Meet Me Under The Ombu Tree Read Online Free PDF Page B

touch, Chofi.’
    ‘With Anna, Sofia’s never had a touch.’
    The Santa Catalina Cup was the annual polo match played against the neighbouring estancia, La Paz. The two estancias had been rivals for many years, generations even, and the year before, Santa Catalina had been beaten by only one goal. The cousins at Santa Catalina, and there were many, played polo most afternoons during the summer months, in the same way that Anna’s cousins used to play hurling back in Glengariff. Sofia’s father Paco and his elder brother, Miguel, took the most interest and bullied the boys in order to refine their game. Santi already played a six-goal handicap, which was excellent as the best handicap was ten and one had to be a very accomplished player to qualify for a handicap at all. Miguel was fiercely proud of his son and did little to hide his favouritism.
    Fernando, Santi’s elder brother, was only a four-goal handicap. It irritated Fernando that his younger brother beat him at everything. It was even more humiliating that not only was he a superior athlete but he was superior and
    lame. It hadn’t escaped his notice, either, that Santi was not only the apple of his parents’ eye, but the entire fruit bowl. So he willed his brother to fail, he ground his teeth together at night from willing so hard, but Santi seemed invincible. Now the bloody dentist had given him an ugly mould to wear in his mouth at night to save his teeth - another nail Santi had happily hammered into his coffin.
    Sofia on the other hand had two elder brothers, Rafael and Agustin, who made up the four players of the team. Rafael also played a four-goal and Agustin a two. Sofia, much to her fury, was not considered.
    Sofia wished she had been born a boy. She hated girlie games and had grown up following the boys around hoping to be included. Santi always allowed her to join in. He often took the time to help her with her polo and insisted she practise with the boys, even when he had had to withstand fierce opposition from his brother and cousins, who hated playing polo with a girl, especially as she played better than some of them. Santi claimed that he only let her join in to keep the peace. ‘You could be extremely demanding, it was easier to give in,’ he told her. Santi was her favourite cousin. He had always stuck up for her. In fact, he was a better brother to her than Rafael and the
    hapless Agustin could ever be.
    Now Santi threw Sofia his penknife. ‘Go on then, make your wishes,’ he said lazily, pulling out a packet of cigarettes from his breast pocket. ‘Do you want one, Chofi?’
    ‘Sure, why not.’
    He pulled one out, lit it, then after taking a long drag passed it down to his cousin. Sofia climbed up to the higher branch with the expertise of a Venezuelan monkey and sat cross-legged, revealing her brown kneecaps through the frayed slashes in her jeans.
    ‘Now, what do I wish for this time?’ she sighed, and opened the knife.
    ‘Make sure it’s attainable,’ advised Santi, casting his eye over to where his sister was sitting quietly, watching her cousin with undisguised admiration. Sofia sucked on the cigarette before blowing the smoke out in disgust.
    ‘Hey, give me back my fag, if you’re not going to smoke it properly. Don’t waste it,’ he said irritably. ‘You can’t imagine how difficult it is to get my hands on these.’
    ‘Don’t lie, Encarnacion gets them for you,’ replied Sofia casually as she began to carve into the bark. The soft wood came away quite easily after the initial
    cut, the little shavings falling off like chocolate.
    ‘Who told you that?’ he asked accusingly.
    ‘Maria.’
    ‘I didn’t mean ...’ began Maria guiltily.
    ‘Look, who cares, Santi. No one gives a damn. Anyway, we’ll keep your secret,’ said Sofia, more interested now in her wish than the squabble that she had ignited between brother and sister.
    Santi inhaled deeply, holding the cigarette between his thumb and his forefinger as