can a frustrated single mom and failed big city journalist save her family and salvage her career by returning to a town run by a gang of bungling thugs?


“The Resurrection of Puerto Cielo” is a novella published in serial form, 43 posts.




35


The streets of Puerto Cielo were empty. The night was dark and rain pounded the town. The dismal weather and rally disaster had cracked the door for the shadowy specter of gloom to creep into every home.

In the Palm Estates, Ricky Ruiz was still an outcast.

Nothing had changed. The women in his house were still in revolt. He watched as Maria and her grandmother ate silently across the table from him. Next to them, Frank was his usual impassive self.

Ricky’s actions may have saved his business, but they’d pushed him even farther from his family.

***

In the office of the Puerto Cielo Star, two bright lights shone down on a mother and daughter contemplating a field of sunflowers. Sitting together with a palette of paint between them, each held a brush.

“This was my mom’s blessings wall,” Espy shared, staring at the vacant blue sky space in front of her. “Whenever she felt the need to connect with God, she would come here and paint a sunflower. She would meditate on each stroke of the brush, focusing on love, trusting that this process would heal her troubled mind.”

Manny looked down the wall at the array of colors and sizes of blossoms. For the first time, she noticed that some of the blossoms had faces in them. She saw Sam, Espy, Lucy, even Sophia. then she saw her own face and her brother Gabe.

Espy watched her daughter’s eyes, “Mom also used this wall to express her gratitude for the blessings in her life, particularly her family. When I was young, she would sit here with me and we’d paint a sunflower together, praying for guidance and expressing our thanks. Mom shared that she hoped one day, the three of us could paint a sunflower together. She said this empty part of the blue sky wall was for the next generation to carry on.”

Manny looked at her mom, “What’s going to happen now? The rally was a catastrophe, people are so disillusioned.”

Espy’s brush continued to carefully extend a bright yellow petal on a blossom, “We have to trust that every problem is a blessing, to believe that good will come from this.”

Espy finished the petal and faced her daughter, “We pay attention. We live our truth fearlessly. We expect the best. And, when called to act, we go for it!”

The bell tinkled as the front door opened and Gabe rushed in, “Mom, everyone, come outside!”

He ran into the courtyard to get Lucy and Sam.

Moments later, the entire Diaz family stood in front of the Star office.

In spite of the rain, the street was alive with voices. Others had come out into the bleak darkness.

With Arnold in one arm, Gabe pointed up Main Street, “Look!”

Faces turned, and Manny described the scene for Sam.

On a hill above town, the sky was on fire. The mayor’s campaign billboard was ablaze.

Cheers rang out.

“Viva Puerto Cielo!”

Hope was still alive.

***