Chapter 1
Music carried by the outdoor breeze weaved between the white blonde hair of the head council member as she danced with her friends and the rest of her community...
Music carried by the outdoor breeze weaved between the white blonde hair of the head council member as she danced with her friends and the rest of her community. Her hips swayed from the beat of the slit drums and rattles, while the melody of the conch trumpets and violins moved her spirit in celebration of the newborns and surviving infants of the current season.
A low tenor of a voice appeared by her ear, asking for permission to dance with her. Nodding her consent, she felt intense heat on her backside as large hands gently settled on either side of her hip. The man behind her followed her steps, never trying to change the pace of her footwork.
Lost in the moment—the alcohol she had imbibed earlier—the council member brought her hand up to wrap around her dance partner’s neck, encouraging him to stay with her. He brought her body closer to his structure in a stronghold, molding their bodies together and continuing the sway of their synchronized movements.
She felt one of his hands lift away from her as he moved her hair aside from the crook of her neck, allowing the pink of her front highlights to shimmer in the evening light given by the torches. The heat of his lips came close to her shoulder, and without giving it a second thought, she adjusted her head to the side, giving permission to the unknown man to access more of her skin.
A sigh escaped her as his lips came closer, like the flutter of a butterfly’s wings, before darkness overcame the night. Dead silence filled the space, and the council member could no longer feel anything.
. . •⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅ . .
Eyelids shot open to stare at a wooden dresser in the soft darkness of the bedroom. With a yawn and stretch of her upper body, Zalli turned over onto her back to get some movement in her joints. Without fail, she woke up on time, before the sun hit the horizon.
Delicate thuds smacked against her bedsheet from the end corner of her bed. Coming up to her elbows, a smile escaped her as she saw her beloved companion laying her head on top of her legs, staring expectantly at her.
“Good morning, Huizi.”
No response came from the dog other than the continued thwacks from her tail, which was the only part of her body with fur. Zalli reached over to give a scratch behind Huizi’s ears before she threw the covers off and got out of her bed to get ready for the day.
Wisps of her dream left her mind as her bare feet padded across the rug from her room to the hallway. She headed toward the communal washroom she shared with her family. Prior to freshening up, she needed to take a detour to her sister’s room, who was on the way to her destination, anyway.
She gave a cordial knock on her door before she swung it open and stormed in with purpose.
“Tepi! Wake. Up.”
A groan came from the pile of sheets lying on top of the bed. Seeing no movement from the small hill of fabrics and resting body, Zalli jumped onto it and grabbed hold of whatever limb she could latch onto. She shook her little sister vigorously in an attempt to get her ready for the day’s chores.
“Tete, come on. We have to harvest today.”
She disturbed Tepi with each word she annunciated.
“Alright, alright!”
Feeling content, Zalli leapt from the bed, heading straight for the bathroom. Her sister was not one to wake up and quickly leave her bed, per the proof she was still in the same position Zalli found her in as she left. But considering how they both take their time while getting ready, she didn’t want to risk wasting the moments of solace she could have before experiencing the chaos that usually came with freshening up next to a sister.
Having dressed and freshened up, she sauntered into the kitchen and found her grandmother finishing breakfast and her Tia Xilo weaving another intricate basket at the table.
“Good morning, Abuela, Tia.”
She gave a kiss to each one of her family members and sat down opposite her aunt. Huizi walked away from her empty dish bowl and rested next to Zalli. She laid her head on her owner’s lap, content with the finished meal given to her by the grandmother.
“What’s for breakfast today, Abuela?”
“Eggs, chorizo, and beans,” her grandmother placed the plate down in front of her as she answered her question. She noticed the empty chairs next to Zalli, Tepi occupied usually one of them. “And where is your sister?”
“She’s having a bit of a late start today. Seemed groggier than usual.”
Zalli brought her hands together and sent a silent prayer of thanks to her ancestors for the meal before she dug in. It was not until she was halfway done with her plate and on her third tortilla that Tepi finally emerged into the kitchen and sat next to her older sister.
Dark circles rested under her eyes, and she slouched into her chair, lingering her arm to grab a corn tortilla.
“Did you not sleep well again, mijita?”
Their grandmother asked with concern as she sat down to eat.
“I heard noises in my room. Soft thuds that would not stop. Zalli, did Huizi enter my room?”
“Nope. I made sure to keep my door closed this time. She was with me the whole night.”
Zalli didn’t look up to answer her sister. With her meal nearly complete, she wanted to begin working immediately. Her Tia Xilo looked up momentarily from her craftwork to give an input on the situation.
“Mamá, you should give Tepi some té de manzanilla. It might help her rest.”
