“How can you consider leaving Mexico, momma?” Pilar had said, her voice raised and tense. “You haven’t lived in Texas for years! Is any of your family even alive?”
The pilers of the family that remained, Elizabeth, Diego, and Isabella, were sitting around the dinning table, with some of their children sitting behind them, along with Will and Rico, the head of the ranch hands. Now that most of the livestock were sold off, most of the hands had left to find other work, but Rico had no family and no other place to go. A few others stayed just to help with the move.
“Yes, of course they are. I just received a letter from your Aunt Amanda yesterday. She said we are very welcome to come stay with them, temporarily or not. Her husband, Uncle Bob, died five years ago, but Amanda still lives and manages their ranch with her two boys, Richard and Samuel. They rely mostly on the oil field for their income, but they still raise cattle. Your cousin Mable lives with her family in San Antonio.
“No horses on Aunt Amanda’s ranch?” Pilar said.
“No horses, but my cousins still live and work their large ranch south of town. And they have a large herd of horses. That’s where I learned how to ride and what to look for in a good racer.”
Maria, Santiago’s wife, spoke up. “How large is San Antonio?”
Santiago answered her question. “About the size of Monterrey, or maybe a bit bigger.”
Maria smiled and looked hopefully at her husband. Living her whole life in the country hadn’t quenched her desire for a life in the city.
“It is the largest city in Texas. I know that,” Elizabeth said.
“Diego, Isabella, where do you want to live?”
Diego motioned for his sister to go first.
“I no longer have a husband to support me so I don’t feel I have much say in the matter,” Isabella said.
“You are a senior member of this family, so of course you have a say,” Elizabeth assured her.
Isabella smiled at Elizabeth.
“Well, my children would prefer to stay in Mexico. She turned and pointed to her son, Pancho. “Since Pancho worked on constructing the dam, he’s hoping he’ll have a better opportunity than most to get a job helping run it.”
Diego nodded. “That makes sense but where will you and your family live, Pancho?”
“My friend, Juan, will let us stay on his farm until I can find a place. Maybe in Santa Maria,” he said.
“But Carla and Jairo will go where the family goes. Jairo wants to keep working with the horses, even if I means moving north,” Isabella said.
Elizabeth turned to Diego. “And your family, Diego?”
“Since all my girls are living with their husband’s families, Jose and his daughter are the only ones who will come with us, wherever we end up,” he said.
“And where do you want to end up?” Isabella asked.
“I agree with Elizabeth. I don’t think we have the funds to buy something that would suit our needs until we can build up our herd again. We need to use the money we got from the sale of our livestock to live on. And it will go farther toward that end if we stay with Elizabeth’s family in San Antonio.”
Pilar stood. “This is ridiculous. I am not moving.”
Augustino, who was sitting behind his wife, stood and put a hand on her shoulder to try and calm her. Eventually she sat back down.
Isabella stood next. “I feel as Pilar. I don’t want to move. Our parents and grandparents are buried on this land. I want to be buried on this land,” she said, tears filling her eyes.
“Yes, the Cristeros are making trouble down south but presidente Calles has implemented a national school system. They are building a new school in Santa Maria for our grandchildren. Mexico has a new constitution. She is becoming a country we can again be proud of.”
She sat and wiped the tears from her eyes.
Enrique cleared his throat so he could talk next. “I don’t want to move either, but there are good jobs in America, work in the cotton fields and on the fruit farms or for the oil companies. If we are to buy another ranch, we need the money to do it.”
Many in the room nodded their heads and murmured their agreement.
“You are welcome to work on the Vargus ranch, Enrique,” Augustino said. “You won’t make as much as you would in America, but at least you could stay in Mexico.”
Enrique looked at his mother, knowing she would prefer to keep the family together. “Thank you, Augustino. I will think about it.”
Diego put his hand on top of Elizabeth’s. “After our parents died, Rancho Arroyo was given to Roberto to run, and when he died, that job transferred to you, Elizabeth. Ultimately, it is your decision where the family ends up.”
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