Daughters of the Stone by Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa

Author:Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780312539269
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

• • •

At night, the house that holds an active child settles into an unaccustomed silence. Things that are held at bay during the day crystallize, their edges becoming sharper. Concha joined Mati on the balcón after Elena had gone to bed. She sat opposite her mother in a straight-back, unpadded rocker.

“Mamá, I need to talk to you for a minute.”

“Claro, hija. What’s on your mind?”

“Mira, Mamá.” Concha had trouble starting. “It’s just that . . . I wish you wouldn’t fill Elena’s head with those stories. She really believes those old wives’ tales and she’s been having nightmares.”

Mati looked up from her work, puzzled. “Nightmares? La nena has nightmares? Since when?” She studied Concha. The light played shadows in her face but Mati searched for truth there. “Elena’s life is too full to have space for nightmares.” She looked knowingly at her daughter. “Nightmares are for people who refuse to listen to their hearts. People who have lost their way, who are hollow. Fear slips into those hollow places. It is the very emptiness that draws the fear.”

Concha ignored her mother’s insinuations. She didn’t want a scene, but . . . taking a deep breath, she continued. “She doesn’t need to hear all that stuff about magic stones and fairy godmothers. You can keep all that nonsense to yourself.”

“¿Cómo fue eso?” Mati’s eyes flashed. “I think you’re forgetting who you’re talking to.” Mati’s voice was taut, ready to spring.

Concha bit her lip and looked away from her mother, continuing what she had to say. “Mamá, I’ve asked you before to stop telling her these stories.”

“I only speak the truth. The truth you never wanted to know about. Elena loves the stories. Maybe you’d do better if you listened to some of them yourself. Your daughter soaks up what you have pushed away.”

“What I pushed away?” Concha’s control was slipping away from her, her voice getting louder. “Look who’s talking about pushing people away.” She stood up and pointed her accusing finger at Mati, who was still seated. “When did you ever make time for me? You were always so busy with your plants and your patients with their stupid little problems. No, if anyone here has done the pushing away it’s been you, not me!”

Mati pulled her weight out of her chair and stretched to her full stature, standing face-to-face with her daughter.

“So it finally comes out. All these years of hard faces and stiff necks and silent accusations. You finally found the words for it. After all this time of you locking yourself away from me—”

“Me? I only locked myself away after you locked me out.” Concha’s voice was taking flight, rising above the safety zone. “You know what, Mamá, let’s leave it alone. There’s no point to this. Let’s forget the whole thing.” Concha started turning away when her mother’s hand shot out. Mati’s fingers closed around Concha’s arm like a vise, forcing the younger woman to stay.

Mati fired back. “How many times did I try to break through your silences? How many ways did I try to get beyond your walls? Year after year .

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