| Blinding Mirror |
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Blinding Miror will be released Summer 2008
Advance Reviews
You Reap What You Sow
Urban-Reviews.com
Blinding Mirror by Shelley Halima(5 out 5 books)
All eighteen-year old Oliva Magdalena Delgado ever wanted to do
was to escape her impoverished childhood ,her abusive parents, and
her Afro-Mexican, Spanish, and Indian ancestry. When Oliva gets
involved with a one-night stand with her friend Pillar’s brother and
becomes pregnant, Oliva decides this is the perfect time to get out of
Fresno , California and to the big city dreams of Los Angeles . Oliva
quickly takes on a new identity and is on the hunt for a rich suitor
that will give her the lap of luxury that she feels she deserves. Oliva,
now Olivia Machado, is hired by property management tycoon Gino
Valente. Gino is quickly smitten with Olivia. Gino and Olivia soon
marry and have three daughters, Lourdes , and twins Sofia and
Isabella. Olivia thinks that she finally has the life she’s always
dreamed of until Gino’s brother becomes suspicious of Olivia’s
background. More than twenty-five years later, Olivia and Lourdes
travel together around the world in search of wealthy men to keep up
with their lavish lifestyle. Sofia is now a successful spa owner and is
still reeling from a failed relationship until she meets sexy attorney
Javier. Will Sofia give Javier a chance? Isabella would give anything
to have a normal mother-daughter relationship with Olivia. She
might get her chance when Olivia and Lourdes comes back in town
for Isabella and Sophia’s 25th birthday. But is Olivia and Lourdes
coming back to town to reunite with their family or are they trying to
get their hands on the twins multi-million dollar inheritance? All hell
breaks loose when the secrets of Olivia’s past finally come to light.
Will she survive the fallout?
Blinding Mirror is an exceptional thriller by Shelley Halima. Halima
expertly weaves a multi-generational, multi-ethnic tale of suspense and
intrigue. This novel takes you on an emotional journey as you see
how Olivia grows from an impoverished teen to a selfish, gold-
digging socialite. Readers will see how Olivia’s actions had a
devastating effect on Lourdes , Sophia, and Isabella’s lives. Halima
does a wonderful job of exposing readers to Afro-Mexican, Spanish,
Indian, Maltese, and Portuguese cultures something that’s rarely
found in today’s fiction market. High family drama, self-hatred of
one’s culture, and detrimental lies makes Blinding Mirror a
captivating read. This novel is a sensational start to the Mirror series
Radiah Hubbert
http://www.urban-reviews.com
RAWSISTAZ
RAW Rating: 4.5
Amazon Rating: 4
You Reap What You Sow
Often times people tend to wallow in their own self-pity and blame
their childhood for how they turned out. There is a saying that no
matter how bad you may have it, there is someone who has it worse.
Imagine growing up in a home where you literally aren't wanted.
You are never shown love; matter of fact, you are rarely, if ever,
spoken to. Your parents don't acknowledge your existence, and in the
rare instances they do, you are either being verbally or physically
abused. Now imagine the effects this would have on a biracial girl
growing up in poverty in Fresno , California . What type of adult
would someone growing up in this kind of environment become?
BLINDING MIRROR by Shelley Halima tells the story of Oliva
Delgado, a girl who was unwanted from the time she made her
entrance into the world. She kept to herself, didn't have friends at
school and truly believed if she was missing, no one would notice.
That is until she met her new neighbor Pilar Machado. Pilar and
Oliva became friends, and Pilar showed Oliva that there was life
outside of Fresno . They devised a plan that would enable Oliva to
leave her past behind and become someone new and exciting. Oliva
couldn't wait to start her new life, but of course if it seems too good to
be true, then it probably is.
Twenty-three years later Oliva has changed her name to Olivia and is
married to a very prestigious business owner and has three daughters,
one who is very spoiled. Olivia is now a bitter woman who only
cares about money and will do whatever it takes to get what she
wants. She has the finest clothes, finest house and more money than
she can count. Her current life is a big contrast to her childhood and
she loves it. How she got to her current status is by lies, deceit and
betrayal. Unfortunately for Olivia, the past comes back to haunt her
and life as she knows it takes a turn for the worst.
BLINDING MIRROR by Shelley Halima is a novel full of twists and
turns, and has a main character you will love to hate. The book is
very well-written and has memorable characters. Halima takes you on
an emotional rollercoaster as you journey with Olivia and her family.
What I liked most about the book was the unpredictability. I never
knew what was going to happen next. I also liked that fact that this
book was totally different than Halima's first two. If you are in need
of a good, quick read, I encourage you to pick up BLINDING
MIRROR. You will be in for a treat.
