while I was engaged to another, then
surely, something was wrong. I want you to understand this—I am fond of
Sarafina, but I cannot marry her. It will not be fair to her. No seria justo
para los dos.” he finished, waiting for his mother’s dramatic response.
She surprised him when she
came to him, taking him to her in a motherly hug. “Oh Raphael… Is it true? My
son is in love! Who is this girl? What is her name? When do I get to meet her ?¡Estas
enamorado, Hijo!” She stated proudly. Of course he was in love.
Rafe was aware of his father
still rooted to his seat. “¿Papá?”
“Do not address me as your papá. You have disgraced me, disgraced this family. I work with Richard Hathaway. How
am I supposed to tell him that my son dumped his daughter three weeks before
their wedding for some strumpet he met on vacation?”
“Alejandro…” Lauralyn warned.
Her husband’s tone was promising impending trouble.
“Be quiet, woman. You may be
some romantic fool, but I am not. This has nothing to do with love. It is about
Raphael not living up to his responsibilities. He wants to continue this
senseless life—chasing skirts.” Alejandro almost never spoke to his wife this
way. Later there would be time for apologies but right now he was furious.
“She is not some strumpet,
and I did not end things with Sarafina because of Dahlia…”
“Silence!” His father slammed
his fist on the table, rattling its contents. “I will have none of this
nonsense. You will marry Sarafina and we will not discuss this any further.”
His father’s words pierced the stifling air.
“No Papá, I will not
marry Sarafina. You will not tell me what to do. I have made my decision.” Rafe
defended himself against his father’s onslaught of demanding words.
The Cavos men stood face to
face now, each challenging the other. Rafe determined to stand firm to his
decision; Alejandro to prove his point. But it was Rafe that had the last word.
“You know, Papá, I never realized how much like grandfather you are.”
His hurtful words rattled his father’s defenses causing Alejandro to recoil as
if struck.
Rafe did not let up,
determined to drive his point home. “I thought you of all people would
understand. Before you judge me and denounce me as your son, I want you to think
about what you would have done, had grandfather forced Mamá to marry
someone she did not want to. Would you think it was right to be loyal to her
family or to you?”
He moved to his mother,
troubled at the tears brimming in her eyes, “Mamá, thank you for your
understanding. I will visit tomorrow and we will talk some more. I love you.”
He finished by touching his lips to her forehead.
Lauralyn stared at her son’s
retreating back. She had never seen him like this before, so determined to get
his way. Could it be possible he was in love and did not even know it? Turning
to her husband she watched as he sank to his seat, evidence of Rafe’s words
imprinted on his face.
This was not good.
****
“How long are you going to
stay angry at me?” Alejandro Cavos asked of his wife.
Lauralyn sat at her night
table, carrying out her nightly rituals. Gently she stroked the brush through
her hair but she did not answer him.
“¿Laura, Amor? Will you please speak to me?” But Lauralyn Cavos was
more stubborn than any Latin man could be.
Rising from the large bed,
Alejandro came to where his wife sat, willing her to meet his eyes in the
mirror with his silence stance, but not Lauralyn. She had been married to this
man long enough to know just how to manipulate him.
“Amor, I am sorry for the way I reacted today. I should not
have shouted at you.” Yes there it was; the apology. But there was more to
come.
Sparing him a glance in the
mirror she went back to brushing her hair. Stroke, stroke, stroke.
“¡Dios! Laura, I admit it. I was wrong. I should not have
tried to force my wishes on our son. Now, will you please speak to me?”
Now, that
surely, something was wrong. I want you to understand this—I am fond of
Sarafina, but I cannot marry her. It will not be fair to her. No seria justo
para los dos.” he finished, waiting for his mother’s dramatic response.
She surprised him when she
came to him, taking him to her in a motherly hug. “Oh Raphael… Is it true? My
son is in love! Who is this girl? What is her name? When do I get to meet her ?¡Estas
enamorado, Hijo!” She stated proudly. Of course he was in love.
Rafe was aware of his father
still rooted to his seat. “¿Papá?”
“Do not address me as your papá. You have disgraced me, disgraced this family. I work with Richard Hathaway. How
am I supposed to tell him that my son dumped his daughter three weeks before
their wedding for some strumpet he met on vacation?”
“Alejandro…” Lauralyn warned.
Her husband’s tone was promising impending trouble.
“Be quiet, woman. You may be
some romantic fool, but I am not. This has nothing to do with love. It is about
Raphael not living up to his responsibilities. He wants to continue this
senseless life—chasing skirts.” Alejandro almost never spoke to his wife this
way. Later there would be time for apologies but right now he was furious.
“She is not some strumpet,
and I did not end things with Sarafina because of Dahlia…”
“Silence!” His father slammed
his fist on the table, rattling its contents. “I will have none of this
nonsense. You will marry Sarafina and we will not discuss this any further.”
His father’s words pierced the stifling air.
“No Papá, I will not
marry Sarafina. You will not tell me what to do. I have made my decision.” Rafe
defended himself against his father’s onslaught of demanding words.
The Cavos men stood face to
face now, each challenging the other. Rafe determined to stand firm to his
decision; Alejandro to prove his point. But it was Rafe that had the last word.
“You know, Papá, I never realized how much like grandfather you are.”
His hurtful words rattled his father’s defenses causing Alejandro to recoil as
if struck.
Rafe did not let up,
determined to drive his point home. “I thought you of all people would
understand. Before you judge me and denounce me as your son, I want you to think
about what you would have done, had grandfather forced Mamá to marry
someone she did not want to. Would you think it was right to be loyal to her
family or to you?”
He moved to his mother,
troubled at the tears brimming in her eyes, “Mamá, thank you for your
understanding. I will visit tomorrow and we will talk some more. I love you.”
He finished by touching his lips to her forehead.
Lauralyn stared at her son’s
retreating back. She had never seen him like this before, so determined to get
his way. Could it be possible he was in love and did not even know it? Turning
to her husband she watched as he sank to his seat, evidence of Rafe’s words
imprinted on his face.
This was not good.
****
“How long are you going to
stay angry at me?” Alejandro Cavos asked of his wife.
Lauralyn sat at her night
table, carrying out her nightly rituals. Gently she stroked the brush through
her hair but she did not answer him.
“¿Laura, Amor? Will you please speak to me?” But Lauralyn Cavos was
more stubborn than any Latin man could be.
Rising from the large bed,
Alejandro came to where his wife sat, willing her to meet his eyes in the
mirror with his silence stance, but not Lauralyn. She had been married to this
man long enough to know just how to manipulate him.
“Amor, I am sorry for the way I reacted today. I should not
have shouted at you.” Yes there it was; the apology. But there was more to
come.
Sparing him a glance in the
mirror she went back to brushing her hair. Stroke, stroke, stroke.
“¡Dios! Laura, I admit it. I was wrong. I should not have
tried to force my wishes on our son. Now, will you please speak to me?”
Now, that
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