A Lasting Love

by Mary Tate Engels

  "Please explain to Emmaline why I can't keep it," Loren whispered through a growing lump in her own throat.

  Silvie hugged her again and waved as they climbed into Reid's truck along with the load of valuable Navajo crafts.

  They were silent for a while. Loren ran her hands over the firm weaving of Emmaline's rug. "Oh, Reid, those women need so much. It breaks my heart."

  "You gave them exactly what they need, Loren. Encouragement and hope."

  "But, I mean ... so much more."

  "I know. But they don't want anything given. No handouts. They're too proud. Look how long it took them to ask for the Marine benefits they deserve."

  Loren glanced at Reid and one could almost see the wheels turning inside her head. "Reid, where is Window Rock? Would Raul mind driving a truckload of their furniture up there?"

  Reid shrugged, considering the idea. "Window Rock is about six hours north, on Navajo Reservation."

  "You know, I'll bet all of their household belongings would fit in the back of this pickup. The largest, most valuable items they have are the looms and finished crafts. Things would have to be packed very carefully, but they wouldn't take up much room." Her voice rose in pitch as her enthusiasm grew. "Now, you give me one good reason why Raul wouldn't want to make this trip. He could take another ranch hand along to assist in the hauling. And you would just continue to pay them as if they spent those days working on the ranch. Why not? Who wouldn't love a chance to take a little trip and still get paid for it?"

  "Well, I—"

  But Loren interrupted. "It'll save these three women considerable money for movers, Reid. When we get home, let's start making plans for this. I can't wait to call Silvie about it. We'll send Raul down in a few days, so we can be at the ranch while he's gone."

  "Loren, Loren, is this the same whimpering pussycat who was afraid of a little rain just this morning?" Reid eyed her as if she had changed skins since morning.

  "Whimpering pussycat!" Loren exclaimed, grabbing for his nose. "Hey, watch out for that big hole in the middle of town. I've never seen a town built around a damned huge hole."

  He avoided her teasing hands and quipped, "You're not a kitty at all. More like a fighting tiger." His long arm encircled her shoulders and pulled her against his chest. "Come here, Woman Who Listens. I'll have to tell Emmaline that you're really Tiger Woman. And when you get a crazy notion in your head, you don't listen to anyone."

  "One thing I'm sure of," she purred against him. "I'm not a mountain goat. No more mountain climbing for me."

  He nuzzled her hair, kissing her forehead. "I like tigers best, anyway."

  They took their time on the way home, grabbing a bite to eat in Tombstone, "the town too tough to die." When they drove back to the hacienda in Canada del Oro, dusk was approaching.

  Raul hurried out to meet the truck before Reid had time to switch off the engine. The expression on his face told them that something was wrong. Loren froze inside, fearing the worse.

  Reid opened the door and shouted, "Is it Dad, Raul? What's wrong?"

  Chapter Eleven

  "Oh, Señor Reid," Raul puffed as he ran toward them. His dark face flushed with exertion or was it something else?

  "Por Dios, hombre! Speak up!" Reid rasped. Patience was not one of his virtues when he was upset.

  "It's not Señor Mecina," Raul explained with effort, and Loren detected barely concealed anger. "It's Lupe! Come along. Come on inside."

  "Is she ill? What is it?" Reid jerked the truck into park and followed Raul's pace.

  "No. She's . . . she's hurt."

  Visions of everything from snakebite to a broken leg filled Loren's mind as she dashed behind the two men. When they entered the kitchen Lupe was sitting at the table, dabbing her eyes with a white handkerchief. She appeared perfectly normal until she turned to face them.

  "Por Dios, Lupe! What happened?" Reid demanded, scrutinizing her face.

  Raul hovered, nervously stuffing his hands in his pockets. Against the wall stood a gangly youth of about fourteen, of Mexican descent.

  "Lupe, darling, you've been hit!" Loren gasped when she was afforded an inspection of the older woman's features.

  Lupe's left eye was swollen almost shut and a huge, ugly bruise under her eye had already turned various stages of red and purple. There was a slight cut in the corner of her lip, but the blood flow had been curtailed. Loren quickly deducted that she had been abused.

