Becoming Naomi León: Chapters 10–12

“No,” I said. “Not until I know for sure.” I could already hear the caterwaul of Skyla and Gram fighting if Gram found out.

Gram hesitated and bit her lip. “Well...it would be a big help. Otherwise we’d have to wait forever for another appointment. And it’s just his usual X ray and consultation.”

Owen and I knew Children’s Hospital by heart and could give directions to anyone for surgery, pediatrics, physical therapy, orthopedics, and the lab.

After Owen hopped up and went into the adjoining room, Dr. Navarro turned to Skyla.

“At this juncture, there is nothing more to do. He’s had all the surgeries that his age and size can accommodate. There’s a surgery we would like to do when he reaches adolescence, when he’s thirteen or fourteen, but for now, we’ve reviewed all of his tests and we’ve determined that he’s in great shape. He’s just going to be an FLK.”

Owen pulled himself so far into his hooded sweatshirt, he looked like a swaddled cocoon.

Skyla swooped like a hawk diving for a morsel of meat and grabbed my arm, digging her nails into my skin.

“Well, that’s better,” she said, all perky. She let go and headed down the hall.

“Run, Owen, run fast!” I said, tugging him along beside me into the murky grove.

As we ran to the shed, I heard Skyla’s muffled voice calling from the other side of the dark trees.

“Naomi, in my wildest dreams I never thought I’d uproot Baby Beluga. I told Skyla I’d go to the end of the earth to protect you, and I am fulfilling that prophecy. Besides, I always said you and Owen should know your Mexican history, so we are taking a holiday vacation to Mexico.”

“Naomi, in my wildest dreams I never thought I’d uproot Baby Beluga. I told Skyla I’d go to the end of the earth to protect you, and I am fulfilling that prophecy. Besides, I always said you and Owen should know your Mexican history, so we are taking a holiday vacation to Mexico.”

Gram held up a thick envelope. “I’ve got your birth certificates and my notarized papers right here.”

“Do not even think that,” said Gram. “The lawyer said the court would appoint a mediator, someone who isn’t for one side or the other, to interview everyone involved, which means we will all get to answer...."

"...And we are going to find him. We just have to believe it....” Her voice dwindled into a sigh.

Sitting so close, I could see dark puddles in the withered skin beneath Gram’s eyes.

Owen, settle down back there. You’re as antsy as Lulu.

“That is the city,” said Bernardo. “It is on a mesa, a tabletop.”

The low hills around the edges of the mesa reminded me of an old piece of copper pipe—green, gold, and rust-colored. Behind the foothills, on the horizon, giant curvy purple mountains stood guard. Below, the shadows of the wispy clouds overhead made the entire valley look mottled, like a camouflage jacket.

“We are almost there,” said Bernardo. “We are almost at Barrio Jalatlaco.”

Bernardo finally stopped in front of two rickety wooden gates that were taller than the truck.

On one side of the house a huge full-grown vegetable garden sprawled over the dirt with a maverick vine overtaking the fence.

On one side of the house a huge full-grown vegetable garden sprawled over the dirt with a maverick vine overtaking the fence.

Graciela noticed me staring at the picture. “Nuestra Señora de la Soledad. Our Lady of Solitude,” she said, “the patron saint of Oaxaca. You can see the statue in la basílica, a beautiful old church not too far from el zócalo, the town square.”

I had to smile, thinking of Mrs. Maloney and Gram conspiring to bring us to Mexico.