Christopher hears via the prison grapevine the putas are returning. Saturday morning finds men stamping their feet in impatience. Disorderly they whistle and catcall as the boat arrives. Boots pound the dock thundering out the rhythm of desire. Putas raise their skirts, sashaying across the bow of the boat. Flinging hair they gaze over their shoulders at the impatiently waiting men.
The Captain’s daughter stands apart. She observes the show with a trace of humor reflected in her features. Her body is slim with long legs and narrow hips. She appears at ease, a woman of quality, graceful and athletic. Christopher’s heart hammers at the sight of her. He feels giddy. Where is her swan? What’s the best place for a first date?
He squeezes his face, wrinkling his nose. A first date on an island dungeon! If she agrees to take a walk with me she’s having a date with an Islas Tres Marias inmate and I am having a date with the puta prince’s daughter. Not a traditional entertainment in sight, only the glaring eyes of prisoners and guards. This will be tricky.
Edging his way past the dozing Captain, Christopher descends the ladder to the boat’s deck. Juanita’s eyes follow him. Wide and clear, chocolate brown eyes fringed with long lashes, gaze at Christopher’s face. His mouth goes dry, at a loss for words. Leaning against the cabin, he strives to look relaxed. Really his knees are shaking. The cabin he leans on is his support. He stuffs his hands in his pockets. With a smile he introduces himself. “Buenos dias Senorita. Mi llama es Christopher.”
A kind of wonder shines from her face. It’s as if she rarely hears a man speak kindly. Friendliness brings a shine of tears to her eyes. Christopher’s warmhearted nature glows around him like an aura of good health. Juanita looks down, shy and embarrassed. He can see her thoughts. Do I have the courage to speak with the gringo?
Christopher huffs surprise watching as light gathers in her belly circulating golden warmth in a clockwise direction. When she smiles her happiness shines. She says, “Buenos dias Christopher. Mi llama es Juanita.”
Exhilarated, leaning his weight forward into his toes, Christopher asks, “Habla English?”
“Yes I do.” She answers. “Are you American?”
“I am.” He gives her another friendly smile. “Would you walk with me? We could walk up the cliff. Your father can see us from the dock.”
Smiling as bright as sunlight, Juanita pushes her hair off her face. She says, “Yes, I would like to walk with you.”
Christopher hears her sharp inhale. Looking down at her feet Juanita says “Before we go. I want to warn you. My father’s cousin is the man you know as El Jefe.”
Tilting her head she appraises Christopher’s reaction. He smiles at her. He can see she’s wonders does he understand? Christopher nods, “I’ve heard your uncle is El Jefe, a scary hombre.”
He has no negative reaction to the news that she is the niece of El Jefe? Juanita smiles, “Shall we walk?”
Christopher holds the ladder steady as Juanita climbs to the dock. They are deep in conversation before the end of the dock. Walking the sandy trail he has forgotten the dangers. They arrive cresting the bluff, hearts pumping, just slightly out of breath. Juanita’s cheeks are pink. Her eyes shine. Ahhh. The air dances with sparkles of light.
Laughing they swing their feet over the ledge, animated by the climb, intoxicated with their adventure. They talk of the past, not ready to dream of a future. She says, “My mother was a stay at home mom. My father was on the boat fishing just off these islands.” She stretches a finger out to the ocean. The water with many hues of blue extends as far as the eye can see. “Papa did not always run a puta …”
Juanita runs out of words and Christopher can see she feels ashamed of her father’s profession, his choice to exploit young women, their survival based on trading their bodies for money.
She explains, “I was sixteen when Mama became ill. Pounds flew off her body. Nothing eased her pain. Not food, medicine or rest. I watched, helpless, as life drained out of her.” Juanita inhales a shaky breath covering her mouth with her hand to hold back tears.
Christopher sits quietly. A woman’s tears usually create a knot of anxiety in his belly. Today his concerns are for Juanita. He wants to hold strength protecting her as she walks through the fragilities of her story.
Juanita resumes with a wobbly smile. “Doctors could not help. I prayed day and night for her. Nothing stopped the disease. She was exhausted. She was dying.”
Gaining strength from Christopher’s steadfast presence Juanita continues, “Then one day my prayers were answered.
“I was at the open air market buying food for dinners I cooked but mama could not eat. I stumbled from the bright day into a canvas covered stall. It was dark and gloomy. I couldn’t get my bearings. I fell. It was like falling down a tunnel.” She looks at Christopher and asks, “Am I getting too weird for you?”
Christopher shakes his head and says, “Your story is right up my alley. You have no idea the strange things happening to me.”
“Well,” Juanita hesitates.
Sparkles shine around Juanita. Christopher would like to take her hand. Instead he says, “Juanita, did you tell me that El Jefe is your cousin? The Big Boss, a warden on Islas Tres Marias?
Juanita’s eyes widen. She can only nod.
“If this information didn’t scare me off, you can tell me anything.” He pauses, “more to the point, I have my own freaky experiences. I’ll look forward to telling you.” With his fist he thumps his heart, and says, “You’re safe with me.”
