Blue Coyote Motel

by Dianne Harman

  Presently, they were working at a furious pace trying to get it out of the earth and out of the Amazon as fast as possible in order to take advantage of the spike in world gold prices. The mining, refining, and transporting of gold was a long, difficult process. The mines operated by Jorge and his father were massive open pits, hundreds of feet deep. The bottom of the pit, where the gold was located, was often flooded with four to six feet of polluted and sometimes toxic water. At any one time, hundreds of miners would be working in the pit, operating heavy equipment as well as hand tools.

  It was very dangerous work and accidents and even deaths were common occurrences. A lot of the gold from the mines was stolen by the miners. There were tales of the Brazilian natives, who made up the major part of the work force at the mines, trying to escape with the gold by swimming across the river. The river was home to both crocodiles and swarms of piranhas, fierce flesh-eating fish that could reduce a full-sized man to nothing but bones in a matter of minutes. The rivers of the Amazon carried many dangers.

  The local and national newspapers, constantly writing exposes about the poor working conditions at Ortega Mines, had not been kind to Jorge and his father. There also were stories about how the Ortegas were damaging the environment with reckless and harmful mining practices. These "attack pieces" in the press seemed to be never-ending. It had gotten to the point where Luisa just told people Jorge traveled a lot with his job. She never told them about the nature and extent of his business operations. She was tired of always having to defend his business. When Jorge returned to their home in Rio, after spending some time at the mines in the Amazon, he was drained and emotionally spent with the constant strain of dealing with the natives, the government, and the environmentalists, not to mention his father who could be a hard taskmaster. Traveling to California for a wedding was the last thing he wanted to do.

  After two long flights and no sleep, Jorge was exhausted. His mind kept churning. How was he going to be able to get the gold they needed for their investors out of the Amazon? He continued to think of the investors and his father and they were not happy thoughts. And now this, the long drive in the rental car. The drive to Laguna Beach would be nearly six hours and Jorge had not driven in a long, long time. He and Luisa had a driver in Rio and Luisa had never learned to drive.

  They took the shuttle bus to the rental car agency at Sky Harbor airport in Phoenix where Jorge showed them his international driver's license. The SUV seemed huge after the Ferrari his driver drove when he was in Rio. He took the wheel and began the long drive. The evening rush hour traffic only added to his exhaustion and stress.

  On the drive across the desert, Jorge continued to worry about the business. He was tense and filled with stress as he thought about how their house of cards could collapse. Even though the gold business was very lucrative, at the moment the financial affairs of the business were stretched pretty thin. Banks had begun to press Ortega & Ortega for payment and he was constantly worried that there would be some disaster in the mines or that the world financial markets would change and gold prices would collapse. The Ortegas had borrowed heavily in order to get the gold out of the mines. As he drove west towards California and the miles melted away behind him, Jorge thought he couldn't go on like this much longer. He knew he needed to find a way to distance himself from the problems associated with the mines. He made a vow that, somehow, he would find a way to deal with the tension he was constantly under.

  Like Jorge, Luisa was also dealing with stress in her life. But her kind of stress was much different. Hers was self-inflicted. Luisa's way of dealing with stress had developed into a nasty little habit. Between the bad press, dealing with the mining operations and Jorge’s stress, it seemed the only thing she had any control over these days was deciding what she would put in her mouth. Huge amounts of food soothed her. She started to gain weight, something she had fought all her life.

  When she had been younger and in college, a friend had told her that if you threw up what you ate, you could eat anything. She had dismissed the whole idea as nauseating, but recently, she had been so frustrated about her weight, she decided to try it. She soon discovered that her friend had been right. She could eat anything she wanted as long as she put her finger down her throat afterwards, causing her to throw up. An added bonus was that for the first time since she could remember, she didn't have to worry about her weight. Luisa knew what she was doing probably wasn't good for her body. She'd read enough about bulimia to know that it could have some adverse effects on the body and teeth if it was done for a long time, but she didn't plan on doing it that long.

  While Jorge worried about the gold mines, Luisa worried about how she could throw up on this trip without anyone finding out. She knew Jorge would not condone what she was doing, and she didn’t think anyone else would either. It was her little secret. She liked being able to eat anything she wanted. Binging and purging had become a constant way of life for her.

  As they drove west in the darkening night, Luisa thoughts turned to her sister and the upcoming wedding. Selena had traveled to the United States to attend college on the East Coast. While she was there, she met and fell in love with Jim Henderson. They both planned to attend law school at the University of Southern California.

  Selena visited Jim's family in Los Angeles and promptly fell in love with Southern California. The proximity to the ocean and the high energy and action-packed lifestyles of the Los Angeles residents reminded her of Rio. They finished law school together, passed the bar, and began making their wedding plans. Jim was to be the fourth generation to work at the family-owned law firm of Henderson and Henderson, which was opening a branch office in Orange County. He and Selena were going to work at the new branch. They decided to settle in Laguna Beach and rented a condominium on a bluff overlooking the ocean.

  An hour and a half after Jorge and Luisa left Sky Harbor airport, Jorge barely missed a car he was passing. He was beginning to take dangerous chances and Luisa was becoming concerned. She knew there was no way he was going to be able to make it all the way to Laguna Beach in his present sleep-deprived state. They needed to find a place to stop and spend the night.

