When Elizabeth, Pilar and Jorge returned to the ranch, Elizabeth asked Pilar to gather up the rest of the family and bring them into the living room of the main house.
She walked into the living room herself, moving pillows around on the sofa, and arranging chairs at random. Pilar would bring everyone, including the family and the ranch hands, and that was what Elizabeth had meant. If their life was going to change – if the ranch was in danger – it would affect everyone. That meant everyone deserved to hear about it. And though she didn’t have as much information as she would have liked, she did have some, and that was better than nothing.
When the ranch’s inhabitants had filed in and found seats on the chairs, sofas, and floor, she began. “While I was in town today, I received some news from Abogado Sanchez.”
“What did he say, Mama?” Enrique asked quietly.
She took a deep breath, measuring her words before she said anything. “Now, he didn’t tell me exactly when this was going to happen, because he didn’t know, but … ” She looked around at all the curious and bewildered faces. How could she tell them that they might all lose the only home they’d ever known? Why had she thought this was a good idea at all? Perhaps … but no, she scolded herself. They had a right to know, just as she’d first thought.
“Let me see if I can explain it another way,” she finally continued. “Enrique, do you remember what happened when we had to repair the river and move all those rocks into the water?”
“Do you mean when the water went around the rocks?”
“Yes! That’s exactly what I mean. Now, try to think what would happen if we put rocks all the way across the river so that the water could not go around.”
“Mama, what are you trying to say?” Santiago, Elizabeth’s oldest child at eight years old, hesitantly asked, walking slowly toward his mother. As the oldest of her children, he thought himself quite mature, and even labeled himself the man of the house. This would go hard for him, Elizabeth knew; he would think he needed to fix it. He took after his father that way.
“I know! I know! I know what would happen if rocks were put all the way across the river!” Enrique raised his hand and jumped up from sitting on the floor, as if he were in a classroom. “The water would build up behind it!”
Esteban, Elizabeth’s father-in-law, stood up, and as an elderly and frail man, whose only home had ever been Rancho Arroyo, asked, “Elizabeth, does the government want to build a dam on the San Gabriel, north of the ranch?” There were several collective gasps from the room, and adults started to weep out loud.
Elizabeth shook her head and suddenly broke into tears. She found her way to the nearest chair and dropped into it. Pilar and Santiago rushed to their mother and tried to comfort her, though Enrique only watched, confused.
“Why are you crying, Mama? Just because somebody wants to put some rocks across the river?” he asked, his five-year-old mind unable to grasp the gravity of the situation.
Estaban took charge of the situation and, in his firm but frail voice, announced, “Let’s go out to the courtyard and get some fresh air. How long has it been since we walked around this beautiful ranch as a family?”
Elizabeth nodded, thankful for the distraction, and stood to walk outside with her children around her. They strolled into the large courtyard, which had been the center of the ranch for over one hundred years, and paused there in the bright sunshine and warm, fragrant air. With the sound of the nearby river and horses and goats coming to them from the fields, Elizabeth repeated to the group what Abogado Sanchez told her.
“He did not know when all this would happen, but said that people from the Land Use and Water Use departments would be having a meeting in Santa Maria soon, and that we could find out more.”
“Bastards!” Esteban said quietly.
Although he wasn’t supposed to cuss, Elizabeth could understand his sentiment. She did not trust Abogado Sanchez, or any of the other town officials. Everyone knew that their pockets were well lined by corrupt politicos in Mexico City. They didn’t have the people’s best interests at heart, and though she believed him about the dam, she did not believe that he’d fight for her land or the town itself.
Of course Pilar didn’t understand all of that. “Poppa!” she gasped, shocked at her grandfather’s curse.
“Lo siento, mi chica, lo siento,” Estaban murmured in response.
Diego, Elizabeth’s brother-in-law, and manager of all the livestock on the ranch, stepped in at this point. “Well, everybody is very upset and emotions are high. But we don’t know what’s actually going to happen. Until we find out more, we should make sure we let Rancho Arroyo know how much we love and appreciate her!”
One of his sisters, Isabella – in charge of the gardens and cooking – agreed readily. “Great idea!” she said, walking forward to take Elizabeth’s hand in support.
Elizabeth looked around the large group, and as they started to talk amongst themselves and to each other, and thought I am the only person here who has lived anywhere other than Rancho Arroyo. Where will we all go? Can we all stay together?
They were a family, she realized. They would have to find a way to stay together. Before she did anything, though, she needed to write a letter to Will.
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