Seven Months Later
First Republic of Texas
“We’re going to need to hire more help,” Rita said, slamming a bolt of fabric on the countertop. Charlize looked up from the stack of receipts she had been sorting.
“What’s that?” she asked politely.
Rita ran her fingers over the fine green silk fabric. “I was just commenting that we are so busy, we’re going to need to hire more employees.”
“We have been doing very well lately,” Charlize replied as she glanced around the dress shop. Three women were standing near the bolts of cloth, and another looked very carefully at the display of lace. Charlize had replaced the old, busted mirror with three very nice-looking glasses that showed a woman’s entire body. Two women stood on pedestals while Dora and Isobel knelt at their feet, pinning hemlines on their respective dresses. Towards the back of the store, Constance was sorting through a box of accessories Charlize had only recently ordered and had just received that morning.
“Look! New parasols!” Constance called, opening a pale blue parasol, and holding it over her head as if she were blocking out the sun.
“Well?” Rita said delicately. “We’re practically swimming in orders. I can’t sew fast enough to keep up with the demand, and the others have their hands full.” She gestured around the shop. “As you can tell.”
Charlize nodded. “I can’t complain. I knew that this area needed a dress shop, but I guess I didn’t understand how badly.” She leaned over and whispered to Rita. “Between you and me, I didn’t even realize there were this many women in town.”
Rita hefted the bolt of cloth from the counter and put it over her shoulder. “Women out here live busy lives. They spend their days working in one way or the other. It’s nice to see them all come together now and treat themselves to something special.”
Making Sunday dresses had started out as their primary function at Charlize’s little dress shop, but as business increased, they found themselves making all sorts of other dresses. Rita specialized in making wedding gowns, and Constance was talented at sewing riding jackets for women. Charlize couldn’t be happier with the work her team was producing and with the profit they were earning. It was on the tip of Charlize’s tongue to express that very sentiment when the bell above the door frame jingled, and Charlize glanced up to greet the next customer coming into the shop. But it wasn’t a customer. It was Alfonso.
“Alfonso,” Charlize greeted him warmly. “It’s been a long time.”
“I’ve come to check up on you and our business, my girl. How are we doing today?” Alfonso asked, smiling broadly at Charlize.
She fanned the receipts at him and said, “We’re doing alright.”
“Alright?” Rita laughed, “Don’t let her be modest, Mr. Navarro. We are doing exceptionally well. I was just commenting that we might need to think of hiring more help.”
“Is that so?” Alfonso asked.
Charlize shrugged. “Let’s go into the back room and discuss the situation.”
Charlize led the way to the back room. It was one part storage room, one part place for the women to toil away on the new designs, and one part Charlize’s office. Alfonso took one look around the cramped space and let out a low whistle. “It seems Rita had the right to it. You are exceptionally busy.”
Charlize nodded. “These last few months have been very good to us.” She glanced around the room as if she thought someone else might be listening to their conversation. Then she reached into the top desk drawer and extracted a large envelope. “Here, this should help you understand just how well we’ve been doing.” She tossed the envelope to Alfonso. He caught it neatly, and then he sat in the seat that Rita usually used while she was sewing.
Alfonso didn’t bother to open the envelope, but instead, he looked at Charlize keenly.
“What? Did I forget something?” Charlize asked, feeling a little flustered by his inquisitive stare.
“I am sorry I was not able to attend your wedding,” Alfonso said quietly.
Charlize waved her hand through the air dismissively. “That’s all right. We arranged things rather quickly, and I knew you were… away.” In truth, Charlize had no idea where Alfonso had been these past few months. Shortly after she and Gerald reconciled and just days before they wed, Charlize had received a message from Alfonso. It said he was planning to visit some of his other businesses for a while, but he planned to come back and see her again soon. It seemed he had finally made his way back.
“I had thought that I might return in time for your wedding, but I was detained elsewhere,” Alfonso explained vaguely.
“Really, don’t worry about it,” Charlize reassured him. “We threw the ceremony together hastily, and only a few friends attended.”
“Yes, but I would have liked to have been there,” Alfonso murmured, and Charlize saw that he was genuinely disappointed he had not been able to be there for her. He fidgeted with his pocket and then withdrew a small silk bag. He held it out to her. She just stared at the tiny purse and didn’t move. “For you,” Alfonso said softly, and then Charlize reached out and took the bag.
She undid the strings and turned the bag over, dumping its contents. A slim, gold ring fell into her palm. “Alfonso,” Charlize breathed. “What is this?”
“I understand Gerald gave you a ruby some time ago, but you have never been able to wear it because it was not set as a ring. I want you to have this ring, Charlize. I want you to take the ruby and the ring and have them forged together.”
