Blinding Mirror

by Shelley Halima

“I didn’t misunderstand anything! Did I misunderstand your saying you made up the whole business venture so you could get five million dollars out of me?”

  Olivia was silent.

  “Yes, I heard that too. I heard everything! As usual you and Lourdes were so caught up with each other that you didn’t even know I was here. You won’t ever again have to worry about me being a drain on you! I don’t care if I never see either of you ever again!” She looked over at the Tiffany box she had thrown on the counter.

  “You can keep that. It’ll be the last thing you ever get from me.”

  Isabella stood there for a moment, wanting to say so much more but decided not to. She turned and walked out. Lourdes jumped from the table to follow her.

  “Lourdes! What are you going to do?”

  “I’ll be right back.”

  As Isabella reached the front door Lourdes caught up to her.

  “Isabella, wait!”

  Isabella whipped around to her sister.

  “What do you want?”

  “Look, you’re not going to take the Jag back are you?”

  Isabella looked at her in disbelief. Her sister had to truly be one of the most selfish and heartless people she knew next to their mother. As far as she was concerned they deserved each other.

  “Lourdes, just, just—fuck off!”

  Olivia stared blankly into her plate. To her utter surprise she felt a tear make its way down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away when Lourdes came back into the room.

  “I can’t believe it, Mother. She actually cursed at me!”

  “Of course. She was upset.”

  “You kept asking me why Isabella was buying me things all of a sudden. I think I might as well tell you now. She’s a big lez. That’s right, she’s gay. I found out when I went on her laptop and saw a letter she wrote to this girl that works at Sofia’s spa. She didn’t want you to know, so I made her pay to keep my mouth shut.” She folded her arms and waited for a reaction from her mother. Olivia remained quiet.

  “Mother, did you hear me?”

  “Yes I heard you, Lourdes.”

  “Aren’t you shocked?”

  “Not really.”

  “Why not?!”

  “I’ve suspected as much.”

  “How? She had boyfriends and everything!”

  “A mother knows these things. It’s not a big deal these days, not like it was when I was coming up. Times have changed.”

  “Who cares about how it was when you were coming up?! I know you’re not saying it’s okay! I for one find it just despicable and I don’t see how you can be so accepting of such deviant behavior.” She picked up her fork and stabbed a piece of eggplant.

  Olivia had lost her appetite. In truth, she had rather enjoyed Isabella’s company. Until this most recent trip she didn’t know how interesting her daughter actually was. Once she opened up she was a great conversationalist and had a quick wit. She said spending time with Isabella was draining because she knew Lourdes was jealous of the time they were spending together and didn’t have the heart to tell her otherwise. Her intention had been to get her hands on some of the money Gino had left, but she didn’t mean to hurt her daughter in the process.

  Chapter 71

  Just as Zahira was about to pull into the driveway of her condo she noticed Isabella’s car parked in front. The car was empty but as she got in the driveway she saw Isabella sitting on her front steps. As she got out of the car she told herself to be strong and not get taken in by Isabella again. She vowed they were over and she wouldn’t allow herself to weaken. As she got closer to the porch she saw the results of the makeover she heard Isabella had undergone. Her hair was a lighter shade of brown with blonde streaks and her clothes were more stylish. But her eye makeup was smudged and her eyes looked red and swollen as if she’d been crying.

  “What do you want?”

  “I need to speak with you.”

  “We have nothing to say.”

  Zahira walked past her and up the steps to her door.

  “Please!”

  Zahira paused with her key at the door. Isabella’s plea sounded so wounded and plaintive. She put the key to the door and opened it. As she entered she glanced over her shoulder.

  “I’ll give you a few minutes.”

  She hung her purse on the coat rack and went to the kitchen. Zahira opened the refrigerator and got out a bottle of pear cactus apple juice and then two glasses from the cabinet. She put them on the table and took a seat as Isabella pulled up a chair.

  “Your new place looks great. It looks a lot better than when I first came with you to see it. The old owner had horrible taste.”

