by Tere
the moon seemed to honor each rose. Regan fell asleep with a smile.
On the following day it woke up late: they were already the eight. A fast look threw to its roses and it directed to them to all a radiante smile. Its dressing gown rose and took. One of mangas was twisted and, when straightening it, a blue slip of paper fell that said: "Regan.you want to marry with me? Travis."
Quickly, it kept it in its pocket, thinking that no it had repaired in which the notes of the previous day estuvieran written in paper blue. It went to the quarter of Jenniter and it found emptiness. The girl often rose and she even went to cocina before her mother woke up.
Without letting smile, Regan returned to its room in order to get dressed. She was sure that Travis would appear that day, that it would make kneel before her and it would request to him that casara with him. Perhaps, only so time, it would accept. It laughed aloud. It let laugh when it found another note blue within its dress. It vacillated just a little while, watched the note with mistrust and soon gave average return and began to register its wardrobe.
There were blue notes throughout: in its shoes, in its dresses, within the drawers, in his enaguas and camisoles,even underneath the pillow!
How one dared?, it thought, putting itself more furious with each note that found. How one dared to invade its privacy thus? If no it had been Travis in person, had contracted somebody so that it reviewed all their things and placed notes. But when? Surely some had be puttings there at night, because even in the dress that had used previous day there were three notes.
Furious, it left its room and it went a directly its office. At first sight, that room had not been touched. It was thankful to sky to have the custom to close it with key all the nights.
One seated before its writing-desk and it did not repair in the beginning in the thin thread that was on the leather siccative. Luego, with mistrust, it followed it until the foot of the writing-desk, donde disappeared. One knelt down soon and one tended of backs. Subject to the inferior part of its writing-desk had poster
with great letters that said: "Regan, you want to marry you conmigo? Travis."
It tightened the teeth, it took the poster and it was breaking it in tiny small pieces when Brandy with the hands entered full of blue slips of paper.
-- Veo that also it has walked this way -- Brandy said gladly.
-- This time has arrived too much far. This is my private office and does not have right to come here without invitación.
--No I want ponerte more nervous, but there are mirado in your strong box?
—¡In my...! -- it began to exclaim, but one stopped. Regan she was the unique one that had a game of the three keys that were needed stops to open the strong box. The other game estaba kept in the vault from a bank, to more than one hundred kilómetros of there. Not even Brandy opened never to the box fuerte of the hotel, neither it knew how nor in what order the keys were used; it left to that a position of Regan.
Quickly, Regan went to the box hard and initiated the long process of opening. When opening the last door, fell a wide tape blue. Regan threw of her, furious and saw immediately what had writing. No it was bothered in reading it; simply it put the hand in the box, removed a handful from blue tape and threw it towards the basket of the papers.
-- How you knew it? -- it asked Brandy, while it put of foot.
Brandy seemed a little nervous and smiled ligeramente.
-- Hopefully you are ready for this. It seems yesterday that, mientras all the town was here and the stores were cerradas, somebody, or perhaps it was an army of people, placed all these blue proposals by everything the town. The doctor found one in his briefcase and four in his consultorio. Will found six in its warehouse and... -- Hizo one pausa and drowned a giggle --el blacksmith found a blue tape in the horseshoe of a horse.
Regan seated.
-- Continu'a -- it sighed.
-- Some took it well, but others are bastante gotten upset. The lawyer found one in his strong box, and is speaking to do a demand. But, in general, all roll and say that they want to know that Travis.
--No I want to return to see it in my life -- Regan said with feeling.
--No you say it in serious -- Brandy talked back, sonriendo --. Perhaps your notes are all equal, but mayoría of the others is very creative. There is poems, some things of Shakespeare, and Mrs. Ellison, who it touches piano, received a whole song that that says he is very bonita. It is anxious by hacértela to listen. Regan raised the head. -- It is there outside? Brandy made a face.
-- Now all feel involved, and mayoría of they are outside.
-- Who is not? -- Regan asked weakly. --La grandmother of Mrs. Ellison, who had ataque the last year, and the gentleman Watts, that it had to ordeñar, and... --Se stopped because it did not remember that it lacked somebody more.-- the sister of Mrs. Brown is of visit; she arrived yesterday and she dies by conocerte. It has brought también to its six children.
Regan supported the arms in the writing-desk and sank face in them.
-- it is possible to be died just by to wish it? How puedo to face me all those people? -- Miro' at Brandy, with great anguish.-- How could Travis do this to me? Brandy knelt down next to its friend and it caressed to him hair.
-- Regan, does not give account you of which it wants so much to you that it is arranged to make any thing with so of recuperarte? You do not know by everything what it has happened since you left it. You knew that in the beginning it lost twenty kilos? His call was a friend Clay who convinced it that no it resigned to the life.
-- Travis is this whole to you that?
In certain way. I asked to some things and others to him no. I took a little in arming the puzzle, but I obtained it. Now that man he is beyond all pride. Not him importa what must do so that return with him. If of a whole town can obtain to the aid, it will do it. Perhaps their lactic ones are a little... good, he is not indeed subtle, but what you prefer? To have a rose and a man like Farrell or... seven hundred forty and two roses and Travis Stanford?