Charlize began shaking her head at once. She hastily tried to stuff the ring back in the small bag. “I can’t accept this,” she said, thrusting the small bag back toward him.
“Of course, you can,” Alfonso replied. He stood and walked toward her. “You deserve all the finer things in life. I tried to tell you that once, but….” Alfonso broke off and stared just over Charlize’s shoulder. Then, he refocused his eyes so he could look once more at her face. “The ruby from Gerald symbolizes your fire and passion… your ability to burn away everything that isn’t worth having, and finding the good in every situation. But this gold ring… from me… speaks to your strength, courage, and unwavering loyalty. Please, accept this gift from me now.”
Charlize felt her heart warm at the sentiment. She clutched the small bag close to her bosom and whispered, “Thank you, Alfonso. I will cherish this gift always.”
* * *
Two Years Later
The First Day of Summer
The First Republic of Texas
“What time are they going to be here?” Gerald called as he flew about the house. “I can’t find my suspenders.”
“One thing at a time, dear,” Charlize answered. She walked into the room and found Gerald down on the floor on his hands and knees. “What are you doing?”
Gerald stayed in his position but lifted his head to look at her. “I’m looking for my suspenders.”
“And you think they’ll be underneath the bed?” Charlize questioned, grinning at her husband. He stood and shrugged his shoulders.
“You never can tell. I’ve looked everywhere else.”
Charlize crossed the room and plucked Gerald’s favorite pair of brown suspenders off the nightstand. “Is that what you were looking for?”
Gerald chuckled lightly. “There they are.” He took the pair of suspenders from Charlize’s hand and then began fastening them to his breeches at once. “What would I ever do without you?”
“I’m not quite sure,” Charlize replied breezily. Gerald slung his arm over Charlize’s shoulder and led her out of their bedroom toward the sitting area.
Shortly after they married, Charlize began to talk seriously to Gerald about moving out of the Buffalo’s Head. She didn’t want him to give up the business he loved, but she didn’t want to live in the apartment above the saloon her whole life, either. It took some gentle cajoling and a whole lot of penny-pinching, but once they paid off the debt to Alfonso, every other penny they earned went straight to buying this house. Now, they had only been in the small ranch for a little over a week, but they were already feeling very comfortable there.
Gerald started to move toward the two cozy armchairs next to the fireplace, but Charlize steered him toward the kitchen instead. “Where are we going?” Gerald asked, his eyebrows scrunching quizzically.
“Anna and Samuel will be here very soon. If I’m going to have supper ready in time, I need to get to work,” Charlize answered.
Gerald frowned. “Well, what are you making? I might be able to help.”
Charlize thought it was adorable how Gerald always offered to assist her in the kitchen. Having lived on his own for so many years, Gerald had mastered a few rudimentary cooking skills, but his dishes always lacked flavor. “No, no,” Charlize told him. “I’m making this dinner, especially for you, so you can’t very well help me prepare it.”
Gerald walked toward the pot simmering over the fire and lifted the lid. A warm waft of air rose in greeting, and Gerald sniffed appreciatively. “My favorite?”
“Pork neck tacos,” Charlize returned with a smile.
“With pickled cabbage?” Gerald asked excitedly.
“But of course,” Charlize replied. She moved toward the cupboard where they kept the pickled cabbage, and she pulled a jar of it from the shelf. She went back toward the countertop, and as she tried to open the lid, she glanced down at her gold and ruby ring.
“You think we’ll hear from Alfonso soon?” Charlize asked Gerald. He noticed that she was struggling to unscrew the lid to the cabbage, so he moved to her side and held out his hand toward her. She gave him the jar.
“I would imagine he’d resurface any day now,” Gerald replied calmly. Even though Gerald had come to accept that Alfonso was a major part of Charlize’s life, he still tried to keep his distance. Charlize wasn’t sure if that was because Gerald could never allow himself to trust Alfonso completely or if there was another reason, but she didn’t mind. Not everyone in her life had to see eye-to-eye all the time. Gerald removed the lid from the cabbage, and he put it on the countertop. “Do you have any idea where he goes when he disappears?”
“Not a clue,” Charlize answered. In the past few years working for Alfonso, she had found that it was better to ask only the questions she really wanted to know the answers to.
Gerald grabbed a plate from the cupboard and placed it on the counter in front of Charlize. She used a fork to pull some pickled cabbage from the jar. “I told you that you didn’t have to help, and I meant it.”
Gerald winked at her. “I like to help you, and besides, what else would I be doing if I wasn’t standing right here next to you?”
She smiled at him and then leaned over to kiss him on the cheek.
“Hey, hey, we’ve got guests coming soon. You need to be on your best behavior,” Gerald pretended to scold Charlize, and she chuckled.