  "Jorge, pull into that motel up there, the Blue Coyote. I just saw a sign. We're in the middle of nowhere and you can't make it to Laguna Beach. There may be nothing else for miles and miles. You can get some sleep and we'll drive to Laguna Beach tomorrow. We're fine on time, so stopping here won't delay our plans for the wedding festivities."

  Looking back, she wondered what their life would have been like if she hadn’t uttered those fateful words. She didn’t know that just sixty miles ahead of them, the sprawling resort cities of the Palm Springs area beckoned with every type of accommodation possible. Selena had planned the wedding with her careful thoroughness, but no one had anticipated the air controller's strike. Luisa had traveled with her mother to Southern California several times in the last year, helping Selena with the wedding details. She knew if they got in tomorrow, rather than tonight, it didn't matter. The rehearsal dinner was the day after tomorrow.

  "You're right. I am exhausted. A few hours of sleep will really help me."

  Jorge was always tired. He worked too hard and was under too much stress, none of which was helping their marriage or her chances of getting pregnant. It had been a long time since Jorge had even touched her. She loved him, but secretly she had begun to wonder if marrying him had been a mistake. They turned into the motel driveway, parked the car and entered the Office.

  "We need a room for the night. Do you have anything?" Jorge asked the lovely young brunette behind the desk.

  "I have one room left. You look like you could use some sleep. It's so quiet here, you'll be asleep in no time," the woman said. "Just fill out this registration form. I'll show you to your room and our refreshment area where you can get something to eat before you retire for the night."

  "This will be fine," Jorge said. "It's warm and the air-conditioner feels wonderful. Thank yo
u. I think we'll get something to eat and then some much needed sleep."

  Luisa didn't know what to do. Usually after she ate, she immediately went into the bathroom and threw up. For some strange reason, tonight, she didn't feel the need. Well, that's for the best, she thought. It would really be tricky in the bathroom with Jorge nearby.

  An hour later, they turned off the bedside lamp, surprisingly relaxed, and fell asleep instantly. The quiet humming and the coolness of the air-conditioner lulled them both into a deep, dreamless sleep.

  Later in the night, Luisa stirred, realizing that Jorge was drawing her to him. She felt the long-forgotten bulge against her buttocks. Eagerly, she turned to him. Their lovemaking began softly and slowly. It had been so long that she had forgotten how he felt against her and in her. Rio, the Amazon, the gold, bulimia, all of the problems fell away as they began the timeless dance of love, reaching a crashing crescendo together. Afterwards, they held each other, once again falling into a deep and dreamless sleep, the coolness of the air-conditioner blowing softly over their heated bodies.

  In the morning when Luisa awoke, she kept her eyes closed. She wanted this closeness, this feeling, to never end. As tired as they both had been, it had been a magical night. She knew that Jorge must feel the same way. She realized that the marriage had not been a mistake, that she really did love him. It was as simple as that. She vowed to be a better wife, to be more understanding about his business, to be more supportive and not add to his concerns.

  Jorge slowly woke up to the sun streaming into the room. He rolled over, pulling Luisa once more to him. He wondered why it had been so long since they had made love. He wanted her again, just as much as he had earlier. Her warmth filled him with joy. Afterwards, he promised himself he would be a better husband; he would put her above the demands of his business.

  "Luisa,” he began, "I'm so sorry for what I've put you through this last year. You're far more important to me than my business. I have to travel, yes; it is part of the business, but I have been taking everything out on you. I’m sorry and I promise you it won’t happen again. This morning, I feel like a changed man. I love you more than anything."

  They dressed, eager to continue their trip to Southern California and the wedding. They both felt better than they had in a long time. It was unspoken, but both knew that there had been some form of magic in their room. They were grateful to have had the night together.

  As they left their room, Luisa thought she could detect the faint smell of sandalwood. She was familiar with the scent from her years of yoga practice. Her teacher had often burned incense during the classes and sandalwood was her favorite scent. It brought back fond memories.

  CHAPTER 20

  Selena's wedding in Laguna Beach had been beautiful. Luisa and Jorge made the drive to Laguna Beach in plenty of time to help with the rehearsal dinner the following night. People kept telling them that they looked like the newlyweds and candidly, they felt that way.

  Although Luisa had visited the coastal region of Southern California on her past trips, it was Jorge's first visit. He immediately knew he wanted to live there and started thinking about how he could do it. He knew he needed a little space away from his father. The business of mining and exporting gold from Brazil was difficult at best. The demand for gold from their mines far exceeded the supply and there was constant pressure put on him by his father and the company's customers to produce more and more gold. The environmental agencies made it all the more difficult because of their incessant demands and lawsuits to stop all mining operations in the Amazon. Jorge's father expected him to be at the mines outwitting the environmental agencies, the natives, and the Brazilian government. It was no wonder he had been so tired when he left Brazil, but he didn't feel tired now. In fact, he felt the best he had felt in years.

