Mary Peace Finley
Award-winning author of books for young people
© Mary Peace Finley 2012
I won't let you! She took in a deep breath. "Por favor. Mamá! Please. Please don't start
fighting with Papá again!"
But Mamá held her head high, defiant. Her eyes flashed a warning. "He's leaving."
"Leaving? Papá!" Teresita saw from her father's bowed head that it was true. "But why?"
"I must honor my promise to Señor William Bent."
"You promised me, too," Mamá snapped, "a long time ago. We have enough money
now. Those coins can never take the place of a husband! Or a father for my children."
Papá's arms raised, then dropped to his side like dead weights. "You wanted me to go
to help build Bent's Fort! You wanted...."
"And now I want you here! You've been gone too long." Abruptly the sharp edge of Mamá's voice
cut to a near whisper. "If you leave again now, Enrique, I'm afraid you will never return."
"I'll be back...."
"Pick up those coins," Mamá ordered, stabbing her finger toward the dirt. Her younger sisters
scurried, but Teresita did not.
“Papá, please, don’t be angry with Mamá for not wanting you to leave again so soon. Mamá—”