  “I’m sure you didn’t come over to talk about my decorating abilities,” Zahira said as she poured the juice into the glasses. “What’s on your mind?”

  “Us.”

  “Bella, there is no more ‘us’.”

  Zahira looked at Isabella and in her eyes she could see all the pain she’d heard in her voice a few moments before. Isabella’s eyes filled with tears that cascaded down her face. Her mouth was open slightly as if she were trying to find the will or words to speak. Zahira didn’t try to prompt her; she just waited patiently for Isabella to give voice to what she was feeling.

  “I’m so sorry,” she finally said. “I was wrong. I couldn’t have been more wrong!” She lowered her head and began to sob uncontrollably.

  Zahira moved aside her glass and grabbed Isabella’s hands. Her own eyes became blurry from tears. Despite everything she still loved Isabella and it hurt to see her in such distress. She reached and got a napkin from the holder and when Isabella raised her head again she wiped away her tears.

  “All these years I’ve hoped for the chance to have a real relationship with my mother. I thought everyone else was to blame for that not happening; my father for restricting visits with her, Sofia for being the reason the visits were restricted in the first place, and Lourdes because I thought she just wanted Mom all to herself. Everyone tried to tell me how my mother was but I didn’t listen. I refused to. All I ever wanted was for her to love me like she does Lourdes. Hell, to just love me period!”

  Isabella paused to take a sip of juice before going on.

  “I remember I used to have a friend named Emma. We used to play together almost every day until one day when I beat her up. We had a little argument over a toy or doll or something and I pushed her. She pushed me back and after that I ripped into her. Even back then as a child I knew that fight had little to do with the toy; I secretly hated her because she had what I didn’t which was a loving mother. You’ve never seen a more jealous kid than I was when I saw Emma and her mother together. The way they held hands, sometimes dressed alike, it killed me. Do you know I cannot recollect my mother ever letting me sit in her lap? I would try to do it and she always pushed me away. ‘You’ll wrinkle Mommy’s clothes’. And then later I see Lourdes in her lap.”

  “Sweetheart, you’ve never told me any of this before.”

  “I know. Just as Sofia said, I made up this fantasy about my mother. Her main concern was always for herself and Lourdes. After the change in visitation, not once did she come here for Mother’s Day. Not one single time. She was always on the other side of the world or caught up with a new rich husband or boyfriend. When our teachers had us do Mother’s Day projects, Sofia and I would have to have our father mail it to her. I could sit here all day and talk about how she showed her lack of love for us and how I’ve pushed it out of my head.” Tears began to fall again. “I just wanted her to love me. Is that so wrong?”

  “No, there’s nothing at all wrong with that. Bella, what happened to make you come to this realization?”

  “I overheard her talking to Lourdes. She’s only been trying to get close to me for my inheritance. No surprise to you I know.”

  “I would love nothing more than to have been wrong. I hope you realize that.”

  “My mother and I have one thing in common though.”


  “What could that be?”

  “We both hid who we were from the other in order to get what we wanted—me, her love and her—my money.”

  “You were misguided in the way you chose to handle it but you had no ill intent. You can’t say the same about your mother.”

  “At least it wasn’t all a waste. I alienated Sofia, lost the love of my life, but hey, I got a great make-over.”

  “I don’t care about this overhaul. It looks nice but the Bella I fell in love with was just as beautiful as the new one.”

  “Do you think you can fall in love with her again?”

  “No.”Zahira reached out and ran her hand through Isabella’s hair. “I never fell out of love with her.”

  “You didn’t?”

  “No. Not even when I tried my best to.”

  “I love you,” Isabella said softly. “If you give me just one more chance I promise--”

  Zahira put her finger over Isabella’s lips.

  “No more words, okay? Prove it to me in your actions.”

