Read Online It's Just Lola by Dixiane Hallaj - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Dixiane Hallaj
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Lola’s voice got weaker and weaker as she spoke, and she slumped to the floor, senseless.
V. January 1908: Lola almost 14
A voice was calling her. She wanted it to go away and let her sleep. Lola, please don’t leave me. Please come back. It was Enriqueta—and she was crying. Lola struggled to wake up. Her sister needed her. She opened her eyes slowly, then closed them again. The light hurt. Lola tried again. This time it worked. Enriqueta was bending over her. As bad as Lola felt, she thought her sister looked even worse. There were tear stains on her cheeks, and dark circles under her red-rimmed eyes.
Lola remembered that her beloved Rudolfo had promised to wed her sister. The pain was so intense she let out a soft moan. H er eyelids closed once more ; t ears leaked unheeded from beneath her closed lids. Lola heard Enriqueta’s sobs and felt her hands brush tears from her face.
“Please come back to me, Lola.” The words sounded as though they had been wrenched from Enriqueta’s very soul. Lola ’s eyes fluttered open . “Thank our Heavenly Father that you ’ re awake. I was so afraid He wouldn ’ t answer my prayers.”
Lola struggled to sit. Enriqueta helped her and arranged pillows behind her head. “I must tell Pilar you ’ re awake and get some broth for you. You must be very weak. You ’ ve been lying there for days. Can I leave you alone for a minute?”
Lola nodded weakly and dizziness threatened to overcome her. C ould she really have been sleeping for days ? Enriqueta must be exaggerating. She must ’ ve dozed off again because she awoke to the feel of a warm teacup being pressed to her lips. She sipped the tea, and her stomach protested.
“It’s too sweet, Enriqueta. If I drink it , I ’ ll throw it up for sure.”
Enriqueta groaned. She put her mouth close to Lola’s ear and whispered, “Lola, are you with child?” Why did she ask? Enriqueta tried again. “Did Rudolfo ask you to prove you could love him as a woman loves a man?” Lola’s eyes widened and she gasped in surprise.
“That ’ s why you had to let out your dress . ” Enriqueta nodded and tears rolled down her cheeks. “Then you must marry him,” said Lola turning her face away so her sister would not see the fresh tears.
Enriqueta made an impatient sound. “ I don’t think either one of us will marry him—but that ’ s another story. W e have very little time before Pilar gets here with your chicken broth. You have to tell me —are you with child ? ”
“I don’t think so . M y clothes still fit.”
“Lola, don’t you ever listen? When was your last monthly?”
“I can’t remember. .. a long time ago. I was happy that it didn ’ t come because I could keep our special time together.” Knowledge seeped like an ooze of horror into Lola’s mind and overwhelmed her thoughts. She wanted to scream, but her throat was closed. She wanted to beat on her sister, and say it wasn’t true, but her arms wouldn’t move.
“Oh, Lola, I’m so sorry.” Enriqueta put her arms around her sister, and Lola couldn ’ t hold back her tears . The two girls clung together and sobbed.
“Señorita Lola , it’s wonderful to see you awake . ” Pilar bustled into the room with a steaming bowl of broth on a tray . “What’s going on here? Señorita Enriqueta, you should be happy your sister ’ s awake, instead of making her cry.” Pilar clucked her tongue. “ G o take a rest. You ’ ve been sitting here for two days straight, and that ’ s not good for you. Go and have a rest. I’ll stay with her. ”
“I ’ ll wait for you . ” Lola waited until Enriqueta left the room before turning to Pilar . “ Why did Enriqueta sa y that neither of us will wed Rudolfo?”
“First things first, dear . ” Pilar smiled as she put the tray in her lap and filled a spoon with broth.
V. January 1908: Lola almost 14
A voice was calling her. She wanted it to go away and let her sleep. Lola, please don’t leave me. Please come back. It was Enriqueta—and she was crying. Lola struggled to wake up. Her sister needed her. She opened her eyes slowly, then closed them again. The light hurt. Lola tried again. This time it worked. Enriqueta was bending over her. As bad as Lola felt, she thought her sister looked even worse. There were tear stains on her cheeks, and dark circles under her red-rimmed eyes.
Lola remembered that her beloved Rudolfo had promised to wed her sister. The pain was so intense she let out a soft moan. H er eyelids closed once more ; t ears leaked unheeded from beneath her closed lids. Lola heard Enriqueta’s sobs and felt her hands brush tears from her face.
“Please come back to me, Lola.” The words sounded as though they had been wrenched from Enriqueta’s very soul. Lola ’s eyes fluttered open . “Thank our Heavenly Father that you ’ re awake. I was so afraid He wouldn ’ t answer my prayers.”
Lola struggled to sit. Enriqueta helped her and arranged pillows behind her head. “I must tell Pilar you ’ re awake and get some broth for you. You must be very weak. You ’ ve been lying there for days. Can I leave you alone for a minute?”
Lola nodded weakly and dizziness threatened to overcome her. C ould she really have been sleeping for days ? Enriqueta must be exaggerating. She must ’ ve dozed off again because she awoke to the feel of a warm teacup being pressed to her lips. She sipped the tea, and her stomach protested.
“It’s too sweet, Enriqueta. If I drink it , I ’ ll throw it up for sure.”
Enriqueta groaned. She put her mouth close to Lola’s ear and whispered, “Lola, are you with child?” Why did she ask? Enriqueta tried again. “Did Rudolfo ask you to prove you could love him as a woman loves a man?” Lola’s eyes widened and she gasped in surprise.
“That ’ s why you had to let out your dress . ” Enriqueta nodded and tears rolled down her cheeks. “Then you must marry him,” said Lola turning her face away so her sister would not see the fresh tears.
Enriqueta made an impatient sound. “ I don’t think either one of us will marry him—but that ’ s another story. W e have very little time before Pilar gets here with your chicken broth. You have to tell me —are you with child ? ”
“I don’t think so . M y clothes still fit.”
“Lola, don’t you ever listen? When was your last monthly?”
“I can’t remember. .. a long time ago. I was happy that it didn ’ t come because I could keep our special time together.” Knowledge seeped like an ooze of horror into Lola’s mind and overwhelmed her thoughts. She wanted to scream, but her throat was closed. She wanted to beat on her sister, and say it wasn’t true, but her arms wouldn’t move.
“Oh, Lola, I’m so sorry.” Enriqueta put her arms around her sister, and Lola couldn ’ t hold back her tears . The two girls clung together and sobbed.
“Señorita Lola , it’s wonderful to see you awake . ” Pilar bustled into the room with a steaming bowl of broth on a tray . “What’s going on here? Señorita Enriqueta, you should be happy your sister ’ s awake, instead of making her cry.” Pilar clucked her tongue. “ G o take a rest. You ’ ve been sitting here for two days straight, and that ’ s not good for you. Go and have a rest. I’ll stay with her. ”
“I ’ ll wait for you . ” Lola waited until Enriqueta left the room before turning to Pilar . “ Why did Enriqueta sa y that neither of us will wed Rudolfo?”
“First things first, dear . ” Pilar smiled as she put the tray in her lap and filled a spoon with broth.
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