"Rocky Mountain Dreams"

Maria heard the words but somehow it did not register just how crushing the blow would be. She could not breathe, the air would not fill her lungs and she was struggling for every breath. She usually fidgeted uncomfortably every time he called her into "his" den. It was "off limits" to her unless he was scolding her like a five year old for some imperfection in his very perfect household. She was still this time, almost too still. Somehow he sensed this time was different.1

"It's over, I don't love you anymore," he said. 2

Her warm caramel colored skin was turning a deathly shade of gray. Almost the same color of gray as the urn that held the ashes of their only child on the fireplace mantle. He had decided that they would never bring another life into this world after Emily died.3

"I have found someone else." He had prepared himself for begging, pleading and tears. But no waterworks yet, so Allen continued.4

Her head was feeling light and her fingers were tingling. She knew he was waiting for any kind of response so she struggled to maintain control. With each word he spoke, it felt like a physical blow to her gut. "It just happened; I did not mean to fall in love with her." The words echoed in her head. "I will be generous with you if you handle this like an adult." “You may stay here if you can afford the mortgage, if not, I expect you to find a find a job and to be packed and out by your first paycheck." 5

She almost chuckled at the insane words he spoke, considering that he had made sure that she did not have any chance for a future other than being a devoted housewife to the good doctor.6

If he spoke one more word her life would cease to exist, and as if some divine being intervened on her behalf and over took her body, peace enveloped her mind.7

The tingling stopped and the air became as light as a cloud. The instantaneous change in her was obvious to him. It was as if she had been living her whole life with the world speaking a foreign language and suddenly she finally understood every single word. Her posture changed as she pushed her shoulders back and raised her head high. She no longer slouched over like prize fighter who had just lost the world championship fight. 8

Allen paused for a brief moment second guessing his decision to leave her. All though he caught a glimpse of the woman she was about to become, he pushed all desire away. Yes, he was still attracted to her beautiful Latin features, the dark brown almond shaped eyes, long eye lashes and her waist length deep mocha hair as soft and thick as an Arabian horse. Her small 5'2 curvy frame and her luscious full lips. After 10 years she still had all the fire in the bedroom but he had lost all other interest in her after the first year. She had always been docile, weak and controllable. Focusing all of his thoughts on Shelia, so different from Maria, never docile, weak or controllable. He knew the lean, tall and very, very blonde Sheila would be waiting for him impatiently in the brownstone on Fifth Avenue he had purchased for her last year. He also knew that she would soon begin to smash the beautiful German crystal he bought her on the last business trip or the Ming vase she had to have when they visited the orient. Sheila would throw a world class temper tantrum if he did not hurry up and finish this wife business soon.9

Maria blinked and inhaled so deeply like it was the very first breath of air she had every taken in ten years and in a way it was. Her color returned and she suddenly felt calmer than she had in her life. She brushed a soft whisper of hair away from her face. She looked straight through him and began to speak so softly he almost did not hear her. As she told him that his decision was final, the discussion over and that her attorney would be contacting him, she caught a sparkle of fear emulating from him as he wiped a single drop of sweat off of his brow. He did not recognize this elegant creature that stood before him. He did not recall marring this woman who had grace and dignity that had just put him in his place and dismissed him like one of the servants. She turned slowly in her fifteen dollar designer knock off pumps, and gently asked him to close the door on his way out of "her house."10

Maria had always been frugal. She had grown up extremely poor and soon learned to pinch every penny as if her life depended on it and at times it did. She was the oldest child and the only daughter out of six children. Her parents were immigrants from Mexico. All though Maria had been born in the United States she always felt like she never belonged. She spoke broken Spanish and spoke English with an accent. She worked as a waitress in the local Cedar Springs diner "Mikes Place" during high school and tried to save for collage but the family needs were always greater than her own.11

She was the quite one out of the bunch and was always some what shy. She spent all of her time dreaming of far away places and cooking exotic meals. She was creative in the kitchen and the diner often allowed her to experiment in the kitchen. The five "Gallegos" boys were never afraid to be loud and always chose to be heard. Maria was content to be in the background. Maria loved her family but was always overwhelmed with responsibility. Her Papa worked for a landscaping company during the day and her Mamma was a night maid at "The Broadmoore Hotel," a playground for the rich in the small town. They were hard working but never seemed to make enough for ends to meet for the large family. Maria worked at "Mikes" after school and still came home to cook dinner every night. Maria always contributed her entire paycheck but tried to save her tips. By her senior year she had saved almost a thousand dollars. She knew that was not enough to pay for college. Her grades were decent but she knew college might just be a pipe dream. Then 2 weeks before graduation Maria saw an article in the local paper about a internship at "Dominick’s" a five star restaurant in the posh ski town of Vail about 3 hours from Cedar Springs. She could earn her way through cooking school and maybe one day open her own restaurant. Maria's passion was cooking and she knew that this was her only chance for a future. She was terrified to make the call but she swallowed all the fear inside and dialed the number. The voice on the other end was soon to be her guardian angel and biggest fan.12

Maria had always been a loner and usually kept to herself. She had rarely traveled except for the yearly summer trips her family made to Albuquerque each year to see the rest of the Gallegos family. She was so excited even if Mamma had dished out a double dose of catholic guilt for abandoning her family the first chance she could. Papa had pulled her aside at the station and gave his daughter a $20 dollar bill for emergencies and told her that not to forget where her home was. He squeezed her tight and reminder her that he and momma would always love her. Maria closed her eyes tight while the bus pulled out of the station, she could not bare to see at her Mamma weeping when she was so ready for this new adventure! 13