How Tía Lola Came to (Visit) Stay by Julia Álvarez Read Free Book Online Page B

work out a plan with her brother. They are quiet a moment, thinking. “I know, I know,” she pipes up. “It’ll be like the crossing lady. We’ll draw some signs on some cards and flash them to Tía Lola when Mami is around.”
    “Great idea!” Miguel says, before he remembers it is his dumb little sister who has come up with it.
    *   *   *
    They draw a plate beside a red stop sign. They explain to their aunt that when they flash her that card, she should say, “I can’t eat another bite” in English.
    “Lcan’t-eat-another-bite,” Tía Lola practices.
    “Muy bien, Tía Lola,”
Miguel says. Very good.
    On another card, Juanita draws a round bowl that looks sort of like a toilet bowl. She colors it pink. When Tía Lola sees that card, she has to say, “Where is the ladies’ room?”
    On still another card, they draw a bright sun with a smiley face, “Have a nice day!” Miguel rehearses for his aunt.
    “Have-a-nice-day!” Tía Lola repeats, smiling at the smiley face, “Where-is-the-ladies’-room-L can’t-eat-another-bite,”
    “No, Tía Lola,”
Juanita explains,
“Una a la vez<”
Just say one at a time, Juanita holds up one finger while Miguel flashes one card. They practice several times.
    Finally, Tía Lola understands what they want. It is gratifying when that happens. Their mother always says that the easiest language to learn but the hardest to speak is
mutual understanding.
It iseasy because you don’t even have to speak it with words, but hard because you never can seem to find the right person to speak it to.
    At Rudy’s Restaurant for brunch that Sunday, their mother praises Miguel and Juanita for getting along so well lately. “I’m really proud of you guys for making an effort-”
    It’s just a plot so you’ll let us go to New York, Miguel feels like saying. But it’s not so bad to be getting along with his little sister.
    Across the table, Tía Lola is hungrily eating forkfuls of Rudy’s sourdough pancakes. It is time for step two of the plan.
    Miguel reaches into his pocket. He is sitting next to his mother so she cannot see his left hand. He holds up the card with the drawing of a plate and stop sign and coughs.
    Tía Lola looks up and smiles at the card. “I can’t eat another bite,” she says in perfect English. But she keeps right on shoveling pancake into her mouth.
    Quickly, Miguel pulls Tía Lola’s plate toward him and offers to finish it. Before Tía Lola can protest, he holds up the drawing of the pink bowl.
    “Where is the ladies’ room?” Tía Lola asks out loud. The waitress, happening by, says, “Just follow me.”
    But Tía Lola remains sitting.
    “Come on, Tía Lola,” Juanita urges, taking her aunt by the hand. “I’ve got to go, too.” Tía Lola looks a bit unsure, but she is game for whatever is going on.
    Miguel’s mother watches as Tía Lola and Juanita walk toward the back of the restaurant. “Tía Lola’s English sure has improved,” she notes thoughtfully.
    Now is the moment to pop the question. Miguel takes a deep breath. “So, Mami, can we go to New York?”
    Miguel can see the conflicting emotions on his mother’s face. She will miss them if they leave, but she knows that it is important to let them go. She looks at him for a long moment, and then her face relaxes. He understands that means yes.
    “You’ll take good care of them, won’t you, Miguel?” his mother asks, nodding toward Tía Lola and Juanita, who are returning from the bathroom.
    “Of course I will, Mami,” Miguel promises.
    As his sister sits down, Miguel looks straight at her and smiles-She smiles back. They are speaking the language of mutual understanding without having to say a single word! We’re
going to New York y
his look says.
    Í
cant wait!
her smile replies.
    Rudy comes out from the kitchen to say hello. He has been swamped with the brunch crowd, and he finally has a minute. He ruffles Miguel’s hair and asks Tía Lola how she likes his pancakes,