LAS
TORRES

It’s 12:58 AM. Usually I’m not up this late but I can’t stop sweating.

The van seats feel wet and moist, but my mom says it's safer if we wait in the van. I wish we had A/C.  We’ll wait in here until my dad comes out. With this heat, I don’t even want to play Gameboy or listen to music, I’m just trying to breathe and cool down.

We’ve been waiting for a long time already. My mom gets nervous when my dad takes long.

“Where are we again?”

“Laredo, your dad needs papers for us to go into Mexico.”

This is the worst part. Worse than the desert that’s coming next. The desert is too hot for people to live in and there isn’t anything to see. Eventually, you see the big black bull and the brown mountains that look like a horse seat. I really like the lines mountains make. 

Another drop of sweat runs down my cheek. While we wait, we look at all the other people waiting. It’s dark and kinda scary. Everyone is looking at me through my window. Maybe because my sister is crying. It’s an awful sound. But the heat is much worse. Worse than the twirling green mountains that feel like infinite eights. Those are after the desert. They make me want to throw up. Green mountains are my favorite, but not driving in them.

The mountains are good because they are a sign that we’re almost there. 

—

The light looks gold. There’s roads that split mountains and hills as far as the eye can see.

I recognize all of this. Since the speed bumps in the last pueblo, I know where we are now. Knowing that makes me smile, because I know it won’t be much longer.

The road is only two lanes, and that’s it. To the left horizon, land. To the right horizon, land. I can count every dash line in the middle of the road. The white line turns grey every other second.

SANTA MARIA. A green road sign and to the left, only a couple of houses. We keep driving. My dad must be tired of driving this whole time, but I know he’s happy to be home. I can’t wait to see everyone. I wonder what the others brought.

Another green road sign, EL BECERRO. A couple of houses to the right. Almost there. I know where to look now. I’ll be able to see the church from far away.

It’s 11:05 AM. There’s the green sign, LA HACIENDITA. We slow down and turn right. I can’t wait to stretch my body. All the people say buenos dias through the window, even though I don’t know them. They probably know my dad.

Mmmmm… Maybe there’ll still be some tortas de chorizo left. All the little houses are different colors. Ours is green. Like limon.

There’s el Mudito! Haha. And my primo Roachie! And Julian! And Cari! And Clau! And Meli too! Everyone is here! It’s going to be the best summer ever.  Wow, getting here makes you think about the long adventure. You have to go through some parts that are hard but it’s definitely worth it when you get there. 

“Q’hubo Como andan, todos llegaron bien?”