Reviewed by Eraina B. Tinnin
for The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers
Dwight Hobbes of Insight News
Shelley Halima's sterling debut Azùcar Moreno marked her as a
novelist of rich imagination and wry wit. She delighted readers with
the doings of one highly spirited Nikki Moreno who lives in urban
Detroit while aspiring to an acting career in L.A. The bittersweet
follow-up Los Morenos, a fascinating character study, proved Halima
is no one-hit wonder. She moves Nikki to the West Coast, lucrative
TV work and still more difficulties with real life. Azùcar Moreno and
Los Morenos evince a freshly authentic, innovative voice.
Blinding Mirror takes this fine, maverick talent a dark step further,
puttng us through a mental and emotional wringer in the process.
She engages with the fascinating protagonist, Oliva Magdalena
Delgado, a warm-hearted girl born to cold-blooded parents in a
California barrio. As Oliva goes from hope to heartbreak, her wistful
dream of someday having a life if she possibly can becomes the grim
determination to prevail at all costs – including her very humanity.
At which point, the gloves are off. We witness her descent into sly,
soulless gold-digging and her ascent to wealth. That's only the
beginning. Oliva's marriage into money breeds more problems than it
solves. Her daughters, Sofia, Lourdes and Isabella, bring home to
Oliva the consequence of her decisions. Ultimately, they all are
engulfed by cruel circumstance that unalterably marks their lives.
Brilliantly drawn characters trapped in painfully genuine drama, the
author spares no mercy, immersing her audience in a wrenching
account that gives the most profound existentialists a run for their
money.
Dwight Hobbes has written for Essence, Reader¹s Digest, Washington
Post, Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, City Pages, Mpls/St. Paul, MN
Law & Politics, Pulse of the Twin Cities, SouthSide Pride,
Minneapolis Observer, Women & Word, The Circle and Insight
News where he writes the opinion column ³Something I Said² and is
lead arts critic. He has spoken his mind over National Public Radio,
Minnesota Public Radio, KFAI and KMOJ, in Minneapolis and St.
Paul . His plays are Shelter - produced at Mixed Blood Theatre by
Pangea World Theater, Dues - produced by Mixed Blood Theatre in
the production Point of Revue, published by Playscripts, Inc. You
Can¹t Always Sometimes Never Tell - produced by Theater Center
Philadelphia, Long Island University and published in the anthology
CENTER STAGE, In the Midst - produced by Long Island
University.
Synopsis
Oliva Delgado grew up in poverty in Fresno , CA , neglected and
periodically abused by parents who never wanted her. Growing up
she became hardened her and built a nearly impenetrable wall around
herself. She lived a solitary existence where she stayed mainly in her
room reading about places and lifestyles she dreamt of one day
enjoying. It isn’t until a chance encounter with a young woman
named Pilar Machado that she is given a ray of hope that her life can
be as she has dreamed. The two forge a close relationship and make
plans for Oliva to escape poverty. However, Oliva betrays Pilar by
sleeping with her brother Tony. A pregnant Oliva flees her hometown
with the help of money she receives from Tony. She puts down roots
in Los Angeles and takes on a new identity as Olivia Machado and
begins her ruthless pursuit of the wealthy Gino Valente. When she
finally snags him, his brother Anton makes it known to her that he
has found out she isn’t all she appears. He blackmails her into a
sexual affair with him and in turn she finds a devious kindred spirit.
When her husband discovers the affair he divorces her and takes their
twins across the country where they begin a new life in Georgia .
Olivia takes her eldest daughter Lourdes and she continues her lavish
lifestyle via rich husbands and suitors.
Twenty-three years later her twin daughters Isabella and Sofia are
about turn twenty-five and receive a substantial first installment from
their now deceased father Gino’s estate. This brings the greedy Olivia
and Lourdes back to the States from France . They descend upon the
twins and try to manipulate their way into some of the fortune.
Along the way, they not only wreck havoc on the lives of the Sofia
and Isabella but also end up caught in their own web of deceit as all
the secrets from Olivia’s past come to light; including one that will
destroy and forever change her beloved daughter Lourdes .
Excerpt
Chapter Four
Oliva entered her house to see her mother on the couch
watching “Hart to Hart” and eating a Marathon bar. A box of Cheese
Nips was propped against her hip and a can of Tab was between her
ample thighs. Her eyes never left the television. Her ratty dog
Pumpkin was lying at her feet. Pumpkin looked up at Oliva and
moved to a spot between Inès’s feet and the couch. Her father and his
friend Carlos were sitting at the dining room table playing cards.
