The Last Celtic Angel

by Wallace Jan Ecklof

  “Senora, I do not know where to begin only Rosa and Uncle Jamie and now Katy knows why I am in this place. I would not want for my story to be in the magazine, I would be too ashamed for people to know.” She says with tears in her eyes, Deanna’s heart goes out to her because she can see she’s in pain with the telling.

  “I was sent here because I was abused by the men of my family… I was made to work at the streets for money, they arrested me for selling myself, but because I was only thirteen I was not sent to jail___” Tia stops talking and looks away before she continues. “My father and brother were sent to prison and my ____ my mother, she killed herself…..” She again takes a moment to collect her thoughts. “Uncle Jamie got them to put me here because he thought he could help me. I was so angry and ashamed I tried to commit suicide___ I would hurt myself and others if they tried to stop me. My rage was such they thought I would spend my life in an institution for the insane. You, __ you see, I too had rage and panic attacks like Katy.” Deanna sits and listens horrified as Tia takes another minute to collect.

  “When I came here I was scared and very angry at everyone, especially men. Uncle Jamie came; he sat beside me and placed his hand on mine. My first reaction was to tear my hand from his, but I couldn’t move. I felt something when he touched me, something I had never felt before, ___ safe. He then spoke softly to me and asked me to trust him. I said, “Why should I trust you?” He said he would be able to help me if I would only just for the time it would take to walk with him out to the barn.

  He led me to the barn, I didn’t know why I followed him there, but I did. He said for me to go and let my horse pick me. I had always liked horses and used to draw pictures of them when I was in the home that they sent me to, after I was removed from my home. I walked down the isle of the barn and looked at all the horses until one of them noticed me and came to the front of his stall. It was a horse called Tom Tom, he nuzzled me and let me pet his neck. Uncle Jamie said that he had picked me to look after him. He had a big scar on his neck and when I ask him how the horse had gotten the scar. He told me the people that had him before had burned him and were mean to him. Uncle Jamie had to help him to be normal, and learn to trust again like me. He asked me if I could love him, because he was too busy to take care of him. If I wanted to, he would be my horse. I looked into his eyes and saw his pain. He was my first friend here, we took care of each other and Uncle Jamie looked after us both and helped put away my anger.

  I seldom have panic attacks now, it is only when I feel threatened, or I am reminded of the past. Uncle Jamie says that will pass in time and that I am to concentrate on here, and my future. I also wish to become his ward, we all do, but if that can’t happen, he’s told me he will arrange for me to finish my schooling here until I am an adult. I will always have a home at the rancho and that’s important to all of us. We know there may be more students coming here in the future, but that will not change that we’re family.”

  Deanna thanks Tia for sharing what must have been very painful, and hugs her. Telling her she will keep the promise she made her. “I know how hard it must have been to share that with me,” Deanna tells her.

  Tia looks at Deanna and says, “I did it because Katy is my friend, and I want to help her. If you really knew how much he has done for each of us than you would want her to come here as much as she wants to. It’s not just him; it’s this place, the people, the whole program. It is about a love that protects us and strengthens our spirit for what we will face outside of here.” She’s passionate about how she feels not only for him, but for everything. Deanna puts her arms around Tia and so does Katy; they both have much to think about.

  There is a knock on the door. “Senora are you alright I heard crying.” It’s Marta.

  “No, we’re alright Marta, just having a family tear session, thank you.”

  “Si Senora I will send Theresa up if you are ready.”

  “A few minutes more please Marta,” Deanna calls out to her.

  “Si Senora, I will leave the Senorita’s towels in her room.”

  “Well you two better get dressed for the party. Katy, Theresa will be here to do my hair, do you want her to fix yours as well.” Katy nods her head still wiping tears from her eyes.

  Turning to Tia she says to her, “I want to thank you for all you have done for Katy, I pledge I’ll do what I can.” Tia gives Deanna a smile and a kiss before they both leave to get ready.

