Chapter 17

Dave's turn:

Every day since Carlita appeared in my life, I walk into the house at the end of the day expecting the dream to end. It has to be a dream. Even with the little text messages during the day, because she knows that phone calls are an interruption, but the texts are little bits of happiness.

Still, I can't believe it until I open the door and she's standing there. Shorts and a top and those loud little cross-trainers on her feet and it's like some crazy fantasy that I never thought was in my heart, but here she is. And her arms are around me before I can get mine around her.

Before she can say it, I do. "I love you and I miss you, Carlita."

I know she's spent the day with Brindy, so dinner will be something we leave the house to find together.

Wednesday when I get home, I get wrapped up and I know exactly why.

"Dave, I cannot believe it. Tests. And then I am a graduate of high school in America."

Dinner with Pat and Brindy. Pat said, "Tell 'im about Spanish..."

"They thought that since I was Guatemalan, they would have to speak to me in Spanish. I asked that I be tested in English. Dave, I am in America. Most people speak English."

"And you still..."

"They said that she should take the GED test next month with their regular group of students, you know, adults who dropped out of high school. If she does that and passes..."

"I will pass, Dave."

""She'll pass, Dave," Brindy giggled. "She'd be in the top quintile of our graduating high school class right now."

"If she passes," Pat continued, "then they have a regular little graduation ceremony for their non-traditional graduates."

Grinning, Carlita said, "and I have a piece of paper that says I am a high school graduate."

"At fourteen," Pat said.

"Eighteen," Carlita and Brindy said together.

"And married," Carlita spoke, her brown eyes flashing at me.

"And with your GED, we can use you in our English as a Second Language class."

I got a couple of vacation days out of my accrual, clearing my schedule for Friday and Monday. Plans. I got 'em.

Thursday night we packed. Yes, Carlita has a dress, a simple sheath thing that Pat and Brindy helped her pick out. I have not seen it, just heard the description. Pat told Carlita that the bride's dress is not to be shown before the wedding. She's talked to Brother Bob and he assures her that there is a place for her to change before the ceremony.

Brother Bob called me, too.

"Dave, I pray that you're serious about Carlita."

"I'm completely serious, Brother Bob," I said. "I love her like no other woman ever in my life."

"Dave," he said. "She has had a tough life. That she made it to the United States speaks of her uniqueness and strength."

"Brother Bob," I countered. "I know that. I recognize that she is unique and that she is strong in many ways. I don't know why I chose not to turn her in to the authorities, but I didn't. I thought I could do a better job of helping her. And then I fell in love with your unique creature."

"You know, Dave, I loved every one of those kids, but Carlita stood out as special..."

"Don't I know it, Brother Bob. I've never harbored feelings for young girls, but there's something about her that belies her age..."

"I hope so, Dave. You and I and she all know what her real age is."

"Look, Brother Bob," I stated. "I will take care of her for the rest of my natural life. When our marriage is legal, she's on all my insurance, she's half-owner in my house, I'm teaching her to drive, and if she can get into college in the fall, she'll be there, too. And you know what? I'd've put her through college, married or not, but the rest of that, marriage makes it easy for us both."

"Dave, she and I have talked. She swears to me that she loves you, that you are an honorable man and she is an honorable woman. Make that 'young woman', if you will, but she swears that this is to be a REAL marriage, not some scam to gain American citizenship. And it is to be forever."

"Brother Bob," I answered, "I know of no other kind of marriage."

"You SOUND honest, Dave. You paid the money for Carlita's documents. You risked ... knowing that one phone call from anybody could have landed you in jail."

"I am honest, Brother Bob. And I want to take care of Carlita."

"Then I shall see the both of you on Saturday. Would you pray with me over our mutual friend?"

"Of course," I said. I listened to him intone the words and joined him in 'amen'.

"See you Saturday, Brother Bob."

"Right. Tell Carlita that I send my prayers."

"Yessir."

Friday morning we slept in a little and ate a late breakfast at a local diner over Lita's objections. "I am supposed to cook breakfast, Dave, and eating here costs money."

"We did the dishes last night and this way we don't have to wash the breakfast dishes and I can afford to feed us breakfast."

She was smiling as she objected weakly. After breakfast, we hit the road. In a short time she grinned. "I am back in Texas again. When I return to Louisiana, I will be the wife of Dave."

"You're already Dave's wife," I said.

"I know. But I will have the paper. So many things require the paper." Her hand touched my arm as I drove. "Real things require the head. And the heart."