  Isabella gazed into Zahira’s eyes. She knew she would never risk losing Zahira again. She took her face in her hands. They both moved closer to each other and shared soft lingering kiss. Isabella stood and pulled Zahira up with her. Isabella’s hands stroked Zahira’s backside as she went back and forth planting kisses on her face and neck. Isabella stopped and unhooked her necklace. On it was the ring Zahira had given back to her. Isabella slid the ring off the necklace and held up to Zahira.

  Zahira smiled and held her left hand up and Isabella slipped the ring on her finger. Isabella wrapped her arms around Zahira’s waist and rested her forehead against hers.

  “I love you so much.”

  “I love you too, Bella.”

  Zahira took Isabella by the hand and led her to the bedroom where they sat on the bed. Isabella moved her mouth to hers again. As they kissed, her hand went inside Zahira’s blouse and found her hardened nipple. Isabella twirled it between her thumb and forefinger. Zahira wrapped one arm around her neck and with the other moved her hand to inside Isabella’s dress slacks and her panties. Her finger glided over Isabella’s wet clitoris. Isabella unzipped her slacks and slid her them along with her panties to her knees.

  She opened her thighs and Zahira began her manipulations once more. This time she inserted a finger into Isabella’s vagina, then two and finally three. As she licked Isabella’s neck, she alternated between pumping her fingers in and out of her vagina and stroking her clitoris. After a few minutes Isabella moaned that she was about orgasm. Zahira trained her finger on her clitoris until Isabella cried out, her body jerking slightly.

  A few moments later Zahira removed her hand and proceeded to fully remove Isabella’s panties and slacks. She took off her blouse and bra. Isabella reached out to take off Zahira’s clothes when she stopped her. She leaned over and turned the table lamp on. She got up from the bed, walked around and stood at the foot of it. She began moving as if to music, her hips swaying in a seduction dance. Slowly, she unbuttoned her blouse and eased it off her shoulders, exposing her bare breasts. She put her hands to her breasts and twirled her engorged nipples with the middle finger of each hand. Her hands lazily traveled down over her stomach to her twirling hips. Isabella watched as if hypnotized. Her hand went to her soaking wet vagina and she touched herself while watching Zahira’s sexy dance.

  Zahira unzipped the back of her long skirt and peeled it down her legs and off. As she danced with now just her panties on, she loosed the bun her hair was in and let her long, silky locks fall past her shoulders. She turned her back to Isabella as she glided her panties off her body. Her hands caressed her buttocks and hips. She spread her legs slightly and bent over, giving Isabella a view of her glistening womanhood. She reached between her legs and her middle finger slid up and down her pink slit. She then walked back around the bed to Isabella who was close to having another orgasm. Zahira straddled her and placed her hands underneath her breasts. At Zahira’s invitation Isabella ravished her breasts with her mouth causing Zahira to whimper in delight. Zahira pushed Isabella down on the bed and bent down to lick and suck her breasts. She instructed Isabella to lie toward the top of the bed. She lay at the opposite end facing Isabella and slid between her legs. They grabbed on to the other’s arm for support as they gyrated their sexes against one another. It was a favored position for Isabella as she found feeling Zahira’s clitoris grinding against hers extremely pleasurable. Zahira was the first to orgasm soon followed by Isabella. Afterward, Zahira moved to where Isabella was. They kissed long and deep before finally falling asleep in each other’s arms.

  Chapter 72

  Sofia tapped on Isabella’s bedroom door.

  “Yes?”

  “Isabella, can you meet me in the study when you get a moment?”

  “Sure. I’ll be right there.”

  Sofia went to the study and waited for her sister. She nervously turned the piece of paper in her hand. A minute later Isabella entered the room.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Have a seat. We’re about to make a phone call.”

  “To who?”

  “I called our grandfather’s house until I finally reached Maribel. She gave me the number again to reach our grandmother since I lost the piece of paper. Not after strongly hinting that she needed some financial help in order to take care of our grandfather. Personally, I wouldn’t care if the old fart pickled himself in those urine stained sheets but I knew Maribel wasn’t going to give up the number again unless I agreed to send a check.”