-- But why it must do all this?
--Me you have often said that Travis never requested to you nothing, but that to only said you what you had to do and how. If badly no memory, in the ceremony him dijiste that not simply because it did not have to you order that you married with him. I do not believe that now you can accuse it of not habértelo order. In addition, you said that you loved that you cortejara. -- Brandy was put of foot, smiling.-- This can happen to history.
In spite of itself, Regan began to smile.
--Lo only that I wanted I was a little champaña and some roses.
Brandy was on to much the awares and a finger took to lips.
-- Please, nonmentions champaña. You can iniciar a flood.
Regan sent a giggle.
-- It is that it will never do nothing on normal scale?
-- nonhope that no? -- Brandy with seriedad --. saidI it would give much to be in your shoes.
-- My shoes are full of notes -- Regan responded, impassible.
Brandy laughed and it went to the door.
-- It will be better than you prepare yourself. All are in favor anxious of verte.
Brandy laughed a! to hear the moaned sense of Regan and left of the room.
Regan was taken a little while to calm and to think in the Brandy words. Everything in Travis was exagerado, from its body to its house and its earth; why it hoped that it courted it of another way?
With care, it recovered the tape that had thrown to stationer and folded it tenderly. Someday would be it its grandsons. With decision, the right shoulders, left its office and it went to the halls public.
Nothing could have prepared it for which esperaba. The first person whom she saw was the grandmother of Mrs. Ellison. sitting in a chair, smiling to him with half of the face, because other half was had to him paralyzed with the attack.
--Me it cheers much that has been able to come -- Regan said
to him, as if celebration had sent invitations for aquella.
—¡Seven hundred forty and two! -- a man --. said And last it is of crystal, brought of Europe.
-- How it will have made to bring it without rompiera?
-- and how it will have arrived at my attic? The stairs it broke two days ago and I did not have time to fix it. But it was there: one pretty subject tape to fardo of hay, with a married proposal stops Regan.
A man painted a rosal in the wall of the bar, and to side of the painting were numbers: 5 hs. 1 rose: 5:30 hs, 2 roses, until arriving to thirty and eight roses to eleven and thirty at night and one rose a midnight, plus the total on the foot. Regan was not bothered in asking who was painter or who had given permission him to pintar in its wall. It was too much occupied recibiendo questions.
-- Regan, is truth that that man is the father of Jennifer but you are not married with him?
-- we were married when Jennifer was born -- trataba of to explain --. But I was minor and... Another question interrupted it. -- They say that that man is owner of Virginia means. --No as much; only a third. sarcasm did not extinguish the interest of people. -- Regan, does not please to me that that man leave notes in my strong box. I have private documents there, and the word of a lawyer to his clients is sagrada.
Thus they followed, hour after hour, until the smile of Regan seemed beaten to its face. Only one vocecita to its side made it react.
-- Mami...
Regan lowered the Vista and saw the carita of its daughter, visiblemente worried about something.
-- Ven said to him, to the time that raised it in brazos and it took it to kitchen --. Let us see if Brandy can prepare the lunch to us, and we will eat in the field.
One hour later, Regan and its daughter were single next to a stream to the north of Scarlet Springs. They had acabado with a basket flood of fried chicken and pies of strawberry.
-- Why papi does not return? -- I ask Jennifer --. And by what does not write letters like a all to me?
For the first time, Regan repaired in which her daughter had excluded from notes and the roses. It remembered that in the room of Jennifer had not found any note.
It seated to its daughter on its lap.
-- Supongo that papa wants that marries to me with him, and knows that where I go you will also go.
-- it does not want to also marry with me?
-- Quiere that alive with him; in fact, I believe at least that half of the roses is for you, so that you también are going to live with him.
—¡Hopefully it sent roses to me! Timmie Watts says that papi to only it loves you you and that when you go away, must have left I I here with Brandy.
—¡That is a badness! ¡And it is not certain! Your papa you he wants much. It did not speak to you of pony that it bought for you and of the house that it constructed in the tree? And that was before conocerte. It imagines what will do now that it knows who you are.
-- Crees that to me also will request to me that it marries to me with him?
Regan did not know to respond to that.
-- When me it asks it my, it means that also you it loves you.
With a sigh, Jennifer recostó against its mother.
-- Hopefully papi came to house. Hopefully never it returned a to go away, and hopefully sent roses to me and it wrote letters to me.
Regan rocked its daughter and it caressed the hair to him, sintiendo its sadness. ¡How Travis would hate to know that it had hurt his daughter to to exclude it! Perhaps on the following day it could compensate the negligence of Travis. Perhaps it could find some roses, if it were left some in the state después of the shipments of Travis, and to give them to its daughter... of parte of his father.
Tomorrow, it thought, and one almost shook. What would have Travis in mind for that day?
To the following morning, Jenniter woke up to its mother. It brought ramillete of roses in the hand.
