A Slow Burning Candle *Main story completed, additional scenes to be added*

Chapter 8 - Meddling

Despite the fact that the schooling had moved back to the actual escuela, Luz made it a point, as she had been asked to, to return to La Casa Madrigal for the midday meal and gossip session.

"So, the news around town is that someone was seen having dinner with the Ruiz's youngest son." Pepa smirked, and the other women turned to stare at Luz.

"¿Qué?" The maestra shrugged, taking a sip, "Is there something wrong with him I should know about?"

"No, but you can't tell us you had dinner with him because he is some fabulous conversationalist." The middle Madrigal triplet laughed, "He's cute."

The women looked at Pepa and she shrugged, "I'm a good wife, I can't say he's cute?"

"He may be cute," Julieta continued, "But he also has a reputation."

Luz looked up, "Bruno said he wasn't vicious."

"Not vicious, no," The older woman sighed, "But he does like to take every young woman in the village out to dinner that he possibly can."

"Oh." She took another sip, lowering her eyes.

"I'm not saying he can't like you, I'm just saying, be careful."

Juanita seemed perturbed, "Don't let his mother hear you say that. You know she thinks the sun rises and sets over her boys."

"I know, I know, but I don't want Luz to get hurt by some – " She paused and Pepa looked over at her, "Dolores called him a playboy, is that the word?"

"I think so, yes."

"How was the dinner anyway?" One of the other women in their group was not so quick to dismiss.

"It was normal? I suppose? I don't have much experience, we just went and talked for about an hour, then he walked me home."

"Did he try to kiss you?"

"No!" Luz pulled back, "I wouldn't have let him if he'd tried - that wouldn't be proper." Not that there was anything to their dinner anyway, she mused.

Julieta put a tray of food on the table, "I thought that you weren't planning to date for awhile anyway, wasn't that what you said?"

Luz felt caught out, "Well, one dinner is hardly a date. We just talked, and it wasn't even romantic."

"Please, what could a man who looks like that have to say?" Another woman derided, but she was quickly responded to with a joking retort, "He doesn't need to say anything!"

At least some of the women here were finding this funny, both Luz and Julieta thought independent of each other.

"What changed your mind?" Julieta asked.

"Nothing did, it was a dinner date, but it wasn't a 'date' date." Another sip, "At least, I didn't think it was, apparently the Encanto has a different idea."

"Well what's this rumor that you're going out with him again then?" Juanita piped up.

"He asked me – " Luz held up her hand, "To have dinner with him again in a week. Just dinner and talking, that's all."

"What do you talk about? How much he can lift?"

"No, he doesn't mention it because he knows Luisa can lift more and she knows it!" Juanita joked and the entire room erupted in laughter.

Luz rolled her eyes, "He's not an idiot, he just tells me about the village and other things."

"Okay." Julieta's voice was small, and Luz looked over at her.