Valiente

The soft blue light surrounded and cloaked Chente like a translucent bubble as he floated through the mysterious fog to nowhere. He could see the mist in front of him gently glowing as he aimlessly drifted toward a delicate white light. Chente could feel the tranquility soak through the pores of his skin and the scent of freshly cut roses filled the air – blissful peace.

In the distance, Chente could hear gentle whispering, like a multitude of prayers, and tender violin-like music playing. It filled his heart with warmth and an inner serenity that made him smile deliriously.

As he approached the white light, it gradually became brighter and brighter, but it didn’t pain Chente’s eyes – instead, he was mesmerized by its sunny glory. Suddenly the white light burst into a million brilliant sparkles and when the haze dissipated there stood an elderly lady in a soft yellow robe with her hands clasped in front of her. She thoughtfully gazed into Chente’s eyes and smiled.

Chente’s eyes danced as he sighed in disbelief.

“Mina? Mina, is that really you?” whispered Chente as he rushed to embrace her.

The elderly lady was hypnotized by Chente’s voice and without blinking she nodded her head slowly as she reached and hugged him.

Her hands buzzed and a sharp electrical current transferred through her body the moment she touched him. She paused and caught her breath and then quietly giggled to herself as she stepped away.

“Mina? What’s the matter?” asked Chente.

He moved closer. “What are you doing here? Wait, what am I doing here?”

Chente looked around. “Hold on. Where am I?”

The elderly lady in the yellow robe covered her mouth and shook her head in disbelief. She sighed and smiled as she stared at Chente.

“Mijo… my precious mijito… my dear grandson.. no cambias,” replied the grey-haired lady. “Still asking so many questions and still as chulo as ever...”

Chente shrugged and grinned at his grandmother.

“But Mina, I really don’t know where I am …”

“Ay Chente. Mijo, you are Beyond The Clouds,” answered the grandmother.

“Huh?” replied Chente as he shook his head and looked around in a complete awe.

The grandmother was also entranced. She hadn’t seen her grandson in 15 years and he had grown into a fine young man. She fanned her eyes. “Chente, it is so good to see you. Oh mijo, you look so much like your father.”

“Yeah, Mom says that too,” smiled Chente.

“Wait, is Dad here?” asked Chente with added energy. “He’s here, right?”

“No, Chente. It’s just me,” said the grandmother as she reached and grabbed his hands. She took a deep breath and cleared her throat.

“Ay mijo,” she beamed. “It’s you. I can feel it. It’s you…”

Disappointed, Chente tilted his head and gave his grandmother a strange look. He was perplexed by her ramblings.

“What do you mean? I don’t understand what I am doing here,” replied Chente. “Am I dreaming? I have to be dreaming, right?”

“No Chente, this is not a dream,” answered the grandmother. “You are here for a reason.”

“R..R..Really?” He stuttered.

A loud thunderous boom sounded in the distance and it distracted Chente, but focused the grandmother.

“Mijo, listen to me. I have something to tell you,” she said as she grabbed her grandson’s hand and floated to the front door of the St. John’s Catholic Church . “I mean, I have something to show you. It’s your time Chente. I am sure that tu mamá will explain in more detail very soon.”

“Please. Just trust me and hold my hand,” said the grandmother. She opened the door and led her grandson into the church filled with mist…

..when the mist cleared Chente found himself and his grandmother floating above the church altar as his mother and father exchanged their wedding vows. Chente was mystified that he was witnessing his parent’s wedding.

“Mina, Mom is beautiful,” he whispered. “She’s absolutely stunning.”

“Si mijo. Tu mama’ era la mas bonita de todo el pueblo,” replied the grandmother as she gazed at the bride at the altar. “Everyone in town said so.”

“And my dad was very handsome…” said Chente as his voice cracked.

The grandmother simply nodded her head and never took her eyes off the marrying couple below. She smiled as she carefully wiped away her joy from her eyes.

Chente took a brief moment to look around – carefully soaking in all the details. He admired the light blue bows at the end of the pews and the bouquets of white roses next to the altar. He saw his Tia Marisela standing next to his mother gingerly adjusting the wedding gown train.

Chente turned his attention back to the altar the second his father began to recite his wedding vows. He was hypnotized as he listened to his father pledge his eternal love for his mother.

“Dad really loved Mom, didn’t he Mina?”

“More than you know mijo..” replied the grandmother as the priest pronounced the lovebirds husband and wife.

Suddenly there was a deafening boom and the front door of the church swung open shattering the windowpanes. The audience gasped as a tall and ominous lady dressed in black marched to the front of the church…her wooden cane thundering with each step she took.

“Who is that?” asked Chente as he looked at his grandmother and watched her cringe.

“That is… Zenobia,” whispered Mina.

“Who?”

“Zenobia,” repeated the grandmother. “She was my best friend… un tiempo a long time ago. But she…”

“You!” shouted the lady in black as she stopped in front of the newlyweds and removed her black veil. She slowly pointed her crooked finger at Mr. Jimenez.

“It’s your fault!” she screamed. “It’s all your fault!”

The wedding guests gasped and began to whisper to one another.

“You killed my daughter!” wailed Zenobia as she threw her arms up in the air in obvious pain. “You killed my only daughter!”

Her voice was menacing and it reverberated off of the church rafters like seismic tremors. Chente could feel her anger as it shot through his body like a fiery bullet. He winced and gradually regained his breath as he clutched his vibrating hands.

Mr. Jimenez looked at his bride and then he glanced at the wedding guests with a look of disbelief. He shook his head.

“No … No you are wrong… I did nothing…” whispered Mr. Jimenez as he stepped toward his bride and shook his head.

“I curse you Vincente Jimenez and your bride,” howled the lady in black as her cat-like eyes exploded into fire. “I promise I will have my revenge!....”