  In disbelief Reid regarded Loren with a bewildered expression. Hit? Unbelievable. His instinct resisted the notion, yet his reason knew. "Is it true, Lupe? Have you been hit?" His lips drew back in fury, for he knew, even before she nodded. "Who did it?" His voice was a steel-edged expulsion.

  Lupe's voice was a hoarse whisper. "Geraldo."

  "Geraldo?" Reid repeated, casting a questioning look at Raul.

  "Her husband," Raul said quietly.

  Reid's temper exploded loudly. "How in hell could something like this happen? When? Why did you let that bastard in? How could this happen right here under our noses?" Reid had turned into a raging bull and shot questions at everyone in the room that only Lupe could answer.

  "Take it easy, Reid," Loren admonished quietly, placing a cooling hand on one of his flailing arms. "Let's find out what happened."

  "That's what I'm trying to do here. Then I'm gonna go out and find the bastard! How in hell could a man lay a hand on a woman? On Lupe?" His dark eyes burned with his unrelenting rage.

  Loren's tone was quiet, but firm. "Reid, I agree. But just calm down a few minutes." She then turned to Lupe, who was once again sniffling into the handkerchief. "Lupe, please stop your crying long enough to tell us what happened. Have you put anything on that eye?"

  "No." Lupe shook her head miserably.

  "Well, then," Loren advised as she walked to the refrigerator, "we'd better get some ice on it before it swells any more. I'll just make a quick ice pack for you now. Then we'll talk about what happened." Loren worked while she talked. She grabbed an empty plastic storage bag, filled it with ice cubes, and wrapped the whole thing in a dishtowel. Lupe sat, benumbed, watching Loren, waiting for the soothing ice pack.

  Loren knew the makeshift ice bag was temporary, but it had already served its initial purpose, that of diversion. Even the men stood around watching her work and talk, as if it were the most important activity going on at the moment.

  "Here you go, Lupe. This will check the swelling and make it feel a little better." She placed a comforting hand on Lupe's shoulder and sat beside her. "Now, tell us what happened."

  Lupe turned somber eyes to Loren and saw another woman who cared, who understood. Who would listen. Ignoring the gaping men around them, she began to pour out her story. "Roberto, my nephew, was home from school today with a sore throat." She gestured to the youth. "He called me around noon to say that Geraldo was at home, demanding to see me. He said that Geraldo wouldn't go away, even when Roberto told him I wasn't there. That I was at work. It only seemed to make Geraido madder, and he pounded on the doors and windows and caused such a ruckus that he scared Roberto and the neighbors. When Roberto called me otra vez, he was crying. So I said I would go and talk to Geraldo. I thought I could make him leave."

  She paused, and Loren encouraged. "You left here and went home?"

  "Si. I told Raul where I was going—"

  Raul interjected, "And I wanted to go with her. But she said no. I didn't know things were this bad, or I would have gone anyway. And beat the hell out of him."

  "So you went back to your home alone?" Loren said.

  Lupe nodded. "There he was, beating on the windows and yelling. I think he had been drinking. I thought we could talk. But he insisted that he was coming back home to live, and he wanted to see the girls. I told him no way, he was in no condition to see the girls. And that's when he . . ." Fresh tears started to flow.

  "Where is the son of a bitch? I can't wait to get my hands on him!" Reid started in the direction of the door.
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br />   "I'm going with you!" Raul barked.

  Immediately Lupe rushed forward, grasping Reid's arms with frantic fingers. "Oh, no, Señor Reid! Please, don't do that. Don't hurt him."

  "What?" Reid asked incredulously. "Just look what he did to you, Lupe! There was no one to stop that! And now, you—"

  She shook her head fiercely. "I know it. I don't care. I just don't want you to go," she sobbed. “He promised he’d leave.”

  "Reid." Loren's voice was steely. "That won't solve anything."

  Reid struggled for control. "All right, we'll call the police and let them take over. We'll have him arrested."

  "The police? Oh, no, Señor Reid! Not that." Lupe's voice was a plea as she continued to cry and hold his arms.

  "Why not? He hit you, Lupe! He's guilty as hell of assault!"

  "No, please don't call the police I can't explain why but I . . . just couldn't do that. He's still my husband. And the father of my children." Her voice trailed to a sad whisper.

