Chapter 33

Cojimar

What a beautiful life. I am in love with Juan Veranes.

Juan who is funny, intelligent, sweet and sensitive, who dances the mambo better than all Cubans, who is my first true love. He has decided that he will seek and adapt to a stable job, that he will marry me and we will have many children. He also likes children.

I see it almost every day. When I don't see him, I think about him. In fact, I always think of him, even if I am often distracted by the events that follow one another at the Finca.

Mary seems to approve of Juan. Papa not so much - he has some reservations - but since he has understood that I am in love he does not want to go deeper. According to Gianfranco, I have chosen well: Juan is one of the nicest and most "European" Cubans and this makes up for the fact that he is not rich. Mum noticed that he is polite, that he speaks French like a Frenchman, but doesn't seem to give too much weight to our marriage plans even though he shows understanding and self-sacrifice in putting up with - while we go to Havana - one western film after another. It seems like they only do westerns around here, he says.

Today I see Juan again and I am happy.

I leave the Casita, ready for Juan. Since it won't be long I wait for him sitting in the sun, near the ceiba.

I look at the orchids growing on the trunk and I am reminded...