couldn’t deal with that right now. She felt raw from all the condolences she’d received. It hit her hard that after eight years as part of a couple, she was alone. She hadn’t been enough for Kevin, hadn’t been the right person.
“I’ll call the mayor before Mr. Pipoly arrives for his appointment,” Marisa said.
“Good. Maybe I should make empanadas tonight to celebrate, eh?” Anjelita kissed Marisa’s cheek.
Marisa smiled. “I don’t want you to go to any trouble, Mamá. I thought we’d go out to eat.”
“The way the phone has rung, we will not get to eat if we go out. We will spend the time planning with other people while our good food grows cold.”
“You’re right. I’ll help you cook.”
Anjelita hummed as she stitched. Marisa looked up the mayor’s number and called. The excited secretary put her through at once.
“Marisa Avalos,” Amanda Bolliton said, her voice warm. “I expected your call.”
“So I understand. Can we do anything legally to fight the sale of the plant? Should I ask for a town meeting?”
“Definitely. How about tomorrow night at eight?”
“That soon?”
“My phone has rung nonstop for the past hour. Some people were panicked. I heard from Mae Ellen Ferguson that the Chinese were buying the plant. The sooner we have an open forum the better. Will you be ready to present by then?”
“Me?”
“Of course. Henry DeSoto told me you started the awareness campaign.”
“But I’ve never spoken to a crowd before.”
“You’re a business owner in this town. You’ve got a big stake in the town’s success or failure. There can’t be any issue more important than this one.”
Marisa sighed. “You’re right. I’ll be ready by eight tomorrow. Thanks, Your Honor.”
When Marisa hung up, her mother beamed at her. “See, you are an important part of this town. The mayor herself has asked you to speak. I am so proud of you, mi hija .”
Marisa’s smile felt strained. “Thanks, Mamá.”
• • •
Later, as they made empanadas together in her mother’s kitchen, Anjelita spoke. “You think this Nick is attractive.”
Marisa blushed and hoped the heat of the kitchen hid it. “He’s a good-looking man.”
“He likes what he sees too. But there is darkness in him.”
“I know.” Marisa told her mother about Nick’s job burnout.
“So he is hungry for what is good, or for what will divert his mind from what is bad.”
“Mamá, you don’t have to worry about me. I don’t intend to have an affair with him.” But her lower body clenched against her will.
Her mother seemed to look inward. “Sometimes attraction is so intense you cannot help yourself.”
“Is that how it was with my father?”
Anjelita looked at her with sad eyes. “You are old enough now, mi hija , I think you will understand. I was new to this town and alone for the first time in my life. All the men thought I was beautiful. They paid attention to me. It went to my head. But they only wanted my body. It made me felt even more alone. I am ashamed at how I came to know carnal love and with how many men. I wanted to be loved, you see.
“When I was at my loneliest, I met a man who set my body aflame with his touch. I gave myself to him, and I gave him my heart. I would have done anything for him, mi hija, even though I knew it was wrong. I let him use me because I loved him.”
Marisa’s throat felt tight. “And then he left you.”
Her mother’s answer came slowly. “Yes. I love him still. I shall never love another man like that.”
“But he deserted you.”
Her mother clasped Marisa’s hands in hers. “Oh, mi hija , how can I make you understand?”
“You can’t.” Marisa pulled her hands away and swallowed through a tight throat. “Did he know about me?”
Her mother looked down, tucking the last empanada carefully into the oven dish. “He knew.”
“So he deserted me too. And yet you still love him.” All this time Marisa had suspected her
“I’ll call the mayor before Mr. Pipoly arrives for his appointment,” Marisa said.
“Good. Maybe I should make empanadas tonight to celebrate, eh?” Anjelita kissed Marisa’s cheek.
Marisa smiled. “I don’t want you to go to any trouble, Mamá. I thought we’d go out to eat.”
“The way the phone has rung, we will not get to eat if we go out. We will spend the time planning with other people while our good food grows cold.”
“You’re right. I’ll help you cook.”
Anjelita hummed as she stitched. Marisa looked up the mayor’s number and called. The excited secretary put her through at once.
“Marisa Avalos,” Amanda Bolliton said, her voice warm. “I expected your call.”
“So I understand. Can we do anything legally to fight the sale of the plant? Should I ask for a town meeting?”
“Definitely. How about tomorrow night at eight?”
“That soon?”
“My phone has rung nonstop for the past hour. Some people were panicked. I heard from Mae Ellen Ferguson that the Chinese were buying the plant. The sooner we have an open forum the better. Will you be ready to present by then?”
“Me?”
“Of course. Henry DeSoto told me you started the awareness campaign.”
“But I’ve never spoken to a crowd before.”
“You’re a business owner in this town. You’ve got a big stake in the town’s success or failure. There can’t be any issue more important than this one.”
Marisa sighed. “You’re right. I’ll be ready by eight tomorrow. Thanks, Your Honor.”
When Marisa hung up, her mother beamed at her. “See, you are an important part of this town. The mayor herself has asked you to speak. I am so proud of you, mi hija .”
Marisa’s smile felt strained. “Thanks, Mamá.”
• • •
Later, as they made empanadas together in her mother’s kitchen, Anjelita spoke. “You think this Nick is attractive.”
Marisa blushed and hoped the heat of the kitchen hid it. “He’s a good-looking man.”
“He likes what he sees too. But there is darkness in him.”
“I know.” Marisa told her mother about Nick’s job burnout.
“So he is hungry for what is good, or for what will divert his mind from what is bad.”
“Mamá, you don’t have to worry about me. I don’t intend to have an affair with him.” But her lower body clenched against her will.
Her mother seemed to look inward. “Sometimes attraction is so intense you cannot help yourself.”
“Is that how it was with my father?”
Anjelita looked at her with sad eyes. “You are old enough now, mi hija , I think you will understand. I was new to this town and alone for the first time in my life. All the men thought I was beautiful. They paid attention to me. It went to my head. But they only wanted my body. It made me felt even more alone. I am ashamed at how I came to know carnal love and with how many men. I wanted to be loved, you see.
“When I was at my loneliest, I met a man who set my body aflame with his touch. I gave myself to him, and I gave him my heart. I would have done anything for him, mi hija, even though I knew it was wrong. I let him use me because I loved him.”
Marisa’s throat felt tight. “And then he left you.”
Her mother’s answer came slowly. “Yes. I love him still. I shall never love another man like that.”
“But he deserted you.”
Her mother clasped Marisa’s hands in hers. “Oh, mi hija , how can I make you understand?”
“You can’t.” Marisa pulled her hands away and swallowed through a tight throat. “Did he know about me?”
Her mother looked down, tucking the last empanada carefully into the oven dish. “He knew.”
“So he deserted me too. And yet you still love him.” All this time Marisa had suspected her
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