Even though her routine was to come home and go directly to her
room, no one seemed to take note or care of her whereabouts for the
last few hours. Carlos gave her a lecherous grin and wink. Oliva
shuddered in disgust and went to her bedroom, closed and locked the
door. Ever since she’d begun to develop physically, she endured
Carlos’s unwanted attention and advances. She found him repulsive.
He smelled of cheap cigars and musty body odor.
She pushed the unpleasant thoughts of Carlos out of her head
went and stood before the mirror propped on her dresser. She turned
her face from side to side and studied herself, as she’d never done
before. She reached up, removed the rubber band and shook her
head, letting her hair fall. She tilted her head to the side, formed her
mouth to a sexy pout and struck a pose.
“Muito bela.”
Oliva turned and took off her clothes and changed into a
pajama top. She went over to the window and propped the box fan in
front of it, and turned it on medium. She would’ve turned it on high
but she didn’t want to hear her parents bitch about it. They thought
turning it on high translated to a higher electricity bill and would
have made her turn it on low but fortunate for her, the low setting
didn’t work. She fell on the bed, stared at the ceiling and replayed the
day with Pilar. Pilar was extremely fascinating. Even her name was
engaging. Pilar Machado. She had such flair and personality–the
likes she’d never seen. Oliva admired how she not only went after
things she wanted, but she got it. She was beautiful, desirable and
confident. Before meeting her, Oliva thought all the things she dreamt
of being or having was just that-a dream. Now it had a glint of a
possibility to actually happen. Perhaps Pilar could help her out of her
shitty existence.
She thought of when she was leaving and Pilar gave her a
long, lingering hug. She felt so good, so soft. Oliva could still smell
the sweet scent of her perfume. And it was an expensive perfume too.
Not like the Love’s Baby Soft that she lifted from a nearby store. She
turned on her side and put one of the pillows between her legs and
rocked softly against it.
*****
Later on that night Oliva was awakened by the sound of her
parents in an argument. Their voices rose above the hum of the fan.
She wiped away the perspiration on her face, got up and left the
bedroom to get something to drink. As she walked through the living
room to the kitchen she didn’t even look at either of her parents.
“All you do is sit on your fat ass all day! You do nothing but
feed your fucking face yet you want me to buy this and buy that!”
“I don’t ask for much, Alphonso! All I want is a decent couch
for the living room. You’d think I asked you to buy a vineyard! I
thought you could at least be man enough to provide something nice
for the house. Stupid of me to think that! You can’t stop smoking
your yerba long enough to do anything that resembles what a man
would do!”
“Who keeps the lights on? And the gas? Who pays the rent?
And who pays for all the food you stuff in that big mouth of yours?
That alone almost requires a second job! And you wonder why I don’
t touch you anymore. Look at you!”
“I don’t wonder about that at all! I wouldn’t want you to lay
a finger on me anyhow! I don’t care if you never pull that chilito out
ever again!”
“Chilito, huh? It was enough to have you screaming and
begging for more, baby! At least back when we used to do something!
I bet I couldn’t even find your stuff under that belly now.”
Inès let out a laugh devoid of mirth.
“I always wanted a career on the stage and I should’ve done
just that! Because if you think for one minute that I actually ever
enjoyed having that pencil you call a dick inside of me, I should have
an Oscar!”
“Chingate!”
“A viente!”
Oliva walked to the dish drainer and retrieved a glass jelly jar,
shaking her head in disgust at their vulgarity. She rinsed out the jelly
jar and went to the refrigerator. Pumpkin was curled up asleep on
folded up old blanket and was awakened by the stirring in the
kitchen. When she saw Oliva she quickly got up and timidly walked
towards the living room. Oliva gave her a swift kick causing Pumpkin
to yelp and scurry out of the kitchen. Oliva retrieved the apple juice
bottle filled with water and poured a glass.
Inès stomped into the kitchen carrying her dog.
“What did you do to Pumpkin?!”
“I didn’t do anything.” Oliva took a sip of water as she put
the jar back in the fridge.
“You must’ve done something! Why did she cry out?!”
Alphonso entered the kitchen and stood behind his wife.
“I heard her cry out, too. What the hell did you do?”
Oliva shrugged her shoulders. “I accidentally stepped on her
tail. I didn’t see her.”
“Well, watch where you’re walking, stupid!” her mother spat.
Oliva casually took another sip of water. She looked on as her
mother rocked the dog and planted kisses on her. She slightly winced
at seeing the same dog that buried its face in its own shit lick her
mother’s mouth.
“Yes, mommy’s baby. It’s okay,” Inès cooed. “That silly girl
wasn’t watching what she was doing. My baby’s poor tail is going to
be just fine. Yes, yes it is.”
