"No mi angel...ella no es para ti." No my angel...she is not for you Nona held her tightly.
Raisa let out a scream that released all the pain that one soul can bear inside and sobbed in Nona's arms. "Yo la amo....Yo la amo." I love her...I love her. She whimpered as a child. And as she fell to the ground Nona knelt down and took her in her arms again and rocked her in her embrace.
Andreas went to Carolyn and helped her up. Their eyes met briefly. "I think you can still fix this." He whispered to her.
"No...we can't." Carolyn held Simon to her and walked over to Matt.
~~~~~~~~~~
Andreas took over things. To Raisa the world seemed to stop. She knew that it was over. She had seen it in Carolyn's eyes. And somehow she could not accept it.
Raisa suddenly woke from a daze and realized that she had lost track of time. She knew that a doctor had been called and that Matt would recover from his concussion. She had not killed him. He had taken from her all that mattered to her and she hated him now more than ever. Then she realized that Carolyn would be gone with him. Like when her mother had left...she could no longer really hear or smell or taste. And somehow she knew that she had to find Carolyn. She had to find Carolyn now!
~~~~~~~~~~
She walked out of her room with a purpose. All she knew was that she had to find Carolyn. She had to make her stay. She would not let her go. She had to make her....
Raisa shook her head. She felt out of control. All she knew for certain was that her life was ending. Nothing had prepared her for this. She was complete emotion, unbridled and unrestrained.
She searched the house and then ran to the verandah that wrapped itself around the second floor of the house. As she turned her head she saw the silhouette of Carolyn. Instinctively Carolyn turned her head at that same moment. Both eyes locked; one set unsure the other filled with sadness.
Raisa stood before Carolyn before she had a chance to catch her breath. Raisa reached out for her and Carolyn took a step back.
"No," she mouthed.
Raisa stood rooted to the spot; as her hands reached out for her a soft cry of pain escaped her lips. "Don't go..."
Carolyn just shook her head as the tears ran down her face. "I can't stay here...try to understand," she sobbed. Carolyn covered her mouth to control her sobbing.
Raisa went to her and took her in her arms roughly. She tried taking Carolyn's mouth with her own. Carolyn shoved her away.
"No!" Carolyn put distance between them. "No! Wanting isn't enough! I can't stay here! Everywhere I look... all around me...all this violence never ends." Carolyn wrapped her arms around her stomach. "I won't bring another child into this country....I can't live like this...." She sobbed.
"We can leave Venezuela together...I'll go wherever you want!" Raisa begged. Her eyes were wild. Carolyn could see the desperation in her eyes.
"No...I can't do this," Carolyn said softly and looked down.
"You can't or you won't!"
Raisa did not try to touch her again. After several minutes Carolyn looked up and as she did was surprised by the woman that now stood before her.
The Raisa that stood in front of her now was cool and in control. She took a step towards the verandah railing and then slowly turned around.
"Copeco has offices in Texas. Matt will do well there. He will get a cushy job that he will accept. Your son will live in a civilized country and you will have your child be an American. You will become one of the many other Copeco wives. Your husband will have a mistress or an affair occasionally and then will go home and fuck you when he was time."
Carolyn stood speechless and in shock at the delivery of this speech. "Raisa..." she began to say.
Raisa raised her hand to silence her. "No need to thank me. One day you will curse me. Because this is your punishment Carolyn...you are going to curse me for this."
Carolyn took a step back as the woman in front of her became a stranger.
"Your blood will burn as mine does. You will dream of my touch and of my mouth. You will want me everyday of your life. I curse you Carolyn! I will never touch you again!" On that note Raisa turned around and walked away from Carolyn.
Within a few days Andreas had arranged it all. Matt, Carolyn and Simon were flown back to Caracas. Matt had accepted the apology and understood the conditions without saying a word. He accepted his new promotion and they were all planning their move back to the US within the next few weeks. Carolyn never saw Raisa again before leaving Hacienda Virago. Matt never requested an explanation.
~~~~~~~~~~
Carolyn had notified the school that Simon would not be returning. She had contacted her parents who were delighted of the news of their return to the US. In two weeks she would be leaving Venezuela.
The city seemed tenser since the last time she had been there. More political graffiti seemed to be everywhere. Public transportation went on strike. Suddenly people took to the street and the army was called out to restore order.
It all happened quickly. Troops took over the radio stations and surrounded the Presidential Residence Casa Rosada. It all exploded. Civil war had erupted. Militia took to the streets. Shots were seen from a distance. Helicopters flew overhead. For hours one could hear tanks and machine guns being fired. The world of fear that Carolyn had foreseen had come to pass. Looting started and the populace took to the streets.
Matt had gone out and had not come back. The servants had left attempting to get home to their loved ones and Carolyn was left with Simon alone. When she heard a few helicopters fly overhead followed soon after by banging on her door she thought her knees would give out. Simon hid his face in fear. Carolyn knew that houses were being looted.
Suddenly, she heard the shattering of wood. She saw three men enter the house. Carolyn held Simon to her tightly. Then she saw Raisa.
"Come on," she called to her. "You can't stay here...now!"
Carolyn followed her out of the house and into the helicopter that was now a few yards away from the house. The shots could be heard even past the noise of the propellers. Raisa put her hand out to her and Carolyn took it. She got into the helicopter as Simon was hoisted up and strapped in by one of the men that had entered the house.
It was all so unreal. Raisa reached over and strapped her in and as she did she signaled the pilot and the helicopter took to the air. Carolyn looked down in time to see men running into the grounds and shooting at them as they flew higher and higher. A bullet came close and she felt Raisa's arms around her.
Within minutes they were landing. She looked up and realized that they were in Maiquetia Airport just outside Caracas. Carolyn was in a daze. She was suddenly being hoisted out of the helicopter again. She could see Simon being carried towards a waiting jet.
Carolyn turned around and felt Raisa's mouth on hers instantly. Raisa suddenly released her and said loud enough in her ear as she held her to her. "Now I don't owe you a thing. Next time I see you stay away from me or I'll kill you."
Raisa pushed her away from her and Carolyn was being pulled towards the waiting airplane, shock and hurt still showing in her face. She went up the stairs of the airplane clumsily and she could see Matt and Simon together inside. Carolyn then turned around and looked towards Raisa once more before the door was closed.
Raisa stood as her hair swirled wildly. She saw when Carolyn turned around and she stood there as the door closed and she still stood in the same place minutes after the plane had already gone.
Someone pulled her arm and she saw them signaling towards the car. She went into the waiting automobile and picked up the phone.