When Heaven Fell by Carolyn Marsden

Author:Carolyn Marsden [Marsden, Carolyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-7636-7430-4
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Published: 2014-10-15T16:00:00+00:00

The procession followed them home again. Another feast was being prepared, and the guests sat down once more along the table under the tree.

Binh went to the kitchen to help Ma with the cold coconut dessert soup. When she came out, she spotted Cuc sitting close to Di.

Cuc had held out her wrist and Di was examining Cuc’s bracelets one by one. Surely, Di would see the bracelets looked just like the one she’d been given. She’d think Cuc had given it to her. Which was true.

“Your mother’s looking for you,” Binh said, coming up behind them.

Cuc’s narrow eyes grew narrower. “You said that before. But she wasn’t.”

“Well, she looked like she was looking. . . .”

Cuc held out her other wrist to Di.

“Binh, Cuc! Come help!” Ma called out.

Binh smiled. Ma had chosen just the right moment.

“Carry out the soup, please, girls.”

Cuc got up slowly, leaving her hand in Di’s until the last second.

Binh lifted the clay pot by one handle, Cuc by the other. They had to move with care. Binh imagined letting go. Cuc would stumble and the sweet coconut would splash her polka-dotted dress.

They set the pot on the long table near Di.

“I just love all this Vietnamese food!” Di was saying to Second Uncle. “It reminds me of when I was a little girl.”

“Then why aren’t you eating any of the raw vegetables?” Second Uncle asked, tucking his beard out of the way.

“I . . .” Di began, her cheeks suddenly red. “When someone isn’t used to the food, it can cause stomach problems.”

“You must try the eel. It’s very tasty.” Second Uncle slipped a strip onto Di’s plate.

Di dropped a pill into her glass of drinking water. The water turned yellow.

“Your water looks dirty,” Cuc said over Di’s shoulder.

Di laughed. “The pill is iodine. It kills the germs.”

“But we’ve never gotten sick from the water,” Second Uncle commented.

“You’re used to it,” Di said, swirling the water as the pill dissolved.

Binh glanced around. If the other relatives saw Di’s dirty-looking water, they would whisper again. She frowned at Cuc, as if daring her to tell the secret.

“In America,” Di said, “our water is very clean.”

Binh stood where Di could see her. She looked longingly at the sky where the planes to America flew. “America sounds more and more wonderful. I wish I could go there.”

“Maybe someday you will,” Di answered.

Binh stirred the dirt with her toe. Maybe. Someday. Di hadn’t said, Don’t worry, little niece. I will take you.

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