Read Online Tortilla Sun by Jennifer Cervantes - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jennifer Cervantes
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off her feet, but she must have lost her balance, because she fell in and the rush of the water pushed her down. Of course your father jumped in to save her. The river was so high that year, like it is now.” She shook her head.
“He pushed your mom toward a log in the river where she grabbed hold, but when she looked back, your papa was nowhere to be seen. His leg had become wedged between two rocks.” Nana wiped a tear from her cheek. “She was eight months pregnant.”
My head started to spin in circles, making me dizzy.
And like the wind, Nana warmly touched my cheek. “I’m sorry. This is so much to hear at once.”
I pulled the jersey over my head and wrapped my arms around myself. It smelled of fresh earth after a summer rain. I ran my hands down the front, smoothing the worn lines. “Don’t stop.”
“When your mother was brought to shore, the shock of it all sent her into labor. Thank goodness other people were with her. And that’s where you were born,
mija
.”
“I was born on the river?”
“
Sí
. You came out so quickly that no one had time to get your mother to the hospital.” She took my hand in hers. “But you, you were the
milagro
, the miracle, Izzy. You were born early, but strong.”
“Mom said he died before I was born.” My voice quivered.
“Your mother thought it was a bad omen to have a birth and death on the same day. She was just trying to protect you.”
I pictured a calendar in my head and put an
X
over my birthday. No wonder she always seemed so unhappy on my birthday.
“It’s my fault,” I said. “He died saving me. Maybe I wasn’t meant to be born.”
Nana squeezed my hand. “No! When it is our time to go, it is our time and nothing can stop that. And when it is our time to be born, we come to this earth. Don’t you ever think it was your fault.” She tilted my chin upward to make eye contact. “Do you hear me?” she whispered. “We weren’t made to understand the ways of the Lord, but we have to trust that everything happens for a reason.”
“Why didn’t Mom give me his last name?”
Nana straightened the stack of towels on the coffee table. “You are just as much Reed as you are Roybal. Your mama went back to her maiden name after … to get a fresh start, I suppose.” Shehesitated for a moment and just as she opened her mouth to say more, the phone rang.
Nana scooted to the edge of the sofa to stand.
“Don’t answer it. I want to hear the rest of the story.”
“It might be important.”
“Please.”
Nana and I looked at each other for what seemed like forever waiting for that dumb phone to stop ringing. I knew it would be quicker just to answer it than to let it ring.
Finally, I sprang from the sofa impatiently and ran to the phone. Dad’s jersey hung almost to my knees. “Hello?”
“Izzy?”
“Mom?”
“I’ve been calling and calling, but couldn’t get through. How are you? How’s the village?” She took a deep breath and laughed. “I have so much to tell you. It’s—”
Static filled the long distance between us.
“Can you hear me, Izzy?” Her voice crackled.
“Mom? Wait.” I moved the phone to my other ear. “Why didn’t you tell me about Dad?”
“Dad?” The next words were garbled before she said, “Did you hear me?”
“No. You’re breaking up.” I tapped the phone with my fingers before placing it back against my ear. “Mom, I need to talk to you.”
Three seconds of clear reception followed, long enough for Mom to say, “I love you.”
Before I could say another word, the phone went dead.
12
The Secret Ingredient
“Izzy, wake up,” Nana whispered as she shook me by the shoulders the next night.
I rubbed my eyes and sat up. “What time is it?”
“It’s midnight. There is no time to lose. Hurry, get dressed.”
I threw on some clothes, half-dazed, then I followed her out the house. “But where are we going?”
“To the mesa above the river. Tonight we are gathering
yerbas
.
“He pushed your mom toward a log in the river where she grabbed hold, but when she looked back, your papa was nowhere to be seen. His leg had become wedged between two rocks.” Nana wiped a tear from her cheek. “She was eight months pregnant.”
My head started to spin in circles, making me dizzy.
And like the wind, Nana warmly touched my cheek. “I’m sorry. This is so much to hear at once.”
I pulled the jersey over my head and wrapped my arms around myself. It smelled of fresh earth after a summer rain. I ran my hands down the front, smoothing the worn lines. “Don’t stop.”
“When your mother was brought to shore, the shock of it all sent her into labor. Thank goodness other people were with her. And that’s where you were born,
mija
.”
“I was born on the river?”
“
Sí
. You came out so quickly that no one had time to get your mother to the hospital.” She took my hand in hers. “But you, you were the
milagro
, the miracle, Izzy. You were born early, but strong.”
“Mom said he died before I was born.” My voice quivered.
“Your mother thought it was a bad omen to have a birth and death on the same day. She was just trying to protect you.”
I pictured a calendar in my head and put an
X
over my birthday. No wonder she always seemed so unhappy on my birthday.
“It’s my fault,” I said. “He died saving me. Maybe I wasn’t meant to be born.”
Nana squeezed my hand. “No! When it is our time to go, it is our time and nothing can stop that. And when it is our time to be born, we come to this earth. Don’t you ever think it was your fault.” She tilted my chin upward to make eye contact. “Do you hear me?” she whispered. “We weren’t made to understand the ways of the Lord, but we have to trust that everything happens for a reason.”
“Why didn’t Mom give me his last name?”
Nana straightened the stack of towels on the coffee table. “You are just as much Reed as you are Roybal. Your mama went back to her maiden name after … to get a fresh start, I suppose.” Shehesitated for a moment and just as she opened her mouth to say more, the phone rang.
Nana scooted to the edge of the sofa to stand.
“Don’t answer it. I want to hear the rest of the story.”
“It might be important.”
“Please.”
Nana and I looked at each other for what seemed like forever waiting for that dumb phone to stop ringing. I knew it would be quicker just to answer it than to let it ring.
Finally, I sprang from the sofa impatiently and ran to the phone. Dad’s jersey hung almost to my knees. “Hello?”
“Izzy?”
“Mom?”
“I’ve been calling and calling, but couldn’t get through. How are you? How’s the village?” She took a deep breath and laughed. “I have so much to tell you. It’s—”
Static filled the long distance between us.
“Can you hear me, Izzy?” Her voice crackled.
“Mom? Wait.” I moved the phone to my other ear. “Why didn’t you tell me about Dad?”
“Dad?” The next words were garbled before she said, “Did you hear me?”
“No. You’re breaking up.” I tapped the phone with my fingers before placing it back against my ear. “Mom, I need to talk to you.”
Three seconds of clear reception followed, long enough for Mom to say, “I love you.”
Before I could say another word, the phone went dead.
12
The Secret Ingredient
“Izzy, wake up,” Nana whispered as she shook me by the shoulders the next night.
I rubbed my eyes and sat up. “What time is it?”
“It’s midnight. There is no time to lose. Hurry, get dressed.”
I threw on some clothes, half-dazed, then I followed her out the house. “But where are we going?”
“To the mesa above the river. Tonight we are gathering
yerbas
.
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