The Red Umbrella by Christina Gonzalez

Author:Christina Gonzalez [Gonzalez, Christina Diaz]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 978-0-375-89628-6
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2010-08-31T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

KHRUSHCHEV TOLD KENNEDY HE FEELS CUBA’S CASTRO IS UNSTABLE

—THE LINCOLN EVENING JOURNAL, JUNE 8, 1961

“We can’t have boys sneaking into the girls’ dormitory. All the young ladies deserve to feel safe. We owe them that much!” Mrs. Eckhart argued.

“I know, I know.” Mr. Ramírez nodded. “But he’s only seven and he wanted to be with his sister. You can understand that.”

Frankie and I sat next to each other in a small office watching the two administrators go back and forth deciding what our punishment should be.

Mrs. Eckhart walked over to me, and in her heavily accented Spanish she tried to explain the problem. “We simply cannot have unsupervised boys entering the girls’ building. You’re a young lady now. Imagine if someone else’s brother were to come in … get into your bed. How do I know he won’t do this again?”

“I won’t. Promise.” Frankie gave her his sad-puppy-dog eyes.

Mr. Ramírez raised his eyebrows. “Oye, that’s what you told me the last four times I caught you sneaking out.”

“¿Cuatro?” I asked.

Frankie shrugged and dropped his head.

“It’s become a pattern, except tonight he wasn’t caught until he’d snuck into the girls’ building. Mr. Ramírez, I don’t think there’s any other choice. He needs to be sent to the Cuban Home for Boys.”

“No!” Frankie yelled.

“Wait, where is that? Isn’t that far away?” I stood up. “That’ll mean we won’t get to see each other except on Saturdays.”

“Lucía, we’ve tried, and Frankie knew there’d be consequences.” Mr. Ramírez shook his head. “He’ll be well cared for over there, and as soon as a foster family becomes available, we’ll reunite you.”

I slumped back into my chair. “Frankie, what have you done?”

Frankie jumped up and put his hands on his hips. “If you send me away, I won’t stay there. I’ll just run away again. I want to be with Lucía!”

I pulled him down by his elbow. He was making things worse.

Mrs. Eckhart threw her hands up. “This is why I oversee the girls and not the boys,” she muttered.

“Please,” I begged, “give him another chance. I’ll help. He won’t do it again.”

Mr. Ramírez’s face softened.

“It’s just that in Puerto Mijares we were never really apart.” My voice shook.

Mrs. Eckhart shook her head. “I’m sorry, Lucía. I have to think of the facility’s reputation and what’s best for all the girls.”

“Puerto Mijares? That’s where you’re from?” Mr. Ramírez asked.

I nodded as I tried to think of something else to convince them to let Frankie stay.

“Wait a minute. Lucía Álvarez? Are you related to Fernando Álvarez?” Mr. Ramírez searched my face as if trying to see a resemblance.

“He’s my father,” I said.

He shook his head in disbelief. “¡Increíble! The last time I saw your father, you were only four or five years old.” He turned to Mrs. Eckhart. “Lucía’s father is the one I told you about. Why I took this job. That man helped me when I had no money. He even paid for the medicines that my youngest needed.”

Mrs. Eckhart smiled at me. “Sounds like your father is a very special person.

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