Rio Grande Wedding Part 30

"Is that flamenco?" Annie said. "I heard it inSpain."

He bowed."Si,senorita ." His gaze went to Molly. "I would like to see you dance," he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

His eyes said so much more that he would like to see her dancenaked . For him.

A knock came at the door, and even before she turned, Molly saw the zest and pleasure drain from Alejandro's face, caught a quick look of tenor on Josefina's face before she

reached for her uncle's hand.

The sheriff, Kenny Wagner, an Anglo in his forties, stood there, a slightly apologetic expression in his eyes as he looked at Molly. Her heart clutched, hard.

"Alejandro Sosa?" he asked.

"Yes," Alejandro said, putting down his guitar cautiously.

"We need to talk." Wagner shot a glance toward Josefina. "Outside here if you wouldn't mind."

Josefina screamed and clutched her uncle's hand. "No! You can't go!"

Alejandro kissed her, disentangled his hand as gently as he was able. "I will be right back," he said. "Promise."

Josefina looked at Molly. "Help him!"

Shenodded, her throat too tight for words. In the hallway, she pulled the door tight and said harshly, "What's going on?"

"Sorry, Molly," the sheriff said soberly. "I ... uh ... had a tip that I needed to talk to your friend here."

"A tip," she echoed bitterly. "I can just imagine where it came from."

He had the grace to look abashed. "Yeah. Well. I gotta uphold the law."

Molly glanced at Alejandro, and saw that his face was set in grim, sharp lines.

Instinctively, Molly moved to take Alejandro's hand. "Kenny, he's not my friend. He's

my husband." She lifted her chin. "We were married two days ago."

Kenny looked down. "So I heard." He pursed his lips. "You may not be aware that the laws governing immigration have changed somewhat in recent years."

Alejandro's hand tightened on Molly's, and with a pain in her chest, she said, "In what way?"

"It doesn't matter if you're married. He has to go back and apply for permission, just the same as everyone else."

"But...! That's impossible! He can't!" As if to hold him here, Molly gripped Alejandro's arm, suddenly aware of the warm scent of his skin. "I love him."

"I'm sorry."

"No!" The word was as fierce as any utterance she'd made in all her life. Wildly, she searched her memory for something, anything that might help.

Alejandro said gently, his hand on her back, "Molly, it will be all right."

"No," she said again, and found herself very near tears.

In a rush, Molly said, "You can't take him. He's setting up my farm for me. No one else can do the work the way I want it."

"Molly, don't make this harder, all right? I'm willing to cut some slack here if you cooperate, but if you draw some line in the sand, you're going to tie my hands, understand?"

"No, I don't understand. What do you mean, slack?"

"I'll let him stay till the little girl is out of the hospital if you'll agree he goes home then and applies for legal entry." He looked at Alejandro.

"But my farm! We have made plans!" She couldn't seem to remember what they were and her words stuttered and stopped as she struggled with them. "He's ... drawing. And there will be roosters."

The sheriff smiled over her head. "Not more than one, I hope."

"No," Alejandro said, amus.e.m.e.nt in his voice. "Only one."

Molly looked up at him and found him smiling. Didn't he understand how serious this was?

"You see why she needs help to make a farm." Her heart was pounding so hard she could barely hear. "Yes, you see, I can't do it myself."

"I understand that." His lips worked. "Fact is, though, the law says he can only stay here to do a job if there's no one else to do it. Plenty of folks could help you set up a farm."

"But-"

The blue eyes, usually so genial, went hard. "Take it or leave it, Molly. If you want to make it rough, we can go that road."

"No, sir," Alejandro said, his hands on Molly's shoulders. "Thank you."

They shook hands, an act that, for some reason, made Molly completely crazy. What was there to be friendly about? Still, she held her peace until the sheriff put his hat back on and left them.

"Why did you agree?" she asked.

The affability was gone. "There was no choice. You do not want to be arrested. I do not wish to go until Josefina is better." His expression was grim. "This has been too much trouble for you. For that, I am sorry."

"It hasn't-"

From the room came Josefina's cry. Alejandro held up a finger. "Let me comfort her. I will be right back."

"No, stay with her. I have something I need to do."

"Molly-"

"It won't hurt you or me, I promise. I'm going to see my brother."

"He is only acting as he feels is best for you."

"No," she said bitterly. "You're wrong about that."