The Ultimate Havana by John Lantigua

Author:John Lantigua
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Arte Público Press
Published: 2022-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Victoria and Esther weren’t alone when Willie walked up. Several people were waiting to greet them. The Espada ladies were, after all, cigar aristocracy. Willie watched as they solemnly accepted one visitor after another. Finally, Willie’s turn arrived and be stood before them, a humble retainer.

“I didn’t know you ladies were coming tonight.”

It was Victoria Espada who answered. “We didn’t plan to be here either, until an hour before it started. Mr. Cooler convinced us to join him. He said many of Cesar Mendoza’s friends would be here to pay him tribute and we wanted to be here as well. He was very loyal to us.” The implication was that others had not been.

The circles under Victoria Espada’s eyes were darker than they had been. She looked like she’d spent a rough night after hearing of Cesar’s death.

“I tried to reach you today.”

She shook her bead. “Cesar had a very old aunt who we have known all our lives. We have been with her all day planning the funeral and consoling her. We know what it is to have the fates turn against you, to lose someone suddenly.”

“Had you spoken to Cesar since I saw you?”

She shook her head. “Neither of us had heard from him. If I had, I would have told him to be careful.”

Willie studied her. “Why would that be? What did Cesar have to fear?”

“When people begin to disappear who have never disappeared, Mr. Cuesta. When strange women you have never seen or heard of before and who cannot possibly have anything to do with your family suddenly appear in your life, then the world is following different laws than it did before. One has to worry.” The strange woman to whom she referred had to be Dinah.

“I understand.”

Both the women were distracted momentarily as another Tobacco Girl walked by, this one dressed only in a thong and two discreetly placed cigar bands. Victoria Espada’s eyes followed her with a look of high censure. What Willie was witnessing was the clash of two different female icons of cigar history. Very different.

They watched until the woman disappeared into the crowd and Victoria turned back to Willie. “Have you had any more word of my son?”

“No, señora. Nothing yet.”

She shook her head. “I thought, after what happened to Cesar, that he would come here out of respect for an old friend. But possibly he has no respect for anyone anymore.”

The pain she had expressed at their first meeting had turned into bitterness. Perhaps she heard that in her own voice and didn’t like it. She looked up at Willie.

“Why don’t you dance with my daughter? Maybe it will raise her spirits.”

“My pleasure, señora.’’

He held a hand out to Esther Espada. She considered it a moment before she took it and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor.

The orchestra played an old bolero about a woman “who had in her heartbeat the rhythms of a song.” Esther Espada came into Willie’s arms and together they fell into that heartbeat.

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