17 Chapter 17

"What do you think about this color?" Maria held a crimson and cream sundress up against her body.

"It's adorable." Julia said as Maria modeled in front of the three-way mirror.

Since the men were gone, Julia had invited Maria to go with her to the Grande Shopping Center in the upper part of Asunción. An outdoors shopping area crammed with jewelry shops, clothing stores, restaurants, and impulse-buying boutiques, was their idea of heaven. If it was one thing that the duo had in common, it was the fondness of shopping and Maria jumped at the invitation.

"What kind of shoes would you wear with it?" said Julia.

"Brown sandals." Maria said while stretching her leg into the air.

"Yes, brown sandals will look marvelous, darling. Now stop prancing around like some little schoolgirl and let's get going. This is the first dress you've seen, and we've already spent too much time on it."

They burst into laughter as Maria gestured for the salesman to take the dress to checkout.

"You sound like Father. He wouldn't last five minutes with me. Are you going to try anything on?"

"Yes, I saw the most gorgeous outfits next door."

Maria nodded and browsed through the dresses that hung on the clothing rack. As the song Romance Anonimo softly played through the speakers that were strategically hung in the corners of the ceiling, Julia thought of her past. Vibrant, jubilant, honest, and fascinating -- she accepted those days were no more. Still beautiful in the eyes of many, what she saw in the mirror was not pleasing to her.

"Julia," Maria said while holding up a blue, strapless sundress decorated with dandelions.

"This would look wonderful on you. Try it on."

"That's too young for me."

"Don't be ridiculous. I insist."

She made her way to the dressing room a short distance away. As she removed her blouse and trousers, which was difficult because of her aching lower back, she hung them on the hook behind the dressing room door and examined herself in the mirror. Loose skin, sagging breast and varicose veins was what she saw. "Oh, what the hell!" she thought. After putting the sundress on she was actually surprised at how much it flattered. She twirled around for a few seconds in the mirror to see if she could detect any flaws but couldn't. She smiled and modeled in the mirror and for a brief moment, imagined she was young again.

"Come out here and let us see," Maria shouted.

"Us?" Julia thought. "Who else is out there?" She took a deep breath and opened the door.

"You look absolutely breathtaking. We are definitely going to buy you that dress," said Maria who was standing next to the saleswoman.

Blood rushed to Julia's cheeks. She hadn't heard a genuine compliment in a while and it gave her a feeling of joy. She stood frozen as Maria and the saleswoman praised how the dress looked like it was handmade for her.

"You two stop it. You are making me blush." Julia said. "No, keep going, I don't mind." They all burst into laughter as Julia shifted her body in all directions showing off every curve. "You really think I should get it?" Julia said.

Both Maria and the saleswoman said, "Yes!"

"Ok. I'll take it!" Julia hurried back into the dressing room to change.

As she was putting her clothes back on, she overheard Maria and the saleswoman giggling. She paused and put her ear against the dressing room door but couldn't make out a word. She made up in her mind that the laughter was because of how ridiculous she looked in the dress. "Why else would they be laughing?" she thought to herself.

Exiting the dressing room, sundress in hand, she said, "I've changed my mind. I don't want this. I don't know what I was thinking."

She tossed the dress at the saleswoman, which landed on the saleswoman's face, knocking her glasses to the floor.

"I'll be waiting for you outside. Hurry."

Maria and the saleswoman stared at one another in complete shock.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Maria said. "I'm not sure what that was about." Baffled, and without Julia's knowledge, Maria paid for the sundress.

Maria exited the clothing store and scanned the courtyard looking for Julia. She was nowhere to be found. About thirty minutes later, after checking La Placa Caliente restaurant, the Abundate Cabellera hair salon and La Joyería, Maria made her way to the limo. Inside, Julia sat with Kleenex in her hands and mascara smudged around her swollen red eyes.

"Is everything ok?" said Maria.

"Yes. Don't mind me. I'll be fine."

Maria put the bag with the sundress next to Julia. Gently, she patted Julia's knee.

"Whatever the issue is Julia, it will be alright I promise."

Julia stared out the window.

"How about we stop at the nearest winery and share a bottle of 1900 Madeira Bual Arthur Barros Sousa?"

"I'm sorry Maria, I'm not in the mood." Julia said as she passed a helpless smile Maria's way. "Driver, take us home."

"Yes ma'am," the driver said as he waited patiently before merging into the afternoon traffic.

"Omara Portuondo, Mrs. Silvay?" he said. "Yes Tito, that would be lovely. Thank you!"

Seconds later the beautiful melody of Hasta Siempre, Comandante played softly throughout the limo. Julia leaned her head back on the seat, closed her eyes, and became lost in the tune.

♫ We learned to love you

from the historical heights

where the sun of your bravery

laid siege to death

Here lies the clear,

the dear transparency

of your beloved presence, ♬