Juanita laughs at the comical face Christopher makes. “Well, okay. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She laughs again and then… “I went into the stall at the market place… I stumbled… I was unable to stop my fall…… I could feel the wind rushing past me. Afterwards I was not sure, did I faint? Did I fall asleep? Did I have a very weird dream?” Laughing again she says, “I really don’t know what happened that day.”
With a shaky sigh she continues, “I was transported or tumbled into a twilight world.” Waving her arms in the air as if they can convey the color she says, “purple and greens, and… and starlight!”
They share a penetrating look and Juanita flushes. “Oh, I can’t believe I’m telling this story!”
Christopher smiles, “You’re just getting to the good part. What happened next?”
“Well, you won’t believe it… all these animals started appearing.”
“Trust me. I see many animals.” Christopher says, “I believe it!”
“You see animals?” Pulling her hair into a new ponytail she smiles. Christopher smiles back, mesmerized. The swan peaks over Juanita’s shoulder.
She continues. “I was so surprised when a fox stuck its head out of a den that I screamed. The fox sat like a cat staring at me. I know it sounds crazy.”
Christopher reaches out to touch her arm. “Yesterday in the maintenance garage, I saw a Jaguar standing next to my boss Checo, and it’s not the first time. I mean this animal is formidable.”
Juanita cannot help the bubble of laughter. “The fox talked to me! She said, ‘you’re a pretty girl. I’ve seen your future. Do you have questions?’”
Juanita looks into Christopher’s eyes, “I could barely speak. I finally asked ‘why am I here?’
“The fox stared at me. After some time passed she said, ‘I don’t know. Why are you here? You’re the one who landed at my front door.’”
Juanita shakes her head, “That fox turned around and disappeared into her den. She was grumpy and put out with me!”
Juanita’s eyes are dreamy. “The fox popped out again and said, ‘have you decided?’ She was so strange. I wondered if I’d hit my head? Could this be a dream?
“‘Of course this is a dream’ snapped the fox.” Juanita looks at Christopher. “I hadn’t said a word. How could she read my mind? The fox was furious. She stamped her paw and screamed at me. Did I want her to reveal my future? It would only cost me a few strands of my hair.
“Now the story gets even crazier. I became distracted from the fox’s offer by a white swan.”
“Wait,” Christopher interrupts, “did you say swan? I saw the swan. The swan was with you on your father’s boat and here again today.”
Juanita smiles, “Really?”
“Yep. The swan was looking over your shoulder just a minute ago.”
Juanita bows her head. “The swan approached me and walked a circle stopping in each cardinal direction. At each point, south, west, north and east, the swan stretched out her wings.”
She reaches slender arms stretched to their fullest demonstrating for Christopher the swan’s wings. When Christopher smiles Juanita’s heart thuds, she smiles back at him before continuing. “The swan whispered, ‘can I talk with you?’
“I said, ‘yes,’ because I felt relaxed and protected. I leaned forward and the swan said, ‘do not give the fox your hair. If you do then she can call on you to assist her increasing her power.’”
Lost in her story Juanita continues. “The fox rushed out of her den. Yelling at me she shouted, ‘Well, I never!’ She stomped around. Then she disappeared into her den.”
Juanita laughs remembering. “‘Ignore her,’ advised the swan.”
Grabbing Christopher’s arm she said, “The swan sat next to me. She told me, ‘I’ve waited to meet you for-ever-so-long.” Juanita swept up in her story is sitting up straight. Her eyes shine with laughter. “The swan leaned up against me and said, ‘our time is short today. I’ve called the medicine woman to come and guide you out of this underworld. It’s not safe for you to have arrived in this place, your first time, unguided.’
“Then she surrounded me in her wings. I fell asleep.”
Smiling she continues. “When I opened my eyes I was looking into the face of La Currandera.”
Christopher asks, “La Currandera is your teacher?”
Nodding Juanita explains, “I woke-up and found all my groceries spilled out of the net carrier, the dream of the swan and fox was as real to me as the groceries. I felt the warmth of the sun, the bright day and I asked La Currandera ‘what happened?’”
“She told me, ‘we’ll have time for discussions later. Now I need to see your mother.’
“I took her home. Poor mama was so ill. La Currandera lit candles and smudged the air with sage and copal. She sang dusting my mother with her herbs and feathers. My mother’s face grew peaceful. For the first time in many months she rested.” Juanita looks up at Christopher and smiles sadly. “La Currandera came every day until my mother passed away.”
Christopher’s eyes never left Juanita’s face. This is a sacred story, sharing her mother’s illness and her death. She told me about her first meeting with La Currandera…
Christopher swallows hard not sure how to say what’s in his heart. “When you describe meeting your animal, the swan and your teacher I am excited for you.” Putting his hand on her arm Christopher says “And I’m sad for the loss of your mother.”
His unqualified acceptance brings tears slipping over her cheeks to shimmer in the air around them.