Sweet Fifteen by Diane Gonzales Bertrand

Author:Diane Gonzales Bertrand
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Arte Público Press
Published: 1996-07-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Rita quietly closed the front door of Abuelita’s house. She carefully locked it then turned around. She gasped, her heart hip-hopping against her chest.

Abuelita sat in the wooden rocking chair, her black eyes leveled at Rita. One long silver braid hung over her shoulder. She wore a new-looking red cotton robe tied around her long white night gown.

“Don’t be scared. It’s only Abuelita,” the old woman said in the same soothing tones Rita heard many times late at night when Rita would hear something in the darkness and cry out, “Who’s there?”

Rita pressed her hand against her heart as if to silence its pounding. “I wasn’t expecting you to be sitting there, that’s all.

Her great-grandmother shrugged. “I couldn’t sleep.”

Guilt made her stomach tighten. Abuelita had often said she couldn’t sleep until she knew Rita was safe in her bed. Whenever she went out, she always tried to get home early, but tonight, her thoughts were on Iris and Stefanie.

“I’m sorry, Abuelita. I lost track of time. I didn’t mean to make you worry, or stay up so late.” She started unbuttoning her blue coat. “How’s Uncle Mike and Aunt Hallie?”

“Aaah! I can’t sleep because of them.”

“Is something wrong at their house?”

“No. Just this house.” Abuelita gestured as if she was talking about the living room. “I’m leaving you an empty building.”

Rita’s eyes followed Abuelita’s arm, over the furniture she loved as well as the boxes stacked around the room. “These are all your things, Abuelita. If you want to give them away, it’s okay. Really. Better you go through and give away than me. How would I know who should get what?”

“This is your home, what’s outside, what’s inside. I shouldn’t give things away. They only want more.”

Tossing her coat on the sofa, Rita went to kneel on the gold rug under the rocking chair. She looked up at her great-grandmother. “Nothing in this house matters. Just you, Abuelita. I wish you could just send your things to Brownsville and you remain here.”

The old woman’s fingers sifted through Rita’s hair. Each one dwelled in silence and private thoughts.

Rita remembered her mother arguing with other family members over her father’s things when he died. She never wanted any part of that bitter anger and hurt feelings. She’d rather live in an empty building than have a flock of vultures fighting over things after Abuelita died. Her greatest fear was that the family would know how much of Abuelita’s money had been invested in Rita’s business before she repaid the loan completely.

She wrapped her fingers around the spindle arm of the rocking chair. She should tell Abuelita about Bea and the money. But it wouldn’t help Abuelita’s sleeplessness. That’s for sure.

Her lips trembled as she said, “I love you, Abuelita. I’m going to miss you, the way we talk like this. What will I do?”

Her great-grandmother tilted her head to stare directly into Rita’s eyes. “You will whisper good night to Brian, no?”

Rita gave no reply to that statement. “It’s late, Abuelita.

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