Chapter 3
1481 Words
Ines
Dinner was t*****e.
There was chatter and laughter all around me but I couldn’t even focus on that.
My mother, along with Mrs. Hernández, checked in on me multiple times to see if I was alright.
I had barely touched my food and drank little of my wine.
I told them I had an upset stomach and couldn’t keep down much but in reality, I was trying very hard to keep my emotions under control.
Vicente joked and laughed with my family and his and every time he moved I could smell the sea breeze and smoked wooden smell come from him.
Every time he handed me a plate of food, served someone more wine or stretched I could see his well defined muscles and it made my palms sweat.
I had grown up seeing him turn from a young reckless boy to a hard working man. He spent time at the port helping unload cargo, carry wine boxes to his home and help sail ships when he left to do trading.
He was a strong man, not scared to get dirty, but he was also handsome in every way possible. I had seen him arrive from fancy balls and dinners where he dressed in fine silks and new vests. I had seen his hair both damp and messy when he worked hard and also when it was combed back and neat.
This man, the beautiful charming man in front of me, had filled my dreams and memories since I could remember.
“Ines, you’re shaking mi niña,” Pa said putting his hands on my shoulder. “Would you like us to go home?”
I looked across the table to the Hernández family who was looking at me too.
At some point the chatter and laughing had stopped and all eyes were on me.
I cleared my throat and nodded. “I think it’s best, I’m not feeling well.”
In an instant Pa stood and Ma helped clear the table.
“I am so sorry Mrs. Hernández,” I said as I stood. “I’m sure dinner was splendid. Thank you for having us.”
“Anna, Ernesto, it was lovely to dine with you tonight. Thank you for the invitation,” my Ma said.
“Think nothing of it. We adore your family!” Mrs. Hernández said.
“But we must be going since my niña doesn’t feel well and it’s getting quite dark.” Pa said.
Mr. Hernández stood and patted his son’s back. “Of course, but we must join you.”
“NO!” I basically shouted.
Everyone looked at me with confusion.
“I mean, no that’s unnecessary. It’s getting late, and you’ve already been so gracious with us tonight.” I said, trying to save myself.
“Nonsense,” Vicente argued. “It’s late you don’t have a horse or carriage to take you home.”
“We’re not that far from here.”
“Either way, it’d be unacceptable for us to let two women walk the streets alone when we could have offered to take them and a tired Mr. Diaz home.” Vicente said, his tone firm.
I sighed, not wanting to spend one more second being tortured by his presence but also knowing he was too stubborn to change his mind.
“I’ll go get the horses ready,” Mr. Hernández said and he kissed his wife’s cheek as he headed out the back door.
Vicente went to the coat hanger and as the gentleman he was, helped my mother into hers and then offered to help me.
Who was I to shame him for his perfect manners?
So I grit my teeth and tried my best to breathe normally as his strong hand brushed my shoulders.
To further my t*****e, Mr. Hernández had readied three horses. One for him, one for Ma and Pa, and one for Vicente and I.
I felt like screaming in both frustration and excitement when Vicente held my hand as he helped me onto the horse and felt my head spin as he adjusted himself behind me.
“Are you comfortable Ines?” He asked, completely oblivious to the effect he had on me.
I’d be dreaming about this for months and he’d never know.
So I just nodded and looked away.
My family and I lived only 20 minutes away from the Hernández family. They lived near the port since it helped with their wine business, but we lived a little past the town and up the hill.
We were close enough to the life and bustle of the town but far enough to have our peace and quiet.
I only wished we lived closer to the sea. I loved the water; the way he felt on your skin, the way the sea breeze cooled the air and how the ocean smelled.
When I had my own home, I wanted it a bit off from town but still at a nice distance near the water.
If I had my own kids one day, there would be endless picnics and trips to the beach.
“You look deep in thought there Ines,” Vicente said, breaking me out of my daydream.
“Do I?” I asked innocently.
“Would you mind sharing what has your eyes glossy and lips in a smile?”
I turned to him as much as I could. “My eyes aren’t glossed and I’m not smiling!”
“Well, you’re not anymore. But you had a dazed look on your face.”
“You can’t even see my face unless I turn,” I argued.
“That’s not true. I can see the left side of your face just fine.”
I felt my cheeks burn red at his words so I turned completely around to face the front.
Him observing me meant nothing. He was an observant man, that’s all.
“So are you going to share? Or keep it all to yourself?”
“I think I’ll keep it to myself.”
“You’re so cruel.”
At his words I laughed, I could imagine him giving me a dramatized sad expression.
“I think I’ll have to die with the burning curiosity of what happened in Ines Diaz’s head tonight.”
I rolled my eyes and gave in. I loved the man but he sure was dramatic.
“Fine. I was just thinking about my future home.”
“Your home?”
“Yes. And kids.”
“Kids?”
“Do I need to keep repeating myself?”
Vicente laughed and I realized that it was much easier to talk to him than I thought.
Growing up I only had brief and childlike interactions with him. Like when I wanted to borrow a toy, when I scraped my knee or needed a jar to capture fireflies.
Now and then it was casual conversations about the weather, my family and his family business but nothing else.
This was different.
“So you were lying to me earlier today?”
“About what?”
“About not having a suitor.”
I scoffed. “Trust me, that was no lie. I have no suitors.”
“And no one you’re interested in.”
I gulped. “No.”
“Then how in the world are you thinking about a home and kids if there is no man in mind?”
I saw my home appearing behind some trees; thankfully this conversation would come to an end soon.
“You didn’t answer my question,” Vicente pressed.
“Dear Lord you’re stubborn,” I said.
He laughed and I felt him nod. “I get it from my mother. Feel free to thank her.”
I rolled my eyes.
“So are you going to answer my question?”
“Fine!” I basically shouted, causing my parents and Mr. Hernández to look at us.
“I don’t need to have all the details sorted out. I don’t need names, faces, measurements or exact dates to know what I want!”
“Hmm.. I never thought about it that way.”
“You’ve never thought of your future?”
Vicente didn’t say anything for a couple of minutes. I was about to ask again and pester him as he did me but he spoke then.
“Not in the way you do. I take it day by day, I don’t look further down the road.”
I felt myself frown.
I had dreamed of Vicente someday coming to a realization that he loved me and picturing our lives together.
I knew it was unrealistic but now those hopes were crushed for sure.
“That’s unfortunate..” I whispered, mostly to myself.
Vicente didn’t say anything at first but when the horse stopped in front of my house he shrugged.
“Perhaps it is.”
- Writer
