Hedging Bets – Chapter Two – Emersli1

Reading Time:
6 Minutes

Tony turned onto the little street with a relieved sigh.

Though he had come a long way from the man who had been terrified of children, the long drive home had worn on him.  He knew better than anyone else in the car that Mireya’s tiny respiratory system was vulnerable, and being in the car seat for long periods of time was dangerous.  But the risks of airline travel were even greater, given the recycled air and the number of potential strangers, so a long, gentle drive broken up frequently was the best he could do.

Now, looking at the crowd spilling out onto the lawn of the little house, he was glad that part was done.  However her life had begun, Mira had come safely home to a large, loving family.

Looking through the windshield at the amazing sight in their front yard, Buck felt a large lump in his throat.  Every face was familiar, except for the little girl holding up one end of a truly amazing banner, and all were welcoming.  Harry Grant held the other end of the banner, and in the center, Christopher was seated in the much-loathed wheelchair with his legs carefully padded and Carla watching closely.  In his hands he held his iPad facing out, presumably recording the homecoming.

Buck climbed out as soon as the car came to a stop, running to Christopher.  It felt like forever since he’d actually seen his boy, so much had happened in the past few days.  Feeling Chris’s arms go around his neck, thinking of that first terrible moment when he’d realized the fire was closing in on all sides, Evan held on as tightly as he thought Christopher could handle.

Familiar laughter from between them had Buck looking down at the iPad, only to see his sister smiling back at him.  “Maddie?  How?  I thought they didn’t allow phones?”

Maddie smiled a bit mistily at him.  “I told you I wasn’t missing anymore of your life.  Carla and my doctor set this up.  It’s not really recommended, but I just couldn’t miss Mireya’s homecoming.”

Eddie had brought Mireya out of the car in his arms, leaving Tony to carry the car seat loaded with all the paraphernalia required to travel with an infant.  Now he hurried over to his family, eager to show off his baby girl.

Holding Mireya down in front of Christopher and Maddie, Eddie let his son get his first in-person look at his little sister.  

“Hello Mireya Rose, I’m your big brother, Christopher.  Welcome home!”

The party was a riotous good time, as all Diaz parties are apt to be.

Eventually all the children except Christopher had been shooed into the backyard to play while the adults and the proud big brother opened gifts.  May held the baby book, making a careful list of the gifts and givers to aid in sending thank you notes later, while Buck held the actual baby.  Chris sat beside him and helped his father open the gifts.

Blankets, dresses, books, and toys were scattered in amongst the more immediately useful items like bottles, pacifiers, and box after box of diapers.  Buck and Christopher ooh’ed and aah’ed over them all.

Then Eddie opened a box that appeared at first glance to be full of yellowed tissue paper.  Gently brushing it aside, he stared in amazement at its contents before lifting it out and silencing the room.

It was old, yet new at the same time.  Made for a child who never got to wear it, the christening gown was three yards of carefully stitched satin and silk, with delicate embroidery picked out around the smocked yoke.  Love was evident in every stitch, and every seam carried a soon-to-be mother’s prayers.  Prayers that in the end went unanswered.

Eddie looked across his living room at the oldest person in the room. 

As a small child, he hadn’t been able to understand exactly what relation his abuelita’s younger sister was, so he’d announced that she was ‘Tialita’.  And over the years, it had caught on.  Now known to her family far and near as ‘Lita’, Veronica Aguilar sat watching her beloved great-nephew as he gently stroked the beautiful gown she had made for her daughter all those many years ago.

“Oh Lita … it’s so pretty!  Did you make it all yourself?”  Chris admired the beautiful gown, touching it softly with one gentle finger.  “Look Mira!  Look what Lita gave you!  It’s so beautiful.”

Isabel Diaz looked at the gown in her grandson’s hands, and then over to her aunt.  “Oh, Lita.”  She couldn’t believe that the woman had finally parted with the beautiful gown.  She was old enough to remember Rosa, Veronica’s daughter, who died before she could be christened.  No other children had come along, and yet Veronica had never wavered from her faith that one day a child would wear the gown she’d spent months making.

Evan looked across at the elderly woman sitting in their most comfortable chair.  He had been surprised to see her here, since he knew she didn’t leave her small home for anything but Mass anymore.  In fact, that’s how he’d met her.  When Pepa mentioned Lita was afraid to leave her home for Mass because the front steps were too rickety, Buck and Eddie had shown up with tools in hand.

By the time they’d finished, both the front and back steps had been replaced as well as all the rotten wood on the porch and the hand railings along each side.

Now the woman sat calmly, looking at the small family across from her.  “Si Cristoforo, lo he hecho …muchos años pasados.  Mi Rosa es un ángel ahora, y ella mirara a su hermana.  Ellas son familia.  Rosa y Mireya Rose.  Yo sabe, cuando oye su nombre, la vestida era para ella.”

Eddie got up and gave the elderly woman a gentle hug.  “Gracias Lita … muchas gracias.”

Eddie had been surprised his parents had not taken Mireya’s homecoming as a good excuse to come to Los Angeles.

They had stayed in El Paso, only sending good wishes and a huge box of diapers for the shower.  Now, seeing his father’s number on his caller id Eddie had to wonder if the bill was coming due.

“Hey Pop, how’s it going?”

“Hello mijo.  I imagine you’ve had a busy day, so I won’t keep you long.  I just wanted to congratulate you and wish Mireya well.  Did you get the diapers?”  Ramon’s voice rolled smoothly out of the speaker.

“Yeah, it’s been a long few days.  But everybody’s home and safe now.  And yeah, we got the diapers … and I know we’ll make good use of them.”  Eddie had been a little surprised at the impersonal nature of the gift, but there was no denying that babies went through diapers at a tremendous rate.

Ramon laughed lightly.  “Your mother and aunts are putting together a box of clothes and such for 3 to 6 months, so la princesa will have something waiting for her as she grows.  You should get it in about a week … once your uncles and I can come up with an elephant to transport it to California.  It’s going to be huge.  They’re so excited.  And your mother’s sending several things from your sisters separately … clothes they outgrew before they wore out or stained beyond salvaging.  Babies are messy creatures.”

“How is Mom?  Is she there with you?  I was kinda worried not to hear from her.”  Eddie hadn’t known what to make of his mother’s silence.  He actually hadn’t heard from her in months, except for a text response offering to come help with Chris after his surgery.  Truth be told he’d been rather relieved by the silence.

Ramon sighed.  “Your mother is … not well, mijo.  She had … an episode … and it’s taking her a while to come out of it.  She isn’t talking right now.  But she’s happy and excited about the baby.  I’m having a hard time getting her to come out of the attic, she’s so busy looking for just one more thing for the box.”

“Oh.”  Eddie wasn’t sure what to make of that.  He’d never known his mother to have ‘episodes’, and he’d certainly never known her to be non-verbal.  “Well, tell her I love her, and I’ll be sure to scope out stabling for an elephant.”

“Be well, mijo.  We will see you soon.”

“Bye Pop.”

Hanging up, Eddie took another moment to worry about his mother.

Then a squeak from down the hall demanded his attention.

Probably time to put another diaper to good use.