-- They will be of papi? -- it asked its mother.
-- It can be -- Regan responded, without lying in realidad, in order to give hopes to the girl. It had placed the branch that morning on pillow of its daughter.
--No is of papi -- Jenniter with great desesperación --. said You have put them there.
It threw them on the bed and it ran to its room. It happened moment until Regan could console its daughter, and she herself arrived on the brink of madness the tears before Jennifer calmed. If it only had some way to make arrive a message at Travis to speak to him of the anguish of Jenniter...
When to the aim they got dressed they distaban much to be glad. They were taken from the hand, and meetings, were prepared to go to the encounter of what it had planned for them that day... and of Travis.
The halls reception were full of people of town, but since there were no new features, often was a single member by family. Regan avoided its questions and maintained to Jennifer to its side while it supervised
halls and made an effort to fulfill a routine normal. It was already tired of being she herself a spectacle.
For the noon it had not happened anything new and people, disappointed, began to leave. The dining room was full but no report, and Regan noticed that Margo and Farrell were eating together, speaking so close by that their heads almost were touched. Regan frunció the frown and preguntó what would have to say themselves.
Nevertheless, it did not have time to think about nothing else then the noise that came from the lobby increased more and more of tone e intensity. It raised the eyes to the sky, with desire to cry.
What will have done now? -- it murmured.
Jennifer grasped the hand of its mother.
-- He will be papi that comes to house?
-- Surely it has done something -- it responded, and a was directed the fore door.
When leaving the dining room, they heard the music that empezaba a to fill the front of the hotel. More and more hard, oía a sound of horses and carts, and other sounds that nunca had heard.
-- What is? -- Jennifer asked, with the eyes every time more opened.
--No I have nor idea -- Regan responded.
The front of the hotel was full of people, all inmóvile:; in its sites, in the six windows of the front and in the open door.
—¡Jennifer! -- somebody shouted, and suddenly all they animated.
—¡It is a circus!
—¡And it brings animals! Once I saw one thus in Fila-delfia.
They even repeated several times the name of Jennifer that Regan managed to make a place for her and her daughter in the gallery advantage.
Doubling the corner of the school, three came hombres with the painted faces, flat ray and clothes with spots of shining colors, that they made all type of you romp and jumped the one on the other.
On the chest they brought something that seemed to be letters. Regan took a little while in deciphering the word due to the acrobatics of clowns.
-- Jennifer -- it said --. Jennifer Says.
Laughing, it raised to its daughter in arms and indicated, entusiasmada.
—¡It is for you! They are clowns, and in the suits they take writing your name, Jennifer.
-- They are for me?
—¡Yes, yes, yes! Your papa has sent you everything a circus and, if I know Travis, it is not a small circus. ¡Sight! There men come testing on horses.
Very astonished, Jennifer observed three horses, beautiful and of long horsehairs, that approached galope. On each one it had a man: one of foot, another one montando and disassembling by jumps, touching as soon as ground with the feet, and the last horse seemed to dance. Like one single one, they stopped in the middle of one polvareda and they saluted to Jennifer. The girl, with one amplest smile, watched its mother.
--El circus is for me -- it said with pride, watching at people who were near her --. My papi is enviado to me a circus.
Behind the clowns and the riders, a man arrived that he walked on zancos, and soon other that brought to osito black with one
chain. Everything took to writing the name of Jennifer. Music sounded every time with more intensidad as the band approached the hotel.
Suddenly, all were in silence when seeing to double corner to the greatest and strange creature than hubieran sight. Slowly, making shake the Earth with its great legs, the animal and its domador they stopped frente to the hotel. The man unfolded a poster to the flank of the animal: "the Captain John Crowinshield presents/displays to the first elefante brought to these The United States of North America, and to special request of Mr. Travis Stanford, this enormous beast will act stops...
Regan read the poster for its daughter, who clung a she with force.
—¡For Jennifer! -- another poster announced.
-- What seems to you that? -- Kegan said. Papa sent to him ahead that will act only for you.
For a moment Jennifer did not respond, but after one releases pause approached the ear ele its mother.
--No I must conserve it, right? -- it whispered. Regan it had desire to laugh, but at the most it thought about the question of his daughter and about sense of the humor of Travis... -- Sincerely, I hope that not -- it responded. They left ele to think about the elephant as soon as moved away, because after him a beautiful one came pony covered by manto of white roses with the name of written Jennifer in red slabs.
-- What says, mami? -- the girl asked, with hope --. That pony is for me?
-- Clear that it is it -- responded a beautiful blonde that it wore a very revealing suit (scandalous, in realidad) of cotton elastic --. Your papa found for you to pony smoother and sweet of all the state and, if you want, puedes to mount it in the parade. -- I can? ¡Please!
--Yo I will take care of it -- woman --. said And Travis is close.
With renuencia, Regan let go to its daughter and observed while the woman placed it on the mount. Of the costado one of pony, the woman it totally took a jacket covered with pink roses and a was placed Jennifer.