"I have to be careful coming back from Texas," I said. "Last time I brought home a fourteen year old girl."

She grinned. "And this time you bring home a wife. Maybe you should stay out of Texas after this weekend."

Mid-afternoon found us at a church outside Austin. We walked into the church office and got directions to find Brother Bob. "Little house at the back of the property," the church secretary told us.

We knocked on his door, were greeted with a happy smile from an older man who had a decided limp.

We had a pleasant visit. I guess that his visiting with the two of us in person helped ease any doubts. I mean, I don't LOOK like trash. I dress conservatively and I'm clean, and I have Carlita sitting beside me holding my hand. And it's impossible to be mad about Carlita.

"My Carlita," he said, "You're still beautiful."

"My hair, Brother Bob," she said, touching her head.

He smiled. "Dave, she had lovely hair. On top of the rest, the intelligence, the manners, she is a pretty girl."

I squeezed the hand holding mine. "Yes, she is. Cute. Smart. Funny. Happy."

"I remember the happiness as well," Brother Bob said. "The girl with the smile. The girl with the books. The girl who took the little ones aside to teach them."

I glanced at my Carlita. She was smiling bashfully. "Brother Bob ... If only things had stayed the way they were ... I would be there still. But the narcotraficantes ... You taught us to pray. I prayed. I took this journey ... and now I have found Dave." She smiled softly. "Brother Bob, it is because I prayed. One does not travel so many kilometres ... miles, and end up with a good man. Not when there are so many bad men."

He smiled. "You do believe that, don't you, Lita?"

She nodded.

He caught me in a steady gaze. "This is pre-marriage counseling, Dave. Carlita sees you as an answered prayer. Are you prepared to accept that responsibility with her ... in her life?"

"I would not be here, Brother Bob," I said. "I fought with myself, my head, my own heart, over Carlita."

He smiled. "Then tomorrow afternoon, Carlita says she has a dress to wear for her wedding. I will gather witnesses..."

"We have witnesses also, Brother Bob," Carlita said. "It is my surprise for my husband. His sister and her friend and his brother and his wife and children will be here to see me and Dave become married." She turned to me. "I hope you are not angry. I did this on my own. Your family becomes my family and I think they should be here."

"You're perfect, my Carlita ... Brother Bob, it is like this with her. She knows – does perfect things – for others."

"You are seeing the Carlita we knew at the orphanage. Always more mature than her years."

We left, heading to a hotel for the night. She smiled when I opened the door to the room to let her in.

Giggle. "This is how things start, is it not, Dave?"

"The first time I brought you to a hotel, I was scared that I would be arrested."

"And I was scared that I would be forced..." Giggle. "Now I do not want to be stopped."

We finally got showered and fit for the public again around six in the evening and headed to a restaurant for dinner, planning on meeting our family.

"I can't believe you got all those people to come here, Lita. This is wonderful."

She smiled. "Dave, your family loves you. They think I am good for you."

"I think you are good for me." When we pulled into the parking lot, I noted two cars with Louisiana license plates. Recognized the cars, too. Upon our entry into the restaurant we were pointed to a separate room. We entered to applause.

Carlita curtsied. "He did not know until I told him this afternoon," she said. "Thank you all for coming."

Smiles all around the table. I get a better idea of what's going on with my Carlita and her new family. I've always been kind of standoffish, a loner, staying to myself a lot, well, except for that week's experiment with Pat. I talked with my brother and sister sporadically at best.

I find that Carlita talks to Pat daily, probably having more to do with Brindy. And I find that she's calling Carlie, my sister-in-law, several times a week, that is, when she's not on the road with Carlie and the kids.

"You don't see it, I guess, brother," Gary said. "She's adopted a family. That's the best I can explain it. And the strange part? She fits. That's good people there."

"I hope so. Tomorrow I'm marrying her."

"Oh, hell, bro!" he laughed. "She married you before YOU knew what hit you."

"Probably so, Gary," I said. "Didn't know what to look for. And there she is."

She was talking with Carlie about the kids. She looked, saw we were talking about her.

"Good children, Gary. You should be very happy."

"I am," Gary said. "What about you and Dave? Children?"

Carlita flashed her eyes at me. "When the time is right. I am going to college first. It would be difficult to have children and be the mother they need while I have so many other things to do." She was reading my face. "When the time is proper, Dave and I will have children and all the time I will pray that they are like Rob and Kinsey."