Dreams of Destiny Pt. 12

“I had unexpected business off the island, why? what’s wrong. How long were we gone?

“You don’t know how long you were gone? What did you do, go off on a drunk or something? You were gone three days. Why didn’t you contact me? the president said angrily. You couldn’t even check your phone messages? Things have been happening here.”

“Why? What’s happened?”

“Your father.... The president’s voice cracked with pain. Haven’t you even seen the newspapers?

Juan got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. “No, we haven’t been traveling by conventional methods. Tell me,” he said with dread in his voice.

“Destiny looked at Juan with worry in her eyes.

“The Times printed a story two days ago. It wasn’t the one we expected. It exposed an illicit affair between your father and Katerina. It also implicated you and Destiny in a plot to undermine my presidency by planting a false story that I was the father of Katarina’s baby. They uncovered evidence of an affair between you and Destiny, and Destiny’s role in bringing the false documents into the country. It was already a big God awful mess. But then you and Destiny decided to disappear without a trace.“

“Christos. What happened? I thought you were going to stop the story.”

“First the Times got copies of the original documents from a confidential source, and a tip about Destiny and her connection to you. I talked to the editor, Vilchez. I told him that the story was false and that I’d raise hell and do my best to ruin the paper if they printed the story. I also told him about the early tip you received and that you brought the documents to me as soon as you obtained them. I said I didn’t know where you got them. I said I didn’t know anything about the source.

Then I got a call from some slimy reporter named Finch saying he had proof that the affair was between your father and Katarina, and that you and your lover, an American named Lysander, had cooked up the story to discredit me. They were disturbed, to say the least, that you and Destiny seemed to be missing from the island.”

Oh my God,” Juan said. “This is worse than I imagined it.”

“If you imagined that any of this was going to happen I should horse whip you for skipping town.”

“I didn’t skip town. Not intentionally, anyway. You have to believe me. I would have been there if I could have.”

“Well, that’s not all that’s happened. The news media started dredging up all that old stuff about your father and mother, and Esteban’s parentage..., and....

“What?”

“Well, I don’t know why he did it.” Pietro was having a hard time formulating the right words. We could have weathered everything if we’d all stuck together.

“Oh no, please.”... Juan knew what was coming.

“Your father had been drinking a lot lately. Much more than usual. There’s no easy to say this, boy. He killed himself last night. He hanged himself in the barn.”

“God damn it to hell.”

“Destiny came over to stand by Juan’s side. She knew by the look on his face that tragedy had struck.”

“God damn it, we were too late. How the hell did that happen?” I thought this was supposed to turn out right?

“What are you talking about?” Pietro demanded over the phone. “Are saying you knew this was going to happen? That you could have prevented this?” Pietro was beside himself with anger at Juan and Destiny.

“Uncle, you don’t understand.”

“Your damn right I don’t understand. So explain for me, please.

All of this had been said in Spanish. Destiny could only guess at the contents of the conversation. She knew it was bad, though.

“Remember what I was telling you about the dreams the other day? Juan asked

“What are you talking about?”

“The dream phenoma that Destiny, Esteban and I have been experiencing.”

“I recall this only vaguely. So much has been happening. What do dreams have to do with anything?

Juan tried to explain everything that had been going on since he last saw Pietro, but the president only became more angry and frustrated.

“I don’t understand any of this. We need to talk, boy. And away from the eyes of the news media. Are you with that American of yours? You’d better ditch her fast before the media finds you. They’re ready to crucify her, and you with her if it comes to that. I’m going out to the plantation. I’m meeting Esteban there later.”

“Get your ass out the plantation as fast as you can, and without the lady,” the president continued in a hostile tone of voice. The news media is camped out there, of course. They are rabid to talk to you, so you’d better have a speech planned. They will eat you alive if you come with your girlfriend, the spy, to your father’s wake.”

Juan was floored by the president’s attitude, and was starting to get angry in his own right.

“What the fuck are you saying? Why are you’re meeting with that snake, Esteban. After all he’s done over the years. He’s manufactured this whole scenario.”

“I have to go to the plantation. The whole family is gathering there. We have to show signs of family solidarity right now. The press is butchering us. Raul is coming in from the States tomorrow. Of course Esteban will be there. He’s part of the family.”

“Like hell he is. I thought you and I had settled that years ago.”

