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The Sunshine Trilogy

Marc is a retired automotive professional who started writing later in life. The Sunshine Machine is his first novel and part of a trilogy with a prequel and sequel in the works. When Marc is not writing he enjoys playing acoustic guitar, hiking trails in the Adirondacks, reading and spending time with his family. Marc is a graduate of the school of Architecture and Environmental Design from the State University of New York at Buffalo. and resides in Buffalo with his wife, Kathi. Growing up in the household of ABUELA GUADALUPE, a native American woman and a single parent mother, molds FRANCESCA into a young woman of conflicted thoughts about sexuality and self. Her mother, SORPRESA DA RIMINI, a flower child of the sixties, offers little support to her maturation and Abuela Guadalupe provides only mythical native tales of the “The First People” to school her in feminine sexuality and identity. From an early age she discerns that she is different, supported by the fact that she has a mysterious birthmark on her hand. Abuela Guadalupe insists that it is a sign of her wolf spirit, which affirms strength and vision. Others see the birthmark as a curse and bad luck. Francesca’s halcyon teen years are interrupted by the untimely death of her mother, Sorpresa. At her mother’s funeral she meets the patriarch of the Da Rimini family; GUIDO DA RIMINI. She is surprised to learn he is her grandfather and requests that she return to the family; The Da Rimini family her mother was banished from years earlier, because of her illegitimate pregnancy. She accepts the patriarch’s proposal but later pays a heavy price, when she is raped by her cousin; ROBERTO “Robbie” DELGADO. Francesca's troubles are far from over . . .

Marc M. Minnick · Realista
Classificações insuficientes
60 Chs

Chapter 3: Wounds of Christ

A fine mist of snow settled in the foothills of the Santa Ynez mountains; milky clouds ringed a blood moon. Cries of a woman with child were heard from a small adobe dwelling. A baby was born, cut from the umbilical cord with a sharpened Abalone shell and swaddled in cheesecloth. Its skin was a translucent pallor and it appeared stillborn. The baby girl was perfect in every way, except an amaranth blotch marked her right hand. The blood -like mark was centered in her palm and mysteriously appeared on the other side of her hand. Upon discovering this stain, Abuela Guadalupe brought the infant outdoors to examine the child's body in the moon's illumination. She realized that the blotch was not blood, but a birthmark. Upon closer examination of the baby's hand a midwife who was present at birth (called Bernarda) crossed herself in the "Catholic” way.

"It is the wounds of Christ,” she said.

"Stigmata de San Francisco," said another.

"It is the mark of Lobo Rojo," exclaimed Abuela. “She is Ha'Na Panai, a daughter of the red wolves."

The child cried out and Abuela brought the infant back indoors to its mother. The baby’s mother refused to hold or even cast an eye in her direction.

"Take it away. I don't want it. Go away. Go away!” Hearing Sorpresa's denial, Bernarda left the group to retrieve Father Paolo. Father Paolo was in his office putting on his collar when Bernarda appeared at his door.

"Padre, come quick. Sorpresa gave birth to a beautiful little girl!”

“I’ve heard the news just moments ago from sister Anita. I called my father and mother to relay the good news, but we were disconnected. Como es Ella?How is she?”

"Ella no es feliz, Padre. I don't know why.”

“What did my sister name her?” asked Paolo.

“She didn’t” replied Bernarda.

“She didn’t. Did you?”

"Abuela Guadalupe," replied Bernarda.

"Abuela named her?" he asked.

"Si, Padre!”

"What Christian name did she give her?”

"She didn't."

"Para el Amor de Christo! For the love of Christ, take me to her!”

Ten days later the young child known only as Ha'Na Panai was baptized at the Mission of LaPurisma in Lompoc. When Sorpresa Da Rimini, refused to name the child, Father Paolo christened the infant, Francesca, in homage to the saint who bore similar markings on his hands and feet.

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