Oliva walked past her mother and father and back to her
bedroom. She finished the rest of her water and placed the glass on
her nightstand. Her parents resumed their arguing and she fell into a
fitful sleep. About three hours later she woke up again. The house was
quiet except for the snoring sounds coming from her parent’s
bedroom and the hum of fans. Oliva went into the kitchen and
turned on the light. She went straight for cabinet underneath the sink.
After fumbling a little, she found what she was looking for. She took
a plastic fork from the dish drainer, went over to Pumpkin’s dog dish
and mixed rat poison in with the leftover dog food. She planned on
tainting Pumpkin’s food for the next couple of days. Then she figured
it might not even take that long though because with her mother’s
other dog, Sheba, it took only a day for the poison to take effect and
that dog was much bigger than Pumpkin. Oliva put the poison back
under the sink, tossed the fork in the garbage and went back to her
room. This time she was able to fall into a deep slumber.
Chapter Five
Before Oliva even entered her house she could hear voices
from inside. She recognized one as that of Carlos. She let out an
irritated groan. After having another great time at Pilar’s, the last
thing she wanted was to come home and see that pervert. She opened
the door to see her mother being comforted by Carlos’s wife Maribel.
Oliva saw a box by the door with what looked to be Pumpkin
wrapped in a blanket inside of it. It took all she had in her to suppress
a smile. She didn’t acknowledge anyone and headed to her bedroom.
She didn’t close the bedroom door like she normally would because
she wanted to hear the conversation in the living room.
“She was fine until the day before yesterday,” Inès tearfully
explained. “Then she began to look weak. She was always good
about letting me know when she had to go potty but the last few
times she didn’t and I noticed blood in her urine. And she had
nosebleeds too. Why does this keep happening to me, Maribel? First,
Tootie and Princess just disappeared, and then both Sheba and
Pumpkin up and die. I’m afraid to get another dog! I couldn’t take
this happening again! It hurts so badly.”
“Good,” Oliva whispered. “And what dog ‘goes potty’? What
an idiot.”
“Can you just take her away now? I can’t bear seeing that
box.”
“Sure, I’ll take her where we buried Sheba ,” replied Carlos.
“Thank you.”
“Ines, you should really go lie down. You look so wiped out.”
“I am, Maribel. You have no idea. Of all my dogs Pumpkin
was my favorite. We just connected.”
Oliva listened in disbelief at what she was hearing.
“I’ll sit with you until Carlos comes back. I’m sure that
daughter of yours won’t be a bit of help to you. She’s so rude the way
she just walks into the house without speaking to anyone. I could just
take her over my knee.”
Oliva smirked at the comment.
“I tried to tell you. She’s a very selfish child. She thinks only
of herself.”
“I’m going to use your bathroom real quick before I go.”
Carlos was already in the hallway when Oliva heard him.
There wasn’t enough time to close the door so she pretended to primp
in the mirror.
“Hello, gorgeous.”
Oliva’s eyes never left her reflection. Carlos leaned against the
doorframe. He was a few feet away but Oliva could already smell his
rancid, unwashed scent.
“Funny how your mother’s pets always meets a bad end,” he
spoke in a conspiratorial whisper.
“Yeah, funny.”
“If I ain’t know better I’d say someone poisoned little
Pumpkin. I mean she had all the symptoms. But I wonder who
would do that? Who could be so vicious as to kill an innocent little
doggie?”
Oliva responded with a nonchalant shrug.
“I didn’t tell your mother this because I ain’t wanna upset her
anymore than she already was. But uh, me and my friend Earl was
out looking for Princess when she disappeared and we found her. Oh
yeah. In the park all beat up and inside a plastic bag. There was a
bloody bat lying nearby. Somebody had whooped that po’ doggy to
death. Now I ain’t no educated man or nothing so I could be wrong.
But it seems to me somebody got it in for your mother’s little pets.
Maybe it’s someone who’s mad because she’s giving the dogs more
attention--”
Oliva turned swiftly to him.
“You shut the hell up old man,” she hissed. “As much as you
pass out drunk in the park, maybe someone will creep up on you and
take a bat to your head and put you into a permanent sleep. Now get
away from my room. Or I’ll walk in that living room right now and
tell your wife how you offered me money to sleep with you.”
The look in her eyes startled him a bit. There was a cold, evil
glint to them. As a fifty-six year old man he felt silly being scared of a
teen-aged girl but he couldn’t help it. He knew what she said about
him getting his head bashed in wasn’t an empty threat. Nor was her
telling his wife about his proposal. At that moment he knew she was
more than capable of doing just about anything. He backed into the
hallway as if he didn’t want to turn his back to her. He then went
into the bathroom.
