Over My Dead Body (5)

"Sign right here and the house is yours", said the seller. Francisco could not believe he had purchased his own home and would soon surprise Mauricia. On his way home, Francisco kept rubbing his fingers on the key in his pants pocket to make sure he was not dreaming. Soon he would let his family know he was going to marry Mauricia even without their approval, and had used his pension money to buy the house. His parents would not support the marriage as Mauricia had nothing to bring to the family and no background. That didn't matter to Francisco, his parents depended on him for money for too many years. His parents forced him and his siblings to work since childhood and they endured years of beatings if they came home without a penny. Francisco thought, "Funny how their perfect image of a family deceived everyone." He was ready to break loose from the chains. For a moment he felt faint, Francisco shook it off as earlier in the day he was fighting off chills and a cough but what he needed was rest. He had put in many hours at the mines which wore him out and needed to regain his energy.

Upon his arrival, Francisco darts through the door to get to his room, he notices there are people in the living room with his parents but is able to run by without any interruption. No sooner that he felt he was able to rest when he hears, "Son!" as his father, Don Ruperto, calls out, "Come over and say hello!" Francisco hides the house key in his top dresser drawer, wrapped in a handkerchief and runs back to greet everyone. Doña Rocio, Francisco's mother, points out that his second cousin, Anna, has been dying to say hello. Francisco thought, "I just saw her at the market yesterday what do they mean dying to say hello?"

Anna is a beautiful young woman but in Francisco's eyes she is hollow, no inner strength or values. Anna does not like to do housework or anything that requires labor. One time he even overheard her complain to her friends, "I can't wait to find a man with money, then I can hire someone else to do my grunt work!" Francisco never took a liking to her, she was just like all the other women he had encountered in the past. He knew in his heart that Mauricia was the right woman for him, she never followed anyone, she was led by faith and self motivation to succeed.

Francisco says hello to Anna's parents, Mr. & Mrs. Gonzalez and as he takes Anna's hand to greet her she giggles. He slightly shakes it, barely touching her, when his mother says softly, "Francisco, your father and I have been discussing your future with Anna's parents and feel it would benefit both families if you both wed." Francisco screeches, "What?" His mother answers, "Yes, we have struggled too long and feel anything you make in the mines should be kept within the family as Anna's parent's have their corner store and that will benefit both sides. Francisco glares at them and says "First dead before I do that!" and proceeded to tell everyone, "you know who I am with and want to marry!" "Don Ruperto shouts back, "You don't mean that woman with that bastard child!" "Yes!", answers Francisco, and in a lower tone gritting his teeth says "I even bought a house out of my pension money for us, so now I want to see how you can get your hands on that!" Francisco storms out of the room and slams the house door behind him as he makes his way to Mauricia's aunt's home to see her. Mauricia always seems to calm him in moments of despair.

"Mauricia! Francisco is here to see you!" Cipriana announces. Mauricia runs from the kitchen to the patio to greet him but he still seems agitated. "What's wrong?" Mauricia questions. "Nothing, just problems with my second cousin, Anna, she's, she's ugh!" "I don't want to talk about that, I wanted to get away to get my thoughts in order." "Okay, if that's what you want, we can sit in silence." Mauricia was suspicious why he mentioned Anna. Mauricia had heard that Anna had a crush on Francisco and she had mentioned her fear of Anna always following him around. Francisco assured her he had no interest in her and not to think such things. Mauricia decided to ask him other questions to get his mind off whatever made him angry to begin with. "How was work?" Mauricia asked. Francisco proceeds to explain it was the same as usual when he starts coughing again. Mauricia advises, "You need to get that checked Francisco, it doesn't sound good." When she felt his forehead he was burning up. Mauricia told Francisco if he couldn't go back home for the time being, he needed to find somewhere else to recuperate. "I think your right", Francisco says, "I need to rest but I will not be able to do that at my parent's house. I think I will go to my cousin, Julio's house. I can stay there for a couple of days, things will die down, and I'll get better." "Good idea." Mauricia responds. Francisco gets up to leave and kisses Mauricia on the forehead as he heads out the door and says, "I love you and I will see you on Sunday." "God willing, within the next four days you should get better." responds Mauricia and waves goodbye.