"I won! I won!" Simon yelled, full of excitement.
Raisa came up behind him and started tickling him and they both rolled on the ground with abandonment and laughter.
"Come on you two before the ants steal our lunch."
"Okay mom," said Simon as he walked over to his mother.
Raisa lay on the ground looking towards the river as she leaned on an elbow. Carolyn got up and walked over to her; then sat down as her hand reached out to caress the dark hair of the woman who had laid siege to her heart.
"Andreas and I used to bathe here when we were children."
"Who is Andreas?"
"My brother. He is away on a buying trip. He will be here in a few days. He is nothing like me don't worry," Raisa said with laughter.
"How is he then?"
"He is...he is not like me." Raisa became serious and pensive. Carolyn could see the walls rising.
"Nona would say you are thinking too hard again," Carolyn said and Raisa looked up at her with a smile and then looked back towards the river again.
"Andreas is quiet, there is a gentleness about him. Nona says that he is like my mother. But unlike her he loves this land." She looked all around her. She was quiet for a little while then spoke sadly. "My mother used to love picnics."
"And that makes you sad?" Carolyn asked carefully. This was the first time that they had really spoken of Raisa's family.
"She brought Andreas and I here for a picnic to tell us she was leaving Papa and us. She went back to Italy soon after," Raisa said bluntly.
"I'm sorry sweetheart," Carolyn said lovingly as she caressed her lover's hair. She could feel the pain and anguish that her lover must have felt when being given this news; Carolyn could still see it in those eyes. She had come to see in a matter of days that Raisa was not as unfeeling as people thought her to be. And faced with such painful things who would not shut out loving or needing another human being? It was obvious in every word that came from Raisa's lips that to her love meant pain.
"No need, it was a long time ago," Raisa said and got up suddenly.
Carolyn reached for her hand and pulled her back down to sit beside her. She held on to her hand as they sat. She could feel the emotions building up inside her.
Raisa looked into her eyes and then looked back out towards the river as she started speaking again. "She hated Venezuela and she ended up hating my father. We were his children. So, I guess by association she hated us." She said nothing after that and Carolyn was shocked into silence by the pain and anger that came out of those words.
"How old were you?"
"I was 7 and Andreas was 4 when she left," she answered as she played with a patch of grass in front of her.
"Did you ever see her again?"
"No."
"And your father?"
"He died 5 years ago."
The silence stretched between them. They both were now looking towards the river when Raisa felt Carolyn's hand take hers again and hold it tightly as she said, "I love you Raisa Andieta."
~~~~~~~~~~
They were both coming in from their ride when Raisa yelled and her horse took off in a gallop. Carolyn followed.
As they neared the house a man with dark hair came running down the front steps of the hacienda.
Raisa's horse pulled to a stop and went up on its hind legs. Carolyn's breath skipped a beat as she saw Raisa jump off the animal and run into the arms of the man waiting at the steps.
Carolyn slowed down and arrived to hear only some of what was being said. Suddenly she felt the spark of jealousy come alive.
"God, I've missed you. You are as beautiful as ever," he said to her and she swung her around in his arms.
"I never stay away from you too long," Raisa said as she ran her hand through the man's hair.
Carolyn's horse bucked, expressing her own emotions. Raisa turned around and a bright smile appeared on her face. She walked towards Carolyn with an extended hand to help her down her horse.
"Come Cara, there is someone I want you to meet." Raisa pulled Carolyn with her not noticing the displeasure in her lover's face.
"Andreas, this is Carolyn Stenbeck."
Carolyn looked from Andreas to Raisa back to Andreas again. Her face now was filled with a big smile as she put her hand out.
"Welcome to Virago." He looked to her, his eyes filled with curiosity and admiration.
"Thank you, it's lovely here," Carolyn replied honestly.
"I'm glad that you like Virago, Raisa and I grew up here. It's far away from everything but it is best that way sometimes; it's a different world here."
"It's a beautiful world," Carolyn agreed.
Raisa smiled and thought to herself She has just won Andreas, how does she do that?
"I hope you will be able to stay with us a long time."
Raisa suddenly looked at her brother and saw the appreciatory gleam in his eyes. No, no, no, Carolyn is mine, I'm going to clear this up right now.
"Well...." Carolyn was interrupted.
"WE do not have definite plans yet." Raisa placed her hand possessively around Carolyn's waist.
Carolyn looked at Raisa and smiled indulgently before she continued. "Yes, we do not have definite plans yet."
Andreas received the message loud and clear. He could see that there was a lot he had to discuss with his sister. He recognized that she had been possessive and, if he didn't know any better, jealous. Yes, they had a lot of talking to do.
Simon running up to them excitedly distracted them all.
"Mom! Mom! Dad is on the phone. He wants to talk to you." The boy tried catching his breath and therefore missed Carolyn's eyes as they filled with concern and Raisa's anger began to show.
Andreas however missed nothing.
"Excuse me," Carolyn said as she started walking away.
"Carolyn..." Raisa reached out to try and stop her.
Andreas intervened by holding his sister in place. "Raisa, why don't you introduce this young man to me."
Carolyn broke eye contact with Raisa and started walking towards the house. Raisa pulled her arms out of Andreas grasp and stomped away in another direction.
It seems that all is not that well, he thought to himself. Then Andreas directed his attention to the boy in front of him. "Hello," he said extending his hand.
Simon took it and stared at him for a moment. "You are Raisa's brother."
"How did you know?"
"She showed me your photograph."
"Ah.... Well, Simon have you seen the miniature horses yet?"
"What? NO!"
"Come on, let's ask permission. If your mother says yes, I will take you to see them."
~~~~~~~~~~
The conversation with Matt had turned into a shouting match. She was relieved that it had been over by the time Andreas and Simon came into the room. Carolyn had allowed her son to ride with Andreas to the south pasture to see the miniature horses. Carolyn knew that a confrontation with Raisa was inevitable and she figured the sooner the better.
She liked Andreas; she could see his gentleness as Raisa had said. Simon had taken to him right away. After seeing them off Carolyn went in search of Raisa.
~~~~~~~~~~
Carolyn searched for Raisa everywhere. Finally, she just went back to the house. She was going upstairs toward the bedroom she had been sharing with Raisa when she heard loud crashing noises.
When she opened the door she saw chairs upturned and glass chips all over the floor. She looked towards the vanity and instantly knew what had happened. The smell of perfume permeated the room.
At that moment Raisa walked out of the bathroom. Carolyn looked around in shock.
"Why?" Carolyn asked in disbelief and anger.
"Because I wanted to!" Raisa yelled back.
"Why?" Carolyn demanded.