She Had No Choice (29 page)

A huge fight broke out and the bar owner called the police. He had no alternative but to tell the police that the Gonzalez brothers started the brawl. The policemen handcuffed Eva’s brothers and put them in the back of the squad cars and took them to the county jail.

In the morning, the Gonzalez brothers were released from jail. Mr. Williamson, the father, told the authorities his sons were not going to press charges, once he learned why the brothers beat up his sons. He was a hard-working, honorable man, but his success had made life too easy for his boys, and their irresponsible behavior time and again brought disgrace on his name. He wasn’t going to let his sons hold the Gonzalez brothers responsible for their beating. He hoped this would teach his boys a lesson.

Eva didn’t sleep a wink that night. Pacing the cottage floor, she wondered how much more drama she could take in her life.

There was a soft rapping on her door. She pulled the curtain back a little to see who it was before opening it. She was relieved when she saw it was Alex. He had heard about the incident at the police station and came over as soon as he got off duty.

She quickly opened the door for him. In a moment his arms were around her, and he held her close. Eva felt safe in his arms, and she laid her head against his strong chest.

“
Mommy?” a little voice said.

Alex and Eva quickly released their embrace and felt a little embarrassed.

“
What is it, Rory?” his mother asked, as she sheepishly flashed Alex a quick, guilty grin.

“
I had a bad dream. I dreamed there were mean men pounding on the door and trying to break in.”

Alex got down on one knee. He reached out and put his hand on Rory’s shoulder. “It’s okay, big guy. There’s no need to worry. I’m here now.” Alex looked up at Eva, hoping she understood he was there for her, too. She gave him a little smile and mouthed a silent thank you, confirming she understood, letting him know she was glad he had come.

Chapter 22:
A Second Chance

Alex and Eva settled on a Tuesday evening for their first date because it was one of her nights off. Sofía agreed to babysit her grandchildren while her daughter went out with “a really nice young man”, as Grandma Sofía put it.

Little Angie excitedly watched her mom get ready for her date in her grandmother’s bedroom. Eva had chosen a short-sleeved sheath with a small floral print in various shades of red that was strategically fitted to show off her curvy figure. She wiggled into the dress and asked Angie to stand on the bed and help her zip it up the back.

Then Eva went into the bathroom to finish her makeup. Angie stood next to her mother at the bathroom sink and looked on with rapt attention while Eva applied her lipstick and mascara.

Sofía came fluttering past the bathroom. “Aren’t you ready yet? Alex is almost here.”

“
I’m almost done,” she replied, fingering her hair into place.

There was a crisp knock at the front door, and Sofía quickly opened it.

“
Hello, beautiful,” Alex said to Sofía.

“
Oh, Alex.” She giggled and feigned embarrassment. “Come in, come in. Eva is almost ready. Sit, sit,” she said, motioning to the sofa.

Before he could sit down, Eva and Angie walked into the room, and Alex’s eyes lit up.

“
Wow, you look beautiful!” he said to Eva.

“
You don’t look so bad yourself, mister.” Eva replied. She hadn’t seen him in a sport coat and slacks before.
He really looks handsome
, she thought. “Just let me grab my coat.”

Alex took Eva to an upscale steakhouse in the nearby city of Gilroy. He wanted their first official date to be memorable. A valet parked the car and the doorman courteously opened the large wooden door for them. The maitre ‘d checked the reservation list and found Alex’s name. He grabbed a couple of large maroon and gold menus and escorted them to their table.

Eva looked around, taking in all the finery. She had never been to any place this elegant. The deep maroon carpet felt plush beneath her feet and the golden candlelight danced off the linen tablecloths and the rich wood paneling. She wanted to ask Alex if he could afford this place, but she stopped herself, not wanting to offend him.

“
Oh, Alex, this place is wonderful. I’ll bet the food is really good, too.”

“
It is. My parents brought me and my brothers here after I graduated from high school to celebrate.” He opened his menu to read the offerings.

“
So many things on the menu look good. I don’t know what to choose.” Eva commented.

“
Welcome to Chandlers,” the formally-dressed waiter said as he approached their table. “Have you had an opportunity to peruse the menu?”

Alex and Eva made their selections, with the help of the waiter and his suggestions, and they enjoyed their delicious food along with good conversation.

“
Eva, I’m so glad you agreed to come tonight.”

“
Me, too. I’m having a wonderful time.”

“
Do you remember the first time we met?” Alex asked.

“
Yes. You followed me to Piedmont Park in junior high and we had lunch together.”

“
Do you know why I followed you that day?”

“
No. Why?”

“
I followed you because you weren’t the same as the other girls. I noticed you in class and wondered what you were like, what your life was like. You seemed interesting and mysterious.”

“
Me? Interesting and mysterious?” she asked, incredulous that anyone would think her interesting and mysterious.

“
Yes. And I was right. You were smart and strong…and pretty, too.”

“
What do you mean ‘were’?” she asked jokingly.

“
You’re right, you’re right. You
are
smart and strong and pretty.”

“
Thank you.” Eva smiled sweetly at him. “Do you mind if I ask you something?” A question had been nagging her for awhile.

“
Sure.”

“
Why is a great guy like you still single? I mean, why hasn’t some lucky woman already snatched you up?”

