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Authors: Christina Gonzalez
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about it.” He glanced over at me. “Some people have this crazy ideathat Castro wants kids to be the property of the state.” He then gave me a little smile and wink. “Like Fidel really wants to deal with thousands of pipsqueaks. Figure out where they should live and go to school.” Tío shook his head. “The whole idea is silly.”
“Yeah, I guess it does sound crazy.”
The convertible turned sharply and I slid toward the passenger door. Tío chuckled. “Careful there, Slick.” He pulled into a parking space in front of what used to be the very exclusive yacht club.
Un nido de parásitos
, a nest of parasites. That’s what the newspapers had called the place before the revolution shut it down and turned it into a public meeting hall and cultural center.
Tío turned to face me. “Okay, I don’t want to sit with all the mother hens inside. You’ll be fine if I stay out here and smoke a few, right?”
I nodded, knowing that this was not going to go over well with Mamá.
“I’ll be here if you need me. Ready for your big night?”
“Ready,” I answered.
Chapter 10
C ASTRO’S D EAL —P EOPLE FOR T RACTORS
—
T HE
W ASHINGTON P OST , M AY 27, 1961
“Chica
, you look gorgeous!” Ivette gave me a quick hug.
“You too,” I said.
“Oh, this old thing?” Ivette gave me a wink and spun around in her new dress. If anyone else had worn it, they might’ve looked like one big domino, but Ivette made it work. She was a fashion queen.
I scanned the dance floor. There, under a canopy of white crepe-paper ribbons, ten couples danced as the band played a quick merengue. Next to them, along the back wall, sat the chaperones … all keeping a watchful eye on the dancing. I felt like Cinderella at the ball.
“He’s over there,” Ivette whispered, and pointed to a corner where some potted plants had been decorated with clear twinkling lights.
“Who?” I asked casually.
“Por favor.”
Ivette rolled her eyes.
Then I saw him. Manuel. Walking straight toward us in his light-colored suit and thin black tie. He looked like a movie star … Elvis, only better.
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
“Hi, Manuel. Did you see who just got here?” Ivette asked.
He nodded, scanning me from head to toe.
“Hola
, Lucía,” he said.
A slow Beny Moré song started to play.
“Hola.”
I looked down at the floor.
“I think my brother’s looking for me.” Ivette gave me a little nudge. “I’ll catch you later.”
I stood frozen. Not knowing what to say.
“Would you like to dance?” Manuel asked.
I took a deep breath and nodded.
Manuel took me by the hand and led me to the dance floor. In his arms, it felt like no one else mattered. I floated around the room.
The next song played was “The Twist,” so we let go of each other but continued dancing together. I started to relax.
“Nice not to have to worry about school for a while, huh?” Manuel asked while Chubby Checker’s song told us all to “come on and twist.”
I nodded. “Señora Cardoza was never much fun.”
Manuel laughed and rolled his eyes. Those beautiful green eyes. “Tell me about it. This is the second yearI have to take her class!” He pointed to the side of the dance floor. “You want to get a drink?”
“Okay,” I answered, seeing Ivette and a few others by the punch bowl.
Manuel reached over and took my hand.
It was all I could do not to jump up and down. I felt a sudden urge to giggle … but somehow I faked being calm.
Ivette raised a single eyebrow as we walked over.
“So, I see you’re having a good time,” Raúl, Ivette’s older brother, snickered.
“You bet,” Manuel answered, dropping my hand to get our drinks.
I’d never hated cups so much in my life.
“Ready for our adventure, Raúl?” Manuel asked.
“You kidding? Absolutely. This is going to be the best summer of our lives. Out there, helping the revolution, what could be better?” Raúl took a sip of the punch.
“Maybe we’ll catch
“Yeah, I guess it does sound crazy.”
The convertible turned sharply and I slid toward the passenger door. Tío chuckled. “Careful there, Slick.” He pulled into a parking space in front of what used to be the very exclusive yacht club.
Un nido de parásitos
, a nest of parasites. That’s what the newspapers had called the place before the revolution shut it down and turned it into a public meeting hall and cultural center.
Tío turned to face me. “Okay, I don’t want to sit with all the mother hens inside. You’ll be fine if I stay out here and smoke a few, right?”
I nodded, knowing that this was not going to go over well with Mamá.
“I’ll be here if you need me. Ready for your big night?”
“Ready,” I answered.
Chapter 10
C ASTRO’S D EAL —P EOPLE FOR T RACTORS
—
T HE
W ASHINGTON P OST , M AY 27, 1961
“Chica
, you look gorgeous!” Ivette gave me a quick hug.
“You too,” I said.
“Oh, this old thing?” Ivette gave me a wink and spun around in her new dress. If anyone else had worn it, they might’ve looked like one big domino, but Ivette made it work. She was a fashion queen.
I scanned the dance floor. There, under a canopy of white crepe-paper ribbons, ten couples danced as the band played a quick merengue. Next to them, along the back wall, sat the chaperones … all keeping a watchful eye on the dancing. I felt like Cinderella at the ball.
“He’s over there,” Ivette whispered, and pointed to a corner where some potted plants had been decorated with clear twinkling lights.
“Who?” I asked casually.
“Por favor.”
Ivette rolled her eyes.
Then I saw him. Manuel. Walking straight toward us in his light-colored suit and thin black tie. He looked like a movie star … Elvis, only better.
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
“Hi, Manuel. Did you see who just got here?” Ivette asked.
He nodded, scanning me from head to toe.
“Hola
, Lucía,” he said.
A slow Beny Moré song started to play.
“Hola.”
I looked down at the floor.
“I think my brother’s looking for me.” Ivette gave me a little nudge. “I’ll catch you later.”
I stood frozen. Not knowing what to say.
“Would you like to dance?” Manuel asked.
I took a deep breath and nodded.
Manuel took me by the hand and led me to the dance floor. In his arms, it felt like no one else mattered. I floated around the room.
The next song played was “The Twist,” so we let go of each other but continued dancing together. I started to relax.
“Nice not to have to worry about school for a while, huh?” Manuel asked while Chubby Checker’s song told us all to “come on and twist.”
I nodded. “Señora Cardoza was never much fun.”
Manuel laughed and rolled his eyes. Those beautiful green eyes. “Tell me about it. This is the second yearI have to take her class!” He pointed to the side of the dance floor. “You want to get a drink?”
“Okay,” I answered, seeing Ivette and a few others by the punch bowl.
Manuel reached over and took my hand.
It was all I could do not to jump up and down. I felt a sudden urge to giggle … but somehow I faked being calm.
Ivette raised a single eyebrow as we walked over.
“So, I see you’re having a good time,” Raúl, Ivette’s older brother, snickered.
“You bet,” Manuel answered, dropping my hand to get our drinks.
I’d never hated cups so much in my life.
“Ready for our adventure, Raúl?” Manuel asked.
“You kidding? Absolutely. This is going to be the best summer of our lives. Out there, helping the revolution, what could be better?” Raúl took a sip of the punch.
“Maybe we’ll catch
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