Blood in the Valencian Soil (Secrets of Spain) (43 page)

“What’s going on over here?” Cayetano
said as he approached the pair. “I hear laughing, that has to be good.”

“It is good; it’s all your expense,” Paco said, and he and Luna laughed again.

“Touching, preciosa,” he said to Luna and slipped an arm around her. “Have I lost you already?”

“She’s a woman, Cayetano,” Paco chastised him. “You can’t control them, never could, never will.”

Luna chuckled as Paco left the pair. “At least Paco doesn’t hate me for all the secrets I have dug up.”

“He discovered who his real father was, and now the guy is dead. He’s hurting, but just won’t admit it.”

“Aren’t we all? This isn’t how it was meant to end. Alejandro murdered Cayetano, and now I have his body, and also Sofía’s body, hidden where I want to raise my kids.”

“Leave them there. Let them rest. We have the rest of our own lives to live.”

Luna watched her sons play with two little girls, Cayetano’s cousin Eduardo’s daughters. “I guess the boys would have cousins when we get married.”

“Surrogate cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents, as well as a father… and perhaps brothers and sisters…”

“I mention it once and already you are taking it as gospel. I said I wasn’t ready for more kids.”

“Is there something wrong with wanting to be happy?”

“No. You’re not alone in wanting to be happy.”

“It’s all on your own terms,
la chispa. I said I won’t be a replacement for your family, or husband, but something new instead, and I meant it. I will only adopt the boys if you want me to, but I won’t push for it. And we can marry and adjust to a new life in your own time. I can wait, I’m happy.”

“Thank you. I’m ready to marry you, by the way. It
also has to be on your terms.”

“Good, because Mamá already asked me about when the wedding will be.”

Luna rolled her eyes with a smile. “Let me guess, they have already picked the date, dress and venue?”

“Yeah… yeah, that’s true.”

“Grandiose wedding in Madrid, early summer time before the three months of hell starts?”

“Of course, no one wants to sweat
through a wedding in a Madrid summer. But maybe... you and I can change the plan a little?”

“How?”

“What if you and I, and Giacomo and Enzo, go to Cuenca and get married? Right in the middle of Madrid and Valencia, where the story between our families started? We can marry where the first Luna and Cayetano would have gotten married given the chance, 70 years after they missed out on happiness. Just the four of us.”

“You don’t need to shut everyone out.”

“But I do need to make you happy.”

“I am happy. So happy that I barely recognise myself.”

“I will be glad to take the credit.” When he kissed her, she forgot that she was in a house full of people she didn’t know. They faded into the background.

“Give it a rest,” Cayetano’s cousin
Hector called from across the room. “Children are present.”

“They kiss all the time,” Giacomo said from his spot on the floor with a wooden train set.

“It’s true, they do,” Enzo agreed. “And then Cayetano goes all silly.”

Cayetano shook his head while the group laughed at him. “Mock me if you like,” he said over the top of them all. “I’m taking a momentous step forward with my life with Luna, Giacomo and Enzo. It’s a joy to feel so convinced in my belief that I’m on the right path with my life. Our whole family, and even all of Spain, could learn from us. If you shake off the ghosts that weigh you down, extraordinary things can happen. Core values and traditio
ns can be held onto, without needing to hold on to the bitterness that comes with bad or even gruesome experiences. The future doesn’t have to hold worry or fear. No person, no belief, no sickness, no pain can break the bond between Luna and I.”

Luna gave him another kiss. This time no one teased, because he spoke all truthful words and everyone knew it. Here in front of everyone
that mattered in Cayetano’s life, Luna couldn’t have felt any more comfort than what he provided. All she had to do was return the favour for a lifetime, which didn’t seem like a big task at all.

45

Valencia, España ~ febrero de 2010

Escondrijo
hadn’t yet been handed over to Luna, and no doubt that would be another long-winded bureaucratic process. But it didn’t stop her from wanting to spend time there, as cold as the snowy winter was up on the mountain.

Luna and Caye
tano walked around the property; their boots crunched the latest dusting of snow that covered the surroundings of the masía. The children ran just ahead, which shattered the peace that the place provided. Cayetano was due to fight in the Valencia’s bullring at the end of Las Fallas, the city premier fiesta in March, and time to relax up on the mountain was called for before life became crazy again.

“Preciosa,
I don’t want to be negative about Escondrijo...”

“Don’t then,” she said with a smile while they wandered the property together, the kids just ahead of them.

“I mean, this place is a mess. I can’t imagine what you’re going to do with it. It’s steep and rocky, and overgrown.”

“But you have Rebelión, and it’s flat and pristine for breeding animals. This is a totally different environment. I will grow a few things, raise a few goats, and take it easy up here. It’s not a large operation.”

“Then why have all this space?”

“Because I can.”

“Oh, I see, queen of all she surveys.”

“I wish.” The pair s
topped; before them was a drop down the rocky mountainside. The kids had dashed off behind them to run around some pines nearby, their giggling echoed back towards their parents. Luna looked out across the enormous view, the flatlands of the Turia that lead to Valencia city in the distance, along with Albufera lake and the glistening Mediterranean.

“What are you thinking about?”
Cayetano asked.

“About whether I correctly set up
Darren’s seat post torque setting when I tuned his bike for today’s ride.”

“Will he fall off if you didn’t?”

“No.”

“Pity.”

