The story of Cleofilas is disturbing with its blunt reality. The first steps of this journey begin with leaving what she knows best, family, friends and location. Cleofilas must start from zero; she does not even know or understand really what is going to happen the night of her wedding. A girl child in a family of clumsy boys and her poor father. She has no mother figure or female friend to tell her about married life. She does not really understand all that being a wife and mother will mean to her. Being a mature woman is wrapped up in fantasy and tele-novelas whose rich words paint a different picture than the reality she will strive to survive. As a young Mexican woman she is isolated in Texas by not even speaking the language. She is not allowed to call home or even write; all things are restricted and controlled.
             Cleofilas began the marriage with new love bright in her heart and ready for the passion always in books and tele-novelas. It begins slowly, and so subtle that she is shocked and cannot really grasp what has happened. A burning ache drips blood from her lips. Juan Pedro slaps her not once but many times in this first session of disciplined married life. She could think of nothing, pain stops all thought there is only surprise. Her husband. Her loving drunken abusive husband. How he cried like a child. Sweet Cleofilas poor child-woman, she held his sorry head and forgave him. Many times she took the beatings and thought of going home to her family. The shame of a failed marriage, coming home with one child and another yet to come, she could not take the whispers and idle gossip.
             Juan Pedro brought her to this place of dust and despair, this town of Seguin. Away from all things familiar and known, as of her father who said that he would never abandon her.
             The beatings steadily broke Cleofilas down and took away her joy. Their first child is a boy and he is named Juan Pedrito. The baby boy is still new and young ...