April 1493
Antonio shook the hand of the gentleman standing before him, amazed that this man actually made the journey with Colon, across that vast ocean, and survived.
Colon was the talk of Seville, arriving at the port of Palos on March 15, 1493. After a harrowing and perilous sea journey home, he was given a hero’s welcome.
Describing to the King and Queen the wonders of his discovery and the treasures they might hold. A second expedition was already in the planning stages.
Juan Sanchez de la Casa spoke in glowing terms of Diego. His love of Elena. And his unfortunate luck at being one of those left behind. Juan began to explain the purpose of his visit. To deliver Diego’s journal and letter to Elena. He had hoped to present them to her personally, which was Diego’s wish.
Antonio, uneasy, began explaining that Elena was not in Seville, but at the convent of Santa Maria de los Ninos in Cordoba.
Distraught after Diego’s leaving, she sought solace there, and was considering taking her vows.
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“I am on my way to Cordoba, I am familiar with the convent, and Sister Teresa, may I take the journal and letter to her myself?” Juan asked.
Antonio, alarmed at the thought of someone outside of the convent seeing Elena with her swollen belly, began to stammer excuses why this was not a good idea. Almost blurting out the truth, Antonio began to explain. “I…I will take them to her myself. I am planning to visit her within the next few days.
Thank you for your kindness, I am sure Elena will be sad and disappointed. And even though Diego himself is not delivering them, she will be overjoyed to have the journal and letter.”
Sensing Antonio’s discomfort, Juan did not pursue the subject. Although he felt the situation was not quite as simple as Antonio described.
“As you wish, Señor, please give your sister my best wishes, and my distress, at not being the bearer of better news.”
Taking his leave of the San Miguel household, Juan contemplated. An inquiry to Sister Teresa regarding Elena, could do no harm. Explaining the circumstances of Diego’s fate to Sister Teresa, having her explain them to Elena, would soften the blow of Diego’s not returning. It was evident Elena was upset at Diego’s leaving. His not returning, he expected, would cause enormous unhappiness.
* * *
Clutching the journal and letter to her breast, Elena, heavy with child, urged Antonio for more details of Juan Sanchez’s call.“Did he say how he looked, was he well?” she excitedly asked.
“Elena, he brought the papers you are holding. Other than to explain why Joshua, I…I, mean Diego, did not return with him, Señor Sanchez gave no indication of Diego’s state of health. I did 146
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not pursue the subject, since your…condition is…uppermost in my mind.”
Elena coldly stared at her brother, as she acidly replied, “Yes my condition, the condition that will bring nothing but shame to the San Miguel name, nothing but…”
Antonio filled with frustration began to shout. But softened his voice as he answered, “Elena, I am not here to argue with you, I must have a reason to explain why you are still here, at the convent. Mother and Father are insisting on visiting you, and I cannot put them off any longer.”
“Maybe you should just tell them the truth!”
“Calm yourself, Elena, I am trying to help you, becoming emotional will do no one any good.”
Shaking her head in surrender, Elena opened the journal and began reading Diego’s letter. Sobbing softly, Elena, as she read, prayed with all her heart for his return. Still, felt in every part of her being that Joshua—Diego—was not coming back, did not know he had fathered their child. She vowed to herself, This baby will be born, loved and taken care of. No matter what!
“Ay de mi,” Antonio muttered. Started to speak, but stopped.
Observing his sister softly sobbing, filled him with an uneasy ache. Speaking softly, and gently as he could, Antonio said,
“Monsignor Abate has been asking about you, he wanted to know whether you have decided to take your vows.”
Hearing of the monsignor’s interest, Elena quickly composed herself. He was the one person in all of Seville she most feared.
If he gained knowledge of her condition, and how it came to be, he would destroy her, and her whole family!
“He must never know the truth, Antonio. You are aware of the consequences if that happens!”
Antonio with renewed frustration, declared, in a whispering hiss, “Yes I am! And I’m doing all that I can to put him off. But Elena, Mother and Father are the most immediate problem.
When will you allow them to see you?”
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“Not until the child is born. Which according to Sister Teresa should be some time next month.”
At the thought of Sister Teresa, Elena began thinking. A letter from the Sister, to her parents, and Monsignor Abate, explaining her need for seclusion. Citing Diego’s dilemma, his not returning, seemed like a very plausible solution to the problem at hand.
“I have just thought of something, Diego,” she exclaimed.
“Here is what I think we should do.”
* * *
Elena winced, the pains were coming more frequently now, sharper, and with more intensity.Sister Teresa, gently wiping her brow with a cool cloth, whispered, “My child, it has been over eighteen hours since you started your pains, I fear something is wrong. I am going to send for the physician. Do not worry I’m sure everything will be all right.”
Nevertheless Elena was worried. Not actually having experienced the birth of a baby. She was somewhat familiar with the birth process. Having heard her mother, and aunts, speak of it. “Hard” or “easy” births, dominating most of these conversations. She was sure she was experiencing a “hard”
birth.
Before she could continue her train of thought, she was jolted by a pain sharper than any of the others. Biting down on the wet cloth Sister Teresa had left with her, she fought back tears.
