Two Groups

Chapter 23

Miguel, Victoria, and Manuel have reached the markets at Caparra. They then continued down buying some food for the manor. Or simply trinkets or material they needed back at the manor. As they have passed everything , they kept passing through the markets, Manuel kept looking at Victoria. Who felt guilty every time Miguel would grab her hand or kiss her. She did not look at Manuel she ignored him so she would not be guilty, they continued while Miguel went to a weapon store to see if he can get a new weapon or if he can sharpen his sword. While Victoria sat on a bench she started to put her hands to her face and took a deep breathe. After all what happened between her and Manuel she did want to forget it. About what had happened between her and Manuel when Miguel was gone. But sooner or later he is going to know.
Manuel came and sat next to her, he put his hand on her back for comfort. She could not handle so She pushed him and said "please leave me alone" after all that just happened Manuel just nodded and got up and got away from her. It was weird, for her. She felt kinda dizzy but she  could not find it normal probably it was a medical condition. Miguel came and she stopped and she smiled at him. Then they decided to all go to the manor.

Nine months later.................

Estrella was cooking her morning meal. She was waiting for Alonso to get up so she can eat with him. After all they had already returned from their vacation. Alonso walked down the stairs with a tired face. It was that they had returned late at night. He went to the table and waited to hear Miguel walking down and helping Victoria down the stairs. She was expecting a child, She felt extremely Guilty to know that it was not Miguel's but Manuel's.
She will tell him soon, after everything and after the baby comes. She stayed quiet and continued eating. Manuel came down last he looked at Victoria, she looked at him and looked down he knew what that meant. She still felt guilty about what had happened between them. He started eating, Miguel have reached a higher rank in the army. He was going to be knighted by the King of Spain. Miguel was going to Spain today and he would not be back in three months. As he finished eating he kissed Victoria and gave his goodbyes and left the house.

Two months later....

The sound of crying was everywhere in the Manor as it echoed, it was the baby, who was named Sofia. Manuel started to take care of her with Victoria. She decided she was going to tell Miguel who was coming today, After all he is going to be married to Victoria a few days later. Manuel gave Sofia to Victoria then left for his job. It took him a half and hour but he reached it. He walked through the door and he saluted his boss who quickly told him to come in. There was some music to be played today at his job.
He came and grabbed his cuatro, his cuatro was a hand me down. It was from his grandpa Zaccheaus's Friend who passed on and gave it to him. Then gave it to Manuel leaving a letter that he would be the one to play it. So after going to the room to play he saw a portrait of two men. He asked his boss who were they, the boss said to him " It was two men who visited here in the past the one with the hat is Macho and the next one is his Friend Zaccheaus."
He told him that Zaccheaus was his grandfather who passed away. He nodded and told him about them a little. Manuel's mother telling him how Macho passed making Zaccheaus learning to play, then he started playing. He played and everyone heard and watched him. He started to think about Sophia and how she will probably never know who her father is. He then started to play with great amount of feeling that he started to improvise. He played a really sad piece that everyone started to cry. After he played everyone cheered. He got up and bowed.
He left the stage to meet his boss, who scolded him for not playing just the piece and also saluted him about his improvising skills. He called him a master now. He smiled and gave him his pay for playing like he usually does.
He thanked him and left for home, it was quiet he started thinking what might happen. He felt a bad presence as he got closer to the manor. He knew his parents was not there, they told them they would be at a dinner in a date.

He entered the house he saw that Miguel's sheathe was on the floor he heard movements up stairs and he heard yelling. It was Miguel who sounded like he broke a fuse. Then he saw Victoria running to him. She told him " I told Miguel about Sophia and he wants to kill her. Take her and never come back. Por favor por nuestra hija. ( please for our daughter).
Manuel looked at Sophia who smiled at him. Started making noises trying to communicate. He picked her up and he left running with his daughter. As He ran he thought that he will never see his family again, he just ran and ran further into Caparra. Manuel did not even looked behind him while running. He hold her firmly and gently she was quiet.
After an hour of running he stayed at his boss's house and thanked him for giving him a place to stay for awhile. He continued feeding Sophia, he felt that he can be a father now. He had to find a house, But it did came with a price, that he must live in hiding from his brother. Who might want to kill Sophia. He decided he will change his last name to keep Sophia safe. He change it to Espinoza adding an E to Spinoza. He then started to look for homes to live in. Living in hiding thus creating rivalry between Espinoza and Spinoza in the later future.

End of Arc 1