his promise to make love to Isa every day until she left, Alej wasn’t sure if it’d been a mistake. He knew saying good-bye to her would be hard, but after having her naked body in his arms all week, it felt even more torturous.
Alej along with Cido now had the bitter chore of helping Isa, her mother, and her abuela carry their luggage to the bus stop where they’d board a bus that would take them away from their pueblo forever.
As soon as Alej had a moment alone with her before they were ready to board their bus, he took her aside, behind the bus out of her mother’s and grandmother’s sight. “I’ll write you as often as I can. And you do the same, okay?”
“I will,” she responded immediately, as the tears welled up in her eyes and her lips began to quiver.
Without giving it more thought before her mom or grandmother might come looking for her, he leaned in and kissed that sweet quivering lip softly, taking her mouth more profoundly. Despite the ache in his heart, he knew he’d have to adjust his crotch before walking her back, and God forbid her mother or grandmother might notice massive bulge in his crotch.
“This isn’t forever,” he reminded her, trying to remain optimistic as he walked her back around the bus. “You can come back and visit, or I can visit you. Either way, it’s just a little over a year until you’re eighteen.”
Isa nodded with a tiny smile as if she knew exactly what that meant. She’d mentioned more than once in the past that both her mother and grandmother had often said eighteen is the youngest any respectable señorita should begin seriously dating or even think about marriage. There were no set rules for lengths of courtships, however. But it didn’t even matter. Alej had every intention of marrying her as soon as she was of age.
“I’ll come get you,” he said, lowering his voice, and smiled. “I promise. Just make sure you respond to my letters. Te adoro, Isa. You know I have for years and always will. Remember that.”
Her eyes welled again but she nodded. “I’ve always adored you too, Alej. And I promise I’ll wait for you to come get me.”
Smiling, Alej lifted the paper where she’d written her aunt’s address. Alej had already written one letter to her and asked her not to read it until she was on the bus. He’d write her another one as soon as he got the chance.
Alej and Cido stood there and watched as the bus drove away. He refused to move until it was completely out of sight. As much as it felt like the beginning of the end for them, Alej refused to even entertain the idea. With his heart still aching, as he knew it would until she was back in his arms again, he and Cido made the walk back to their homes silently.
Capítulo 12
No Time or Distance
Isabella
Isabella querida,
I’m not gonna lie. Thoughts of running away with you before you could leave me have crossed my mind more than once since you told me about this move. I just couldn’t do that to my dad, and I know you wouldn’t do that to your mom. But I want you to know this and remember it always. I love you and I’ll be coming to get you when you turn eighteen. I PROMISE this. Just promise me that you’ll stay in touch and wait for me until then. Please don’t cry or be sad. Go to El Paso, finish your education, and wait for me. I WILL be there no matter what.
You and I are meant to be. We’ve always known this, and your moving away for now doesn’t change that. Believe that, now and forever. No matter what.
Have a safe trip and write me as soon as you can. I’ll be anxiously waiting to hear from you. Enjoy the other side and all the new experiences you’ll get from this. Just stay true to me as I’ll stay true to you.
I’ve known it since day one, Isa.
Yo naci para adorarte.
Alej
Isa kept all of Alej’s letters safely tucked away. But this one she carried with her in her billetera everywhere she went. It was the one he’d given her to read on the bus drive out to El Paso, the one where he first promised her that he’d come for her. He’d repeated that in every letter since, and she’d believed him. But