“
Well, someone did once,” Alex replied.

“
What do you mean? What happened?”

“
After you married Richard, I went off to college at San Jose State University. I dated a little, but then I met a great girl named Mary in my junior year. We dated for quite awhile, and I asked her to marry me during the last semester of our senior year. We both graduated and the wedding was planned for the beginning of September. But two weeks after we finished school she was killed in a car accident.”

“
Oh, Alex. Oh, Alex, I’m so sorry.”

“
Thanks, it was hard, but over time I worked through it. I entered the police academy in San Jose and became a cop. I poured myself into the job to help get over my grief. A couple of years ago I decided to come back to Hollister. I missed the small town life. I’ve dated a little since coming back, but there was never any spark with those girls.”

“
Spark?”

“
Yeah, I had spark with Mary. I had it with you, too, from the very first day.”

“
You felt a spark with me? All those years ago?”

“
Yes, all those years ago. I still do.” Alex watched the reflection of the candlelight dance in Eva’s eyes, and he reached across the table and gently took her hand in his. At his touch, a warm sensation radiated from her hand up her arm, then to the rest of her body.

“
Oh, man, Eva, I had such a crush on you,” he said, grinning at her.

“
Are you kidding me?” She was surprised to hear he had had feelings for her even when they were in junior high. “I was the one who had a huge crush on
you
.”

The realization of their mutual feelings suddenly hit them both, and they had a good laugh about it. From that point on, the conversation flowed freely and easily. The spark had become an ember, and their attraction to one another fanned the flame.

* * * *

While living in the cottage, Eva received a letter from the German woman for whom Richard had professed his love. The letter read:

“
Dear Eva,

You don’t know me, but I am the woman Richard is in love with in Germany.

He told me he wants a divorce from you so he can marry me. We are very much in love.

Please give him the divorce so he can marry me.

Greta”

Eva thought this woman had a lot of nerve. If she wanted Richard, Eva felt she should know what she was getting herself into. She promptly wrote back to Greta:

“
Greta
,

You can have my husband. I’m done with him. But, you should know that he does have

2 small children that he’s responsible to support until they turn 18.

Eva, the mother of Richard’s children”

A few weeks later, Eva received a letter from Richard, who was still in Germany, saying that he had made a mistake and wanted her to forgive him. He realized, he wrote, that it was Eva he loved, not Greta, and that he wanted her back. Greta, the letter went on to say, was not the woman he thought she was. She had left him and run off with another American soldier.

That was it. Eva knew it was time to move forward with filing for divorce. She met with a divorce lawyer to get the process moving. She needed to protect herself and her children. However, she found out from the attorney that she could not divorce Richard until he returned to the United States.

She couldn’t believe this was happening. As she sat in the leather chair in her attorney’s office, her body violently reacted to the news. At first, she felt sick, like she was going to throw up. Her head started to pound.

“
Are you all right?” the lawyer asked with concern. He could see the dramatic change in her countenance.

Eva was beyond disappointed. Words could not describe the depth of her despair. She needed to cut Richard off like a gangrenous limb. But he was outside of her reach at the moment. She was forced to be patient and wait for the right opportunity.

“
I will be,” she said as she gathered up her purse and coat and walked out. What she needed now was yet another plan.

Numerous thoughts swirled around in her head as she drove home. She knew she needed the child support from Richard to help cover their living expenses after the divorce, especially if she hoped to start a new life. She couldn’t earn enough on her own. Besides, the kids were his responsibility, too. If he wanted to play around with other women, fine, but he would pay to support his children.

Rory’s and Angie’s sweet little faces danced in her mind. Eva knew she needed to focus on what was in their best interest. It was on her shoulders alone to build a new life for them, to give them a childhood that would be better than what she had known. What she had to do was bide her time until she received confirmation that Richard was back on U.S. soil.

A few months later, Eva got another letter from Richard.

“
Dear Eva,

I miss you all so much. I’m back at Fort Ord now, and I want to come and see you and the kids.

Write me back and tell me when I can come. I love you.

Richard”

With a satisfied grin, Eva quickly shot off her response to him:

“
Richard,

I do NOT want to see you ever again. I don’t want you to come and visit the children either. They are better off without you – we all are. By the way, divorce papers are on their way to you.

Eva”

Eva sighed with relief. She was finally free of her no-good husband and able to pursue true love and happiness. This time, though, decided she would take her time.

She and Alex had gone on a few more dates while she waited for her final divorce decree, mostly opportunities to talk and get to know each other again. Eva could sense he was falling in love with her, and her affection for him was growing, too; but she wasn’t ready to jump into anything yet. She enjoyed the long walks in the country with him and the quiet dinners they shared, but she remained guarded until the divorce was final.

With the divorce behind her and no longer bound to Richard, Eva was eager to let Alex know her better. She wanted to share with him what her life was like growing up, how she escaped that life, and what she wanted for her future and her children’s future. She had always been rather tight-lipped about the harsh conditions in which she had grown up. But now, she had come to the place where she was willing to be vulnerable and open up to him.

One afternoon, Alex took Eva on a picnic in Piedmont Park. He brought the blanket and drinks, and she had packed a picnic basket with sandwiches and fresh fruit. She even slyly included a couple of cold bean burritos in the basket, for old time’s sake.