Enrique leaned over to her. “What is it?”
She pursed her lips. “My father. He’s not here. He was supposed to come right after work. He never misses Las Posadas.”
“I’m sure he will be here soon. I can’t wait to meet him.” He was looking forward to meeting Carolina’s father so he could eventually speak to him about partnering with the farm. Though now, Señor Flores would probably grill Enrique about his intentions toward Carolina. Her father might mistake Enrique volunteering to play Joseph as an interest in dating his eldest daughter, which it most certainly wasn’t.
Just then, Mrs. Flores’s cell phone rang. She answered, walking outside the chapel. A few moments later, she ran back into the church.
“¡Cari!” Her breath sounded labored.
Carolina ran over to her mother, with Enrique in tow. “Mamá, what is it?”
“It’s Papá!” she cried. “He collapsed. He’s in the hospital.”
Chapter Eight
Carolina clutched her fake baby bump. Her dress felt impossibly hot, as if she would suffocate at any moment. She had to go to Papá.
Blanca, Adela, and Eva gathered around Mamá and exited the church to talk on the steps. The brisk night air did little to ease Carolina’s panic.
This was her worst nightmare. He had seemed off lately. She knew she should’ve taken him to urgent care last night when his cough had sounded bad, instead of waiting for an appointment. How foolish she was. Selfish, even. She had been so wrapped up in work and Las Posadas that she’d neglected her own father. He worked way too hard and refused to take any time off.
That was it. She was going to put her foot down. She didn’t need him on the farm anymore. She would force him to retire, but he was stubborn like she was.
Blanca spoke first. “What happened, Mamá?”
“He’d just ended his day and was coming in to get a glass of waterwhen he collapsed outside the office. Luckily, Rogelio was with him and rushed him to the hospital. Papá says he is feeling okay now, but they are checking on him.”
Thank God his foreman was there, or who knows what could have happened. Carolina nodded, her lip quivering, and turned to Enrique. “I have to leave.”
“Of course. I hope he’s okay.”
Carolina tugged on Mamá’s sleeve. “Let’s go right now!”
Mamá shook her head. “No, there’s no point in all of us rushing over there just yet. They don’t know what is wrong with him. I will go.” She grasped her daughter’s shoulders. “There is nothing you can do but wait and pray. Mija, he would want you to participate in Las Posadas tonight. You should honor your commitment to God.”
What was her mom saying? She couldn’t possibly go on with tonight’s festivities, not while Papá was in the hospital. “No. I need to be there for him.”
“And what good will that do? I’ll tell you. Nada. You will just stress us both out. Papá is with good doctors now. His fate is in God’s hands. And God wants you to do Las Posadas. He didn’t send you a Joseph only for you to not walk. Everyone should pray for Papá together. That is what we need.” Mamá hugged Carolina, Blanca, Adela, and Eva.
“Blanca, watch your sisters, and don’t tell the younger ones what’s going on just yet. I will call you when I hear any news.”
Her mother kissed her elder daughters goodbye, then raced out of the church.
Carolina just stood there, hands pressed to the bump that constricted her stomach. She didn’t want to do Las Posadas anymore. She just wanted to be with her father. Yes, of course he was strict, but he was still the daddy she’d looked up to since she was a child. Theman who’d taught her to tie her shoelaces. The first man to ever buy her flowers.
Enrique had been the second.
A tear pricked at her eye.Dammit.
Carolina reentered the church with Enrique.
“Hey, are you okay?”
She shook her head. “No.” She choked back a sob.
He put a cautious arm around her shoulders. “I’m so sorry about your father.”
“I appreciate that.”
