by Brian
Chapter 23
A few more years passed, and Talitha hardly ever thought of herself as ‘Talitha’ anymore, and the children were fully involved in their own lives. Samantha was now seventeen, and her beauty was rivaled only by the goodness of her heart. She had decided that she wanted to travel, so she joined a group of missionaries who helped the homeless, drunkards and women of ill repute to become part of polite society. During her travels, Samantha met a handsome young doctor by the name of Travis and fell in love. Shortly after, they announced their engagement to her parents who were thrilled that she had found somebody whom she loved and who loved her back.
Jayson had also built his own life. He had been seeing a young girl named Grace since they were very young and wanted to marry her, but after being accepted to medical school, both knew they would have to wait. Martin was very proud and knew he would be an exceptional doctor.
Katherine was busy being a typical thirteen-year-old, and even though Martin and Talitha continually told her she was beautiful, she still considered herself homely. She had the same wild, curly hair as her mother, big brown eyes that took in everything around her, and had a smile that would light up any room.
“Mama, why do I have such curly hair? Why are my eyes brown when everybody else has blue eyes? Why am I so clumsy?”
Question after question poured from her at times, making Talitha quite impatient.
“I too have curly hair and brown eyes. Do you think I am ugly? As for being clumsy, you aren’t. You need to be more careful where you are going,” Talitha responded.
“No, I don’t think you are ugly. You are beautiful,” Katherine answered solemnly.
“You look just like me, so if you think I am beautiful, then you must be beautiful as well.”
Katherine kept quiet, not knowing how to answer.
“Well if I am so beautiful, then why doesn’t Marcos like me?”
Talitha had once read his thoughts and knew that he felt something for the young girl.
“He does like you.”
“If he likes me why does he walk away whenever I try to talk to him?”
“You are too young to worry about such things. It will happen in its own time.”
Marcos did notice Katherine, but like Martin so many years before, he thought her much too young for himself. Marcos enjoyed her company, as well as the fact that she was smart, funny, and spoke both English and Spanish. He also thought she was stunning, and the only thing that kept him away from her was the fact that he was a twenty-five-year-old man and she was just a thirteen-year-old girl.
*********
When their last customer had finally gone home for the day, they both sat down for a moment since there was still much paperwork left before they could go home. Martin had become very fond of Marcos, yet now and then, Martin’s thoughts turned to William, and he wondered how he had fared in his father’s business.
Suddenly Marcos turned to Martin. “I am going back to Mexico soon, and perhaps in another year or two I can find a wife and maybe start my own business.”
Horrified, Martin looked at him. He didn’t want to lose another employee, and Marcos was too valuable to lose. Suddenly he heard himself asking a question he would never have thought of asking.
“Why don’t you marry my daughter Katherine? In a few years, you will have THIS as your business.”
Realizing what he had said, he started laughing as it reminded him so much of Salvador.
Marcos turned beet red. “Oh no Señor, she is much too young for me. She is but a muchachita.”
“Age is but a number, my friend. I am fifteen years older than Susanna, and it does not stop us. She was just fifteen when we married. In a couple of years, Katherine will be old enough to think of marriage,” Martin said quite calmly.
“Either way, I meant to speak to you about something. I guess today is as good as any,” Martin continued.
Getting up, Martin walked to his office and came back with some papers which he handed to Marcos.
Scanning the papers Marcos’ eyes grew wide.
“I don’t understand Señor. You are offering me half the bank for such a paltry sum. Why?”
Martin smiled at Marcos.
“I have no heir to leave the bank. You have proven yourself to be trustworthy and intelligent when it comes to the matters of the business. I won’t always be here, and I’d like to leave this to someone who will take care of it for me.”
Marcos was surprised. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“I accept your generous gift with humble gratitude, and I won’t let you down.”
*********
Another year passed in their lives, and Talitha was beginning to forget why she was there in the first place. She felt as if she finally had her own family, people to love and people who loved her back. Slowly, she became more and more careless in her ways.
One morning after everyone left the house, Talitha received a summons from below to appear before the Council for a meeting, which made her very nervous. She requested time to prepare, but Jasmina told her to come immediately. She laid down and closed her eyes. Drifting downward, she went back to the place she had longed to leave. Knocking on the door of the council’s chambers, it opened with such force that it made Talitha almost fall back.
“I am here, your Highness,” Talitha addressed Jasmina.
“We are requesting a report on what is happening with your assignment. I have been watching you, and don’t think you have the best interest of the Council in mind anymore.”
“Oh, but I do, your Highness. I told you this might take a lifetime. And as you know, I already have his word that he will follow me wherever I go.”
“Yes, I know that,” Jasmina snapped. “But you are acting as if you are one of them. You go to church, you help people, you act as if you love them…” she trailed off.
“But should I not act this way? If I were to act different, they would suspect that I am not the green light. As far as they are concerned, I am she.”