  Isabella took a seat on the other side of the desk where Sofia was sitting.

  “After what happened in Fresno, I’m kind of leery, you know?”

  “So am I,” agreed Isabella. “This should be interesting.”

  “All right. Let’s get it over with.” Sofia hit the speaker button and dialed the number. After three rings there was a pick up on the line.

  “Hello?” The voice answering was that of a child.

  “Hi, is there an Inès Delgado there?”

  “Inès? Yes, her here. Hold on. Tìa! Tele-phone!”

  A moment later a woman’s voice came on the line.

  “Yes?”

  Sofia glanced at Isabella and took a deep breath.

  “Hello, Ma’am. My name is Sofia. I’m one of your granddaughters.” Sofia braced herself, expecting to hear the sound of the phone being slammed to its receiver.

  “My granddaughter?”

  “Yes, Ma’am.”

  “Junior, go outside and play with your brother, okay? Excuse me. That was my niece’s little boy. I’m so happy you called.”

  Both Sofia and Isabella were relieved.

  “You are?” asked Isabella. “I’m your other granddaughter, Isabella.”

  “Hi. Yes, I’ve very happy to hear from you both. I heard from Maribel that I have three granddaughters. Is the other one there, too?”

  “No, she’s away right now,” answered Sofia.

  “I want to apologize for Alphonso’s behavior. Maribel told me about that as well. What he did was uncalled for.”

  “What else did Maribel tell you about our visit?” inquired Isabella.

  “Even though we’re not friends anymore, Maribel never lets that stop her from gabbing. She told me you didn’t know anything about us until recently and you wanted to find out more about your family.”

  “Right. It wasn’t until I came across some items of our mother’s that we found out about you. We saw her birth certificate and other papers. All these years we thought her name was Olivia Machado, she was Portuguese and her parents died in a plane crash.” Sofia tried to hold back the bitterness from her tone.

  There was silence on the line as Sofia and Isabella waited for a response from their grandmother.

  “I guess it’s true what they say about the apple not falling too far from the tree. I did almost the same thing.”

  “What do you mean?” asked Sofia.

  “Whe
n I got married I left my family and had little contact with them. There were so many painful memories from my past that I wanted to separate myself from anything that reminded me of it, including my family. I was so fortunate that when I came back here I was welcomed with open arms. I shouldn’t have taken out on my whole family what one person—my father—did to me. I’m not making excuses for your mother but I can’t say I blame her for getting as far away from us as she could. I have a lot of regrets about my life but my biggest one is what a terrible mother I was to Oliva. Some people have no business with kids and that includes your grandfather and me. She took the brunt of all the anger and frustration we had. To this day I find it hard to sleep some nights when I think about the way we treated her. I talk to my priest and to God about it because it eats away at me. I know she doesn’t want anything to do with me but I pray all the time that I see her just once before I leave this earth so I can tell her how sorry I am for the horrible things I did to her.”

  Sofia swallowed the knot tightening in her throat as she listened to the emotion in her grandmother’s voice. The last thing she expected from this phone call was to feel even a modicum of sympathy for her conniving mother.

  “I have a question,” began Isabella. “What happened the night she ran away from home? Was she having an altercation with her father right before he was rushed to the hospital?”

  “No, she was asleep in her room. He and I were having an argument as always when Al clutched his chest and stumbled into the hallway. Why do you ask whether or not they had an altercation that night?”

  Sofia and Isabella shook their heads at each other at yet another one of their mother’s lies.

  “We have so many questions,” said Isabella, brushing over her grandmother’s question. “Is it possible for us to come there and visit you?”

  “Visit me? I’d love to meet you! When can you come?”

  “Um, next weekend?” Sofia addressed the question to Isabella who nodded in agreement. “Yes, next weekend if that’s okay.”

  “That’s great. You have a lot of family here from my side and some from your grandfather’s. And don’t worry; the ones I’m in contact with are nothing like him.”