Oliva looked back to the mirror and brushed her hair.
Advance Reviews
You Reap What You Sow
Urban-Reviews.com
Blinding Mirror by Shelley Halima(5 out 5 books)
All eighteen-year old Oliva Magdalena Delgado ever wanted to do
was to escape her impoverished childhood ,her abusive parents, and
her Afro-Mexican, Spanish, and Indian ancestry. When Oliva gets
involved with a one-night stand with her friend Pillar’s brother and
becomes pregnant, Oliva decides this is the perfect time to get out of
Fresno , California and to the big city dreams of Los Angeles . Oliva
quickly takes on a new identity and is on the hunt for a rich suitor
that will give her the lap of luxury that she feels she deserves. Oliva,
now Olivia Machado, is hired by property management tycoon Gino
Valente. Gino is quickly smitten with Olivia. Gino and Olivia soon
marry and have three daughters, Lourdes , and twins Sofia and
Isabella. Olivia thinks that she finally has the life she’s always
dreamed of until Gino’s brother becomes suspicious of Olivia’s
background. More than twenty-five years later, Olivia and Lourdes
travel together around the world in search of wealthy men to keep up
with their lavish lifestyle. Sofia is now a successful spa owner and is
still reeling from a failed relationship until she meets sexy attorney
Javier. Will Sofia give Javier a chance? Isabella would give anything
to have a normal mother-daughter relationship with Olivia. She
might get her chance when Olivia and Lourdes comes back in town
for Isabella and Sophia’s 25th birthday. But is Olivia and Lourdes
coming back to town to reunite with their family or are they trying to
get their hands on the twins multi-million dollar inheritance? All hell
breaks loose when the secrets of Olivia’s past finally come to light.
Will she survive the fallout?
Blinding Mirror is an exceptional thriller by Shelley Halima. Halima
expertly weaves a multi-generational, multi-ethnic tale of suspense and
intrigue. This novel takes you on an emotional journey as you see
how Olivia grows from an impoverished teen to a selfish, gold-
digging socialite. Readers will see how Olivia’s actions had a
devastating effect on Lourdes , Sophia, and Isabella’s lives. Halima
does a wonderful job of exposing readers to Afro-Mexican, Spanish,
Indian, Maltese, and Portuguese cultures something that’s rarely
found in today’s fiction market. High family drama, self-hatred of
one’s culture, and detrimental lies makes Blinding Mirror a
captivating read. This novel is a sensational start to the Mirror series
Radiah Hubbert
http://www.urban-reviews.com
RAWSISTAZ
RAW Rating: 4.5
Amazon Rating: 4
You Reap What You Sow
Often times people tend to wallow in their own self-pity and blame
their childhood for how they turned out. There is a saying that no
matter how bad you may have it, there is someone who has it worse.
Imagine growing up in a home where you literally aren't wanted.
You are never shown love; matter of fact, you are rarely, if ever,
spoken to. Your parents don't acknowledge your existence, and in the
rare instances they do, you are either being verbally or physically
abused. Now imagine the effects this would have on a biracial girl
growing up in poverty in Fresno , California . What type of adult
would someone growing up in this kind of environment become?
BLINDING MIRROR by Shelley Halima tells the story of Oliva
Delgado, a girl who was unwanted from the time she made her
entrance into the world. She kept to herself, didn't have friends at
school and truly believed if she was missing, no one would notice.
That is until she met her new neighbor Pilar Machado. Pilar and
Oliva became friends, and Pilar showed Oliva that there was life
outside of Fresno . They devised a plan that would enable Oliva to
leave her past behind and become someone new and exciting. Oliva
couldn't wait to start her new life, but of course if it seems too good to
be true, then it probably is.
Twenty-three years later Oliva has changed her name to Olivia and is
married to a very prestigious business owner and has three daughters,
one who is very spoiled. Olivia is now a bitter woman who only
cares about money and will do whatever it takes to get what she
wants. She has the finest clothes, finest house and more money than
she can count. Her current life is a big contrast to her childhood and
she loves it. How she got to her current status is by lies, deceit and
betrayal. Unfortunately for Olivia, the past comes back to haunt her
and life as she knows it takes a turn for the worst.
BLINDING MIRROR by Shelley Halima is a novel full of twists and
turns, and has a main character you will love to hate. The book is
very well-written and has memorable characters. Halima takes you on
an emotional rollercoaster as you journey with Olivia and her family.
What I liked most about the book was the unpredictability. I never
knew what was going to happen next. I also liked that fact that this
book was totally different than Halima's first two. If you are in need
of a good, quick read, I encourage you to pick up BLINDING
MIRROR. You will be in for a treat.
