Please read Chapter 3 of Revenge, and this will make more sense.
Special thanks to kenjisato for the editing, whom I cannot recommend enough.
**
"Is that him?"
"We've never met, but he's the right age and he's holding the right sign," Maria replied.
Just then, the man saw her, stared momentarily, and waved the sign at her. She nodded, held up her index finger, and turned to Marcie, the flight attendant who had been so kind to her on the flight.
"You'll be okay from here?" Marcie asked.
Maria nodded and grinned.
"Thank you for everything, Marcie," and the two embraced.
"Don't mention it. Now, you've got my number, if you're interested in the spare bedroom, just let me know, and I'll text you my schedule so we can meet up and I'll show you around, okay?"
"Okay," she replied, glancing over her shoulder, ensuring the man was still there.
"Off you go," Marcie smiled.
Maria nodded, took a deep breath, and headed toward an elderly man holding a sign that read ROSARIO.
"Chito?"
"The one and only," he grinned.
"And you have to be Maria. My goodness, the resemblance to Bertie is extraordinary. Is this all of your luggage?" he asked, indicating her one, large suitcase.
She nodded, and they headed for the exit.
Chito was five-nine and very thin, seventy-three years old, with a full head of hair the color of snow that made his tan skin look very dark.
It was the second day of July, the temperature above ninety degrees, the humidity heavy in the air, hitting them like a wall as they exited the terminal.
Maria turned toward the sun, closed her eyes, and tilted her head back.
Chito was grinning when she turned back to him.
"Like home in the dry season, yes?" Chito asked, mopping his forehead with a handkerchief.
Maria nodded.
"I have been here too long, the humidity this time of year does me in," he said, scanning the area, then waving as a gray minivan approached.
"Your chariot awaits, my dear," he smiled, opening the door, an arctic blast enveloping them.
"Get in, get in," said the man behind the wheel.
"Keep your shirt on, Pookie," Chito replied, ensuring Maria was settled before closing the door and climbing in front.
"Charles, meet Maria," Chito said.
"You said her name was Rosario."
"Well, it is, kind of," Chito replied.
"Well, it either is or it isn't. Dear, what should we call you?" Charles asked, their eyes meeting in the rearview mirror.
"Rosario is probably best."
Charles nodded. "Then Rosario you shall be."
He closed his eyes and mumbled something, then met her gaze in the mirror.
"Bienvenida a los Estados Unidos," he said, very slowly and precisely.
"Thank you," she replied in English, smiling at him.
"How was that? I practiced for hours and hours."
"More like twenty minutes," Chito said.
Rosario laughed. "It was excellent," she said, slapping Chito's shoulder lightly.
Charles laughed and stuck his tongue out at Chito, giving Rosario a high-five.
Chito chuckled and turned to look at her. "We thought we would stop at the house, where you can freshen up, then we have dinner reservations in, let's see, three hours," he said, glancing at his watch.
"Will that be okay, or do you need to eat sooner?"
"No, that's fine, I ate on the plane. Thank you," she replied, her eyes trying to take in everything.
"We'll be home in about forty-five minutes, so sit back and relax," he smiled at her.
Rosario nodded and watched a world she barely recognized slide by her window.
**
They pulled into a small, single-family home with a large front yard, and similar-looking homes all around them; Rosario had never seen anything like it.
"Home sweet home, dear," Charles said.
They gave her a quick tour of the house and stepped out back, a heated, inground pool taking up much of the space. A large pool house sat beside it, and Charles and Chito led her inside.
"We thought this would be perfect for you," Chito said.
A bed sat in one corner, a small kitchen and bathroom at the opposite end, with a sofa and TV in between.
"It's lovely. Thank you," she said, her eyes wet.
Charles rubbed her back, smiling kindly.
"You're welcome, dear. We'll let you get settled; be ready in an hour?"
She nodded and they left.
Rosario called home and spoke with her parents while she unpacked, wishing she owned a bathing suit.
**
Dinner at Carmello's in downtown Manassas was wonderful, and then Charles excused himself to do some shopping, leaving Chito and Rosario alone.
"He's very nice," Rosario said.
"He is, isn't he?" Chito grinned.
"It's an interesting story I'll tell you sometime, but we've been together about five years now, and the last couple we've been spending quite a bit of time down in Charlottesville, keeping tabs on a certain woman named Debra, as a favor for Esmy and Bertie," he added.
