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and a pair of sneakers. They also bought a dark blue coat, mittens, and a cap for the winter. Then they purchased a few items and a coat for Elena as well. Miguel had been shopping the day before with José to buy clothes for work.
    After they left the mall, Rosie took them for lunch at another restaurant where they ate hamburgers.
Apparently a common dish in this country
, Luisito thought.
    When they sat down they saw the same young man who had been following them sitting in a corner booth eating a burger.
    â€œIsn’t that the blond guy from the store?” Luisito asked.
    â€œWell, this restaurant is not that far from the store,” said Rosie.
    Then Luisito saw the other two men who had also been following them.
    â€œI don’t like this,” Luisito said, mumbling a Spanish proverb. “
Te
conozco
bacalao
aunque
vengas
disfrasao
—I know you, codfish, even if you are in disguise. Those guys over there are Cuban and they are purposely following us.”
    â€œIt’s nothing, please, just a coincidence,” Rosie said, smiling nervously. “I am Cuban as well. That doesn’t mean anything.”
    â€œYes, but the way they were following us and looking at us straight in the eyes is just like the intimidation they used in Cuba,” Elena said.
    â€œI am going to the bathroom,” Sonia said, standing up and heading toward the back of the restaurant.
    Rosie quickly excused herself and followed after her.
    â€œAre you crazy, Sonia? You shouldn’t be going anywhere by yourself. Those guys could be murderers on the loose stalking us!” Rosie said.
    â€œWell, what happened to
‘It’s all a coincidence, this place is close to the store?
’” Sonia said.
    â€œI don’t want to scare them, because they just came from Cuba, but I am not taking any chances,” Rosie whispered to Sonia, taking her daughter’s hand and pulling her back toward the table.
    â€œBut, I need to go!” said Sonia.
    â€œHold it till we get home,” said Rosie. “We are not going into that bathroom by ourselves.”
    â€œShall we ask more people to join us?” said Sonia, smiling sarcastically, but Rosie ignored her comment and directed her right back to the table.
    The men kept glancing toward their table as they spoke.
    â€œOkay, that is it!” Sonia said. “I am going to go right up to him and ask him if he knows us.”
    The two Hispanic men threw their leftovers into the trash can by the exit and disappeared. A few minutes after the blond man did the same.
    â€œNo, he’s leaving,” Rosie said, grabbing Sonia by the arm. She looked playfully at Elena. “This girl could have never survived in communist Cuba.”

15 QUINCE
    The following Sunday morning Luisito joined his cousins in the kitchen early for breakfast. He was still amazed that all the appliances in the kitchen worked all the time and there were never any electricity shortages. The smell of peppers and onions lingered in the air. Rosie brought out of the oven a Spanish tortilla, a well-cooked potato omelet with onions and red peppers that looked a little like a cake.
    The family hurried with their breakfast so they could get to Mass. Luisito’s parents had given up going to Mass in Cuba because of fear, and now they found peace just by entering the church and listening to the beautiful music, looking at the religious art all around them, and prayingwith others. They especially wanted to thank God this Sunday for having received their working permits.
    Miguel was now working as a secretary at a doctor’s office during the day, and at night he was bagging groceries at a supermarket. He had two nights off from the grocery store, and he and Elena were attending English classes at a nearby high school. Once Miguel and Elena mastered English they could start studying to resume their former careers. Elena was working with Rosie at José’s architecture firm.