  She looks at the clock and sees that it is almost five o’clock, getting up and putting on the robe that somebody has thoughtfully placed within reach of the bed she looks at herself in the mirror and wishes she had brought some other jewelry with her.

  “Senora may we come in,” Rosa calls from the hall.

  “Yes, please do its open. Hello Theresa, I’m so glad you’re here; you did my hair sensational last time. I know you will prepare it beautifully for the party.”

  “Senora you are too kind, I will do my best for you.” She tells Deanna with a swell of pride in her voice.

  “Rosa the only thing I wish was that I had time to go home and get some nicer jewelry to wear with your beautiful things. What I brought with me was for the plain outfit that I was going to wear, before I knew it was to be a big party.” Deanna laments to her looking at the beautiful dress she gave her.

  “I will be right back, do not worry La Dona.” And Rosa rushes from the room.

  “Don Diego una momento por favor[34].” Rosa calls to Jamie as she comes down the stairs and rushes up to him.

  “The Senora is sad, she has not the jewelry to wear with the dress she has picked out, you should have told her about the big fiesta. I thought maybe she might wear something of the Senora Mary’s for tonight?” She looks at him with reproach, her eyes are scolding him, it’s his fault that Deanna came unprepared, and she’s correct.

  “Of course she may wear whatever she chooses to, go get the case, she may select and you too Little Mama. Don’t think I don’t know how you maneuver me at times,” He says with a smile on his face.

  “Si Patron, I will hurry and get the case.” Rosa hurries to the master bedroom to retrieve it. Upon getting it, she runs down the hall, bursting into Deanna’s room, all out of breath.

  “Senora, I have something for you to look at.” Rosa announces as she runs into the room out of breath and beaming. She opens a jewelry box; it’s filled with gorgeous earrings, pendants, bracelets and rings. They are all so beautiful; Deanna is at a loss for words momentarily.

  “They are all very beautiful, but I could not wear your jewelry too.” Deanna tells her fingering a pair of large loop earrings.

  “No, Senora they were the Senora Mary’s. The Patron says for you to pick anything you wish to wear if you don’t mind. She would have wanted you to, if she were here.”

  Deanna’s not sure that she would want to wear things that were hers, and she says so to Rosa.

  “Please you would do her a great honor to wear something of hers on his birthday and the anniversary of the dream they shared together. You would honor all of us. I understand she was your friend, from long ago too. Please Senora just try some on.” Rosa holds out the case for her.

  Deanna takes out a set of large gold loop earrings and a gold medallion with simple rope chain and a beautiful bracelet in red gold. The medallion is stamped with huge sunburst with a man holding a child in his arms in front of the sunburst, “I think these will do, what you think?” Deanna asks them as she puts on the earrings and medallion. Theresa says they are perfect. Deanna turns toward Rosa and she’s is looking at the medallion with tears in her eyes.

  “What is it Rosa, why are you crying?” Deanna asks her.

  “It is because you look so beautiful, and you have found and wear Don Diego’s lost medallion.” Deanna looks at it again in the mirror and says to her,

  “I will pick something else then.”

  “No, no, Senora it is meant for you to wear it, Madre Dios[35] for it has been lost to him for a long t
ime now. You must wear it, this is a sign.” And Rosa and Theresa both make the sign of the cross.

  “I will leave you now, Donna Deanna.”

  Rosa says to Theresa, “You must do magic tonight, my cousin, pausing at the case, she selects a petite tiara and hands it to Theresa.

  “Set this in her hair, so that it radiates the light.” And Rosa leaves the room. Teresa washes Deanna’s hair and begins to comb and dry it when Katy comes into the room with a towel around her head.

  “Mother when you are ready will you come and help me finish dressing.” Of course she tells her.

  “Where have you been,” Deanna asks her.

  “I was downstairs and we went out to the barn to see Old Tanner, we were telling him how nice the house looks with all the decorations and lights everywhere, he says that is nothing, wait until Christmas. He is so funny and kind to us, he is helping a horse give birth tonight you know.”

