Sancha seemed to sense the awkwardness. She said, “Okay then. Let’s move on with the tour.”
Adam glanced at Maddie to gauge her reaction. She had a sad, distant look in her eyes. He wondered if she was thinking about her own sons. When she realized he was looking at her, she blinked and seemed to snap out of her reverie. She held his gaze for a moment and then looked away. Adam began to wonder if coming back here was such a good idea after all. It was forcing her to remember some very unpleasant moments from her past.
Sancha continued the tour of the house. Next, they walked through a corridor that led to the back base of the foothill and a grassy backyard, complete with beautiful outdoor living spaces, multiple decks, an outdoor kitchen, an outdoor Kiva fireplace, a resort-style swimming pool with a built-in waterfall and swim-up bar, and a pool house that was bigger than Adam’s apartment. Adam guessed they could easily entertain at least thirty people comfortably. He would love the opportunity to cook and entertain there. It was luxury at its finest.
The tour ended in the guest wing, where Sancha showed them to their room.
“Why don’t the two of you rest for a little while and freshen up. I’m preparing a traditional meal for dinner. I hope you like Mexican food, Adam.”
Before Adam could answer, Maddie said wistfully, “I haven’t had good Mexican food in so long. Adam, you’re going to love it.”
Chapter 37
Maddie was right. Adam had never tasted such delicious Mexican food. Sancha promised to share her recipes with Adam, but he doubted he would be able to duplicate them exactly. He figured she had over a hundred years to practice and perfect them. How could he measure up to that?
The conversation remained light for most of the meal, with Maddie and Sancha doing most of the talking and catching up. They talked about old times, and things that happened before Adam was even born. He listened in wonder. They never mentioned Paul, or Maddie’s children, or anything hurtful from the past. Sancha’s boys piped in every now and then, especially Mannie. Mel said very little. His silence made Adam feel uncomfortable.
At the end of the meal, Sancha served a dessert wine and flan, a creamy, rich, orange-scented custard with a golden, syrupy topping of caramelized sugar. Adam had never eaten anything like it. It was divine.
He said, “Sancha, Maddie was right. Dinner was delicious. Thank you for sharing your culture with me.”
“Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed it. We’re so happy to have you and Maddie as our guests.”
“I had no idea where Maddie was bringing me until we arrived. It was a nice surprise.”
He looked at Maddie and squeezed her hand. She smiled smugly, proud of herself for pulling it off without him figuring it out.
Sancha said, “So, Adam, Maddie told me that you’ve been working on learning how to use RTP. How’s that going for you?”
Adam thought for a moment as all eyes turned to him.
“Well, okay, I guess. I mean, I have learned to manifest what I call ‘small things’ and I’m getting pretty good at it. But I’m having trouble with ‘big things.’ ”
Maddie said, “That’s one of the main reasons we’re here. I mean, aside from visiting you all. I wanted to show Adam the possibilities.”
Sancha said, “Just keep working on it and don’t give up. Based on what I’ve heard, you’re doing well and learning fast. You seem to be a natural at it.”
Adam wished he felt that way about his progress, but it just wasn’t happening fast enough for him.
After the boys were excused from the dinner table, the adults went on telling stories about how they had learned to use RTP and taught it to others. Adam listened intently, trying to learn all he could from these amazing people.
At one point, Sancha brought up something about the underground and how they had managed to stay hidden with their secret identities for so many years. Curious, Adam asked, “Are Sancha and Mel your real names?”
It caught Adam by surprise when Mel, who had been relatively silent for most of the night, spoke up and said rather firmly, “Yes, they are. But outside of this household and outside of the secure telecom methods, we do not refer to ourselves by our real names. The only reason we are telling you is because we trust Madeline’s judgement about her decision to bring you here.”
He gave Adam a warning look. Adam nodded his understanding. Their secrets were safe with him. He would never intentionally do anything that would endanger Maddie or her friends.
Sancha pulled two business cards out of her wallet and handed them to Adam. They looked to be laminated real estate licenses. The names on the cards were Sára and Mateo Gonzales—their aliases.
Sancha said, “We never have our pictures made, and we always send hired agents to meet potential clients and show houses. We take a commission on the sales. We also get a large percent of our income from our many rental properties. We don’t take any chances. And we try every way possible to avoid falling into traps set by Paul or his people.”
Adam shook his head in disbelief. It was so sad to him that these people had to live in hiding, always having to watch their backs. It made him angry when he thought of Maddie, and Sancha and Mel, and others having to live this way. They were peaceful people, and they were being forced into hiding.
Adam said, “I hope I’m not overstepping, but it’s a shame that you all have to live like this. Somebody needs to stand up to The Order. You are entitled to live your lives freely like everyone else, without worrying about being discovered and having to go through all of these measures to hide. It’s terrible.”
Mel gave Adam a look he
