The Mask I Wear

Time For Dinner

            As per Abuela's instruction, the whole family gathered in the courtyard as she waved for Casita to open the doors to welcome the Guzman family. As Mariano and his mother walked in with warm smiles just at the same time, Isabela and Dolores crept down the stairs timidly, holding tightly onto each other. Everyone's eyes went to the two lovely young women who were coming down the last few steps. Dolores wished it was not her imagination as she thought Mariano's gaze lingered on her before sparing a glance for Isabela as well. His heart was beating fast, and she wondered if it was from nerves or from being in the presence of someone, he deemed beautiful. His warm soulful eyes met hers and her lips parted as she wet them with her tongue. Not her, not you; Dolores scolded herself for even daring to allow the errant wish as she forced herself to break their gaze and look down to her feet instead. One hand fisted in her skirt while the other reached across her body to grip her forearm tightly, a nervous stance she'd never truly grown out of.

The flower crowns adorning the grandchildren did not go unnoticed by Abuela. She had been surprised when she saw Luisa wore them but seeing all four of her granddaughters wearing them, she narrowed her eyes. There was a language and even purpose for flowers and she had insisted Isabela learn it well. The gladiolus worn by Luisa was a symbol of strength. The jasmine and lavender on Mirabel were supposed to help calm with their aromas as well as lavender representing silence and calmness. Dolores was wearing lilies, which were for both purity and devotion. And Isabela? She wore purple hyacinth flowers; the gorgeous blooms were for sorrow. This was a rebellion; she could see it. Isabela was not going according to their plan. She was presenting them all as equals, giving them each a symbol of themselves that was impossible to miss.

Abuela forced herself to smile fondly in front of their guests, though there was ire laced in it, at Isabela as Julieta and Pepa both stepped forward to fetch their daughters. Each offered their arm to their own firstborn. "Shall we." Abuela gestured towards the patio they had set up in preparation for tonight. "Julieta has prepared a wondrous meal for us to share."

A crack appeared underneath Mirabel's foot and she tried not to yip in surprise. She was successful in hiding it from everyone but her father, who was watching her closely upon her mother's lamenting of not knowing what was wrong. He was the only one to notice Mirabel, but Mariano, Camilo, and Antonio all noticed when Dolores flinched harshly at the sound the cracking house made. "Are you okay?" Antonio's sweet voice asked quietly as he rode his tiger to stand next to her, reaching up to gently grab her arm. "I'm fine." she whispered, "Um, it was just an unpleasant cracking sound." she gripped her skirt tighter, "Something must have broken, but nobody is hurt. So, it is alright." she assured her little brothers who were both looking at her in confused worry. So focussed on her brothers she didn't notice Mariano had been checking on her as well, so she missed his look of confusion when she gave Camilo a look that said, "I'll tell you later."

As Abuela had dictated, Mariano found himself sitting beside Isabela, the one he was expected to propose to tonight, and across from Dolores, the other girl with whom he was close in age to.

The sky was perfect, stars twinkling brightly above. So, clear they could see it even past the lanterns decorating the beautiful patio. It was clear Isabela did much of the decorating, vines and flowers were everywhere. As he looked at each one, Mariano could see a pattern. Begonia for the need for deep thinking, candy-fruit for indifference, yellow carnations were a rejection, butterfly weed flowers to mean leave me, cyclamen to symbolize separation. Even the purple hyacinth Isabela wore was a message, one that was sharing her sorrow. Each of these all related back to the event that was to take place tonight. As his gaze traveled through each of the female grandchildren, he could see that they each had meanings to represent themselves in some manner, and when he looked at the woman across from him he realized her flowers meant purity and devotion.