Part five - Pietro and Valencia

Valencia held her head in her hands, tears falling from her eyes.  Her Mother moved close and put her arms around her daughter.  "Don't worry, I will help you my daughter.  We will make Pietro do the right thing and we will make your Father accept Pietro."
Valencia stopped crying and looked up at her Mother, moving out of her Mother's embrace.  "No, Mother, we will not 'make' Pietro or my Father do anything.  If......if I am pregnant with Pietro's child, he will not need to be made to do the right thing.  He loves me.  And Mother?  I will speak to my Father with Pietro, if it is necessary.  I do not want you to do it.  This is my doing and I will handle it in my own way.  Promise me you will honor my wishes?"
Valencia's Mother looked deeply into her young daughters eyes.  She saw a maturity that she had not noticed before.  It tugged at her heart that her child was pulling away from her, but she knew it was right.  She nodded her head yes.  "I will do what you ask, Valencia.  I am proud of you, you have grown up to be a good woman."
"Thank you, Mother.  Who I am is who you taught me to be.  Now, I must go and try to find Pietro and tell him what 'may' be happening.  We will work it out together."  Valencia turned and left the room.  Her Mother stayed for a moment and looked around the room her daughter had lived in most of her life.  It had a few remnants of childhood, but mostly it looked like a woman's room, few frills, but very feminine.  Finally, she left the room and returned to the kitchen, her days work just beginning.
Valencia walked across the village to Pietros small rooms.  She had stayed away from them because she didn't feel it would look right, but now, that didn't seem to matter.  The closer she got the more her heart beat quickened.  Tiny beads of sweat formed between her breasts and her thighs.  The thought of being in Pietros rooms alone with him began to stir longings in her body.  Her nipples stood out against the fabric of her dress,  rubbing as she walked made them tingle.  Her belly tightened and she knew she would be wet, down below, down where her secret place was.  She laughed.  It was no longer a secret she guessed.  Pietro certainly knew about it.  These thoughts made her feel even more eager to see her lover.  She blushed knowing what would happen if Pietro was home.  A few minutes later she knocked on his door.  No one answered. She knocked again.  The excitement she had been feeling was slipping away.  Where could he be?  One last time she knocked, this time very loudly.  She heard Pietro calling, "just a minute."  She waited feeling relaxed and anxious at the same time.
Finally, Pietro opened the door.  "Valencia?"  He asked.  "Why are you here?"
Valencia pushed past him into the small room.  "I need to talk to you Pietro, it's important and you haven't been at the restaurant the last two nights.  Where were you?"
Pietro ran his hand through his wet hair, he had been in the shower.  Valencia looked beautiful.  He didn't want to talk to her, he wanted to hold her and kiss her and touch the parts of her that made her moan.  "I need to talk to you too."  He said, ignoring her question about his whereabouts.  He took Valencia's hand and led her to his bed-couch,  he sat down pulling Valencia with him.
He leaned toward her and took her chin in his hand.  He looked into her eyes and smiled.  He was filled with desire.   He took a deep breath and tried to stop his feelings, he did really need to talk to her.
Valencia looked at Pietro.  Her heart welled with love for the handsome young man.   She could smell the soapy cleanness of his freshly washed skin and hair.  All the tingling and tightness in her body begged to be answered with his touch, but Valencia was determined to talk.  At least....talk first.
"Pietro, I",  Valencia hesitated.  She knew Pietro loved her, but how would he react to her news.
"Valencia,"  Pietro began.  "I....have talked to the coyote."  There, it was out.  He waited for her reaction.
"Oh, madre dios."  She moaned.  "Why Pietro?  Why would you want to leave me?  You said you loved me, we.....we made love.  I don't understand."
"I do love you.  I love you so much that I need to go to the U.S. so I can earn enough money that your Father will have respect for me and we can get married.  Valencia, I do not want to live my life without you, I want you by my side as we grow old."  Pietro stopped talking.
"I am happy you say you love me.  Oh, Pietro, I love you so much my heart aches every minute I am without you.  But, for you to go away, no Pietro that cannot be the answer.  Besides......I.........a.....I'm late.   My.....flow has not come as it should have.  It is possible your baby is growing inside me right now.  You can't leave me.  Please tell me that you will be with me through this.  I need you."  Valencia stopped and stared into Pietro's eyes.  Her heart beat heavy in her chest, her throat dry, yet her hands felt slick with perspiration.
"Valencia, I love you.  If.....if  you are carrying our child we will handle it together.  I would never leave you to face such a thing alone, besides,  a baby, our baby............    When will you know for sure?"
Many thoughts were swirling around in Pietro's head.  What would he do now?  How could he make enough money to support Valencia AND a baby?
"Soon, Pietro.  If my flow does not come soon...... I will go to the doctor in the city, I couldn't go to the doctor here...."
Valencia leaned into Pietro's arms, he held her tightly.  She felt safe there.  She would stay in his arms forever if she could.  She put her cheek on Pietro's chest.  She could feel his heart beating.  Gently,  slowly, Pietro pulled Valencia down until they were laying on the bed.  His arms tightened and every part of her became alive with need.  His lips kissed hers, then moved to her neck.  He pushed her dress off one shoulder and kissed the soft skin.  She felt his need pressing against her.  Soon, they would join.  All thoughts of a baby were pushed from her mind, pushed by the desire, the need for more touches.
Pietro could hardly stand to wait, he wanted her so, but he held back, touching, rubbing, coaxing her body to the place where her eyes went wild and her moans grew loud.  Where she strained against him asking for more.
Later, as they held each other, their breathing calming and Valencia's eyes shutting with sleep,  Pietro thought about how their life would change if Valencia was pregnant.  He was afraid.  He would go to the church and pray for an answer,  for a sign that would tell him what he should do.  He wasn't sure he believed in the church, too many bad things had happened in his life, but he would try.  He would try anything.  A frown grew on his forehead.  He wondered if the coyote would be mad, if he would find Pietro and demand at least a partial payment.  Pietro put the thought out of his head.  He could control nothing in his life right now.  That would have to change.  Many things would have to change.  He hoped the answers would come soon.  He held Valencia tighter.  No matter what happened, his love for this beautiful girl would not change.  Maybe,  maybe, he thought, both he and Valencia should see the coyote.  Maybe both of them should head north.  Too many questions.  His eyes grew heavy and sleep captured Pietro.  At least for a little while, his problems would go away.
Click to go to part six.