“Guests? Were you expecting guests?” Anna’s voice filled the room, and Charlize turned toward the back door. She hadn’t thought about Anna and Samuel coming in through the back entrance, but it made sense as they were practically as close as family. Anna and Samuel helped build this place, and they had their own identical ranch just next door. Charlize smiled as she recognized that Anna and Samuel probably knew this house better than Gerald did.
Samuel pushed open the back door, and Anna came waltzing in carrying a fresh-baked pie. “Sorry,” Samuel whispered when he got close enough for Charlize and Gerald to hear him. “I told her it would be rude to just barge in the back door, but you know Anna. She said you wouldn’t care one bit.”
“And we don’t,” Charlize assured him. “You are always welcome in our home.”
Anna placed the pie plate on the counter right in front of Gerald, and he sniffed the air. “Is that the scent of raspberries I detect?”
Anna nodded. “I picked them myself yesterday and just got that pie ready now.”
“Should we start with the pie?” Gerald asked, looking from Anna to Charlize.
Charlize rolled her eyes heavenward. “You can have your slice of pie, but I want these tacos.”
“Right,” Gerald said, giving Charlize a sheepish grin. “I almost forgot.”
“Don’t take it personally, Charlize,” Samuel commented. “I tend to forget everything when Anna walks in the room carrying a pie.”
Anna smirked. “My secret power… pie.”
The two men adjourned then to the sitting room, and Anna began helping Charlize get the food ready to serve. Anna whispered as they plated the tortillas and added heaping portions of cabbage and pork. “I wasn’t sure if it was safe to mention Hugh in this house.”
Charlize shook her head. “Gerald still doesn’t like talking about him or anything that happened with him.”
“That’s what I figured,” Anna whispered conspiratorially.
“But…?” Charlize prompted.
“But…” Anna returned with a sly smile, “Samuel heard at the railway station that Hugh set himself up over in the Arizona Territory.”
“Okay,” Charlize replied, “but I thought he did that almost… three years ago. Right after the Sheriff released him.”
“He did get out of town quickly, and everyone suspected he went to Arizona, but now we have confirmation.”
“Confirmation?” Charlize question. “How so?”
Anna glanced around them, making sure neither of the men were eavesdropping on their conversation, and then she pulled a scrap of newspaper from her apron pocket. She held it out to Charlize. Charlize took the torn piece of paper and spread it flat on the countertop.
“Local Man Runs for Mayor,” the headline read. Charlize skimmed the article quickly until she found Hugh’s name. She didn’t have to read far, as it was in the very first sentence. “Local Businessman, Hugh Trejo, says he plans to run for the office of mayor in the fall.”
Charlize chuckled darkly and refolded the paper without reading the rest of the story. “That sounds just like Hugh. You always said he could charm anyone, even a snake.”
“He’ll be one heck of a politician,” Anna said, taking the piece of paper back from Charlize and tucking it safely away in her pocket.
“You ready?” Charlize asked as she loaded herself down with the plates full of food.
Anna nodded and grabbed a plate for herself and for Samuel. After the women took their seats and uttered a prayer, Charlize glanced excitedly around the table.
“I have some news,” Charlize said, causing everyone to stop eating and glance in her direction.
Anna gave her a startled look. “Is this about what we discussed in the kitchen?”
“No,” Charlize shook her head.
I have to tell you the happy news has nothing to do with Hugo Trejo.
“Is there something wrong, dear?” Gerald asked, dropping his fork onto his plate. “What news did the two of you discuss in the kitchen?”
Charlize waved away the question. “That was just girl talk. What I want to talk about now is the kind of news you share with your family.”
“Okay,” Gerald said slowly, “What do you want to tell everyone, Charlize?” She could tell by the timid way he said that the last statement she was scaring him a little, so Charlize decided to come right out and tell them all the good news.
“Well, as we think of you like family,” Charlize said, glancing at Anna and then at Samuel, “I thought it was only right to share our blessed news with both of you. Gerald and I have wanted to expand our little family for some time now… and… I am pleased to say that our prayers have been answered.”
“We’re going to have a baby?” Gerald asked, his mouth hanging wide open in disbelief.
Charlize nodded. “We’re going to have a baby.”
All at once, there was a cheer of excitement. Samuel and Anna started shouting their congratulations, but Charlize barely heard them. Her eyes stayed locked on Gerald. He rose at once and crossed the room. He flung his arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug.
“You’ve made me the happiest man in the world,” Gerald whispered in her ear. Charlize sighed contentedly and hugged Gerald back with all her might. She relished the feel of her husband’s arms around her, and Charlize relaxed into the embrace, feeling replete with her own sense of profound happiness.