Jasmina stared hard at her, trying to read her thoughts. Finally, after a lengthy silence, she asked one more question.
“How soon before it is time for him to be brought down?”
“It will be just a little while longer as he is getting along in years now.”
“Very well then. Go. But know this. I’ll be watching you very closely my dear. Should you disappoint us, you will regret it very much.” Jasmina flashed Talitha a smile that made her tremble from her head to her toes.
“Yes, your Highness. I understand. Thank you.”
Once again, she backed out of the room, this time more afraid than she had ever been.
When she arrived back in her home, she opened her eyes to find Martin looking down at her with concern on his face.
“Are you alright?” He asked her. He seemed very agitated.
“Yes, I am fine. Why? I just laid down for a short while. I didn’t sleep well last night.” Talitha told him, trying to appear as if all was fine.
“I have been trying to wake you up for a while now and I couldn’t. I thought something was wrong with you. Are you sure you are alright?”
“Of course. I guess I slept harder than I normally do.”
When she smiled at him, he smiled back, releasing the tension which had engulfed him.
Chapter 24
Jayson and Grace had moved to South Carolina shortly after getting married so that he could finish his training as a doctor, and Grace as a nurse. They were delighted with each other and knew that they would be together always.
Samantha and her husband were traveling across the country trying to help others, and Martin had recently found out they were expecting a child in a letter he received from her. His Sammy was about to have a baby! On one hand, it made him very happy, as he would get the pleasure of tending to his grandchildren, just as Salvador had. On the other hand, it made him aware of how old he was getting, and with age came the fact that he became tired quickl
y, and his mind wandered more than it ever had. Martin missed his children terribly and couldn’t wait to see them and their spouses.
Meanwhile, Katherine was busy preparing for her coming out party and would show everyone that she was now a young lady who was ready to marry and begin a family of her own. Before his death, Salvador had made Martin promise to have this party for his two daughters. However, Samantha had chosen not to have one as she thought that it was a frivolous reason to have a party. She felt the money could be better used to help those in need. Katherine though was very excited to have her party and was hoping that Marcos would finally see her as a woman instead of a child.
Talitha saw the way Marcos was fighting his attraction toward Katherine, and at every opportunity, both she and Martin would comment on how beautiful Katherine was getting, how helpful she was to them at the bank, and what a fantastic cook she had become. At night, Marcos would invite Katherine to go for a walk “con aire fresco,” yet Martin knew that “fresh air” wasn’t the only reason for their nightly walks together. He knew that Marcos was falling in love with Katherine and it was reminiscent of the walks he would take with Susanna before their marriage.
The was just a few weeks away, and Talitha was very busy with preparations. She wanted to make sure that everyone in town was invited and she needed to have enough food prepared in advance. Both Susanna, and now Talitha, were very good at putting together parties such as this one, and Talitha planned every part of the celebration down to the smallest detail, including how the table settings were to be laid out. Katherine’s dress was nearly an exact duplicate of the one Susanna had worn years earlier.
The morning of the quinceañera was very busy with last minute preparations. Martin woke up not feeling well, and since he had been feeling clammy all morning, he decided that he was catching a cold, leaving Talitha torn between wanting to take care of her husband, and the need to get things arranged for the party.
Katherine was a bundle of nerves so Talitha requested that Marcos to take her for a walk to get her away from the house. Marcos was ready for some one-on-one time with Katherine anyway. As they were leaving home, she went up to Martin and hugged him.
“Papa, are you okay? You don’t look well,” Katherine said, looking at Martin’s pale face.
Martin smiled gently at her.
“Don’t you worry about me. It is just a small cold I am catching. Now go on before your mother gets upset with you.”
Katherine smiled. “Si, Papi. I hope you feel better soon.”
Marcos took her hand and led her away, and when they turned the corner away from the house, Katherine looked at Marcos as if she wanted to ask him something.
“What is it, Katalina?” This was the name that only Marcos called her.
“As of today, I am a woman. I want to tell you something, but I am afraid to do so.”
Not understanding what it was she was trying to tell him, he frowned and said, “Just go ahead and ask me. I won’t bite you.”
Katherine took a deep breath and forged ahead with her statement. “I am in love with you, I have been since I was very young. I want to marry you one day and raise a family with you.”
Marcos looked at her, not knowing know what to say. His heart began to soar, and at that moment, he finally realized that he was very much in love with this young girl.
“I am also in love with you Katherine, but I can’t marry you. One day you will realize that you married an old man and it will break my heart.”
“I don’t think that you are an old man, or that I ever will. I have loved you for too long to let you believe that. I want more than anything to be your wife and the mother of your children.”
Marcos stood thoughtfully and then nodded.
“You are sure of this?”
“Yes!” Katherine squealed.
“Then I’ll ask your father today if I can marry you. It may be some time before we can do that, do you understand?”
