamá.” Valentina watched her husband get dressed.
“Do you think we could have our own house before the baby is born?”
“Amor, won’t you need help with the baby?”
“We can take Gloria with us.”
“She’s not a person to take, this is her home,” Vicente said.
“I didn’t mean it like that.”
“I know you didn’t.”
Gloria knocked on the door. “Vicente, you’d better hurry if you want to eat something, Don Raúl is waiting for you.”
“Do you really have to go?” Valentina reached her arms around his neck.
“Papá is waiting.” Vicente kissed her.
The day came when Inés also began to watch over her. Whenever Raúl Vega returned to the house, either Gloria or Inés chaperoned Valentina. When he ordered Gloria to the kitchen to make him coffee or cook him some eggs, Valentina went also. Inés was not so easily commanded, and would continue working on the mundillo stitching that was always at hand.
The women were shelling beans; Angelina had gone to her room to rest. Valentina wanted to tell Vicente that his father’s behavior made her uncomfortable.
“What good would that do? Vicente would have to fight his father.” Inés dropped shelled beans into the big bowl on the table.
“Don Raúl would kill his own son,” Gloria said.
“¡Dios libre! Don’t talk such boberías, Gloria,” Inés said. “But Valentina, Raúl might throw you and Vicente out, and then what would you do?”
“We could go back to Ponce, live with my family.” Valentina dropped the shells in a second bowl.
“Vicente in a city? He’ll never leave the countryside, and I can’t see him living in someone else’s house.” Inés paused in her work.
“I’m living in his parents’ house,” Valentina said.
“It’s different for the man,” Inés said.
“I don’t see why. My father could help him get a job someplace.”
Gloria picked out a few small beans among the shells. “Valentina, you dropped beans in the shells. Be more careful.”
“Vicente lives for coffee,” Inés said.
“Maybe he’ll have to live for me instead,” Valentina said.
“You’ll have to take him away at gunpoint,” Gloria said.
Utuado
August 16, 1890
Querida Elena,
You’re about to become a tía! Our baby will arrive in November. Vicente says that our baby will be a coffee farmer because he is waiting to be born after la cosecha. How I long to have my baby in Ponce with you and Mamá. Vicente reminds me that I am in a house with women who can take care of me and help me with the baby. I’m trying not to complain because I know it bothers him that we’re still living with his parents. (But not as much as it bothers me!)
And how are you, dear sister? Our beautiful parents? Your husband and children?
Siempre,
Valentina
P.S. I had a letter from Dalia. She saw Rudolfo at some ball in Sevilla with a beautiful señorita on his arm. I knew he wouldn’t be faithful!
P.P.S. Where is my trunk? Don’t make me come get it!
Utuado
August 16, 1890
Dear Dalia,
I have news for you! Your cousin Vicente and I are about to have a baby! We’re so happy, and as you can imagine, so are your aunt and uncle. We are getting ready to move into our own little house any day now, although the damas are begging us to stay until after the baby is born. They love waiting on me hand and foot. They can’t do enough for me!
What a happy coincidence to meet Rudolfo at a house party in Sevilla. Rudolfo was always a picaflor. Like you, I’m not surprised that he had the most beautiful girl on his arm. Please give him my regards, and don’t forget to tell him how ecstatic I am with my farmer.
I’m including the recipe for Gloria’s arroz con gandules as requested. She asks that you let her know how it turns out. She doesn’t think that Spanish cooks can be as good as cocineras criollas.
Abrazos,
Valentina
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THERE ONCE WAS A MOTHER
Lesson number one from Doña Angelina: Why are you still in bed, Valentina? It’s after eight o’clock. A quien madruga, Dios lo ayuda. It’s not good for a pregnant woman to stay in bed like one of those Victorian maidens in your books. Get up and into the fresh country air. Si te molesta caminar, or if you’re too lazy, then you can always stand in front of the house and breathe. Gloria has fixed you something to eat. After that, I’m going to take it upon myself to teach you how to survive in the country. I promise you that if you do as I say, you will be prepared to live in your own house. One day, you’ll be grateful. Go to your parents in Ponce until after the baby is born? ¡Que ridículo! Travel on our country roads that are barely roads? You want this baby, es verdad? Entonces, olvidarás esa locura. Don’t even mention it to my son, because his father won’t be able to spare him. Why do you need your mother when you have three women already? Get dressed!
In the country, you won’t be able to buy medicines for aches and pains like in your father’s pharmacy. What? Your father was a clerk? Not a clerk? But not the owner? I see. Regardless, you’ll have to learn about plants. What’s that about a notebook? Bueno, if you think you won’t remember something so simple as a plant. This is the verbena cimarrona plant, sí, muy bella with the purple flowers, but the green hojas are what we’ll use; mash them in el pilón to make a topical paste or brew a few leaves for a tisane, it’s good for digestion and skin infections, Gloria has a special recipe that can cure head lice; this vine is verbena legítima, used in teas or baths to fight fevers or colds. And this plant over here is the one you use to clean your teeth, la raíz de limoncillo, yes, it tastes like ginger, I hope Vicente told you to chew it and then spit it out; you swallowed some of it? Lo que no mata, engorda, but try not to; this plant is malva de caballo and is used for poultices or teas for coughs. You’re drawing it? That seems a little frivolous, bueno, hurry up about it, now let me show you . . .