The Existence of Pity by Jeannie Zokan

Author:Jeannie Zokan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Red Adept Publishing
Published: 2016-09-29T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

I was sitting at my desk, finishing a letter to Aunt Rosie about Mission Meeting and Tom—I’d purposely left out Dad and Pity—when Brandy started barking. From my window, I saw Blanca set her bags down and pet him as he bounced and yapped around her dark-blue skirt. Such relief flooded me, I could almost imagine dancing around her myself.

“Blanca’s home!” I called as I ran downstairs and out the door. I hugged Blanca, nearly tipping her over with my enthusiasm.

She seemed shorter, but her eyes were as bright as ever as she hugged me back.

“How was your trip?” I asked, taking her bags. “Tell me everything. Did your brothers and sisters like the clothes you made for them?”

“It was very good. Everyone loved the clothes,” Blanca said as we headed into the house. She greeted Aaron, who was reading a magazine on the couch, then we walked to her room.

“How was gringo week at the seminary?” she asked, opening her suitcase on the bed.

“I have a lot to tell you,” I answered, glad to be curling up in the familiar chair in her room. “I have a boyfriend.”

“Really? Is it Alejandro?” she asked.

“No, it’s a missionary kid. I’ll get his picture.” I ran upstairs and came back with a photo from our photo album. It was of Aaron, Tom, and me during my family’s trip to Bogotá. The rolls of film from Mission Meeting had been sent to the States to be developed and wouldn’t arrive for another week.

“Qué chusco,” she said, studying the photo. “He is handsome, and you look good together.”

“Yeah, but I won’t get to see him much. His family lives in Bogotá, and he’s going to college in the States in a few weeks.”

“Too bad he is so far away.” Blanca handed me the picture and pulled a dress from her suitcase, shaking it to loosen the wrinkles.

“I might get to see him at Christmas,” I told her. “So I guess you missed Juan Fernando while you were gone.”

“I am hoping to talk with him tonight.”

“That’s nice.” Watching her unpack, I wondered how to tell her our family’s news. I decided the best thing was to dive in. “I need to tell you something.”

Blanca stopped unpacking, her eyes wide. “What happened?”

“My dad, he did a really dumb thing.” I picked nervously at the armrest of my chair. “He had an affair with this girl and got her pregnant. Now I have a half sister.”

“Oh, so you found out about that.” Blanca turned back to her suitcase.

My jaw dropped. “You knew?”

“Yes.” She didn’t look up. “I overheard some telephone conversations. Your father is a good man; he just had a weak moment. And now he does not know how to handle the outcome.”

“My dad’s adultery was way more than a weak moment.”

“It happens, chica,” Blanca said with a shrug.

“Not to missionaries,” I said, wondering how Blanca could be taking the news so lightly. “And I’m worried about my mom,” I added.

“Yes.” Blanca sat on her bed, sighing.

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