The Sunshine Trilogy

Chapter 2: The Rimini Family of Santa Barbara Part One LOMPOC CALIFORNIA 1936-1973

Paolo was devout and learned his Catechism quickly. Paolo's mother said he would make a fine priest, maybe even a bishop someday. Paolo was drawn to his faith and confided in his mother he would enter the priesthood when he grew older. This made his father angry and drove a wedge between father and son. His father, although a lapsed Catholic, prayed for another male heir.

Several years later, his father's prayers were answered when his wife gave birth to another child, but alas, to his dismay it was a girl. His disappointment quickly became joy when he looked upon her face. She was by far the prettiest of his three daughters. He named her Sorpresa.

Signora Rimini said it was fitting, because of what her father expressed when she was born;

"She is my beautiful surprise."

Sorpresa was her father's favored child. When she misbehaved, he forgave her. When she would eat the grapes from the vines returning with indigo lips, he would laugh. She would torment the animals and he would smile. She would tease the Chicano workers in the vines, and he was amused. But when she would flirt with the young Native American men his demeanor changed from amusement to anger.

"They are not like us Prezi." A pet name he used often for her. "See how they work. They are stupid and clumsy. Their blood is thick with meticci. Nothing good will come to them, except the labor I provide. I forbid you to be near them!"

So, when his favored and most beautiful daughter, Sorpresa, became pregnant out of wedlock, Guido Da Rimini raged. Sorpresa brought disgrace upon the Rimini name and this was something he couldn't forgive.

Guido demanded her banishment from the estate, a nunnery if need be. His wife, Florenzia Da Rimini pleaded with him, to allow her to stay, but when his heart wasn't moved, out of desperation she turned to their only son, Paolo.

Paolo said he knew of a woman at the Mission that was a competent midwife. He said, she lived alone at a small ranch nearby and was always at church on Sundays.

"I will talk to her Mama, she will know what to do!" said Paolo.

Signora Rimini agreed with some reservation, but she had no other choice. Plans were made to leave the next morning.

At the Mission Signora Rimini, Sorpresa and Paolo met with the old Indian woman in the sacristy. The old woman, known as Abuela, agreed to take her with her unborn child under one condition; adoption.

Upon hearing of this condition, Signora Rimini resisted, "I cannot agree to this, she is my flesh and blood!"

The old woman unmoved by Signora Rimini's outburst cleared her throat and spoke softly with conviction.

" Senora, Lobo Rojo came to me in a dream and said two daughters will come to me before I die."

"Lobo who?" asked Signora Rimini.

"It's Chumash legends," said Paolo. She believes as others do from her tribe, that dreams are just as real as day to day life."

Speaking in broken English, Abuela continued, "Lobo Rojo said one will bring trouble and sadness and the other, beauty. How will I know if I give the little one back too soon? You can see how this can be a problem."

"Problema? Perche un problema?" exclaimed Signora Florenzia. "Paolo speak to her! Impress upon her, the money I'm willing to pay for the care of your sister and her unborn child. Over time your father will soften his heart, when he sees his grandchild!"

Paolo switched to her native tongue and spoke at length passionately.Signora Rimini sensed neither language moved Abuela to a decision. When he stopped, Abuela gave her answer which wasn't understood by Signora Florenzia. She quizzed Paolo concerning her decision.

"Paolo, what did she actually tell you?" Paolo, sighed in defeat, then spoke.

"She said, unless an angel of the White Father sleeps with old women and miraculously plants his heavenly seed, she will trust the red-wolf spirit to make good on his promise."

Desperate and with no alternative remedy, Signora Rimini asked for a moment to think, then replied, "Paolo, tell her I will agree to her terms, but she must give back the child before her tenth birthday. I will have it no other way!"

Paolo spoke to Abuela, as Sorpresa stood defiant, but emotionally detached to her fate. Abuela hesitated than smiled a toothless grin.

"Does that mean she agrees, Paolo?"

"She agrees mother."

"Molto Bene! That's that then! Sorpresa go with Paolo and Abuela, and I will return tomorrow with more clothing and some of your personal things."

Sorpresa collapsed into her mother's arms and pleaded.

"Mama, please, please don't leave me here. I have heard that the Indian women know how to get rid of babies and that will make Papa happy again! I don't want this baby any more than he does."

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph! How dare you speak such a thing! That is a sin against God, and I would never allow it. Are you possessed with demons that tell you to say such things?"

"I don't care. I wish to God, he kills this thing in my belly, if he won't, I will!"

Paolo spoke compassionately from his heart. "Sorpresa, as your brother and priest, I will pray to Santo Gerardo to guide your pregnancy. In time, you will accept your unborn child. Everything will be just as it was before. Papa will change his mind and I will encourage Abuela to give you both up. You will see. It will be God's will."

"I'd rather die!" she screamed.

Horrified by his little sister's rants, His tears of compassion and hers of defiance stained their cheeks as she succumbed to her fate.

Months later a beautiful baby girl was born on a cold moonlit night in late December. Sorpresa labored from midday to moonrise. Her cries were heard at mission during evening vespers which aroused the curiosity of other Native women. It was their custom that mature women would aid in the birth of a child. Some waved off the cries of the young mother as nothing out of the ordinary and went home. Some left the church and went to witness the life miracle.

Sorpresa, labored for hours. She didn't want this child. It was if, the child was a curse and she couldn't perceive the beauty inside struggling to be born. Her anguish was partially alleviated when the old Native women chanted and attended to her with herbal salves and emollients. The air hung heavy with sweat and the smoke of Mimosa tree leaves and black sage. When the baby was born near midnight only three women remained.

News traveled quickly throughout the native community in Lompoc that a child was born at Abuela's ranch. The gossip was that the infant was the bastard child of the Rimini girl that lived with Abuela Guadalupe. Paolo, who got the news secondhand the following day, called his mother at the Rimini estate to announce the good news. His father, Guido answered the call.

"Papa, Sorpresa gave birth to your grandchild! Isn't that great news?"

Guido didn't respond.

Unable to contain his excitement, Paolo spoke again.

"Where's Mama? I want to tell her."

"She's been napping since colazione. I'll wake her."

"Don't you want to hear if it's a girl or a boy?" asked Paolo.

"Does it matter Paolo? It's a bastard. It will never have my name."

Guido put down the phone and reluctantly ambled to his wife's room. She was lying on her bed, face up, fully clothed as if she was going somewhere. Her eyes were closed, and her mouth was agape, hands crossed, clutching a rosary and a yellowed folded letter. A wine glass was lying on the floor, still intact but cracked. Guido picked up the glass, examined it and set it on the bed stand. Still, fully not comprehending his wife's condition, he removed the soiled letter from her cold hands, unfolded the four squares to one flat sheet and read its contents:

My Dearest Florenzia,

I dream of your soft kisses every night. I live in agony knowing we can never be together. Our love was the joy of my life and our child will be the fruit of our love. One day she will know I am her father.

Amor,

Eduardo.

"Perche? Perche? Why? Why?" cried out Guido, lifting his arms to heaven. "Cos'hai fatto, Cos'hai fatto? What have you done, what have you done?"