It's Just Lola Read Online Free PDF

he extended his body and his arm reached out and dealt the child a blow that knocked him well beyond the path of the horse.  The bewildered toddler was hidden from Lola’s view by a clot of people who immediately surrounded him. 
    Inez scream ed .  The black horse was on its hind legs pawing the air , and Juan was on the street under the flashing hooves .   Lola glimpse d w hite around the frightened horse’s eyes and saw Jacoba sitting securely in the saddle , hands now buried in her mount’s mane.  The smil e on Jacoba’s face made Lola shudder .  She tore her eyes away from her new stepmother and watched in horror as Juan struggled to escape the descending hooves.  Dear God, no. 
    Inez collapsed to the floor , but Lola couldn ’ t look away from the horse and the man.  She watched Juan roll and the hooves land, still unsure if Juan had escaped.  After an eternity of a few seconds, Juan sat up, and Lola felt the air whoosh into her lungs once more.  He was alive .   Men rushed to help Juan to his feet.  Blood running down his face, he turned , bowed deeply to Jacoba and El Patrón , and watched them ride on before he allowed his wife to help him into the house.
    “Get some water , ” said Enriqueta as she tugged on Lola’s skirt.  Enriqueta was sitting on her heels, cradling Inez’s head in her lap.  She was reassuring the girl that her father was well and he was coming.  Lola rushed to get the water, glad to be doing something—anything to try to rid her mind of the picture of Jacoba’s face as her horse reared over the prone man.
    Lola wished she could become invisible as men poured into the small house to see how badly Juan was hurt.  It looked as though every man in the village crowded into the room.  She could tell the presence of the girls made some of the visitors uncomfortable, and others looked at them with pity in their eyes.  She heard mutters and snatches of remark s showing that Pilar was not the only one who thought Jacoba had cast a spell over her father.  After what she had just seen, she was ready to believe it herself.
    Inez, who had recovered once she saw her father walk in the door, was sent for a basin of water and a clean cloth that she tore into strips at her mother’s direction.  Juan’s wife cleaned the wound and wrapped the strips of cloth tightly around his head.  Juan sent one of his sons outside to look for his hat, which he put gently on top of the bandages.  Satisfied, he stood and thanked his visitors.  A fter a few minutes Carmen pulled him back to a chair.  He looked pale beneath the sun-darkened skin.
    “Enough!” Juan said in a loud voice.  “ G o and enjoy the party.  El Patrón will be angry if I disrupt the wedding, and I ’ ll be sad if I keep you from the good meal they sent to us.  I heard there ’ s an entire barrel of aguadiente and more where that came from.  The distillery serves us today . ”  There was a smattering of low laughter.   “Don ’ t worry; we Cholos have hard heads.  This is merely a scratch.  Go and start the music . ”  Reluctantly people began to leave.  “I want to hear the music . ”
    Enriqueta moved toward Juan’s wife, thanking her for her hospitality and saying that they really had to leave.  Juan and Carmen exchanged a glance.
    “This isn’t a good night for you to be wandering around the village without a chaperone,” said Juan gently.  “Wait here until the villagers get distracted with food and drink.”  The boys were happy to stay.  Juan’s children had shared their treats; the boys had become good friends as soon as the sweets had come out of their pockets to be shared.  They were sent to the other room to play, with instructions to keep the noise to a minimum since Juan had a big headache.
    Inez ran to bring her father a large glass of aguadiente , and then sent back with her oldest brother to bring food for the family.  As soon as she was gone , Juan took off his hat .   The