Discovering the Family Secret

Zorro smiled to himself as Joaquin hugged him. He really was just like his father, not that Elena would be entirely happy about that. "Voy a llevarte a casa." (Let's get you home)

Joaquin asked wonderingly, "¿Cómo sabe dónde vivo?" (How do yo know were I live?)

Again, Zorro smiled, a quiet laugh to himself as he helped Joaquin onto Tornado."Sujetate fuerte. (Hold on tightly)."

"¿¡Voy a montar con usted en Tornado!?" Joaquin responded, shocked, "¡Ala! ¡No puedo esperar a contárselo a los demás. ¡No se lo creerán! ¡Se morirán de celos!" (I'm really gooing to ride you on Tornado?! Wow, I mean, wow! I can't wait to tell everyone about this. They won't believe it! They'll be so jealous!).

"No. Sería mejor si no le dijeras nada a nadie". (No. It would be best if you told no one of this).

"¿Por qué no? (Why not?)" Joaquin asked

"¿Por mí? Por favor." (For me? Please) Zorro responded.

Joaquin shook his head, grimacing sadly. "Está bien, lo prometo. Por tí." (Okay, I promise. For you).

We were here, home. Zorro sighed anticipating and then helped Joaquin, his son, down."Bien. Ahora, espera aquí. ¿Entendido?" (Good. Now, wait here. Understand?)

"Sí. Gracias, Zorro." (Yes. Thank you. Zorro).

Zorro smiled then turned around to go into the house, calling, "Elena! Elena!"

Joaquin looked on, surprised, how did Zorro know his mother?, but, then again, he was Zorro. But, what did he want with his mother? Joaquin shrugged, he just knew Zorro had told him to stay there, and he'd do anything for Zorro.

"What? What is it? Who's there?," Elena called, then gasped, "Alejandro! What are doing here! Dressed like that!"

"You were right, okay. Father was right. I was being a pig-headed fool trying to keep this from Joaquin."

Elena laughed wryly, "He told you that? Remind me to thank him."

Alejandro rolled his eyes and shook his head, "Yes, yes, but, right now, we have more important things," he paused a second before sighing and continuing, "Like telling our son the truth."

"What? Like this? Are you sure? Alejandro, what has happened? Don't try to tell me it was Padre. You've never been one to listen to criticism."
He smiled wryly, accepting that.

"Come on, please?"

"You're sure?" Elena responded.

"Why are you hesitating? Haven't you always been the one who said he needs to know? Now he will. I agree. Let's go."

"And I still do, I just can't understand why now, all of a sudden you've changed your mind, and, I must admit, I don't think this is perhaps the best way."

"I do. Can we just go?"

"Zorro?" Joaquin called.

Elena raised her eyebrows as Alejandro sighed, "Sí. Dame un minuto. (Yes. One minute and I'll be there.)"

"Why are you speaking Spanish?" Elena asked.

Alejandro laughed wryly, "I didn't want him to recognize my voice yet."

"Alejandro, what is going on? Tell me this instant."

"How about I let him tell you? Come on, he's waiting."

Elena sighed and shook her head, "Fine, but so help me Alejandro…and he will recognize your voice soon enough. Promise?"

"Yes, I promise. You were right."

"Alright then," Elena agreed.

"Mama! You'll never belie…" Joaquin started as Elena and Zorro came out.

"No. Está bien. He cambiado de opinión, se lo puedes contar a tu madre. Pero a nadie más, ¿entendido? (No. It's alright. I changed my mind, you can tell your mother. But, no one else, alright?).

Joaquin nodded, "So, today, we were out on a class trip when I saw a man I'd seen causing trouble at the election, he had a scar in the shape of a cross on his face. That's how I recognized him."

Elena looked up at Zorro, shock and fear briefly crossing her face.

Joaquin continued, "And so I followed him and hid behind these bushes, but one of them…"

"Bien, creo que tu madre ya ha escuchado bastante. (Alright, I think your mother has heard enough)." Zorro interrupted, nervously, suddenly.

"Pero si estaba llegando a mejor parte, donde... (But, I was just getting to the good part, where...)"