Juan was referring to evidence he had uncovered years ago that Juan’s mother had been involved with another man at about the time she conceived Esteban.

“That stuff is just too out in left field to be believed by the general public,” the president said coldly. Juan couldn’t believe that his uncle had defected so far towards Esteban in such a short time. Pietro had been much more a father to him than the man who had died last night. Juan felt like his guts had been kicked out.

Pietro continued speaking. “Esteban and I talked about putting together a plan to stabilize the presidency. You were no where to be found, so I had to deal with him. It would have looked bad to the public if I’d ignored him.”

“So I suppose you held a press conference this afternoon announcing your confidence in the record and abilities of Esteban and placing him in a position of trust in your cabinet, Juan said sarcastically, expecting the president to laugh at the suggestion.

“That’s exactly what I did,” Pietro said calmly.

“What! Destiny jumped at Juan’s exclamation. “I don’t believe this. How could you do that? That’s... Unthinkable.” Juan wanted to run over to the mansion and shake some sense into the president. He felt like he’d fallen down a rabbit’s hole and was now in Wonderland.

“You disappeared, Juan, with a spy you were having an affair with. Esteban stepped in and offered to help.”

“I’ll bet he did. Did he bring his drug lords and pirates with him?.”

“You’ve never been able to pin anything on him,” Pietro said. “He’s clean as far as I am concerned. What was I to think? What was I to do? You were gone. Esteban’s plans made sense.”

“You’ve never had a problem thinking or doing the correct thing without Esteban’s help in the past. Esteban’s manipulating you somehow. I know he is. What does he have on you, uncle?

“How dare you make such a suggestion!” The president was incensed. He has nothing on me! I just want to safeguard the presidency and restore family integrity.”

“And you think you’ll accomplish this by putting that snake in a position of power?” You’re not thinking clearly.”

“You weren’t thinking clearly when you went on holiday with your spy friend in the middle of a crisis. Where did you find her after you left the mansion, anyway? Was she trying to skip the island?.”

“She was in the hotel room worried sick about me with a doctor and the hotel manager when I woke up from being jumped -- by Esteban I might add.”

“You don’t know if it was Esteban that jumped you,” the president said dismissively. Did you confront Destiny about the documents?”

“Yes. She came clean about them. Her part in transporting them to the island was innocent. She was doing a favor for a friend. She was getting cold feet about delivering them anyway. When I pushed her a little she told me how she got them. With a little time, I’m sure I can uncover the link between her friend and Esteban.”

“You’re out of time, partner. I want you at the plantation tonight, and I want you and Esteban to mend fences. And do not bring that woman with you?”

Enraged, Juan shouted, “I will do what I need to do. You don’t own me, God damn it. If I come to the plantation it will be with Destiny and I will deal with Esteban. This is between him and me now. You’ve stopped me twice from killing him. But don’t get in my way tonight. You may get hurt”

“Don’t you threaten me, boy.”

“Don’t you call me boy. I’m the head of the Rodriguez family now. You may be president but I’m the head of the family!! And my father’s blood is on Esteban’s hands just as certainly as if he had tied the noose.”

“You will do as I say if you want to succeed me as president!”! Pietro thundered.

“I will give Esteban no quarter. And you shouldn’t either. This is his strike for the presidency,” Juan warned the president. “He won’t be satisfied with me slandered and you still in power, even if he succeeds me as Security Chief. He won’t wait patiently for you to retire,” Juan said, thinking of the assassination that loomed as a possible future.

“Is that what you think you have been doing all these years. Waiting for the old man to retire?” Pietro said in a hostile tone.”

“Of course not. How can you even suggest that? Juan calmed his tone and spoke with respect. “You have been my mentor and role model, uncle. It is to further your policies that I seek to fill your shoes when you are ready to step down. And I would step away from the presidency if you though there was someone more qualified. That is, of course unless you think Esteban should succeed you. That I would fight with every breath I take.” Juan was having murderous thoughts about Esteban but he knew he couldn’t take Esteban unaware and kill him.There has to be a way other than cold blooded murder “Do you know where Esteban is now?” he asked.

“No. I’ve never known where Esteban stays when he’s in town. He might be at the plantation. He still considers that his home. He was devastated when he called me this morning to tell me the news about your father. I didn’t think to ask where he was” “He was probably calling from a cell phone under the beam father used to hang himself,” Juan said darkly.

