Jacinta Guerrero

Jacinta Guerrero was Joel's mother.

In the 17th century, her ancestors were indigenous slaves at a Spanish mission. Jacinta herself was born in Biaz, a small settlement near the original site. A drought caused them to move further north to find work as laborers. They followed work to Bernalillo when Jacinta was fifteen. Tired of moving and wanting to settle down, Jacinta stayed behind to work at a cantina.

She met Joel's father, a gambler who called himself Bolivar, in 1834. He flirted with her and bought her gifts like hats and ribbons. But he left after a few months, leaving Jacina pregnant with Joel.

She continued working after giving birth to Joel, and brought him to work with her. She met Fritz when Joel was four, and moved to Cibalo with him, where his uncle owned a dry goods store and could board him. Fritz ended their relationship with Jacinta and left town without telling her where he was leaving to, leaving her and Joel stranded in Cibalo.

Fritz's uncle felt sympathy for them and hired Jacinta as a worker. She found employment sewing sacks, as Joel grew up. She worked mainly at home or at the dry goods store, while Joel wandered off.

Death
After Joel joined the Coyotes, he lived less and less at her home, until he was rarely there. He saw her on occasion.

She died of cholera at the age of 34.

Physical appearance
Joel recalls that as a little child he thought she was the most beautiful woman, and that "all proper women should look like her." But he admits that now he recognizes she was average-looking, only so-so, with thick "mannish" brows and somewhat coarse facial features.

She had thick, beautiful brown hair and skin the color of coffee with milk. She was tall and sturdily built. Later in life she had small solar lentigo across her face.

Relationships
She was loving and fiercely devoted to Joel as an infant, but began to see him as a burden as he grew. Still, she kept him clothed and fed out of obligation, acknowledging that it wasn't his fault he was born and hoping that someday he would return the favor. As he grew older and more independent she became less caring and less involved with him. By the time of her death, Joel rarely saw her, and when she died he only felt a slight sadness at her passing. He later characterizes their relationship as "letting each other down whenever it counted."