"I met my husband in the Bahamas, we spent a glorious week together. When it was time for him to leave, I couldn't bare to let him go, so I moved here with him. And well here I am, four years later happy as a clam. Although I am used to a little freedom, and I certainly wasn't about to lose that to anyone, husband or not. It took me a while to get it through Santiago's thick head that I was his equal, partner and wife, not his servant."
"Did the two of you fight much?" Alannah asked
"No, not really. See I learned from a young age that you need to learn to take care of yourself, so I learned how to use a pistol, when Santiago began ordering me around like I was a maid the day after we were married, I took my pistol out and shot the cigar he was smoking clean out of his mouth. Scared him half to death that I would stand up to him the way I did. Jose! Stop tormenting the chickens or they won't give us any more eggs! You older children have chores to do, so get to it before I take out my switch! Oh, dear! Alannah will you go grab Nicholas before he manages to catch that bee?" she said pointing at one of the two year olds.
"Yes, of course." Alannah said laughing as she was watching the little boy run after the bee he was chasing. "Come here you, that bee you are chasing can hurt you." The young boy just looked at her with curiosity in his eyes. Alannah held on to him, wondering if she would ever have a baby of her own.
"Thank you! Should we sit and talk?
"Thank you, I'd really like that."
"Yes, I'm a good shot," Anya said proudly. "Santiago needed a little reminder of that fact every now and then. A woman with a temper who can shoot straight is an asset on this island. My husband recognizes that now and I am typically left with the children when they go into town."
"Didn't . . . didn't your husband . . well didn't he get angry with you when you shot at him?" Alannah asked her, eye eyed. She had never known a woman to defend herself such as this.
"No, he was more surprised than angry, but if Santiago were to ever lay a finger on me,' Anya told her, 'he would not wake the next morning, and he knows it!" that statement scared Alannah more than she wanted to admit, if a woman such as this would have been with her father, he surely would have made an example of her. "But no, my husband loves me for who I am. He and I have an understanding I protect the family and he works in the fields. I am certain that is when he gave me little Tim here." She laughed when she noticed Alannah expression. "You're not married, are you?"