Chapter Two: A Big Surprise

Conchetta's finger is all better. Zia, being the nurturing woman I fell in love with, washed it off with soap and bandaged it up in some clean cloth. We each (Zia, Tao, and me) each gave her a kiss and told her not to play by any more thorns, and she agreed. A week later we went back to church for another Mass, and Zia sternly warns, "Now, Miguel, I do not want any antics during the service. This is God's time."

"What antics, Mama?" Miguel asks innocently.

"Do you remember when Esteban swatted you for bringing in that frog last week and it scared nearly half the congregation to death?" asks Tao.

"Uncle Tao, I swear, I do not have any frogs," Miguel insists. Just then a lizard jumps out of his shirt! Zia screams.

"Miguel, what did your mother and I tell you?" I ask angrily.

"Sorry, Papa," Miguel says. "Please do not spank me!"

I think for a moment. "Very well, son, I won't spank you because the lizard never made it into the cathedral," I agree.

Miguel sighs with relief.

"You must help with chores around the house for a week, though," I add.

Miguel groans.

Later that week while we are all home and Miguel is helping clean up after dinner, there is a knock at the door. I answer it, and it is Mendoza. We are happy and delighted to see him! I embrace him tightly, and then he hugs Zia and Tao in turn and Zia scoops up Conchetta, I pick up Miguel, and then Zia and I introduce Mendoza to our children. He thinks they are just darling children and hugs each one of them.

"Come on in," I tell him.

"Just a moment," Mendoza says. "Now, I have some big news that you probably weren't expecting or were unprepared for--I got married six months ago."

"That is wonderful, Mendoza!" Zia exclaims. "We are so happy for you!"

Mendoza winces. "My wife is here with me." He seems unusually hesitant about us meeting her. "Uh, dear, come over and say hello to the children."

When she comes over, we are surprised and perturbed to find out that Mendoza has married Marinche! She is an Aztec woman, and last time we saw her she was quite a treacherous woman. She captured us a few times when we were young and plotted to kill us. I hold Miguel tightly to me, and Zia does the same with Conchetta.

Marinche smiles. "My, Esteban, Zia, and Tao, how much you have grown!" she exclaims.

"All humans grow, Marinche," I snarl. "That's how God made us, you know."

Marinche clears her throat. "I don't blame you for feeling uncomfortable with me. I am so sorry for so many of the things I did to you, but Mendoza has really changed me. If it weren't for him, I would not be alive. You see, the doctor was killed by the Olmecs who were attacking the cities of gold, and they knew my people wanted the cities, and they threatened to kill us if we did not surrender and let them have it. But Mendoza saved us all. Never have I seen a man who cared that much for anyone. Mendoza is so different," she says. "It made me want to love people, too."

"Do you swear you are not pretending to have changed?" Tao asks warily.

Marinche smiles sweetly. "Tao, darling, you have nothing to fear. You have been with Mendoza long enough to know he can be trusted. If I was the woman I was years before, he never would have married me."

Mendoza sees we are still not convinced. "It is true. Marinche has a sweet side none of us had ever seen before."

"Is it her left side or her right side?" Conchetta asks, confused.

Marinche giggles. "Esteban and Zia, I am happy for the both of you. Marriage is such a blessing--believe me, I know. And your children are adorable."

Conchetta smiles. "Thank you, Marinche."

"Darling, please call me Aunt Marinche."

Zia, Tao, and I are still skeptical that she really wants to be our friends. After all, she betrayed us before. What if she was planning to steal from the cities and somehow would use us? And if she used Miguel and Conchetta in her plot, that would be even worse. But we keep all our qualms inside of us.

"Where are Pedro and Sancho?" I ask.

"They are walking around the city," Mendoza replies. "They are excited to be back and surprised at how much has changed."

We all laugh about that, although because Marinche is here AND married to Mendoza, Zia, Tao, and I laugh a bit uneasily.