As the matriarch nodded her head in agreement, Tia Xilo went back to her basket-weaving, mindlessly endeavor into her art-craft with nimble hands and fast dexterity.
“Remind me during dinnertime, Tete. I’ll brew something strong for you,” Abuela Ezi reached across the table to grab hold of Tepi’s hand before she reached over for Zalli’s as well. “Aurozalli. Do you think today’s harvest will be fine?”
Her mouth was full of her last bite, so she could not answer immediately. She chewed as much as she could without choking, as she wanted to respond to her abuela quickly, but it was also a question she had hoped to avoid until later. She gave a hard swallow before clearing her throat and wiping her mouth with a cloth napkin her tía had embroidered years ago.
“Well. I’ve been adding more fertilizer, and I have made sure that the conditions are optimal. I think this round should be much better than the last few weeks.”
Avoiding: Avoiding her grandmother’s gaze, she looked away. She was not lying to her. She was doing everything right to get the crops back into prime shape. But self-doubt crept in like spiders crawling on her skin. Zalli couldn’t know until she went onto the farm today and did the harvest.
Her grandmother squeezed her hand with concern and love before she let go and returned to eating her dish. Before any more questions could come up, Zalli picked up her plate and washed it hastily before she threw over her should to Tepi that she would start without her. Her sister only nodded in acknowledgment, and with that, Zalli darted out the back door to get her day started.
Huizi followed closely behind, cheerful to be next to her owner. Zalli donned her baseball cap and pushed her two braids away from her chest. The sun was already three-quarters above the horizon, which was considered a late start for some with larger farms, but an alright time for Zalli.
She headed straight to the small barn to grab her donkey. With a small cart latched to its harness, the farmer began her day’s chores.
Later on, Tepi found herself next to Zalli, and they both worked in silence as they pruned the rose bushes and harvested the flowers in tandem. A small snort came from the burro, breaking the calm between the sisters.
“The roses seem to look alright.”
Tepi went over to pet Churro, his sound easily distracting her from the day’s work.
“So-so. We were able to cut more flowers in the past years. But it seems not many have budded, and even with the buds we do have, they remain tightly closed.”
Her younger sister peered into the cart and understood what was being said. By now, with them halfway through the field, they would have filled the cart and returned home to unload.
Zalli walked to the vessel to drop a few flowers in a bucket of water and together they observed nearly half of the buckets occupied with roses, while the others were still empty other than containing water. The older sister sighed and dropped into a crouch next to a rose nearby to observe its state.
The bud appeared tiny and showed no signs of any mature leaves. She gently brought a hand up to hold the closed flower. With a silent apology sent to her mother, Zalli took her hand away and quickly stood, trying to ignore the feelings of disappointment surging into herself.
“Come on Tete, Churro. Let’s just keep working and get as many flowers as we can. Nothing to do but carry on.”
Churro gave out a wuffle—implying he could figure out a better thing to do than pull a cart all morning—but he followed dutifully. What he wanted to do was lay down and nap, which he would do in the afternoon anyway, so he continued moving forward by his own choice.
As the sun moved higher in the sky, the two women finished the day’s harvest by the afternoon and walked to the house, hungry for lunch. Tepi unlatched the cart from Churro and removed the harness, allowing him to do as he pleased for the rest of the day.
On the back porch, their abuela waited, hands on hips.
“Just in time. I finished the tortas right now. Seems like we ran out of chips, though. Zalli, do you think you could grab some tomorrow when you are selling in the market square?”
“Mhm.”
Just before she could walk past her grandmother and enter through the back door, the sound of a vehicle approaching their house from the front road caught their attention. The women exchanged confused glances, unsure about the visitor. They were not expecting anyone today, much less by car.
Zalli was the first to move. Hurriedly, she swept through her home, collecting a broom before reaching the front. Before opening the door, she detached the head, holding only the stick. Perhaps a makeshift weapon was unnecessary, but she figured it wouldn’t hurt to be too careful.
Strangers are rare in the little town she lived in, and, even beyond that, living in a house full of nothing but women meant being on guard continuously. Huizi, unseen for most of the morning—having been exploring the fields per her usual routine—was now by her owner’s side, ready for action.
Once apt, Zalli pulled open the door and jaunted with determination, arriving but a few paces in front of the car. She stood bearing her weight towards her makeshift weapon with her free hand on her hip.
She waited patiently for the car’s occupants to emerge from the sedan. It had a sleek design with metal rims and dark tinted side windows. The sunlight made the top appear overly shiny, but dirt covered the sides, likely from the stranger’s trip from the town to their home, which was nothing but a dirt road.