  "But, Lupe, I don't understand ..." Reid sighed heavily and lifted his hands in a gesture of helplessness, anger, and frustration.

  "Reid," Loren rendered calmly, "it will do no good to call the police if she won't press charges. The police traditionally do not interfere in family squabbles unless the wife is willing to bring charges against the husband."

  "Family squabbles? This is no argument. It was a fight!" Reid turned on Loren, his dark eyes deeply passionate. Here was someone on whom he could vent his anger. "You're the lawyer around here, Loren. You seem to have all the answers. What do you suggest we do? Sit around here on our hands until this fool decides to come back and tear the place apart, and Lupe and her children along the way? Speaking of the children, where are the girls, Lupe?"

  "They're safe with my neighbor. She usually keeps them after school and is letting them spend the night with her. Geraldo doesn't know her, so he wouldn't suspect where they are."

  "Well, I don't want you going back home tonight. It just isn't safe." Reid decided.

  Loren agreed. "I think that's a wise decision, Lupe. You should stay here with us. And all the kids, too. We have room, don’t we?"

  Reid paced the floor, clenching his hands in frustration. He felt stymied into doing nothing for his friend and housekeeper. Helpless. He hated the feeling.

  Loren recognized the signs of frustration and defeat among those present. She felt them too. But she had seen too many women in similar situations to force an immediate resolution. Decisions made under such times of stress were usually the wrong ones, and this situation needed careful thought and discussion. It would take time. Lupe would need their patient support, for the decisions would have to be hers.

  Reid was particularly lacking in that patience. "I don't like being a sitting duck. And I don't want Lupe to wait around for Geraldo to return. It's unsafe. I want to do something now. Did you come up with any brilliant solutions, lady lawyer?" His voice was a snarl as he vented his anger on the only one in the room who didn't appear helpless.

  Loren smiled tolerantly. "Well, you can do something, Reid. And you too, Raul." She pushed Lupe gently by the shoulders back to her seat at the table and pressed the ice pack into her hands. "Take care of that eye, Lupe, dear. Raul, there are some very valuable Indian items in the truck. Would you please bring them in here? I want to show them to Lupe. And be very careful."

  "Sí, señorita." Raul started to move, grateful to have something to do.

  "Then, Raul, would you please fix up a bed for Roberto in your cabin? I'm sure he is tired."

  "Si." He motioned to the young man. "Vamos, Roberto."

  Loren gave Reid an appreciative smile. "Reid, you will be in charge of dinner. Why don't you go out and buy a bucket of fried chicken? That will be adequate for tonight."

  The men began to shuffle around, obeying Loren's tactful demands. Reid grumbled under his breath, but followed her orders. He left as Loren and Lupe were poring over the exquisite Navajo rugs and handpainted pots that they had brought from Emmaline Walker's.

  By the time the men returned to gather around the table to eat, Lupe was in a much better state. She even nibbled a little on a chicken leg and talked about calling her girls after dinner.

  "Reid, I think it's a very good idea for Lupe to spend the night here at the ranch. In fact, she's going to stay right here at the hacienda in one of the extra bedrooms. I want her close tonight. And I know you do too." Loren smiled generously at Reid. He wanted to do something. So now, here was a plan.

  Nodding, he sanctioned the arrangement. "I agree, Loren. We want you to be safe and comfortable here, Lupe."

  "I know, Señor Reid," Lupe admitted humbly. "I am so lucky to have you and Señorita Loren, who care so much. Gracias."

  "Don't mention it, Lupe. It's the very least we can do. Actually it's not enough for me. I would like to punch him."

  Loren placed her hand on his arm. "For tonight, this is enough," she interrupted quietly.

  Reid's eyes met hers and he understood. He didn't like it, but he understood. Patience was what her silent pleas requested. "Uh, Lupe, while I was out to pick up the chicken, I stopped by the hospital to check on Dad."

  "Oh, yes? How is he?" Lupe's expression changed to concern and interest.

  "Well"—Reid chuckled—"when the nurses met me in the hall, I figured something was up. It seems that Dad hadn't taken a nap all day, and had been driving them absolutely crazy. He can be such a jackass, you know. He had just fallen asleep and the nurses begged me not to awaken him."

