Read Online A Thunderous Whisper by Christina Diaz Gonzalez - Free Book Online Page A

heavenly aromas of onions, garlic, and spices melding together. “I’ll be with you in a minute,” she said, turning her attention back to the pot on the stove. “I have to finish this sopa de ajo or else dinner will be ruined.”
    “Sí, señora,” I said, watching a little girl run into the room and hide behind the woman’s long gray skirt.
    “Oh, you can call me Lupe, and”—she pried the child away from her leg—“this is Carmita, my daughter.”
    Carmita sneaked a look at Mathias and me before burying her face in Lupe’s skirt again.
    “I’m Mathias, and that’s—”
    “Mami, carga ,” Carmita interrupted, raising her arms to be carried.
    “Shhh,” Lupe said to the little girl before wiping her hands on the apron in order to shake our hands. “ Un placer to meet the two of you.”
    “Ma-a-ami!” Carmita tugged on Lupe’s dress.
    Ignoring her daughter’s demands, Lupe turned back to the stove to stir the pot once more. “When Padre Iñaki told me that we were getting a few sardines to feed the homeless, I couldn’t believe it. I don’t know how that man stretches the little money we collect.”
    “Mami, up, up,” Carmita pleaded, throwing her head back to look at her mother.
    “Not now. Mira .” Lupe pointed to some coins on a small silver platter. “You can help me by giving those to the pretty girl.”
    “No!” Carmita pouted. “¡Carga!” she demanded, jumping up and down with her little arms raised.
    I cringed as I saw Lupe untie her apron. I’d seen Mamá do the same thing when I was young. Although, with me, it wouldn’t have taken this long before I’d have been facing the back side of a wooden spoon.
    “Vamos.” Lupe bent down and picked the little girl up, tickling her tummy.
    Carmita squealed with delight.
    A sense of relief washed over me, and a huge smile spread across my face as Lupe carried her daughter to go look at the sardines.
    “So, are you now doing deliveries without your mother?” Lupe asked, peering into the basket.
    “Um, I … no … I mean, yes.…” I looked over at Mathias in a bit of a panic. My mind drew a blank. Was I supposed to say yes or no? Obviously, Lupe knew who I was. No clever story came to mind.
    “Cat got your tongue, princess?” Mathias smiled, then directed himself to Lupe. “We’re only doing this on Mondays since her mother’s busy with the market. You’re actually our final delivery.” He raised the last of our envelopes in the air before placing it on the table. “This is for Padre Iñaki. Will you make sure he gets it?”
    I shuffled my feet and stared at the ground, wishing I could slap my head for being such an idiot. All I had to say was the truth, and I’d almost blown it. Sometimes I needed to forget about making up a story.
    Lupe nodded. “Of course. I’ll give it to him as soon as he arrives.” She gave me a quick glance before looking back at Mathias. “Princess, huh? That’s sweet.”
    Mathias seemed confused for a moment, then his cheeks began to blaze as he realized that Lupe thought his nickname for me was a term of endearment. “Oh no. That’s just Ani. I didn’t mean—”
    “Are you really a princess?” Carmita asked, staring at me as if I were some wondrous creature.
    “No, sweetie, Ani is just a very pretty girl like you.” Lupe readjusted the little girl on her hip as she tilted the large basket. “Oh my, are all these for us?”
    “Um.” I stole a quick glance at Mathias. I had already mentioned to Señor Beltran’s maid that he was donating sardines to the poor. And all the other customers wanted only one or two fish, even if they paid for several more. This would fit our story.
    Mathias gave me a shrug, picked up a little rag doll from the kitchen counter, and started tapping Carmita’s arm with it.
    “Oh no, it can’t all be for us.” Lupe shook her head. “We don’t have nearly enough money for it. I didn’t mean to put you on the spot. I just got confused because you