“Oh, I am sure! I love you.” She quickly jumped into his arms and without thinking about it put her lips to his. It mirrored the actions her mother had done many years before when Martin had asked her to marry him. After a few moments of hungry kisses, they both pulled away from each other, having forgotten where they were.
“Uh, we should get back to the house. I must start preparing for today. I love you, Marcos,” Katherine said, suddenly feeling shy in front of her intended.
“I love you too, little one. Yes, we must get back to the house. Come.”
Marcos grabbed her hand as they headed back to the house.
After Katherine ran excitedly upstairs, Marcos walked to the office. He saw Martin sitting at his desk with his eyes closed. Clearing his throat, he watched as Martin’s eyes opened, noticing how pale Martin looked.
“Señor Martin? Are you alright? You don’t look well. Would you like me to call a doctor?”
“Oh no, no, no, I’ll be fine. It’s just a small chest cold. Jayson and Travis will both be here soon. They will make sure all is well. Are you alright?”
Marcos’s face suddenly reddened.
“I -- I have something to ask you. I finally realize what you’ve been telling me all along. I am in love with Katherine, and I would like to marry her. It probably won’t be for another year or so, but I would like your blessing.”
For the first time that morning, Martin smiled.
“You don’t realize how happy you’ve made me. I would be honored to have you in my family. You have my blessing to marry Katherine.”
Beaming, Marcos shook Martin’s hand and walked out of the office as if on a cloud. As Martin watched him leave, he was pleased with the news and would tell his wife a little while later. He just needed to rest a bit longer.
Jayson had shown up early in the afternoon and had been able to spend time with Katherine and their mom. When he finally got around to his father, he took one look at him and marched him over to his office.
“Are you not feeling well? You look like you are about to faint.” Touching his skin, he could feel how clammy Martin was. The pallor of his skin was awful.
“I ‘m fine. I am just catching a chest cold or something - I’ll be fine,” Martin insisted. “I would like to know how my son is. I can see something is wrong with you. Please talk to me.”
Jayson sat down and put his face in his hands, and began to cry, his shoulders heaving up and down.
“We have just found out that Grace has cancer. She has been feeling sick for a while, but with my studies, we just kept putting off going to the doctor. Then the other day, Grace passed out and was rushed to the hospital. After many tests, we found out that she has maybe six months to live. So, we are going to travel and see as much as we can before she dies. She doesn’t want to just to sit around and wait for the end.”
Martin hugged his son, not knowing what to say. “I am so sorry my son. I wish I could take this away from you. Know that one day you will be with her again in heaven.”
“I do know that, Dad. I must find her and make sure she is okay. I’ll talk to you later.” Jayson helped Martin to stand, and together they walked out of the office and on to the party. A few moments later Martin felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning around he saw a beautiful sight - It was his Sammy, holding the hand of her husband. Her belly was growing, and he knew that in just about three months he would be able to cuddle his grandchild in his arms.
“Sammy! Trevor! I am so happy to see you! I was wondering if you would make it.”
“We are here, Papa. It is a beautiful party. I am very happy for Katherine,” Samantha said with a smile.
“It is a wonderful day. I am happy to have all my children around me today. Let’s go look for your mother.”
They walked over to Talitha who was instantly overjoyed to see them. She hugged Samantha, patted her belly, and talked for a while. Martin, who was still not feeling well, walked to a chair and sat down with Katherine.
“Papa, this is the best day of my life! Marcos tells
me you’ve given your blessing for us to be married. I am so happy. Thank you for this wonderful day!”
Martin smiled at her, kissed her on the cheek, and then watched as she walked away with another friend.
The party was a remarkable success and Katherine was the belle of the ball. The food was terrific, the decorations beautifully set, and everyone had a grand time singing and dancing with the band that played on into the night.
A few hours later, the guests were all gone, and only the family remained. Talitha had hired a group of people to clean up after the party so that she could finally relax after a very busy and hectic day. Martin continued to grow weaker, finally telling his wife that he was ready to go to bed. As they walked to the top of the landing, he suddenly grabbed his left arm, moaned, and collapsed on the floor. Talitha screamed, but no one heard because the children had decided to go for a walk. As Martin lay on the floor, he knew he was dying. His chest was aching, and it was difficult to breathe. He felt his life force ebbing away, and as he grew closer to death, he saw something that he didn’t understand. He saw his wife’s body, but he could also see another, a beautiful young girl who was crying very hard. He could see her lips moving, but no sound was coming from them.
Talitha lay next to Martin knowing what was happening and knew it was time for her to take him below. Her life had changed dramatically because of his love for her, and she knew deep down that she couldn’t allow him to face the horrors of below. Taking a deep breath, she made a decision that would forever ruin all the comforts and freedoms she had earned. As his life was ending, he was suddenly able to hear her yelling at him, although he didn’t understand what she was trying to tell him.
“When they ask, make sure you say you will go above. Do you hear me? You must listen, Martin! You must go above! Don’t choose to go down. Please, Martin, choose up --”
