Make do

Deep in the mountains of Tijuana, lay a small village, where the people lived so humbly. They didn't really need much for they were satisfied with what they had.  The village had remained how it was for many decades, the young had moved away to the city leaving the older folk to tend to their wares. 

It was the same for Miguel and Rosina, who were childhood sweet hearts, they got married very young and were still together, they had a secret to their longevity of togetherness but never revealed to anyone. They were one of oldest people in the village, the house they lived in was passed on, two generations, the stone walls, still white and kept pristine clean as it looked the day they met.

Each day, Rosina would spend hours in front of the mirror, brushing her long curly hair, as the years went on, her health made it difficult for her to do a lot of things, she had taken for granted. Always she would mutter to him,

'Miguel, haz lo que te digo que hagas',

And, always, he would respond so tenderly,

'Te amo Rosina, el amor que tenemos será para siempre'.

The atmosphere was heavily seeped in nature, hardly any man made products, they kept the tradition going, only the young wanted to see how the other half lived.

On this particular day, it was Rosina's 89th birthday, she woke up to cook breakfast of omelette in baked wraps, and prepared the table. A jug of pure coconut water fresh from the tree, and fresh sliced fruits, with the smell of breakfast lingering. Miguel was busy in the garden and knew it was time, they sat opposite each other, the tiredness of their bodies from raising eight children was the tell tale sign how they enjoyed their life. It didn't take them long to finish. Rosina went back inside and came out with her brush, there was an old mirror by the side of the door and she was seen struggling to untie her hair. 

Miguel saw her and with his walking stick dipping into the ground, he recalled,

'Rosina, no tiene que hacer eso por ti mismo, Déjame ayudarte'.

'Gracias, Miguel que es tan dulce de tu vista, míranos a nosotros dos, nadie alrededor, y seguimos juntos después de todos estos años'.

She responded back to him, they hugged their usual embrace with,

'Te quiero,'

'como siempre.'

He took her hand and led her into the old stone house. The time had passed so quickly, that very evening one of their long neighbours came by, it was Devadip, he was the local joinery, and wanted a favour from them, apparently, he and his wife , Sophia were expected visitors and tried to entice Rosina to bake one last time, but Miguel had refused saying,

'No permitiré que haga nada extenuante, estoy seguro de que Jorge estaría contento, ¿le has preguntado?'

Devadip looked shocked at the response and began a hard luck story about how Jorge and him don't speak, on account of an affair which happened with Jorge and Devadip other half. Miguel continued to add,

'Lo siento Devadip, mi esposa no está lo suficientemente bien como para comprenderte como ella lo usa, lo entiendes.

Devadip begged his apologies and left them. Rosina smiled at Miguel, who smiled back as they held hands and went back inside the house.