Reviewed by Eraina B. Tinnin
for The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers
Dwight Hobbes of Insight News
Shelley Halima's sterling debut Azùcar Moreno marked her as a
novelist of rich imagination and wry wit. She delighted readers with
the doings of one highly spirited Nikki Moreno who lives in urban
Detroit while aspiring to an acting career in L.A. The bittersweet
follow-up Los Morenos, a fascinating character study, proved Halima
is no one-hit wonder. She moves Nikki to the West Coast, lucrative
TV work and still more difficulties with real life. Azùcar Moreno and
Los Morenos evince a freshly authentic, innovative voice.
Blinding Mirror takes this fine, maverick talent a dark step further,
puttng us through a mental and emotional wringer in the process.
She engages with the fascinating protagonist, Oliva Magdalena
Delgado, a warm-hearted girl born to cold-blooded parents in a
California barrio. As Oliva goes from hope to heartbreak, her wistful
dream of someday having a life if she possibly can becomes the grim
determination to prevail at all costs – including her very humanity.
At which point, the gloves are off. We witness her descent into sly,
soulless gold-digging and her ascent to wealth. That's only the
beginning. Oliva's marriage into money breeds more problems than it
solves. Her daughters, Sofia, Lourdes and Isabella, bring home to
Oliva the consequence of her decisions. Ultimately, they all are
engulfed by cruel circumstance that unalterably marks their lives.
Brilliantly drawn characters trapped in painfully genuine drama, the
author spares no mercy, immersing her audience in a wrenching
account that gives the most profound existentialists a run for their
money.
Dwight Hobbes has written for Essence, Reader¹s Digest, Washington
Post, Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, City Pages, Mpls/St. Paul, MN
Law & Politics, Pulse of the Twin Cities, SouthSide Pride,
Minneapolis Observer, Women & Word, The Circle and Insight
News where he writes the opinion column ³Something I Said² and is
lead arts critic. He has spoken his mind over National Public Radio,
Minnesota Public Radio, KFAI and KMOJ, in Minneapolis and St.
Paul . His plays are Shelter - produced at Mixed Blood Theatre by
Pangea World Theater, Dues - produced by Mixed Blood Theatre in
the production Point of Revue, published by Playscripts, Inc. You
Can¹t Always Sometimes Never Tell - produced by Theater Center
Philadelphia, Long Island University and published in the anthology
CENTER STAGE, In the Midst - produced by Long Island
University.
Synopsis
Oliva Delgado grew up in poverty in Fresno , CA , neglected and
periodically abused by parents who never wanted her. Growing up
she became hardened her and built a nearly impenetrable wall around
herself. She lived a solitary existence where she stayed mainly in her
room reading about places and lifestyles she dreamt of one day
enjoying. It isn’t until a chance encounter with a young woman
named Pilar Machado that she is given a ray of hope that her life can
be as she has dreamed. The two forge a close relationship and make
plans for Oliva to escape poverty. However, Oliva betrays Pilar by
sleeping with her brother Tony. A pregnant Oliva flees her hometown
with the help of money she receives from Tony. She puts down roots
in Los Angeles and takes on a new identity as Olivia Machado and
begins her ruthless pursuit of the wealthy Gino Valente. When she
finally snags him, his brother Anton makes it known to her that he
has found out she isn’t all she appears. He blackmails her into a
sexual affair with him and in turn she finds a devious kindred spirit.
When her husband discovers the affair he divorces her and takes their
twins across the country where they begin a new life in Georgia .
Olivia takes her eldest daughter Lourdes and she continues her lavish
lifestyle via rich husbands and suitors.
Twenty-three years later her twin daughters Isabella and Sofia are
about turn twenty-five and receive a substantial first installment from
their now deceased father Gino’s estate. This brings the greedy Olivia
and Lourdes back to the States from France . They descend upon the
twins and try to manipulate their way into some of the fortune.
Along the way, they not only wreck havoc on the lives of the Sofia
and Isabella but also end up caught in their own web of deceit as all
the secrets from Olivia’s past come to light; including one that will
destroy and forever change her beloved daughter Lourdes .
Excerpt
Chapter Four
Oliva entered her house to see her mother on the couch
watching “Hart to Hart” and eating a Marathon bar. A box of Cheese
Nips was propped against her hip and a can of Tab was between her
ample thighs. Her eyes never left the television. Her ratty dog
Pumpkin was lying at her feet. Pumpkin looked up at Oliva and
moved to a spot between Inès’s feet and the couch. Her father and his
friend Carlos were sitting at the dining room table playing cards.
