Game Seven by Paul Volponi

Author:Paul Volponi
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2015-02-17T16:00:00+00:00

15

THE NEXT TIME I opened my eyes it was light outside. The sun was blasting through the windshield. I needed to put a hand in front of my face to cut the harsh glare. Luis was already awake beside me, leaning over into the driver’s seat. But it took me a while to realize that it was Uncle Ramon behind the wheel.

“Look, Julio, my father’s the captain of a ship,” Luis said, as Gabriel caught some shut-eye. “I’m going to steer next.”

Uncle Ramon reached up and adjusted the sun visor before he said, “Son, this isn’t a ship. It’s a floating car. And the only way you’re going to navigate is if you swallow the compass and your nose points north.”

“Why? You let me drive your car in plenty of parking lots,” Luis said, sounding hurt. “I don’t need a stinking license. We’re outlaws.”

“Your job’s to keep track of time, Luis,” said Uncle Ramon, softening his words a bit. “You’re the only one with a good watch. We need to know how long we’ve been out here so we don’t run out of gas. There isn’t exactly a service station around.”

“How long has it been?” I asked.

“Almost thirteen hours,” answered Luis, checking the watch on his belt loop.

“With any luck, one more day at sea for us,” said Uncle Ramon, his hands positioned solidly at ten and two o’clock. “Forget the transistor, Julio. We could be watching the next World Series game in color, on a big flat-screen TV. Maybe even in your papi’s new house. I’ll bet he has a two-car garage, five or six bedrooms, swimming pool, a butler, and a housemaid.”

“Housemaid, huh?” I muttered, with the image of Mama in her maid’s uniform filling my head.

I remembered Mama’s words about Papi. About how there was no way he was alone, living without a woman. Now I knew she was absolutely right. And that could have been the reason she didn’t want to come with us.

“If he doesn’t have one, maybe he could hire Mama. She has experience at that job now,” I sniped.

“Julio, put that anger aside,” Uncle Ramon said. “Your mama did what she needed to do to support her children. I don’t know why my brother didn’t send her money. But I’m sure he had reasons.”

I used to want to believe that, too. Sometimes, especially in the first few years after Papi had gone, I’d talked myself into it. Now I knew what Uncle Ramon didn’t—that I had a half brother. And he didn’t just magically appear. The stork didn’t drop him on Papi’s doorstep one day. He got here by Papi doing my mama wrong.

“I’ve said enough. I’m done with it,” I told him. “I need to stretch out. I can’t sit here anymore. My legs feel like they’re in knots.”

So I started to climb out the window.

“You going for a swim?” asked Luis. “There could be sharks.”

“Careful, Julio,” said Uncle Ramon.

I wasn’t going into the water. Instead, I made my way across the roof of the Buick and slid down the rear windshield.

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