Farewell Cuba, Mi Isla by Alexandra Diaz;

Author:Alexandra Diaz;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 2023-09-05T00:00:00+00:00

30 DECEMBER 1960

Be there at seven thirty!” Mima shouted into the pay phone above the ruckus around them. People arguing, people crying, people arguing because they were crying. Jackie leaned into her, desperate not to join the crowd, desperate for the last moment of comfort from her mother.

Mima slowly lowered the receiver from her ear and returned it to the cradle. “I think they heard.”

Jackie said nothing as Mima hugged her close with an arm over her shoulders. Whether they heard and understood didn’t make a difference. In a few hours, she would still get on a plane for the first time in her life, even if Victoria’s family wasn’t there on the other end to receive her. Nothing would change the fact that Jackie was leaving Cuba for good, and none of her immediate family members were joining her.

Two months ago, when she’d seen Victoria’s family off, the promise of return had still lingered in everyone’s mind. Pipo himself still swore that everything would blow over. Maybe because Jackie was a pessimist, or a realist, her heart told her that this was it. There would be no coming back.

And unless Mima got her hands on a forged passport, Jackie would never see any of her family again.

The others preparing to depart, and those they left behind, seemed to know it too. No amount of arguing or crying would change that. The military presence at the airport had intensified since Jackie’s last time there. More armed soldiers to make sure no one without permission left the island.

Jackie’s new passport and visa, courtesy of the secret operation Alto had mentioned, scratched her hip in the internal pocket Pancha had sewn into her shorts. Even the idea of sneaking out of the country right under the government’s nose like a covert spy didn’t improve her mood. Life wasn’t like movies and radio plays. So much more was at stake.

Last night, she and Pipo had thrown a baseball to each other in the courtyard. The light coming from their two kitchens, the only two residences surrounding the courtyard that remained inhabited, made it just possible to see the flying sphere.

“I know your mother blames me for a lot of things. We both think we’re right when it comes to politics. Believe me when I say I know this will blow over.” Pipo pitched a fastball. “But I agree it’s not safe for you to stay here in the meantime.”

The ball smacked deep into Jackie’s mitt. That was the closest he would come to saying he loved her. She returned his affection with a curveball. “I want you to be safe too.”

Pipo turned the ball in his mitt as if studying the seams in the dim light. “Don’t you worry about me. I grew up without two pesos to rub together. I know how to work and do my job. I get along with most people, and I’m not stupid enough to discuss politics in public.”

Pipo casually tossed the ball. It landed in Jackie’s mitt without any effort.

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