HERNAN AND GABRIELA BOOK 1

CHAPTER 58

Aranza and Aurelio, are at a park, sitting on a bench. She watches him. He is quiet, no doubt thinking about the secret they have just uncovered. She places her hands around his. He smiles at her weakly. He says he is confused and doesn't know what to make of all of it. He adds that he can already guess what Claudia and Carlos' reaction will be.

Aranza says that he is surrounded by people who love him, and he can be sure that Antonio will accept him with open arms. She then remembers the night Clara told her she was raped. Aranza wonders if it was Juan Patricio who raped her. Aurelio waves at Aranza to get back her attention. He asks her if she is okay. Aranza says she is. Aurelio softly runs a finger down her face and leans in and kisses her and she kisses him back.

Back at Clara and Ramon's house, Clara tells Martin that most of what Juan Patricio said was true. She admits that she was a social worker, and she often went to assist in the care of Juan Patricio's grandfather, Miguel. Clara adds that he often made passes at her, which she rebuffed. One day, he did nothing and she was happy, he had finally given up and stopped. Clara adds that Juan Patricio was nice to her that day. She continues and says that he offered her a glass of juice. Unknown to her, he had drugged it. When she woke up, they were both naked in one of their barns. She cried and told him to leave her alone but he only continued and raped her severally. He then made crude remarks and threatened her and her family.

Clara then looks at her husband and says that he was her childhood friend. She adds that he took her to a hospital in a different area because they feared the Diaz's and their influence. Clara adds that they lied that she couldn't identify her attacker, because of fear. Clara adds that when they returned home and told her family, they were more concerned with how people would view them than seeking further help and rehabilitation for her. She adds that she was made to feel like she was the culprit and that it was her fault she was raped. Clara adds that Juan Patricio would still harass her, even after she stopped working there, and so she decided to flee and his grandfather said he would go with her anywhere despite her protests.

Clara adds that shortly after, she discovered she was pregnant, and his grandfather said he will marry her and stay by her side through everything, even though she feared she would be a burden to him. Clara says that she was afraid of Juan Patricio taking her child away and raising him to be evil. She continues and adds that his grandfather suggested that they move soon after, to keep both her and the child safe and away from Juan Patricio. Clara continues and says that they were helped to flee by some of their friends. Martin is shocked at what his grandmother has just revealed. He says to himself, that Juan Patricio, is a beast. He goes and hugs her. Clara says she would have preferred to keep her secret and take it to the grave, but with Juan Patricio having revealed it, there was no point, in keeping anything secret.

Later, Gina and Antonio, are at his, house. She looks a little worried and said little in the car. Antonio asks her if she is okay. Gina says she is. She says that she is just worried about Armando, Aurelio, and Clara, because of what they found out. Antonio says he understands how she feels. He says he fears his father and grandmother's reaction, to Clara, Armando, and Aurelio. He adds that his grandmother especially can be very dark-hearted and spiteful.

Gina asks him how he feels about this whole issue. Antonio says he is happy he has a cousin. He says that, as a child, he did feel lonely having no siblings or cousins, and he envied the relationship Adrianna and Aranza had. He adds that they have always been good to him, but he did feel left out when they would do girly things and would have loved a brother or male cousin. Gina comes and hugs him.

Meanwhile, Adrianna and Hector are leaving a department store. They enter her car. She takes deep breaths and closes her eyes. He places a hand over her forehead, worriedly, and asks her if she is okay. Adrianna, says, she is. She adds that it was just a bout of mild nausea. He asks her if she needs anything. She says she is okay but could use some water. Hector turns to the back of the car and takes a paper bag. He pulls out a bottle of water and hands it to her. Adrianna opens it and takes a sip. She then smiles and tells him about the conversation she had with Aranza about baby names earlier.