Finally, both individuals emerged from the car, simultaneously exiting the vehicle. On the driver’s side was a woman in stilettos, a pencil skirt, a pretty blouse, and her hair in soft waves flowing down her back. She had slicked her bangs back, giving the illusion of a hair band. Zalli admired what she wore and almost felt self-conscious, considering all she had on were overalls and her work shirt. Dirt surely covered her, and her boots showed wear from decent use.
She was determined not to show that in her expression, though, and continued appearing stoic and unfriendly.
On the passenger side was a handsome man with a long-sleeved button-down, plaid tailored pants, and slicked-back hair. He looked cute, but something felt off to Zalli about him.
She sensed something in the air about the both of them, leading her to distrust them.
“Srta. Tlahuizcal, I’m assuming!”
The man spoke first and walked in stride towards Zalli. He brought down the hand outstretched in salutation, offering a handshake to the maiden. She stared at it for a quick moment before reaching out and grabbing it in a cordial greeting.
Immediately, she regretted the action as he shook her arm so vigorously that it felt like it was going to pop off quite like the limb of a doll.
She cleared her throat, quickly regaining her composure.
“That’s me. How can I help you today?”
He put a hand in his pocket, then turned, his other hand outstretched toward his colleague. The woman stepped forward, giving him a manila envelope, then silently resumed her position, hands clasped behind her.
“My name is Diego Farzo. A client of mine is interested in your property,” his voice brought her attention back to him. Her whole family was on the porch, now, a distance away from the convening group, but still able to hear the conversation. “Don Calip has been eyeing your farm for a while and has noticed there’s been a decline in your business for a few years. He would like to help.”
Shoulders tensed up as Zalli stared at the man in front of her. She focused on his plaid tie, irritated it felt like someone was spying on her and her progress—her business.
“Help in what way?”
Her response stirred Sr. Farzo to extend the envelope towards Zalli, for her to take it. As his body got nearer to hers, Huizi didn’t growl, but her ears were at attention and her form was rigid with calculative thought. The man noticed the dog’s composure and was quick to step away once Zalli grabbed hold of the documents.
“Don Calip is interested in investing in your farm. He would provide the monetary means to get your business back into proper productivity. All he asks is for you to sign ownership over to him. Of course, you would be allowed to reside in your home, rent-free even. Only 50% in profits would go towards him.”
“Absolutely not. I have no interest in selling my farm. Never had in the past, and I never will now. Just because we have encountered a small dip in profit return does not mean we are struggling.”
Zalli recoiled from the man in indignation. The terms she heard seemed unfair and unjustified. Sure, they were not doing fine now, but those are the risks that come with farmland. Sometimes the soil does not provide what it can.
“There was no intention of offending Srta. Tlahuizcal. My client only sees the potential in your land, and he wants to help it thrive.”
“It thrives very well with us living here and caring for it. This land has been under my family name for generations, and I have no plan of changing that now.”
She moved to hand the hefty envelope back to Sr. Farzo, but he took a step away with his hands in his pockets.
“How about you peer at the contents of the packet we left for you? Perhaps some thinking it over will help with your decision. We will return in a few days for your response.”
“I don’t think that is necess—”
“Have a good day, Srta. Tlahuizcal. We look forward to our next meeting with you.”
Zalli dropped her arm down in defeat as the man and woman walked back to their car and got in without further need for discussion. They sped off, leaving a cloud of dust behind, causing Zalli to cough and walk toward her family to clear out her lungs.
She stared at each member, starting with Tepi, who had her arms crossed in concern and was looking away in thought. Tia Xilo, as always, held an unfinished basket limply at her side as she slowly turned and re-entered their house. Her grandmother went to sit on a chair nearby before speaking to her.
“Are the conditions really that bad, mija, that we need outside help?”
“No abuela. Someone is just trying to swoop in and take advantage of a family in a weakened state. But we are going to be fine.”
They held each other’s gazes, her Abuela concerned, searching for how to resolve her granddaughter’s tension, and Zalli with minor trepidation at the thought she might lose direction of her ambitions for the family farm. She walked over to the matriarch and placed her hand atop hers for reassurance—whether it was for her Abuela or for herself—she was not quite sure of it.
“There’s going to be ups and downs with our type of business. Mamá has dealt with worse before, no?”
All she received was a small smile in acknowledgment, but no genuine answer to her rhetoric. Finishing the conversation, her grandmother only looked ahead in ambivalent silence as nothing more could be said. Not knowing what else to do, she followed her sister, and went inside to eat lunch before ending the day’s chores, leaving the packet tossed to a nearby table.
Michelle Alva
