The Long Journey Home (Completed)

Chapter 10 (Edited)

Then people go out to their work,

to their labor until evening. Psalm 104:23

By the time 4:30pm came around, Gabriel, Duke, Jason, Jessica, Cameron, José, Red, and I were sweaty and dirty from head to toe.

"Well, that was fun," Jessica said, pulling a strand of hay from her hair. "Remind me to wear gloves next time, while we are working with hay."

Gabriel looked at his hands and grimaced. "My blisters have blisters."

"That's what ya'll get fer stacking hay without gloves," Red said.

"Well, everything is done and the round bales are out," I said, wiping my hands on my jeans.

"And why are you not complaining about your hands? You didn't wear any gloves either," Jessica said, glaring at me playfully.

"Because, my hands are used to being raw," I replied.

Cameron rolled his eyes, teasingly. "That doesn't mean anything, Em," he said, as he placed his hat on the hat rack.

I looked at him, folding my arms across my chest, and glared teasingly. "And what kind of joke is that?"

He looked at me, his blue eyes sparkling, teasingly. "You deal with rough horses."

"Yes, I do."

"Niños, niños, silencio, por favor, (Children, children, silence, please). There is no need for fighting," José said, teasingly.

"No hablo español, José (I don't speak Spanish, José)," Cameron said, innocently.

"Y yo (And I)," I replied, touching my chest. I grinned, loving to mess with José. "No hablo español. (I don't speak Spanish.)"

"Then what was the language that I heard?" someone asked, while they came into the kitchen.

We turned around and saw José's mother behind us, scowling teasingly. There were two younger people with her. Both of them were standing behind her, looking at us with a grin on their faces.

Señora Teresa Gonzalez was carrying some supplies in her hand so that she could cook in our kitchen. Her two daughters were with her also, carrying spices.

Señora Gonzalez smiled at me, before nodding her head in greeting. "Lo Siento, Señorita, (I'm sorry, Miss)," she said, softly. Piy was in her voice, while she talked about my father. "Tus padre (your father) was a very good man."

I nodded my head and cleared my throat. "Thank you, Señora. And thank you for cooking our meal."

Señora Gonzalez nodded her head., smiling in welcome "It's my pleasure, Señorita. If it wasn't for you Padre..."

I looked away and looked at the two girls, not wanting to hear what she wanted to say. "Are you going to help your mother cook?"

They shook their heads no. "No," the oldest said. "Joséfina can if she wants to, but I'm not."

"Marisol," Señora Gonzalez scowled her daughter. "Be nice."

"Lo siento, Mama," Marisol said.

Señora Gonzalez smiled at her before she looked at us. "Get ready and wash up. Dinero (dinner)  will be ready in una hora (one hour)."

"Gracias, Señora Gonzalez," I said, nodding my head. I started to follow the group out of the kitchen.

Señora Gonzalez had placed down her pot and pulled me into a hug. "Lo siento, Señorita," she whispered, softly in my ear.

I nodded my head, but I didn't say anything. I cleared my throat, staying silent. However, I did hug her back.

"He knows no pain right now, and he is with El Señor (the Lord)."

I nodded my head and cleared my throat, again. I was trying to make sure that it didn't choke up. I knew that the Gonzalez family knew what we are going through. However, I didn't know if anyone knew what I was going through.

Maybe one of them did, but I'm not going to ask. Finally, I pulled away, wanting to get out of the kitchen. "I-I um... I got to go. Thank you, Señora Gonzalez," I said, as I started to walk away.

Señora Gonzalez nodded her head. "He still loves you," she said.

Ya right. I thought, bitterly before I walked out of the kitchen. I highly doubt that he does love me. I gritted my teeth together, but I kept silent. No one needed to know what I was thinking.