Even though her routine was to come home and go directly to her
room, no one seemed to take note or care of her whereabouts for the
last few hours. Carlos gave her a lecherous grin and wink. Oliva
shuddered in disgust and went to her bedroom, closed and locked the
door. Ever since she’d begun to develop physically, she endured
Carlos’s unwanted attention and advances. She found him repulsive.
He smelled of cheap cigars and musty body odor.
She pushed the unpleasant thoughts of Carlos out of her head
went and stood before the mirror propped on her dresser. She turned
her face from side to side and studied herself, as she’d never done
before. She reached up, removed the rubber band and shook her
head, letting her hair fall. She tilted her head to the side, formed her
mouth to a sexy pout and struck a pose.
“Muito bela.”
Oliva turned and took off her clothes and changed into a
pajama top. She went over to the window and propped the box fan in
front of it, and turned it on medium. She would’ve turned it on high
but she didn’t want to hear her parents bitch about it. They thought
turning it on high translated to a higher electricity bill and would
have made her turn it on low but fortunate for her, the low setting
didn’t work. She fell on the bed, stared at the ceiling and replayed the
day with Pilar. Pilar was extremely fascinating. Even her name was
engaging. Pilar Machado. She had such flair and personality–the
likes she’d never seen. Oliva admired how she not only went after
things she wanted, but she got it. She was beautiful, desirable and
confident. Before meeting her, Oliva thought all the things she dreamt
of being or having was just that-a dream. Now it had a glint of a
possibility to actually happen. Perhaps Pilar could help her out of her
shitty existence.
She thought of when she was leaving and Pilar gave her a
long, lingering hug. She felt so good, so soft. Oliva could still smell
the sweet scent of her perfume. And it was an expensive perfume too.
Not like the Love’s Baby Soft that she lifted from a nearby store. She
turned on her side and put one of the pillows between her legs and
rocked softly against it.
*****
Later on that night Oliva was awakened by the sound of her
parents in an argument. Their voices rose above the hum of the fan.
She wiped away the perspiration on her face, got up and left the
bedroom to get something to drink. As she walked through the living
room to the kitchen she didn’t even look at either of her parents.
“All you do is sit on your fat ass all day! You do nothing but
feed your fucking face yet you want me to buy this and buy that!”
“I don’t ask for much, Alphonso! All I want is a decent couch
for the living room. You’d think I asked you to buy a vineyard! I
thought you could at least be man enough to provide something nice
for the house. Stupid of me to think that! You can’t stop smoking
your yerba long enough to do anything that resembles what a man
would do!”
“Who keeps the lights on? And the gas? Who pays the rent?
And who pays for all the food you stuff in that big mouth of yours?
That alone almost requires a second job! And you wonder why I don’
t touch you anymore. Look at you!”
“I don’t wonder about that at all! I wouldn’t want you to lay
a finger on me anyhow! I don’t care if you never pull that chilito out
ever again!”
“Chilito, huh? It was enough to have you screaming and
begging for more, baby! At least back when we used to do something!
I bet I couldn’t even find your stuff under that belly now.”
Inès let out a laugh devoid of mirth.
“I always wanted a career on the stage and I should’ve done
just that! Because if you think for one minute that I actually ever
enjoyed having that pencil you call a dick inside of me, I should have
an Oscar!”
“Chingate!”
“A viente!”
Oliva walked to the dish drainer and retrieved a glass jelly jar,
shaking her head in disgust at their vulgarity. She rinsed out the jelly
jar and went to the refrigerator. Pumpkin was curled up asleep on
folded up old blanket and was awakened by the stirring in the
kitchen. When she saw Oliva she quickly got up and timidly walked
towards the living room. Oliva gave her a swift kick causing Pumpkin
to yelp and scurry out of the kitchen. Oliva retrieved the apple juice
bottle filled with water and poured a glass.
Inès stomped into the kitchen carrying her dog.
“What did you do to Pumpkin?!”
“I didn’t do anything.” Oliva took a sip of water as she put
the jar back in the fridge.
“You must’ve done something! Why did she cry out?!”
Alphonso entered the kitchen and stood behind his wife.
“I heard her cry out, too. What the hell did you do?”
Oliva shrugged her shoulders. “I accidentally stepped on her
tail. I didn’t see her.”
“Well, watch where you’re walking, stupid!” her mother spat.
Oliva casually took another sip of water. She looked on as her
mother rocked the dog and planted kisses on her. She slightly winced
at seeing the same dog that buried its face in its own shit lick her
mother’s mouth.
“Yes, mommy’s baby. It’s okay,” Inès cooed. “That silly girl
wasn’t watching what she was doing. My baby’s poor tail is going to
be just fine. Yes, yes it is.”
