Love for the Luchador (A Modern Romance) Read Free

of annoyance.
    "He is
just difficult to find, Sofi, it takes real effort to find such a man," she
replied, poking at her eggs.
    "If what
you say is true, maybe he doesn't want to be found," Sofia stated flatly.
"Besides, what type of ugly man must he be to always hide his face?"
    "What,
would you rather I just date one of the man-children in this city? Like your
boyfriend?"
    "Hey,
Fernando has nice hair, a nice car, and bought me these earrings. What more
could I want?"
    "You told
me Fernando once squealed and ran from your kitchen, leaving you to deal with
an oh-so-scary cucaracha ."
    Sofia
burst into laughter. "Just remember to never let him know I shared that with
you. Look, you want an honest, brave man, fine. But honest and brave men in
this country end up poor or dead, just think about that. Is that what you
want?"
    María
didn't have a good response. She knew her friend was right, those qualities
tended to get a person pushed down or killed in this country. Successful men
tended to be more careful, lining brave men up in front of them like a shield.
    María
sighed. "I don't know."
    "Look,
Fernando's friend Pablo would love to have a hottie like you. Why don't I hook
you two up?"
    "Pablo!?
He's horrible! Don't try to pawn Fernando's friends off on me, I don't need a
dating service."
    "What you
need is to get a man, any man. We aren't getting any younger, Mary. Half
of our friends are married now, and you don't want to be single forever. Life
moves quickly, don't let it pass you by."
    María
considered this for a moment before looking at her watch. "Speaking of moving
quickly, I have to get going. I promised my editor that I would have a few
stories done before press time, so I need to go live the exciting life of a
community reporter and run down children and housewives to interview about
local events."
    "More
feel-good stories?"
    "Hey,
it's not as illustrious as the crime and politics reporters, but it's a job."
    ––––––––
    Later
that week she again found herself at her computer on another sleepless night.
She had installed a newly released program, and it was showing a zoomed in
aerial map of the city with color coded pins dotting the landscape. She
shuffled through papers, checked her bookmarks, and dropped more pins. Slowly,
a pattern began to emerge. Nothing to be sure about, but one area had a
slightly higher concentration of pins, a small barrio near Los Volcanes.
    She knew
she couldn't just go and wait for him on a street corner. She also couldn't go
door to door asking if anyone has seen a luchador. Even with her reporter
credentials she wouldn't be able to get away with that. People would think she
was crazy. She had to come up with something though, some way to find him.
    Who
knows everyone in a barrio?
    ––––––––
    "In
nomine Patris, et filii, et spiritus sancti."
    "Bless me
Father, for I have sinned. It has been one week since my last confession. Since
my last confession, I have lusted after a man I do not even know and done
impure things to my body. You must help me."
    "God
helps and forgives all my child," the priest said in a soothing voice, "Are
there any other sins you wish to confess?"
    "No
father, you must help me. This man saved me once, and you must help me
meet him so I may thank him."
    "How
would I help you find a man you do not know? Pray to God, and he will surely
guide you on the path he has planned for you."
    "I have
prayed father! I have prayed and I have worked hard and God has guided me
here!"
    " Señorita ,
I cannot..."
    "He is a
luchador, padre! The Luchador!" she exclaimed. "Father, I know you
cannot tell me who he is, but you must help me. Please, I beg you. Tell him I
want to meet him. To thank him. He is the bravest, most selfless man I have
ever met and I must show my gratitude."
    The
silence within the confessional seemed to last an eternity. Tears of
frustration spilled down María's face. With a shameful shock she realized that
she was confessing her