“That’s enough. There will be peace in this family at least until your father is laid to rest. Do you hear me? Your father loved Esteban like a son despite everything. Esteban came to me with his hat in his hand this morning while you were off with your girlfriend, the spy. If anyone had a hand in this....

“Don’t you dare say it...!! I didn’t have a choice about leaving the island. And Destiny’s not a spy. Esteban was behind the false information. You know he was.”

“What evidence do you have? None! I think Esteban is right. Your childhood grudge against him is impairing your judgment.”

Juan continued as if the president hadn’t spoken. “And he was the Time’s confidential source. I’m sure of it.”

“He denied it.”

“How did it get to the newspaper.”

“A confidential source,” the president said priggishly.

“Esteban was the source. He had to be. And he’s the one who slugged me in Destiny’s hotel room.”

“He has an alibi.”

“Oh, come on.. How much does it cost to buy an alibi? How much does it cost to buy a newspaper editor?” Didn’t you say you could get the papers to sit on the story?”

“No. I said I’d talk to them.”

“Did you do it?”

“Yes?”

“Did they agree to hold off on the story for a while?”

“Well,” the president hesitated. Juan was finally making some headway with his logic. “Yes, they did. But they didn’t promise for how long.”

“I assume all of the papers have the story now. But The Times printed it first. That sorry excuse of a newspaper doesn’t print anything but smut, and their editor, what’s his name....?

“Vilchez.”

“Right, Vilchez. Isn’t he as old as Methuselah and poor as a field mouse?” It paid off to be head of security sometimes. People’s secrets were stock in trade for Juan.

“I don’t know. You tell me,” said the president,” not wanting to lose more ground.

“Esteban bought him off. I’d bet my pension on it.”

“You may be betting your future on it Colonel,” the president said stiffly.” He didn’t like to be caught up short. His dignity was his life. And as much as he loved Juan, he, like many man of power, loved his self image first and foremost.

Juan was affronted. He hadn’t been called Colonel by his uncle since the day he received his promotion. He considered himself the president’s friend, and his equal. He felt like he had been slapped.

“I’m not going to take this sitting down,” Juan warned. “You’re playing into Esteban’s hands and your judgment’s been affected, whether by grief or by some sort of manipulation by Esteban. But this is wrong, uncle.

“You do what you have to do, son,” said Pietro. But do it without any more media attention. The family had had enough sorrow. I’m going to the plantation. You must make an appearance the for the sake of propriety.”

Oh, I’ll make an appearance. You can bet on that,” Juan promised. I just pray that all of this doesn’t end up destroying our friendship.”

The president was silent.” There was a click on the other end of the line. Juan realized that the president had hung up the phone.

“We got here to God damn late,” Juan said enraged. He pulled the telephone out of its socket and heaved it with all his straight against the wall. Too God damn, fucking late. By one day. How the hell did that happen?”

“Tell me what’s happened,” Destiny said. His pain was palpable. I couldn’t understand a word”

“Christos, what a mess everything is. I thought this was going to be easy to sort out.” He put his head down on the kitchen table. Destiny thought he might cry. He didn’t though.

“Nothing’s ever easy,” Destiny said sadly. “At least nothing that’s worth anything.” “Come on, talk to me. What did you learn.

“My father’s dead. He hanged himself last night in the barn, just like we saw in our vision. The newspaper story that came out implicated him in the sex scandal and dredged up a bunch of old family shit to add insult to injury. My father’s life was not paladin. We disappeared which left us wide open to be besmirched by the media as traitors and spies.”

“Oh shit.”

“Oh shit, is right. And guess who was left in the wing to pick up the pieces?” Juan said bitterly.

“Esteban. damn his soul.”

“Oh his soul is damned. There’s no question of that. The problem is how to assign him back to hell where he belongs. Now my uncle wants to make peace with him. I know Esteban is manipulating him somehow. Why the fuck does he get to walk on earth soiling everything he touches.”

Destiny cringed at his choice of words and tears welled in her eyes. She turned away from Juan.”

