Thirteen Senses by Victor Villasenor

Author:Victor Villasenor
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins

NOW, IT FELT VERY DIFFERENT for Lupe when she saw Salvador to the door each day. She hugged him and she kissed him, but that fear and desperation weren’t here. No, now it was all right with her that he was going off to do his work and she was going to be alone. In fact, she was happy to see him go, so she could get things done by herself.

And so this morning Salvador left and Lupe began cleaning house, singing to herself and feeling very good, when she came across the can full of money under the sink. And suddenly like a lightning bolt, instead of getting frightened or angry this time, she saw everything so clearly, so differently. Why, they could put this can of money in a bank. That’s what rich people did with their money. She didn’t need to be afraid of money! Money was just paper, as Salvador had so well told her.

Lupe became lightheaded with just the thought, because nobody in all her familia had ever gone inside of a bank, much less put money into one.

She felt so excited and clear-minded for the first time in weeks.

She couldn’t wait for Salvador to get home, so she could tell him.

That evening after dinner, Lupe looked across the table at Salvador and said, “Querido, today when I was cleaning house, I came across your—I mean, our can of money and—no, no, don’t get upset. This isn’t bad. This is good,” she said, smiling with gusto. “And I figured out what we can do with it, so I don’t feel scared when you go out and I’m left alone.”

“What?” he said, seeing her joy, but still feeling apprehensive.

“Salvador,” she said excitedly, “we can put it in the bank.”

“The bank?” he said.

“Yes,” she said, “just like rich—I mean, people with money—do.”

And she stopped, expecting Salvador to be thrilled with her idea, but instead he now leaped up from the table, pacing the floor and saying that no, no, no, he was totally against this bank idea!

But in the last few weeks Lupe had gotten pretty tough, so she didn’t back off. No, she now closed her eyes, so she wouldn’t have to see his raging face, and spoke calmly, explaining to him in a slow, steady, reasonable way that he was gone a lot of the time and so she didn’t feel safe being alone with all this money in their home.

“Salvador,” she said finally, “you’ve worked hard for this money and I

don’t want to see us losing it. Remember,” she added, opening her eyes, “houses do get robbed. And banks are safe.”

Hearing this last part, Salvador sat back down. “Okay, Lupe,” he said very quietly, “you’ve convinced me, but now Lupe, I’m forced to tell you something that I’d hoped to not ever have to tell you in all my life.”

Lupe closed her eyes again. “What is it?” she asked, wondering what could possibly be worse than his gambling and liquor making. Was he a

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