Amor y Arma's

The First Spark

Chapter 1: Jimenez, Mexico

September 6th, 1898 – Jimenez, Mexico

"Don Héctor, take these herbs for a week. This should help with bringing down your fever."

Aveldia grasped the wrinkled farmer's hand as he clasped it onto hers. Smiling warmly, she began to put away the supplies into her basket. Slowly wrapping the course bandages made from children's shirts to be worn again, sealing the bottles of tequila used to cleanse wounds, and tightening the bundle of dried herbs that were used in Don Hector's tea to lower his fever from the infection of his wound that had begun to fester.

"Gracias mija, May god bless you. Tell Sister Mary that you will become a great healer for this little ranch."

"Gracias, I'll tell Sister to pay you a visit soon."

Aveldia rose from his bedside, cleaning off the small sprigs and leaves that fell from an array of medicinal herbs off the folds of her canary-colored skirt. Once everything in her basket was placed securely, Aveldia donned her emerald, green shawl over the crown of her head as she gave one last glance to where Don Hector lay, before making her way out in the blazing sun of Jimenez.

"Bueno Dias, Señorita Aveldia," the rancheros called out to her as she glanced in their direction, nodding her head respectfully towards them as they raised their cowboy hats off their head in greeting. She continued down the worn dirt path that was nestled deep in the rancho slowly making her way into the town when she came across Doña Ivelda, the wife of the ranchero who was currently resting in his colorful bright blue blanket to slowly gain back his strength.

"Comó sigue Hector?" How is Hector doing? She asked concerningly, tightening the hold of her basket that was filled with fruits and vegetables and other different ingredients that were needed for a hearty soup that could pick Don Héctor right up.

Doña Ivelda picked up her dark-green skirt and tightened the ivory-white shawl over her head, grasping it near the front nape of her neck as she glanced concerningly over Aveldia's shoulder where the small abode wavered in the distance from the heat.

"He's doing just fine Doña Ivelda. The only rule I have for him is to just rest and he'll recover just fine."

Doña Ivelda gave her a tight smile, the edges of her upturned lips still stricken with worried.

"The soup will pick him right up, if anything happens don't hesitate to call for me no matter the time."

Doña Ivelda grasped her hand and gave it a tight squeeze in thanks as she scurried off to where her husband lay in deep sleep. Aveldia allowed her eyes to wander over the back of Doña Ivelda until she was only but a small dot in the rippling heat. She continued her walk past the rancho, past the small abode houses that lined up the side of the road towards the looming white church that shined under the rays of the sun, as the bells sounded from atop of the tower greeting her upon her return from another house visit in the small town of Jimenez.

Aveldia went around the church's front entrance towards the back where the small group of children chased after each other, with boys acting as vaqueros with small wooden horses in their dirt-covered hands as the girls played with their porcelain dolls crying as damsels in distress, kidnapped by the big bad bandidos.

"Y que hacen?" Aveldia questioned their small activities, slightly giggling as the newest inclusion to the small family of orphans, a young boy named Emilio, fell face-first into the ground in front of her.

"We're playing cowboys and bandits!"