  Deanna thinks of Tanner and the last thing she would call him is funny, but Jamie did say he is wonderful to the kids; it’s adults he doesn’t like or seems not to get along with.

  “Katy, you go get ready for Theresa to do your hair, and I will be, in as soon as I finish dressing.” Her mother says to her.

  “Ok Mother, your hair looks great, I love it.” And Katy heads to her room.

  “Senora please put on your dress, and I will finish and put the tiara in place, por favor.” Theresa instructs me.

  Deanna pulls the dress over her head with the help of Theresa, and she finishes the final touches on her hair before setting the tiara in place with pins that you can’t see. She’s very professional and should be a hairstylist, and Deanna tells her so.

  “Si Senora, the Patron is going to set up a shop for me as soon as my license comes. You make me happy with your praise, now I must go and fix the Senorita’s hair so that you all make the Patron proud of his women.” She gathers her things and goes to Katy’s room. It’s odd they all seem to think of her as his woman.

  Deanna finishes putting on the sandals and perfume, checking her make up one last time to make sure that it is just right. As she looks in the mirror, Deanna realizes that she has not taken this long to prepare herself since college. Looking into the mirror Deanna’s seeing a whole new person, she loves this makeover from a country girl in jeans and shirt to a princess going to her first ball. There have been a lot of changes in her in just one week also. It’s almost too good to be true, so many wonderful things in a short a period of time, if someone had told her this happened to them, she would not have believed them, and thought they were exaggerating a bit. Deanna can’t wait to tell her Mother, suddenly realizing that she has not spoken to her all week.

  Deanna goes and knocks on Katy’s door, and she says,

  “Come in I’m decent.” Katy turns around as Theresa is finishing her hair in a bun.

  “Mother you look so different, I love it. You look like a queen with a crown. Where did you get the jewelry, it’s so beautiful?” She asks her eyes large and full of questions.

  “They belonged to Jamie’s wife Mary, and he has graciously lent them to me to wear tonight.” Deanna tells her and moves up close, so she may admire the medallion.

  “I have never seen you wear earrings like those before, you should wear them like that all the time, and that medallion is so gorgeous, don’t you agree Theresa?” Theresa smiles and says,

  “Tonight, you will all look like story book princesses, you and your Mama will be the most beautiful, like Cinderella in the story, only no pumpkins and no rats. Can you imagine Rosa chasing the rats?” They all laugh at the thought of Rosa running after rats.

  “We must go Little One to see to your friend, they wish to wear the hair the same, Senora. Tonight they all want to be proper Senoritas.” Katy gets up and turns around for Deanna to see she is wearing a full skirted dress in the Spanish tradition, colorful, with her shoulders bare with an elastic bodice instead of a drawstring like hers; she is lovely looking, very grown up. Deanna thinks to herself.

  “Tia gave this to me; we are all wearing the same type of dresses, all of us including Pita. Tia says to wait and see Dyon that she will look fantastic. She is so pretty, don’t you think Mother?”

  Theresa tells her they must go, time is getting short. Deanna thanks her again for all her help as Theresa and Katy leave.

  Coming out of Katy’s room she almost bumps into Jamie, he has a look on his face that she can’t quite fathom, but it lasts only a moment than he composes himself.

  “Deanna I came to escort you down to the cocktail party, if you don’t mind, excuse my lack of manners, but you took me by surprise coming out of Katy’s room. You look like a vision; you took my breath away for a moment. I’ve just been reminded just how beautiful a woman can be. I hope that you will save some dances for me this evening, I only wish that you were all mine, and I did not have to share you for this night. ” He bows gallantly and takes her arm in his.

  “Thank you for your compliments and the loan of Mary’s jewelry, I hope it does not cause you any discomfort.” He turns and again looks into her eyes when he speaks to her, something she’s come to expect from him.

  “Not at all, it they look lovely on you; she would have wanted you to wear them also. His gaze leaves her eyes and falls upon her neck. His hand involuntarily touches his own, in a searching manner looking for something that is no longer there.