  Making a spur of the moment and somewhat impulsive decision, Jorge decided he would adopt a work schedule that would allow him to be in Brazil for two weeks a month and then in California the following two weeks. It seemed to be a workable solution and it still gave Jorge some breathing room. He insisted that they buy a house right away. Although Luisa was surprised at Jorge’s sudden and seemingly impulsive decision to leave Rio and move to California, she readily agreed with his decision. Jorge's business, for all of its problems, had made him an unbelievably wealthy man; plus, he had inherited a great deal of money from his grandfather, an early discoverer of gold in Brazil. But if Jorge couldn’t find the time to enjoy any of it, what was the point of being wealthy? Luisa and Jorge knew they could easily afford to make the move to California.

  He and Luisa began looking for a home on the coast. They looked from Long Beach to Dana Point. Jorge wanted to live on the water and have a boat. The house had to be large enough to accommodate the many visitors they knew would be visiting from Brazil. Jorge and Luisa were from large families and there would be a never-ending stream of houseguests. They would be living near Disneyland and everyone wanted to see where Mickey Mouse lived.

  They found the perfect house on the water in the Huntington Harbor area of Huntington Beach. There was a separate guest wing with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, a large "great room," and a full size kitchen. The main part of the house had four bedrooms and six bathrooms. The sixty-foot boat dock sealed the deal. The bedrooms were upstairs with harbor views as well as views of their swimming pool. The kitchen was a chef's dream with two ovens, two refrigerators, a center island with a range and sink, and a walk-in pantry for storage. It was everything that Luisa or their cook would ever want.

  By a lucky turn of fate, the present owners were moving to Northern California and preparing to lay off their maid and cook. Jorge and Luisa hired them and were quite pleased with the house, boat slip, and the built-in services of a maid and cook.

  The house had been on the market for a long time. The owners were anxious to sell and readily agreed to a thirty-day escrow. Jorge and Luisa made arrangements to fly back to Rio to put their affairs in order and decide what personal items needed to be shipped to California. Jorge opted to keep the Rio condominium, as he needed somewhere to stay when he was there. They couldn't wait to get settled in their new home. They both had learned English in school, but an English tutor was going to be pretty high on the priority list when they got settled.

  A couple of weeks after she returned to Rio to put their affairs in order and get ready for the move to Southern California, Luisa woke up one morning with an upset stomach. Luz, her maid, brought Luisa her usual breakfast of fresh fruit, lightly buttered toast and coffee. Luisa took one look at it and promptly went in the bathroom and threw up. She wracked her brain trying to remember what she had eaten for dinner the previous night. She recalled that she'd eaten grilled flank steak, salad, and steamed vegetables. Nothing strange there, she thought. It's pretty much what I always have when I'm at home.

  Some would call Luisa voluptuous, but she simply thought of herself as being round, like her father, Diego, with a tendency to gain weight. Luisa was terrified of ever returning to her bulimia and purging days. She had easily given them up after her stay at the Blue Coyote Motel, but she never wanted to binge and purge again. Overall, her life was almost idyllic and she had no desire to go back to her former bulimic habit. She was almost neurotic when it came to eating and watching her weight. Very little food ever passed her lips unless it had some redeeming quality. No, it couldn't be last night's dinner. Maybe I'm getting the flu, she thought as she got back in bed. She told Luz to wake her in a couple of hours, glad that Jorge was deep in the Amazon so she couldn't expose him to whatever it was she was getting. He was exposed to enough dangers in the Amazon and he didn't need her adding to his problems.

  Luisa slept fitfully for a couple of hours, waking up when her maid quietly entered her room. Suddenly she was ravenous. She said, "Luz, please, I'm starving. Make me some torresmo from the beef last night; bring me a big glass of milk and hurry!"

  She spent the rest of the day tying up loose ends in prepar
ation for the move. Late in the afternoon, she suddenly remembered that she had promised her parents she would join them at their home for dinner that night and she knew she'd better hurry if she was going to make it on time.

  "Welcome, darling," her mother, Juanita, said, "Come in. I have some exciting news for you. At least I hope it's exciting for you!" Juanita was beautiful in a mature way. Tall and slender with silver hair pulled up into a bun, she was the picture of moneyed elegance. Diamond earrings and a diamond and gold necklace highlighted her bronze complexion.

  Luisa's father, Diego, was as round as his wife was slender. His skin was ruddy and his hair was still as black as it had been when he was a small boy. They were an odd pair. Luisa's mother was often featured on the society and fashion pages of Brazilian magazines and newspapers, while her father looked like he should be working on the docks. Not only were they total opposites in their looks, their backgrounds had been just as opposite.

  Juanita's family had been among the early settlers in Rio with a great deal of wealth and social status. Diego came from a family of dockworkers, just scraping by to put food on the table. He had made it out of the slums of Rio, going to the local university and then to law school. He began representing the unions and their injured workers, particularly those who had been hurt while working on the docks. The law firm he had founded had done extremely well, now employing well over seventy-five lawyers. As it grew, it expanded far beyond the docks to white-collar crimes and divorces, which had become rampant in Brazil. Diego worshipped Juanita. He still couldn't believe she was his wife, even after all these years. It may have been a marriage of opposites, but it worked very well for them.