Silencioso Espera- Silent Wait
Esperanza was shocked. It couldn't be true! Mama was all she had! Papa and Abuelita were gone already, she couldn't lose Mama too! Isabel asked, "Is Senora Ramona going to die?" No one answered her. Esperanza made up her mind. "I am going to see Mama." And with that, she quickly got her shawl, then ran out of the house, ignoring the cries of "Wait!" and "Come back!" from Hortensia and Josefina. She kept on running until she reached the road, where she waited until Juan and Alfonso came home. She leapt up when she saw the familiar pick-up truck. She begged Juan to take her to the news house, and he, bewildered, obeyed. When he was gone, she ran the last couple blocks to the hospital. She ran in and asked, breathlessly, where Senora Ramona Ortega was. The lady at the front desk said she was in cuerto doce, ala este: room 12, east wing. Esperanza started running and didn't stop until she reached the room. Then, she gasped as she saw who was with Mama.
It was Miguel. He was talking in hushed tones with Mama, apparently unaware of Esperanza's presence. Mama was in mid-nod when she saw her daughter, and started to smile brightly. "Mi hija! My daughter! Anza, you are here! Mi una familia! My only family! I love you so much!" Esperanza could tell that she was a little loco, and thought that it was the medicine.
Miguel stood up suddenly and said stiffly, "I must go. Adios Esperanza, Senora Ortega." And he left.
Esperanza looked at Mama with questioning eyes. "Anza, don't mind Miguel, he's just worried about me. The doctor said I may not get better. He really cares about you." Esperanza was about to say something, but just then the doctor came in.
"I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave, Ms. Ortega is very sick and she needs her rest. Are you her daughter?" Not wanting to waste time, she answered with a quick "Si." He smiled. "Good, good, could you borrow you for a minute?"
"Si, senor, sir."
She waited outside the door. He closed the door behind them. "Could, if possible, you have an adult in your family come in here? Your mama may not get better, and I need to make arrangements with someone."
Esperanza said softly, "I'm her una familia, her only family, left. Papa and Abuelita are dead. We only have each other." She made her gaze meet his shocked eyes.
"You are very young, and I do not wish to burden you with this information. But you must know the truth. Your mama has three weeks to live. The valley fever is killing her. There's nothing we can do." Esperanza felt like she was in a dream as she ran, ran as though she would never reach her destination, and fell, countless times, tripping on the uneven path, until she reached the valley, where she collapsed, unable to run anymore, sobs undertaking her, then going unconscious, not knowing that it was Miguel who found her, that it was he who comforted her, that it was he who carried her home.
El
It was Miguel. He was talking in hushed tones with Mama, apparently unaware of Esperanza's presence. Mama was in mid-nod when she saw her daughter, and started to smile brightly. "Mi hija! My daughter! Anza, you are here! Mi una familia! My only family! I love you so much!" Esperanza could tell that she was a little loco, and thought that it was the medicine.
Miguel se levantó de repente y dijo rígidamente, "debo ir. Adios Esperanza, Senora Ortega." Y él se marchó.
El Esperanza miró a la Madre con el interrogatorio de ojos. "Anza, no haga caso de Miguel, él está preocupado sólo sobre mí. El doctor dijo que puedo no mejorarme. Él realmente se preocupa por usted." El Esperanza estuvo a punto de decir algo, pero en ese momento el doctor entró.
"Perdón, pero voy a tener que pedirle marcharse, Sra. Ortega está muy enferma y ella necesita su resto. ¿Son usted su hija?" No queriendo gastar tiempo, ella contestó "con Si" rápido. Él sonrió. ¿"Bueno, bueno, podría usted tomarle prestado durante un minuto?"
"Si, senor."
Ella esperó fuera de la puerta. Él cerró la puerta detrás de ellos. ¿"Podía, de ser posible, usted tiene a un adulto en su familia entrada aquí? Su madre puede no mejorarse, y tengo que hacer preparativos con alguien."
Esperanza dijo suavemente, "soy su una familia, su única familia, abandonada. El papá y Abuelita están muertos. Sólo tenemos el uno al otro." Ella hizo su mirada fija encontrar sus ojos sobresaltados.
Usted es muy joven, y no deseo cargarle con esta información. Pero usted debe saber la verdad. Su madre tiene tres semanas para vivir. La fiebre de valle la mata. No hay nada podemos hacer. " El Esperanza pareció ella estaba en un sueño como ella corrió, corrió como si ella nunca alcanzara su destino, y se cayera, tiempos innumerables, paso ligero en el camino desigual, hasta que ella alcanzara el valle, donde ella sufrió un colapso, incapaz de correr más, sollozos que la emprenden, luego yendo el inconsciente, no sabiendo que era Miguel que la encontró, que era él que la consoló, que era él que llevó su casa.