  “I see you found what was lost; I never thought to look for it there.” Deanna goes to remove it thinking he wants it back.

  He puts his hands on hers and says. “It’s perfect where it is, please allow me to give it to you as a gift.” Jamie fingers it and she feels the touch of his hand against her neck, and it’s warm and makes her tremble.

  “I can’t accept it, this is too valuable.” Deanna tries to protest.

  He holds up his finger to her lips. “It’s my birthday and here at Rancho de Los Angeles, we celebrate not with the receiving of gifts but in the giving of them, so you must accept. This way you will remember me always.” He takes her hand and kisses it; his lips are warm, sending sensations up and down her arm.

  “I welcome your gift with all my heart, but you must tell me what it represents.” As they reach the landing overlooking the great room.

  “It represents an Irish King called Nuada, who searches and finds those of his kind that were lost, bringing them back to the people of Tuatha De Danann[36].” He says quietly.

  “I have never seen anything like it before. Do you mind me asking where you got it from?” She sees a faraway look in his eyes before he answers her.

  “It’s very old, from The Children of Danu of Irish Celtic myths. I received it a long time ago from a very special person. It can’t be purchased it’s a one of a kind, and it may only be given to one with a good heart. Shall we go down now and relax with a drink before our guests arrive?” Jamie takes her arm and turns toward the stairs.

  Before they start down the stairs, Jonah and the girls come from the patio and look up at them and clap and cheer, all yelling Happy Birthdays to Jamie. Deanna looks in awe at the transformation of his home; there are lights twinkling everywhere, and the scent of flowers fills the air. Bouquets of roses are on tables and sidebars around the foyer, the great room is a collage of color from so many flowers.

  “It wasn’t me, its Rosa she’s amazing, I don’t know how she does it, but the government might use her talents for getting things done right, her and Eduardo. This is all their doing, together with the army of friends she transported here today. They love a fiesta it’s virtually like a religion with her people, all about detail and protocol.” He elucidates to her as they reach the bottom of the stair case.

  Jonah comes up to Deanna and gently puts his arms around her. “Mother I have never seen you look more attractive, I’ll have to get a photo of you.” Before she can answer she hears a familiar voice.

  “Won’t be necessary you have a professional photographer here this evening.” Turning, she
sees Tim standing off to the side.

  “I will make sure that we have enough pictures of this event and your Mom will be in many of them, I promise.” Deanna had forgotten Tim was here.

  “Jamie may I present Tim Manning, he works at the magazine and will be doing all the photos for the story.” I introduce him and Jamie shakes his hand.

  “Glad to have you aboard Tim, I hope you have a good time tonight as well.”

  “Thank you Mr. Doyle, you have one heck of a place here.” He shakes Jamie’s hand.

  “Please call me Jamie, we’re all friends here.” Jamie tells him as he pumps Tim’s hand.

  Taking their drinks they go out to the veranda to watch the sunset, it is absolutely gorgeous,

  “With a sunset like that it will be a warm sunny day tomorrow.” Jamie comments.

  Deanna looks at it and sees the golden amber and purple colors of the setting sun, thinking what a wonderful day today has been.

  “Jamie I am almost finished with the story except for a couple of more interviews, I wanted to talk to you about Katy, I was wondering if you might fit her into your training program and help her with her riding. I’ll pay whatever the fee is.” He’s silent a couple of minutes before he answers me.

  “Can I think about it for a few days before I give you an answer, it may have some complications?” He asks her.

  “Of course I did not mean to put you on the spot or anything like that, we can discuss it next week before the Horseman’s Show or after, whenever you prefer.” Deanna tries to ease out of it because it seems to have placed him in an awkward position.

  “Tia and Marianna have both come to me concerning Katy, it’s just I have to give it some consideration and of course whether I have to time to take on another student right now. I will give you an answer this week I promise.

  Right now I have something I wish to ask you, would you do me the honor of standing on line and helping me receive my guests, many of whom I have never met before, and you may have.” He asks her with an imploring look in his eyes.