Oliva walked past her mother and father and back to her
bedroom. She finished the rest of her water and placed the glass on
her nightstand. Her parents resumed their arguing and she fell into a
fitful sleep. About three hours later she woke up again. The house was
quiet except for the snoring sounds coming from her parent’s
bedroom and the hum of fans. Oliva went into the kitchen and
turned on the light. She went straight for cabinet underneath the sink.
After fumbling a little, she found what she was looking for. She took
a plastic fork from the dish drainer, went over to Pumpkin’s dog dish
and mixed rat poison in with the leftover dog food. She planned on
tainting Pumpkin’s food for the next couple of days. Then she figured
it might not even take that long though because with her mother’s
other dog, Sheba, it took only a day for the poison to take effect and
that dog was much bigger than Pumpkin. Oliva put the poison back
under the sink, tossed the fork in the garbage and went back to her
room. This time she was able to fall into a deep slumber.
Chapter Five
Before Oliva even entered her house she could hear voices
from inside. She recognized one as that of Carlos. She let out an
irritated groan. After having another great time at Pilar’s, the last
thing she wanted was to come home and see that pervert. She opened
the door to see her mother being comforted by Carlos’s wife Maribel.
Oliva saw a box by the door with what looked to be Pumpkin
wrapped in a blanket inside of it. It took all she had in her to suppress
a smile. She didn’t acknowledge anyone and headed to her bedroom.
She didn’t close the bedroom door like she normally would because
she wanted to hear the conversation in the living room.
“She was fine until the day before yesterday,” Inès tearfully
explained. “Then she began to look weak. She was always good
about letting me know when she had to go potty but the last few
times she didn’t and I noticed blood in her urine. And she had
nosebleeds too. Why does this keep happening to me, Maribel? First,
Tootie and Princess just disappeared, and then both Sheba and
Pumpkin up and die. I’m afraid to get another dog! I couldn’t take
this happening again! It hurts so badly.”
“Good,” Oliva whispered. “And what dog ‘goes potty’? What
an idiot.”
“Can you just take her away now? I can’t bear seeing that
box.”
“Sure, I’ll take her where we buried Sheba ,” replied Carlos.
“Thank you.”
“Ines, you should really go lie down. You look so wiped out.”
“I am, Maribel. You have no idea. Of all my dogs Pumpkin
was my favorite. We just connected.”
Oliva listened in disbelief at what she was hearing.
“I’ll sit with you until Carlos comes back. I’m sure that
daughter of yours won’t be a bit of help to you. She’s so rude the way
she just walks into the house without speaking to anyone. I could just
take her over my knee.”
Oliva smirked at the comment.
“I tried to tell you. She’s a very selfish child. She thinks only
of herself.”
“I’m going to use your bathroom real quick before I go.”
Carlos was already in the hallway when Oliva heard him.
There wasn’t enough time to close the door so she pretended to primp
in the mirror.
“Hello, gorgeous.”
Oliva’s eyes never left her reflection. Carlos leaned against the
doorframe. He was a few feet away but Oliva could already smell his
rancid, unwashed scent.
“Funny how your mother’s pets always meets a bad end,” he
spoke in a conspiratorial whisper.
“Yeah, funny.”
“If I ain’t know better I’d say someone poisoned little
Pumpkin. I mean she had all the symptoms. But I wonder who
would do that? Who could be so vicious as to kill an innocent little
doggie?”
Oliva responded with a nonchalant shrug.
“I didn’t tell your mother this because I ain’t wanna upset her
anymore than she already was. But uh, me and my friend Earl was
out looking for Princess when she disappeared and we found her. Oh
yeah. In the park all beat up and inside a plastic bag. There was a
bloody bat lying nearby. Somebody had whooped that po’ doggy to
death. Now I ain’t no educated man or nothing so I could be wrong.
But it seems to me somebody got it in for your mother’s little pets.
Maybe it’s someone who’s mad because she’s giving the dogs more
attention--”
Oliva turned swiftly to him.
“You shut the hell up old man,” she hissed. “As much as you
pass out drunk in the park, maybe someone will creep up on you and
take a bat to your head and put you into a permanent sleep. Now get
away from my room. Or I’ll walk in that living room right now and
tell your wife how you offered me money to sleep with you.”
The look in her eyes startled him a bit. There was a cold, evil
glint to them. As a fifty-six year old man he felt silly being scared of a
teen-aged girl but he couldn’t help it. He knew what she said about
him getting his head bashed in wasn’t an empty threat. Nor was her
telling his wife about his proposal. At that moment he knew she was
more than capable of doing just about anything. He backed into the
hallway as if he didn’t want to turn his back to her. He then went
into the bathroom.
Oliva looked back to the mirror and brushed her hair.