The Book of Rosy by Rosayra Pablo Cruz

Author:Rosayra Pablo Cruz [Rosayra Pablo Cruz]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2020-04-10T00:00:00+00:00

10

Takeoff and Landing

“Pack it up, Pablo Cruz,” La Miss says, as if I actually have something to pack other than my Bible and Fernando’s little stuffed dinosaur, which I’ve managed to save. What does she mean, exactly? Am I leaving my bunkie, Lucrecia, to change cells, and if so, why? I think back to the visit with José Orochena two days ago. He had said he thought I’d be released, but even though I had allowed myself a bit of hope, I hadn’t placed my faith in that possibility. But could it be? Am I leaving Eloy?

I am! And although I am elated—maybe I’ll see my boys soon!—I am also overcome by other emotions, including sadness. When women are released from Eloy, they are never given enough time to say goodbye to anyone. Despite all the bickering and squabbling that define day-to-day life in a detention center, intense friendships are also formed; the shared experiences of separation and deprivation create a special sisterhood. This is especially true for bunkies because they spend long periods of time together. I will miss many women here, but Lucrecia especially. The fact that we are both from Guatemala, that we both had children taken away from us, that we both have a deep faith, and, of course, the space we shared—it all made for a close relationship, and I hate to leave her behind, especially without knowing what her own future might hold.

José has flown in from New York to pick me up at Eloy. As the gates swing open and I feel the desert heat enfold me, I notice that he is dressed in the same suit and same jaunty hat that he wore on the day we met. I’m in a state of shock and feel as if I’ve been swept up into the vortex of a tornado, with everyone and everything whirling around me with such speed that I can’t distinguish any of it clearly. The tears welling up in my eyes and spilling down my cheeks make things blurry, too.

How does life change so quickly? One moment, you’re sitting in a cell in a detention center, waiting for time to pass. The next, you’re taking off your prison uniform and putting on your street clothes, the ones you wore on your journey from your country to the United States. They haven’t been washed, of course, and they no longer fit because you’ve lost so much weight. One moment, the people in charge of you treat you with apathy or outright disgust. The next, you discover people with enormous smiles and open arms who are waiting for you, people you don’t even know, who take your hand and tell you that everything is going to be all right, and that they’re going to walk with you on this next part of your life’s journey.

* * *

José opens the passenger door of the SUV he has rented and I get into the car. Floridalma and Lilian, two other women for whom bond has been posted, get into the back seat.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.