That got Rosario's attention, and she leaned forward, her eyes boring into his.
"Tell me."
"Ah, so you are interested. Charles and I thought perhaps coming to the U.S. was your real motivation, but I see that isn't the case.
"Well, lucky for you, we've put together quite a dossier on her. Tell me, honey, did you ever consider that perhaps, when you met her, you might like the woman she has become?"
Rosario looked at him, quizzically.
"You know, I never did."
"Interesting. Well, rest easy. By all accounts, Debra Anderson-McKenzie has grown into a world-class cunt."
Rosario smiled, and Chito chuckled.
"Yes, our Debra is rightly feared by many, hated by nearly everyone, and loved by none we could find...including her husband."
"How could you know all of that from a distance?"
"Who do you think taught dear Esmy everything she knows? I have been scouring libraries, planting bugs, listening through doors, and peeking through windows most of my life. In fact, I intend to put you through your paces, my beautiful Rosario, to see if you are the natural Esmy says you are.
"If you'd care to take a walk, I'll tell you what I know about Debra and her family."
**
"In Virginia, a small number of families have lived, and thrived, there for hundreds of years; they're referred to as 'old money'. Debra's was one such family, and her ancestors have been governors, congressmen, and captains of industry. Her daddy had been lieutenant governor and Debra was Miss Virginia, but a few investments went horribly wrong, and he began quietly selling off his assets to maintain their extravagant lifestyle.
"Callum McKenzie was 'new money'. He left Scotland and showed up in Virginia about fifty years ago with a trunk full of cash, and no one I spoke with knows how he got it. He invested in several businesses, and, through hard work, intimidation, and a little violence, soon owned them outright. Regardless of how he came to control them, no one ever questioned his ability to make them profitable.
"Callum and Mr. Anderson belonged to the same private club, one an Anderson had founded two hundred years ago; Callum had bribed his way in. He was looking to whitewash his sketchy past and groom his son, Cameron, to carry on the business; what he needed was someone respectable."
"Debra's father," Rosario said.
"And his last name, specifically. According to members of the club, Wayne Anderson knew what Callum McKenzie was when he took the bribe...the answer to his prayers.
"Six months later, the society pages in Richmond gushed over the marriage of old Virginia to new; old money to new. The old men couldn't have been happier. And Debra and Cameron? Well, nothing's perfect."
They found a bench under an ancient tree and sat.
"That was five years ago. They bought two hundred acres northwest of Charlottesville, then four hundred more, and built an enormous house. The marriage is one of convenience; in fact, they live in separate wings and rarely see one another.
"Debra spends her days shopping with friends; she is on the board of several charities, and, if you believe the newspapers, is laying the groundwork to run for office in a few years. She cheats on her husband, but is very discreet.
"Callum fell, or was pushed, down a copper mine in Bolivia a year after the wedding and Cameron took over the family business. He travels a great deal, dropping in on the various businesses run by McKenzie Industries. Cameron rarely leaves the compound or corporate offices next door to their land when he isn't traveling. He frequently cheats on Debra when he goes out of town."
"Esmy told me they have twins?" Rosario asked.
"Yes, Dave and Angela, they just turned three. Much of what I've told you comes from their nanny, Izabella, who is, coincidentally, also from Guatemala. I befriended her about a year ago, and we meet at a Hispanic restaurant every week or so, and I lend a sympathetic ear while she complains about her employers."
"Why is she unhappy?"
"A few reasons. She works long hours for little pay; Debra drops in, unexpectedly, two or three times a week, always finding fault with something Izabella is doing; Cameron is more attentive towards the children, but hits on her constantly; and he has a stepbrother, Roger, who creeps her out. According to Izabella, he lurks in the shadows, watching her and the other female staff."
"Why doesn't she quit?"
"She has very little money and needs to have a new position lined up before she terminates her current job, which is difficult to find, given the long hours she works."
"It sounds like we need to find Izabella a new job," Rosario smiled.
"Indeed. I've been slowly looking for something for her, but haven't found anything, yet. Now that you are here and I know you are serious about getting close to Debra, I'll look harder.
"In the meantime, I've arranged an interview for you with the Guatemalan Deputy Ambassador for tomorrow afternoon."
"Why?" she asked.
"Esmy mentioned Rachel to you, right? The woman who ran a string of girls similar to how Esmy and I ran Bertie and Paco back in the day?"
