The Family (16 page)

“Okay.” Twig nodded and turned to look out the window. The vegetation glowed green on either side of her. Stray dogs trotted along the road looking for food and the next place to sleep. Small houses in various states of disrepair dotted the narrow road.

“Two: only go where we absolutely need to go for our supplies. I know you won’t believe this, but I have to tell you or else you won’t be prepared. You will be tempted to look around. You’ll be tempted to go into other stores and watch the people. The temptation will be powerful, but it will only lead to pain. I’m sorry to bring this up, but you could be attacked or abducted.”

Twigs was only half-listening. She continued to stare out the window, grateful for the change of scenery. She was learning something new about herself. She liked adventure, and so far, she loved meeting new people. New people from the outside world. Leo, Hazel, Dr. Young, Marianna, and Gran. She felt her heart and mind changing just like the scenery outside the van. Her mood lifted more and more by the minute.

They passed through the town of Tuis, which consisted of a large Catholic church and several bars housed in residential homes. Neon signs advertising different brands of beer blinked in their windows.

“We’re going to go to the post office, general store, and then groceries. We can sit in the van and have our sandwiches at lunchtime.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Twig said with a quiet smile. She wondered about running into Leo at any of those places.

Thomas parked the car in front of the post office, only a block away from the main square of Turrialba. Twig gasped when she stepped out of the van. The plaza was teeming with life. Twig squeezed Thomas’ arm. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing—seeing, and hearing, and smelling!

“It’s okay.” Thomas mistook Twig’s amazement for fear. He held her shoulders awkwardly.

“I’m sorry,” she said, recovering herself. “I’ll be fine. I’m sorry.” