Evangelina Takes Flight by Diana J. Noble

Author:Diana J. Noble
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Arte Público Press
Published: 2017-10-19T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Relief

June 21, 1911

It’s been three weeks since we arrived at Tía’s tiny house, which I’m sure was fine for Tía, Tío and Leticia, but with five extra people, we’re bumping into each other. We’re starting to get more and more frustrated with each other, too. Even Mamá’s usual patience is getting tested. She’s been short-tempered and worried about everyone at home, especially Tomás. We all are.

Tío Mario is nice, but quiet. He greets us in the morning and sits down with us at meals, but he’s not good at conversation. Tía gets bigger by the day. She can’t do too much anymore. I’ve taken to washing all the dishes, because her belly sticks out so far, her hands can’t reach the sink. Without all my usual chores to do at home, I’ve done a lot more praying and asking for forgiveness for my sins, for leaving Tomás when I was supposed to protect him. Why is all this happening to us? I ask the Holy Father, but so far, He hasn’t answered.

The neighbors are friendly. Most of them have come over to introduce themselves. I’ve wandered around the neighborhood and talked to people, but not very much. I stay at Tía’s most of the time. I’m not feeling very social. Besides, it’s mostly boys around here, so Enrique has plenty of new friends. The few girls I’ve seen are much younger than me. Thank goodness for Elsa.

Enrique sets a pillowcase full of walnuts between us and produces a long nail from his pants pocket. We’re so bored, we crack nuts to pass the time. The sun sits low in the eastern sky. It’s only nine in the morning and already, the warm damp air has affixed the underside of our legs to the wooden bench. If it’s anything like Mariposa in late June, it’ll give way to choking heat by midday.

Enrique grabs an old cracked ceramic pot near the top step of the back porch and drags it over. “I’ll open them with the nutcracker, and you pick them out with the nail. It’ll be quicker that way.” He goes back inside and returns with a kitchen towel he lays inside the dirty pot. “Put them in here.”

“Helloooo?” a deep voice comes from the front of the house.

Papá!

Enrique and I spring up off the bench and practically trip over each other as we run inside. Elsa, Mamá and Domingo emerge from the bedroom.

“Papá!”

“Adán!”

“You made it!”

Our voices tumble together in a happy chorus.

Enrique slaps him on the shoulder and beams. “Where have you been, and why did it take you so long? We were starting to worry. I mean, the girls were starting to worry.”

“It’s a long story, m’ijo. I’ll tell you all about the trip after we unload the wagon and clean up. I don’t think I’ve ever been so filthy.”

“We missed you!” Elsa says.

“We missed you, too,” Papá says. “But there’s no more reason to worry. We’re here! It was a long trip, and . . .”

“Let me show you the house.

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