Salsa Stories by Lulu Delacre Read Free Book Online Page A

and I fell sound asleep.
    â€œMarilia, get dressed!” Mami called early the next morning. “We have to leave soon for school.”
    How unlucky. I woke up feeling quite well. There was only one thing left to do, I ran to the bathroom, let the hot water run, and drank a full glass of it. Then I went back to bed.
    â€œMarilia.” Mami came in. “Get up! What is going on with you?”
    â€œI feel warm, Mami,” I mumbled.
    Mami looked at me with concern. She touched my forehead and my neck. Then she left the room and in a few minutes came back with the thermometer in her hands. I opened my mouth and she slipped it under my tongue.
    When the time was up, Mami pulled the thermometer out and read it.
    â€œOne hundred and six degrees?” she exclaimed. “That’s impossible. You look perfectly fine to me.”
    After a little questioning, I confessed what I had done. I told Mami how much I didn’t want to go on the field trip.
    â€œYou know, Marilia,” she advised, “you might enjoy yourself after all. Besides, I’ve already promised Sister Antonia two trays of tembleque to bring as an aguinaldo to the residents of the home.”
    There was no way out. I had to go.
    Â 
    In the big lobby of the nursing home, paper streamers hung from the tall windows. The residents were scattered everywhere. Some were seated on the couches. Some were in wheelchairs. Some walked clutching on to their walkers. A nurse hovered over a group of men as she dispensed pills. Sister Antonia took out her guitar and at the sound of the first bar we began to sing a medley of carols. Several of the girls accompanied with maracas , güiro , and palitos . Meanwhile, the residents clapped and sang along while a sixth grader passed around our cards for us to give to them later. As I watched how happy our music made the residents, memories of my grandma rushed to me, making me dizzy with sadness. Suddenly, I saw that everybody was visiting with the residents. I was alone. I didn’t feel like joining one of the groups. Maybe I could quietly slip away until the visit was over. I hoped it would be soon. Then I noticed a chair against the yellow wall. I sat there still holding the card I had made.
    Across the room there was a frail old lady in a wheel-chair. She was alone, too. I looked at my card again. It was rather pretty. I had painted it with shades of blue and gold. Maybe I could just hand it to her and leave. It might brighten her day. So gingerly, I crossed the lobby and stood next to her.
    â€œWho is there?” the old lady asked as she coquettishly fixed her silver bun with the light touch of her manicured hand.
    â€œMy name is Marilia,” I said. “I brought you a card.”
    â€œDios te bendiga,” the old woman said. “God bless you.”
    She reached for the card but her hand was nowhere near it. Her gaze was lost in the distance, and I knelt down to place the card in her hand. It was then that I saw the big clouds in her eyes. She was blind. What was the use of a card if you couldn’t see it? I felt cheated. I stood up to go back to my chair.
    â€œMy name is Elenita,” she said as I tried to slip away. “Tell me, Marilia, what does your card look like?”
    I knelt down beside her and, in as vivid detail as I could, described the three wise men I had drawn. Then, Elenita’s curious fingers caressed every inch of the card. She couldn’t have enjoyed it more if she had seen it.
    When the coconut sweets were passed around, she mischievously asked for two.
    â€œI bet you are not supposed to eat one of these,” she giggled.
    â€œNo,” I replied. “Sister Antonia told us that the sweets were just for residents.”
    â€œWell,” she whispered. “Nobody said I couldn’t give you one of mine .”

    I liked Elenita. I placed the besito de coco in my mouth and relished it even more. Especially since I wasn’t supposed