Page 45 of The Moon Sister
‘But I earn money too! When I dance with Papá in the cafés, he takes people’s coins and drinks brandy with them, yet I still have to peel vegetables. Why should I do both? One day I will no longer live in a cave like an animal, but in a great big house with a floor that isn’t made of earth, and a bedroom all of my own,’ Lucía declared as she looked round in disgust at the Albaycín cave. ‘Why can’t we get a machine that cooks things? I saw one in the kitchen of the richseñoritowhen Papá and I performed at his house. They had a woman who did all their cooking. I will have one of those too.’ Lucía threw the vegetables into the pot that bubbled over the fire. ‘And it had a tap of water all for one family. Imagine that,’ she said in wonder, grasping the last carrot to her chest before she threw it in with the rest. ‘What it must be to be rich.’
‘Get along with you now,’ María cut her short by handing her a pitcher, ‘and fetch the water.’
‘One of the boys can do that, can’t they? It is such a long walk and I am tired.’
‘Not too tired to carry on with your chatter,’ María scolded her. ‘Off you go!’
‘One day,I’llhave a water tap all to myself!’ came Lucía’s parting shot.
‘And one day, I will be dead from exhaustion,’ muttered her mother.
A rattling cough emanated from the boys’ bedroom and a few seconds later, Felipe shuffled out, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
‘What’s for breakfast, Mamá?’ he mumbled. ‘Porridge again?’
‘Yes, and I’ve made another mint tonic for your chest,querido.’
Felipe grimaced as he sat down at the table and began to spoon up the watery maize. ‘I hate mint tonic.’
‘But it helps you breathe, so drink, or we will have to get Micaela to come and give you another even stronger remedy.’
Felipe’s eyes widened in alarm and he reluctantly gulped down the liquid in the mug in front of him.
‘Where has your brother Carlos got to?’ she asked him. ‘Eduardo told me he had planned to take him to the forge today. He is old enough to start learning his trade alongside his brother.’
Felipe shrugged, and continued eating his breakfast, refusing to meet her eyes. María knew that he would never betray his brother’s secrets.
As if on cue, Carlos sauntered into the cave, a black eye blooming on his face. ‘Hola, Mamá,’ he said nonchalantly and dropped onto a stool beside his brother.
Rather than handing him his bowl of porridge, she crouched down and tentatively prodded the tender skin around his eye.
‘What’s this, Carlos?! Who have you been fighting?’ she demanded.
He ducked out of her reach. ‘It’s nothing, Mamá, stop fussing—’
‘Was it for money again? I’m not stupid, Carlos. I hear what is happening in the abandoned caves at the top of the mountain.’
‘Just a scrap with Juan about a girl, I promise.’
María narrowed her eyes as she handed him his breakfast. Sometimes she despaired at the fact that nothing she said or did had any impact on the men in her family, except for her beloved Eduardo.
‘Have you heard the news,mi amor?’
María looked up to see her husband had entered the cave. He took off his blackcalañeshat that shielded his eyes from the bright morning sun.
‘What news?’ she asked.
‘There is to be a flamenco competition held at the Alhambra in June.’ He sat down opposite his sons and barely cast a glance at Carlos’s black eye.
‘And what of it?’ she said, as she put a bowl in front of him.
‘It is open to amateurs! It is theConcurso de Cante Jondo, organised by the great composer Manuel de Falla, and there are to be no professionals over twenty-one. As I retired many years ago, I am eligible to enter.’
‘And I am too,’ María murmured.
‘Yes, of course you are, but don’t you see, this is Lucía’s chance! Everyone will be there – Antonio Chacón himself is on the judging panel, and it is rumoured that La Macarrona will be dancing, even though she is not eligible to win.’
‘You are saying you should enter Lucía?’