Luna scoffed. “Not particularly nice. I know you and Darren don’t get on, but you will need to learn. Besides, Fabrizio fell off his bike and it killed him, so please don’t wish that.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay. It doesn’t bother me. Watching you trying to be stabbed by a bull again bothers me. All those months of pain…”

“My leg wasn’t that sore. My pride hurt the most. It felt better when I was in favour with you and in pain when you were gone. Most of the pain was in my head.”

“Most of the bull’s horn was in your thigh.”

“You have watched me practice, you know it’s
safe enough.”

“Yeah, I do. I can watch you stand there and satisfy the bloodlust of others.”

“Bullfighting is like dancing the tango. It is a collection of human emotions – passion, love, anger, jealousy, happiness… all illuminated distinctly in the performance.”

“I don’t need the
‘I love bullfighting’ speech, Caya. I get it,” she smiled. She turned to check the children, and then focused back on him. “I enjoy watching you practice at Rebelión.”

“I’m telling you… passion, love, anger, jealousy, happiness… you can’t resist me when I’m performing. It builds up a fire of lust and desire in you.”

“Confident much?”

“Hey, I get more women’s
underwear given to me per season than I get ears awarded to me.”

“Maybe that says something about your efforts.”

“Are you saying I’m not the greatest fighter in this great land?” He tried to sound offended as he gestured out at Spain laid before them, but she didn’t fall for it. “Are you saying you feel nothing when I’m performing?”

“Oh, I’m hot
of you,” she said quietly. “I just keep a lid on it. Besides, if you want my underwear, do my laundry for me.”

“I
can think of more fun ways to get them.”

“Well, now you don’t have your cane to walk on. That was hot. But you always impress me.”

“One day, when I’m old, I promise to wander around Escondrijo with a cane, just to get you all worked up.”

“Promise?”

“I promise. I’m not going anywhere.”

“You’re as bound to Escondrijo as I am.”

Cayetano nodded and looked out over the view again. “I guess I am. Our families rest here in the soil.”

“Your weird grandfather, José, must love that.”

“The man whose job it was to round up ‘enemies of the State?’ He loves hearing stories about rojos who were killed.”

“That guy makes me uncomfortable. Your father said we would adjust, like he is adjusting to all this, but… I spent all this time wanting to find my grandfather, and in turn exposed something very sickening about your family.”

“I know. Yet I feel compelled to know more about what José did during that part of his life. It’s like watching a train wreck, I can’t help myself.”

“I guess it’s a part of this story that isn’t finished yet. Like my involvement with the Medina family. Do I let that go, or get to know them, María included?”

“There is plenty of time for us to figure all this out. For now, we can worry about happier things. One day, the house will be finished for us to live in, and we can settle here, instead of going back and forward between Valencia and Madrid, if that’s what you want.”

“It is, but only if you agree.”

“I don’t care where I live. I won’t be Spain’s best torero forever, my life is flexible. Plus, I’m not sure I want to be part of the Morales family business anymore.”

“It’s the Beltrán family business, too. Don’t make any hasty decisions. You need to be flexible.”

“Are you going to be flexible? Maybe we could live in Madrid, and just travel out here now and then.”

“I don’t know… I would have to give up work for that. H
ow flexible do you want me to be?”

“I like where this is going! I thought you said only one of your legs over my shoulder at a time in bed… are you suggesting both legs now?”

Luna threw him a look, and he smirked. “I meant a bigger family.”

“Now my interest has peaked.”

“Before or after you imagined me ‘flexible’ one sexual way or another?”

“Are you pregnant?”

“We aren’t married yet.”

“Marriage doesn’t get you pregnant. Nor can a sterile
torero.”

“Maybe he can.”

“Really?”

“Maybe. Might b
e worth checking.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?
You’re pregnant?”

“I’m telling you now. I’m not s
ure yet. But I really hope I’m not.”

“Mummy!” Giacomo said. “Mummy, come and look at this! We found bones!”

“Good. Interrupted by the ‘let’s poke dead stuff with a stick’. My favourite game,” she teased as they headed in the boys’ direction.

“I think the boys are getting more Spanish by the day, they love bloody stories, and now they love death in general. One day it will be girls they love…”

“You talk crap sometimes.”

“You love it.”

“No, I only love you.”

“Look, Mummy,” Enzo said when the pair reached the childr
en. “We were stomping in the snow, and the bones are sticking out.”

“Are you sure they aren’t just bits of branches off the trees?”

“Luna…”

She looked in the
direction Cayetano pointed; a human skull.

“Mummy, why are there dead people at our new house?” Giacomo asked. “Skeletons are scary.”

“Why can’t they be put in boxes when they die?” Enzo asked. “There’s another one over there.”

Cayetano went over to where Enzo directed, and sure enough, there was a
damaged skull, and other bits of bone scattered around. They must have been washed to the surface by the recent unusually heavy rain before the snow had set in.

“Come on, boys, it’s not a good idea for you to be here,” Luna said.

“Are they real, Mummy?” Giacomo asked.

“No, honey.” Luna was prepared to lie to save them a life of
therapy after discovering bodies on their own farm.

“We need to… something…” Cayetano said with a frown. “Let’s not jump to conclusions.”

“Other properties out here have fosas from the war.”

“Wait, we are jumping to the conclu
sion that this is a burial pit?”

“Who knows, maybe they are victims of
evil people like José Morales.”

“Do we want to know?” Cayetano knew he had no choice but find out.

“Clearly the story of what happened out here still isn’t finished.”

To be continued…