“Thank you.” He smiled as he poured a small amount of cool water into the gourd. “I only drink tea and I quite like your yerba mate.”
“No alcohol?” I asked, watching him pour hot water.
“No, I find it clouds my judgment too much,” he said with a wave of his hand. “You have heard so much about me. I want to know about Anita.”
“Anita?” I asked. “Have you forgotten my name already?”
José blushed. “No, only, in my country, when a girl becomes a woman we add ‘-ita’ to her name. Flora becomes Florita; Anna, Anita; and so on.”
“And you think my name should be changed?”
“Well, yes. I have no interest in girls.”
I felt a blush creep up my cheeks. I could hear the dying activity of the day outside, the jingle of equipment being cleaned up, the hiss of doused fires. José approached me, drawing my attention back to him as he slowly slid an arm around my waist. I could feel him shake ever so slightly as he pulled me closer. The tip of his nose grazed my cheekbone before his lips found mine. I savored everything about him, from the scratch of his beard to the sandalwood scent that engulfed me. Willingly, I let him lead me to his bed.
José was tender; I could barely feel his fingers as they caressed me, lulling me, making me want to pull him closer to me. I trembled as he expertly undid the buttons of my blouse, his lips never leaving my mouth.
Afterward, I lay on my back with José’s arm draped over my waist. He slept on his side, softly snoring. Absentmindedly stroking his arm, I listened to the sounds that lingered in the air from the camp outside. The footsteps of the guards crunched through the dry grass. Birds began to sing in an attempt to lure the sun back from its slumber.
I looked at the man sleeping next to me, my eyes tracing the scars across his chest and neck. The Great Garibaldi, they called him. He was the savior of the people. I couldn’t help but wonder, What happens next? Would I follow him, like the other women who followed their husbands? Would he leave me behind? Surely he knew there couldn’t be much of a future with me. My stomach began to knot as reality set in.
José stirred, stretching his body alongside mine. He watched me for a few minutes before kissing my shoulder. “You look troubled,” he said, his voice rough from sleep.
“No,” I lied through my smile.
He sat up on his elbow, studying me. “You are lying.”
“No.” I tried to laugh.
“Oh, now you are lying even more. I can tell when you lie, you get these little wrinkles, right here.” He ran a thumb over my forehead. Stroking my cheek, he watched me. “I’ll let you escape with this little lie, just this once.”
“And next time?”
“There won’t be a next time.” He kissed the top of my head. “We will never lie to each other. It will be our one rule.”
I settled in closer to him. “I promise.”
“What do you plan on doing today?”
“I have to work at the hospital. I’ll be there most of the day.”
“And after that?”
“I don’t know.” I hesitated. “What are your plans for the day?”
“Well, a captain’s job is never done. I am sure I will have plenty to do, but I was hoping I’d have another evening with my Anita.”
The excitement that bubbled in my stomach made my toes curl. “I think that could be arranged.”
“Oh, you think so?” He playfully pinned me onto my back. “It is so gracious of you to think of me.” He dove for my neck, making me laugh in surprise. His kisses explored my shoulders, breasts, and face. My laughter turned to pleasure as I enjoyed the feeling of the soft bristles of his beard.
“Tell me I am yours.” He ran his finger around the edge of my jaw.
I turned his face so that he was forced to look into my eyes. “You are mine, José Garibaldi.”
He kissed me passionately as he took me again. He whispered in my ear, “You are my treasure, tesoro mio.”
From that day forward, I snuck away at every opportunity to be with José. We would spend the evenings among his friends as they told stories of their adventures. When José’s sun shone on me, everything felt wonderful. I was warm and blissful. However, when he was gone, I could sorely feel the cold loss of his absence. I determined that I never wanted to be without him.
We didn’t talk much about our romance or show much affection in public. I was still a married woman. If I was seen with José it would ruin everything that he worked for. Plus, we had a nearly fifteen-year age difference, which would make people talk all the more. When we weren’t together, we went about our business as if nothing was amiss. Both of us were careful to avoid each other in town.
Occasionally José and I ventured out together, paying visits to my friends the Da Gatos. They were the only people outside of the camp who knew about our relationship. They fondly welcomed us to their home for evening meals.
However, secrets never remain secrets for very long, especially in a small town like Laguna. We became careless, as most foolish lovers do, paying attention only to each other and not to what the people around us were whispering. We thought we were safe within the camp; it was the one place where we felt we could be open with our relationship. But the whispers seeped from the camp into the town. People openly talked and still we didn’t notice. I stopped going home for long stretches at a time. It wasn’t until I snuck into my family’s house when I thought no one would be home that I realized exactly how foolish we had been.
“I didn’t expect you to show your face here again,” Maria said from a corner in the parlor. I jumped, noticing her for the first time.
“I came to get my things,” I said, making my way to my bedroom.
“Your things? You’ve been away so much we assumed you moved in with your pirate.” She stood from her chair and walked closer, her black eyes boring into me, her icy hatred freezing me down to my bones.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Only that I gave your things away two days ago. There is nothing left for you here.”
“You did what?” I asked.
“I said I gave away all of your things. Well, actually, that’s a lie. I sold them.” She shrugged. “I figured your pirate preferred his puta in better clothing, and Lord knows we could use extra money since you don’t bring home any of your whore earnings.” She set down her sewing and glared at me, a small smile spreading across her face.
“Earnings?”
“Well, yes. Everyone says that you are a well-cared-for woman now that you are the whore of Senhor Garibaldi. Some even say he passes you around in order to raise money for the cause.” She took a step closer to me. “Our mother is sick with embarrassment. Papai would be ashamed if he could see you now.”
I clenched my fists. “How can you say such things?”
“How can I? How could you? You have made a fool of this family. You are a married woman, Anna, and you’ve taken up with a pirate! Mother can never show her face in town again!”
“Don’t forget that it was my husband who left me.” I pointed a finger at her. “He’s gone! He’s never coming back. I have a right to my own life.”