"Joaquin," Zorro said firmly, nervously.

Joaquin nodded, disappointed.

"Joaquin?" Zorro called.

"Sí, Zorro?"

"Joaquin. Joaquin," Zorro hesitated. Elena looked at Alejandro meaningfully. He nodded to her, and then continued to Joaquin, quietly, "We don't have to use Spanish anymore."

"Alejandro," Elena whispered very quietly, but firmly, meaningfully, to get on with it, but also comfortingly, supportive.

Zorro shook his head putting up hand for her to be patient. Elena rolled her eyes, but consented.

"Zorro, what is it?" Joaquin asked.

Alejandro laughed wryly, but dropped to one knee to be at his son's level, and began, "Joaquin, there is something I, and your mother, want to tell you. Something you should have found out a long time ago. Your mother thought so, I want you to understand, but it was me who wanted to wait, to protect you. Today showed me she was right. It is better if you know," he laughed again in the same way, "She's always right."

"Know what?" Joaquin asked curiously, as Zorro took off his hat, placing it on the floor, and Joaquin tilted his head to the side, wondering, starting to get suspicious, but, no, no, it couldn't be. Then his father looked up at Elena once more, who nodded, and he nodded back, and then took off the mask of Zorro.

"Papi?" Joaquin asked, disbelieving.

Alejandro smiled gently, but also slightly ashamed. He'd been foolish to keep this from Joaquin, but he'd been trying to protect him.

"But…" Joaquin started, walking forward to his mother, who had picked up Zorro's hat. Joaquin stared at it, touched it briefly, and then looked back at his father, Zorro, who had been holding his mask, but now let it drop. His father was Zorro! "Papi," Joaquin, said again, amazed.

Alejandro looked up at his wife, who was smiling, pleased, but still concerned, probably for how Joaquin would overall react, so was he. Now, though as he dropped his mask, he opened his arms, inviting his son to come to him to hear the story.

Yet, just then, Elena gasped, worried, "Joaquin! What happened to your arm!"

Both Joaquin and Zorro froze, wide-eyed. Joaquin suddenly understood why, among so many reasons, but the principle one, Zorro, his father, had not wanted him to tell his mother what he did today. Of course, he also understood now why Zorro had asked to speak in Spanish, so he wouldn't recognize his father's voice, and, of course, why he couldn't tell anyone. And yet, there was still one question Joaquin hadn't thought to ask before five minutes ago, but now demanded an answer, ignoring his mother. "Papi, why didn't you tell me?"

Elena looked at her husband. Maybe she forgot about the cut, but no, probably not, women, especially mothers, never forget things like that once they'd seen them. Actually, Alejandro was a bit surprised, gratefully, but still surprised, she hadn't noticed earlier. But then his son, Joaquin, asked a question that he knew, and wanted, had to be answered. Maybe this could delay Joaquin's adventure tale. "As I said before, I wanted to protect you. From the day you were born I vowed I would, and I thought I could best do so by keeping the truth from you. But, as I said, your mother, disagreed. Seems to me now, she was right. And I'm sorry. I should have never kept it from you. I thought it was my secret, but it's not. It's our secret, and I promise you, I will never lie to you again."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Then Joaquin smiled and hugged his father. "I love you, papi."

"I love you too, son, always."

Then Joaquin paused, "Did you mean what you said today still, though? You promise you'll be there next time?"

"What is he talking about, Alejandro? And what, exactly, happened today? You boys still haven't answered that."

Alejandro was quick to answer Joaquin's question, teasingly, "But what if the people need Zorro?"

Joaquin's face fell, but then nodded and began to answer, when his father interrupted, "Joaquin, I was teasing. Yes, I meant it. I should have been there today. Probably would have kept you out of the trouble you got yourself into today. But, I promise you, no matter what, I will be there next time."

Joaquin broke into a smile, "I wasn't in trouble, though. I had everything under control, and I helped you find out what was in the crates!"

A huge thank you to Mitsuky092 for taking the time to help correct my Spanish (I don't speak it and had previously just plugged it into a translator)!