Part Four-Meeting with Coyote

“Help? Si, Hombre, I can help even a dog like you, if you have the money.”

Then he corrected himself, after all this dog is a customer and with the downturn in the Norte there are fewer wetbacks to collect his fee from; he will sweet talk the stinking beaner.”

“Are you ready to go amigo?”

Pietro said quietly, “Yes, I am ready to go, it is my future.”

“And you have the money?”

“How much?” asked Pietro.

The coyote shrugged. “For these days, with the increased boarder patrol, two thousand dollars and I will get you across to the land of milk and honey and opportunity. Can you pay?”

Pietro was silent, two thousand dollars was more than he had.

“Si, Senor, I can pay you two thousand dollars. When can I go?”

The coyote’s patience went only far. He saw the hesitation in the wetback’s face, he knew the man did not have the money. He slammed his palm on the table and half rising from his chair he yelled into Pietro’s face, “Look Wetback, you bring me two thousand dollars cash and then we’ll talk about ‘when’.”

They stared at each other for a few seconds and then the sat back down.

“Never mind amigo, I can do it for you, just get your money first”. He looked at his half empty glass of cervesa and he took a deep breath.

“Look amigo, it is tough to get to the US now, but I can do it for you, just get your money, OK?”

Pietro answered, “No problemo, senior, I will come back to you soon.” This was more than his head was happy with, but he had to say it, his heart forced him…he’d find the money somehow.”

Pietro turned and strode out of the bar wondering how much his pickup was worth.

Valencia looked at the calendar on her wall with the picture of the virgin. It was marked with red for five days 25 days ago. The virgin seemed to look with disapproval. Her flow had not come.

Well, she was no virgin and that was it. Now she had to face the music.

Valencia decided she must talk to Pietro; maybe she was just late, but maybe not, maybe Pietro’s baby was inside of her. They would marry. She would explain to her father that Pietro was a good man and that he would… She stopped. Pietro would what?

Valencia had no idea what Pietro would do or say, not just if she told him she might be pregnant but what could he do to provide for them. Would he even agree to marry her?

Valencia knew that together she and Pietro could make it but she did not know if Pietro knew this. She would discuss it with him but he had not been at the bar the last two nights. She had to find Pietro; where was he?

Valencia slipped the cotton dress over her slender shoulders and she resolved to find Pietro this day.

As Valencia turned to go she came face to face with her mother. How long had she been standing there?

They stood there looking into each other’s eyes. Finally Valencia’s mother spoke.

“We must speak to the padre my daughter, and then your father.”

Valencia felt like her world was collapsing around her, she was rapidly losing control of what was happening; she sank back on the bed and put her face into her two hands and sobbed, “Mother, what can I do?”

Part five