Read Online Spiral by David L Lindsey - Free Book Online

herself. Year after year, monthly checks went back to her family, of which Gabriela was the oldest of five daughters. As her sisters married and had young families, it was Gabriela's money that enabled them to keep her parents out of poverty. When they died, Gabriela continued sending money, though the assistance was not great when divided among the four sisters. She took an active interest in the welfare of her eight nieces and nephews. There were only eight, because Gabriela had been a quiet but emphatic influence in educating her sisters. She had impressed upon them the belief that it was far better to use birth control and pray for divine indulgence than it was to fill their houses with children and pray for food. Her sisters were remarkably responsive to Gabriela's guidance in all matters, and Tia Gabriela had become a familial saint in Mexico, revered and adored. Her annual trips home were occasions for great rejoicing within her extended family.
Nina and Haydon both thought about her as they looked out to the sunlit terrace. Then Nina said, "I finally said something to her about Ramona."
"Oh?" Haydon turned to her. "And?"
"She was a little stiff about it at first, as we expected. It was when we were making the casserole last night. I said that since I was getting busier at the studio I was having less time to help her. I tried to make it sound as if it would be a convenience to me if we got someone to help her. Of course, she said she didn't need any help, and that she never expected me to help her. I said I knew that, but we both enjoyed it. Only now it was getting hectic for me and we ought to go ahead and get someone to take my place. Anyway, we went around like that a minute and then I brought up Ramona's name as soon as I could because I know how much Gabriela likes her."
Nina sipped the burgundy.
"She said, well, maybe a few days a week. I said it was entirely up to her. Anyway, we worked it out. Ramona is going to start working with her a little at a time. I suspect she'll be on full-time in a couple of weeks."
"You've already spoken to Ramona?"
Nina nodded. "She's perfectly willing to follow Gabriela's lead. I told her that was just part of the job. She knows Gabriela well enough to know that it isn't going to be easy for her to admit she's getting too old to look after everything properly. Ramona's a sweet girl. And she owes a lot to Gabriela, too. Gabriela's treated her like a daughter."
"When I left this morning I heard her in the kitchen singing 'La milagrito en la maizal.' She can't be too upset."
Nina smiled. "She'll love it."
They finished eating, and while Nina was putting things away in the kitchen Haydon decided to check on Cinco and the greenhouse. He stepped into the brilliant sun on the terrace and walked to the steps. Pablo had turned on the sprinkler system to the left of the terrace, and a fine mist was drifting across toward the lime trees, carrying the rich fragrance of damp plants into the hot air. Two bluejays and a scattering of grackles were walking around on the grass enjoying the mist, and a mockingbird had taken up his post in a flamboyana, soaking wet and going through every note in his repertoire as if there were no tomorrow.
Haydon went through the lime grove toward the greenhouse. He checked the bird feeders hanging in the ebony trees outside, and then went in. He looked at the meters on the wall inside the door. The temperature was all right, the humidity was perfect. While he was standing there the fans in the ceiling kicked on and stirred a gummy breeze through the upper reaches of the frosted-glass roof. Everything was fine. He quickly walked along the slate paths through a miniature landscape of rising and falling terrain and limestone "cliffs," trees rising toward the highest part of the ceiling. Everywhere there were bromeliads, hanging from the trees, lodged in the crevices of the tons of rocks amid vines and ferns, along the spongy "jungle" floor. The exotic colors ran from