Read Online Rogelia's House of Magic by Jamie Martinez Wood - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jamie Martinez Wood
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Peralta house was kidney-bean shaped and surrounded by large rocks. Between the rocks grew birds-of-paradise, king palms, and several plumeria trees in full bloom, sending their sweet, soft perfume into the air. Xochitl stared in amazement at the waterfall at the far end of the pool, which made a gentle gurgling sound, and the dragonfly twinkle lights strung copiously over the latticework around the patio. The opulent beauty of the backyard felt like forbidden fruit. How could she really let herself enjoy all this with Graciela gone?
Marina stepped down the tiled pool stairs, carefully testing the water. “It’s a saltwater pool. No chemicals.”
“Hooray for no chemicals!” Fern did a cannonball, sending water all over Marina and the blue slate deck.
Marina retaliated by squeezing water between the palms of her hands, creating a stream directly aimed at Fern when she resurfaced.
“Ahh!” Fern yelled.
Xochitl stepped back to avoid getting wet and to distance herself from Marina and Fern. Their playfulness reminded her of the closeness she had shared with her sister, and it was making her ache all over.
Marina dove into the water and then popped back up a few seconds later, her hair glistening. “Come on, Xochitl. The water feels great!”
“Don’t make me come get you,” Fern warned, wagging a finger in Xochitl’s direction.
Xochitl paused for a moment longer. Even though she might feel a little uncomfortable and out of place, she longed for companionship. When she had left Guadalajara, she had hoped for exciting adventures, new friends, and big opportunities. She seemed to have it all at her fingertips now. She just needed to convince herself to go for it. Xochitl took a deep breath and made up her mind and dove cleanly into the pool. The cool freshness of the water changed her entire attitude almost instantly. She swam the length of the pool before taking a breath.
“You’re a good swimmer,” Fern observed.
“Race you!” Marina challenged.
“I’m out,” Fern said as she dog-paddled to the opposite end of the pool. “I’ll ref you two, though.”
“All right,” Xochitl said, pushing her wet black hair out of her eyes. She smiled shyly, then took off the T-shirt and placed it on the pool deck.
“Ready, set, go!” Fern called.
Xochitl cut through the water like an Olympic gold medalist. Every weekend, she and Graciela would float down the river and then race back against the current. Xochitl easily passed Marina and touched the end of the pool first.
Fern whistled. “She smoked you!”
“Wanna race again?” Xochitl asked with a surprising amount of enthusiasm.
“You’re on!” Marina said.
Fifteen minutes and three races later, Xochitl was crowned the victor. After the final race, Xochitl swam another lap just to feel the silent water rush past her. She rejoined Marina and Fern at the other end of the pool.
“No one has ever beaten me on my own turf,” Marina panted.
“Looks like you’ve met your match,” Fern said.
After floating in the pool for a half hour, they dried off with the whitest, fluffiest towels Xochitl had ever used. A warm, sultry breeze whispered through the trees, sending pink and yellow plumeria flowers fluttering and spinning to the ground at their feet as they headed back to the house. It was like paradise for Xochitl.
When they ambled through the kitchen, Rogelia was busy at the stove. “My specialty,” she said, offering the girls three steaming mugs of hot cocoa with tiny marshmallows floating on top.
“Thanks,” Fern and Xochitl said simultaneously.
Nana gave Xochitl a special smile as she handed her the mug. Xochitl felt a strange mix of comfort and grief. Nana had made her delicious cocoa every Saturday night in Mexico. Xochitl thought of how she used to fight Graciela for more marshmallows. When would getting a simple treat like this not bring with it a rush of sadness, too?
Marina received her cup of cocoa like it was the Holy Grail
Marina stepped down the tiled pool stairs, carefully testing the water. “It’s a saltwater pool. No chemicals.”
“Hooray for no chemicals!” Fern did a cannonball, sending water all over Marina and the blue slate deck.
Marina retaliated by squeezing water between the palms of her hands, creating a stream directly aimed at Fern when she resurfaced.
“Ahh!” Fern yelled.
Xochitl stepped back to avoid getting wet and to distance herself from Marina and Fern. Their playfulness reminded her of the closeness she had shared with her sister, and it was making her ache all over.
Marina dove into the water and then popped back up a few seconds later, her hair glistening. “Come on, Xochitl. The water feels great!”
“Don’t make me come get you,” Fern warned, wagging a finger in Xochitl’s direction.
Xochitl paused for a moment longer. Even though she might feel a little uncomfortable and out of place, she longed for companionship. When she had left Guadalajara, she had hoped for exciting adventures, new friends, and big opportunities. She seemed to have it all at her fingertips now. She just needed to convince herself to go for it. Xochitl took a deep breath and made up her mind and dove cleanly into the pool. The cool freshness of the water changed her entire attitude almost instantly. She swam the length of the pool before taking a breath.
“You’re a good swimmer,” Fern observed.
“Race you!” Marina challenged.
“I’m out,” Fern said as she dog-paddled to the opposite end of the pool. “I’ll ref you two, though.”
“All right,” Xochitl said, pushing her wet black hair out of her eyes. She smiled shyly, then took off the T-shirt and placed it on the pool deck.
“Ready, set, go!” Fern called.
Xochitl cut through the water like an Olympic gold medalist. Every weekend, she and Graciela would float down the river and then race back against the current. Xochitl easily passed Marina and touched the end of the pool first.
Fern whistled. “She smoked you!”
“Wanna race again?” Xochitl asked with a surprising amount of enthusiasm.
“You’re on!” Marina said.
Fifteen minutes and three races later, Xochitl was crowned the victor. After the final race, Xochitl swam another lap just to feel the silent water rush past her. She rejoined Marina and Fern at the other end of the pool.
“No one has ever beaten me on my own turf,” Marina panted.
“Looks like you’ve met your match,” Fern said.
After floating in the pool for a half hour, they dried off with the whitest, fluffiest towels Xochitl had ever used. A warm, sultry breeze whispered through the trees, sending pink and yellow plumeria flowers fluttering and spinning to the ground at their feet as they headed back to the house. It was like paradise for Xochitl.
When they ambled through the kitchen, Rogelia was busy at the stove. “My specialty,” she said, offering the girls three steaming mugs of hot cocoa with tiny marshmallows floating on top.
“Thanks,” Fern and Xochitl said simultaneously.
Nana gave Xochitl a special smile as she handed her the mug. Xochitl felt a strange mix of comfort and grief. Nana had made her delicious cocoa every Saturday night in Mexico. Xochitl thought of how she used to fight Graciela for more marshmallows. When would getting a simple treat like this not bring with it a rush of sadness, too?
Marina received her cup of cocoa like it was the Holy Grail
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