Suddenly realizing she was in a pool of wetness, she panicked, and called for help. Recognizing deep inside her, something was terribly, terribly wrong.
* * *
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Holding tightly to the wailing, squirming bundle in his arms, Juan Sanchez de La Cosa, angrily thought, What a strange, sad coincidence. What an ironic twist of fate.
In his arms he held the son of Diego de San Gil. The mother, Elena de San Miguel, gone, in spite of all his knowledge, he was unable to save her life.
“The Lord must have a mission for you, Juan, to have intertwined your life so closely with the father of the child, and now the mother,” Sister Teresa declared, as she reached for the baby.
Juan was still in awe, as he handed the child over, at the events of last night and today. Summoned to the convent by an urgent call. Sister Teresa had requested his help, someone was very ill. He was shocked beyond belief when he learned it was Elena de San Miguel. Her condition was very grave when he arrived. Using all of his available skills and knowledge, he was unable to save her. Echoing in his mind, the last words she spoke. An appeal to see that the child was taken care of. And of her undying love for Diego.
“You might be right, Sister. I had just met the brother, Antonio, no more than a few weeks ago. I considered paying a visit to the mother—Elena. But something in San Miguel’s voice put me off. Now I know why. When do you expect to see him again?”
“Very soon I believe. I sent a message to him as soon as Elena began her labor…The father of the child, he is still far across the ocean. Will he ever return?”
Sadly shaking his head, Juan explained, “I cannot answer that, Sister, his fate is in the hands of God. And God has not been kind to him in the past.”
Gently rocking the sleeping babe, Sister Teresa uttered a small sigh of resignation. “I suppose if the family cannot care for the child, a place for him could be found at the orphanage.
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“What would happen to the boy then?” Juan asked.
“I don’t know. Perhaps some family would adopt him, but…”
Sister Teresa stopped speaking as one of the other sisters of the order approached and whispered in her ear.
“Ah bueno— good,” she addressed the nun. “Antonio de San Miguel is here. I have the very sad task of informing him of his sister’s death. Accompany me please, Juan, informing him of this news will be hard enough, so I’m sure another man’s support will be most welcome.”
Handing the baby to Sister Elvira, Juan and Sister Teresa left to inform Antonio of Elena’s death!
A shaken, distraught, and heavy-hearted Antonio de San Miguel stared blankly at Sister Teresa and Juan, as she related the news of Elena’s death. He was unable to speak. Many thoughts racing through his mind. Elena dead, a child. “Aye de mi. What am I going to tell Papa, my mother?” he muttered aloud.
“Antonio, Antonio. Are you all right?” Sister Teresa asked.
In a trance-like daze, Antonio reacted to the voice calling his name, taking a deep breath he fell silent.
“Get hold of yourself,” Juan cried, as he shook Diego.
Breathing deeply again, Antonio regained his composure.
“I must make preparations…I don’t know where to begin.”
Sister Teresa began consoling Antonio, explaining how she had performed the last rites herself. That Elena had come to terms with her situation.
“You may bury her here, if you wish, Señor. All members of the order have taken a vow not to reveal anything that occurs in the convent. The child of course…would have to be placed in an orphanage. Or with other relatives, if your family refuses to acknowledge or take him in.”
Antonio, weeping for himself, for Elena, felt his heart grow cold at the mention of the bastard child.
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“No! It is impossible, for my family to take the child. The shame of a child born out of wedlock would destroy my father.
I shudder to think what it would do to my mother. The child’s father may return, he certainly would take the child, but…”
“The father is far across a vast ocean,” Juan interrupted, “his return is questionable…” Juan hesitated, a thought, quickly coming to his mind. “With your permission, Señor, may I make some inquiries regarding the baby. A family I have in mind, might be receptive to raising the child as their own.”
Scornful of the child so sinfully conceived, yet grateful for Señor Sanchez’s offer to help, Antonio quickly agreed. “I have no objections. You may do whatever you feel is best. But I beg you both, not to reveal that my sister bore the child. Many of my concerns could be resolved, if Elena was buried here.”
Antonio also recognized, explaining his sister’s death, to his parents would require a physician’s statement. And additional help from Juan Sanchez.
“A statement from you, Señor Sanchez, regarding the cause of her death, would solve a most pressing problem.”
Sister Teresa assured Antonio that all of his wishes would be followed. Looked directly at Señor Sanchez as she said, “You agree, don’t you, Juan?”
With a nod of his head, Juan indicated his agreement. “What will the baby be called?” Juan asked.
“Diego de Jesus, and may the Lord forgive us all,” she prayed.
* * *
On a warm spring day in the year of our lord 1493. Elena de San Miguel was laid to rest. A small stone marking the grave, within the walls of The Convent of Santa Maria de los Ninos.Antonio de San Miguel, depressed and sad, left for Seville.
Certain he could convince his parents, that Elena had died of a broken heart.
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Diego de Jesus, properly baptized, left with Juan Sanchez de la Casa. Traveling the city of Medellin, within the province o f Extremadura.
Diego de Jesus would be taken in by the Cortes de Monroy family. A family which would raise him as one of their own children!
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