“Oh Dios! Honey, I didn’t mean you.” Damn it, don’t cry. Nothing could ever soil you. Jesus Destiny/

Destiny couldn’t stop. The reaction she’d been fighting over her rape and the trauma of killing a man -- even a man who had needed killing so badly -- hit her with full force. “No, you were right. I have been soiled by him. Badly.” She continued to sob. Juan felt helpless. The events of the last few days had struck down each and every one of his underpinnings. His self image, his love and respect for his uncle, his father’s strength, and now Destiny was lost in a pool of tears. He couldn’t bear it.

Could he cry?Jesus Christ, if only I could cry. If only tears could wash away this well of sorrow and betrayal. His eyes were hot, and they burned. but decades of self control prohibited him from the unmanly act of shedding tears. Instead, held Destiny gently in his arms and felt her misery as her tears wet his face. Silently he brushed them aside with his lips as they fell.

Minutes passed. Time stood still for them.

“Can’t we just go back?” Destiny asked, after she had gained some measure of control over her wretchedness.

“Can we click our heels together this time? I don’t think so,” Juan said with pain in voice.”

“But doesn’t it seem like Esteban’s been manipulating things unfairly?”

“When has fairness entered into this game?” Juan said resentfully. It seems like each time we straighten out a wrinkle in the fabric, a tear appears that has to be mended. The wheel is inexorable.” Juan felt tired to his bones.

“It’s not inexorable. When a door closes, a window always opens, that’s the way of the universe. We have to look for a window.”

Destiny, I love you,” Juan said with a more cheerful mien. “That’s got to be one of the most insightful things anyone’s ever said to me.” This is like when I was six the door was shut upon my beloved Ireland. I obtained first a father, and then later my friendship with my uncle. I got Esteban, but I also got the knowledge of who and what I wanted to become.”

The way I see things, “ Destiny said, is that there are threads in the fabric of the universe. It’s just hard to pick them out and to know what to do with them when. But you and I are lucky. We’ve been given little glimpses of the threads. So maybe we need to identify them, and figure out what to do with them to achieve the best result for the most people. I think that’s what John did when he came to DC and when he got himself killed interfering with the demon to save me.” She recalled what John had written in his letter.

“Okay,” Juan said slowly, what do we have?”

“There are fewer threads now that there have been. Here’s some negative ones. There’s the assassination and Esteban’s inauguration. We know we can’t let that happen. There’s me dead on Esteban’s alter, where ever it may be.”

“There’s us killing Esteban in cold blood at the plantation after the inauguration.”

“I’m not so sure that a thread any more. We already decided not to do that,” Destiny said, thinking hard.

“But the assignation and inauguration haven’t happened yet. This is getting confusing.”

“Yes it did.” On one dream line. “Even if the inauguration happens again, I don’t think we’ll kill him like that, or even get a chance to. Esteban now knows that’s a risk.”

“You’re right!

“Okay, what else could happen?

“There’s me acquiescing to Esteban, becoming a cruel queen with nasty children and half-snake step children. Yuck.”

“What would happen to me in that one?, Juan wondered.”

“Oh God,” Destiny said, a bit frightened. “I think that’s the one where all three of us are in a car chase somewhere near Miami. It’s right after the president’s assignation. I’m in a red car, driving fast. Esteban is following in a sports car, gaining on me. You’re in hot pursuit on a motorcycle. My car runs off the road into the marsh. I run mindlessly through the muck on foot with Esteban after me. Esteban catches up with me. I spit in his eye and he becomes enraged.

“He’s about to kill me with his hunting knife when you burst through the wilderness. You and Esteban fight. Esteban gets the better of you and drives the knife through your heart. There’s nothing I can do to stop him.

“All hell brakes loose after that. I think I have a breakdown, and drift for months in escape dreams. Ultimately Esteban slithers his way into my affections and later, as Esteban’s queen I crown him at a coronation. “Oh, God, the whole thing’s unthinkable.”

“What about positive scenarios?”

“We abandon could abandon Pietro to be assassinated by Esteban. Esteban would then take control of the government. We’d have a couple of good years. Esteban would ultimately track us down. You would be tortured and killed by Esteban and I would throw myself off a muddy cliff into the sea. Esteban would go about his business as an evil and dirty despot. He would leave the island open to financial predators, including gun runners and drug cartels. Your family would be ruined, and he would continue to get his rocks off by killing hookers when ever he feels his blood lust. He would put his asp wife on the thrown and raised his snakelings to rule the island after he dies.