A Destiny Revealed Read Free Page A

down fighting. Staying home would drive her
insane. If the voices were any indication though, she was already losing the
battle with her sanity.
    She stepped into the shower and hissed as the hot water
pelted her skin. Adjusting it to a cooler temperature she turned and let the
water trail through her hair. It washed through the grime and plastered her
curls to her back.
    'Dalia, you are being stubborn let us come to you if you
would prefer', the male voice cajoled. The deep timbre seduced… pleaded.
Her body heated in a way that had nothing to do with the hot water.
    “Leave me alone.” Dalia leaned her head against the cool tile.
The voices were getting to her. It was only a matter of time before she lost
her mind.
    'You’re not going crazy, if you would only come meet us
we’ll explain. ' The female voice implored, impatience tingeing her tone.
    “I said stop.” She put her head under the spray hoping to
drown the voices.
    “ Tía ? Are you okay?” Her
nephew asked, banging on the bathroom door.
    Dalia shut off the water and stepped from the water. She
wrapped the heavy towel around her slender frame and opened the door.
    “I’m fine,” she murmured. “I thought you had to go home.”
    “I heard you talking to yourself and just wanted to check on
you.” Suspicion narrowed his hazel eyes.
    “I’m fine, tell Xavier I said hello and that I'll drop by
and see him when I get a chance.” She avoided his glance.
    “Mom is starting to get suspicious about why you never come
by the house anymore when she's home.” He informed her as he walked to the
front door.
    “It’s hard to explain why a sixty year old looks twenty
seven, don’t you think?” Bitterness colored her tone. “Plastic surgery is not
that advanced.”
    Julian shrugged. “Thank you for trusting me with your
secret, Ti Ti. I'll never betray you.” He stood at the door watching her with
that serious look she always associated with him and his dad.
    “Don’t worry so much, Julian,” she scolded. “I've actually
decided to go home to mom for a couple of weeks. I need the break.”
    “That’s great!” He told her, his smile genuine. “The
Santiago Apóstol Festival is going on now, right? That should be fun. I wish I
hadn’t taken the summer semester now.”
    “Yeah, it should be. So tell your father, I won’t see him
for a few weeks and that I'll catch up with him when I come back.”
    He nodded and left the apartment.
    Dalia sighed in the silence that followed his departure.
Every year in July, Loíza had a festival for St. James celebrating Loíza’s
African and Spanish heritage. It may be just the diversion she needed. If
anything, it would be good to visit her mom. She had not seen her in a few
months and with her mom pushing eighty she wanted to be sure she saw as much of
her as she could.
    Dalia nodded to herself, yes, time at home would soothe the
hole in her life she was trying to deny. And just maybe the voices would go
away.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter 3
     
     
     BRON MOVED THROUGH THE THRONGS of people gathered in
Loíza for the Santiago Apóstol Festival, his eyes scanning every face. The
streets were filled with natives, their dark skin matching his and telling of
their African ancestry. People wearing colorful costumes and máscaras de
vejigante , coconuts masks for which Loíza was known, surrounded Bron on all
sides.  He pushed down his impatience and focused on his assignment. He'd
been searching all day, and exhaustion weighed on him.
     “There are way too many people in this plaza,” he
mumbled to himself, dodging a reveler wearing one of the large colorful máscaras .
Bron sighed, the mask reminded him of his home in
Africa, sans the crowd. A hairy hand tapped the top of his head and Bron passed
another piece of fruit to his companion.
     “I am not complaining, Little Lord Fauntleroy. I'm
only saying there are a lot of people in this square.” 
    The monkey's brown tail touched Bron’s