  Lupe smiled at the story. "I know exactly what they mean."

  Everyone laughed at her admission.

  Reid then announced more satisfying news. "There's even talk of letting him come home, perhaps by next week."

  The announcement was met with definite joy that overpowered the gloom of Lupe's situation. They all talked about the delight of having the old man home again and what needed to be done before that could happen.

  "As long as we're talking about plans and changes, we may as well discuss some of the new ones right now while we're all together," Loren instructed, raising her hands to quiet the happy furor.

  "What plans?" Reid looked at her curiously.

  "Well, if your dad is coming home soon, he will need quality care. Someone close. Someone like Lupe, who knows his quirks as well as the routine of the ranch."

  "We will be hiring a home-care nurse, you know. I don't want Lupe to feel overburdened or be responsible for more than she can handle," Reid assured them.

  "Good. But Lupe will still be quite busy with the increased duties. And it would be much easier if she lived here at the ranch, don't you think?" Loren posed the question with her head nodding affirmatively.

  "Well, sure, but—"

  Loren interrupted. "I have persuaded Lupe and her family to move here to the ranch. At least temporarily. She has agreed that she would like that very much. However, she has three children who depend on her."

  Reid picked up the suggestion enthusiastically. "They're no problem at all, Lupe. Bring them all along. There's plenty of room for them. In fact, we all would love to have the sounds of kids around the ranch." His warm smile canceled any doubts Lupe was harboring.

  "Actually you would all be much safer if you lived here, Lupe," Loren urged. "Reid, isn't there an empty guest house?"

  "Oh, hell, yes. You'll be perfectly safe here, Lupe. Everyone at the ranch will be informed, and you can be assured that Geraldo will not be allowed on this property. As for the empty guest house, it's probably a mess. It's been sitting unused for years."

  "Why don't we take a look at it tomorrow? Perhaps, with a little work, we could make it livable," Loren suggested.

  He shrugged. "Sure. It may take some remodeling, but we can arrange that. It would be perfect for you, Lupe."

  "Great. We'll work on that tomorrow," Loren stated decisively. "Meantime Raul can go down to Bisbee, haul that furniture up to Window Rock, and beat it back here in time to help move
Lupe to the hacienda. We need to get settled before your father gets home, Reid. And there's so much to do. What's wrong? Didn't you tell Raul about Emmaline Walker and her daughters who need his help?" Loren laughed at the startled expressions around her. She stood and began gathering up the chicken refuse, piling it in the bucket. "Well, Reid, you explain the situation to Raul, and I'm sure he'll be more than happy to help them. They need your help so badly, Raul." She smiled reassuringly at the dark-skinned man, who didn't dare question her.

  Reid watched with amusement as she bustled around the kitchen. They all nodded in agreement because there was no opposing Loren's rationale. It was too reasonable. The solution for Lupe made sense. And the plan for the Navajo women only needed to be expedited. With a chuckle Reid spread his hands. "Well, I asked for brilliant solutions from our lady lawyer. Looks like we have them. And our work cut out for us."

  "I'm glad you agree. Now, I'm going to see that Lupe gets a good hot bath, and a safe bed for the night." She draped her arm around the older woman's shoulders and led her down the hall.

  "Oh, no, Señorita Loren. You’re our guest," Lupe protested.

  However, she met with the same obstinacy that the men had. "Nonsense, Lupe. You took care of me last night, didn't you? Tonight it's my turn. It's only fair. This is something I want to do. A hot bath will make you feel so much better." Their voices dwindled down the hall and the two men and young boy looked at each other for a moment. Then Reid followed orders and proceeded to explain to Raul about Emmaline Walker and the family of women who needed him.

  Later, as Loren rummaged through the hall closet for another blanket for Lupe, Reid stepped outside his guest bedroom. "Loren, how's Lupe?"

  "She's a little chilled. I think it's probably shock after such a traumatic day. This has been quite an unpleasant, frightening experience for her."

  "For all of us. Uh, I want to apologize for the way I talked to you earlier in the evening, Loren. I was just so upset, I couldn't think straight. I know I was too harsh, and I don't even know why."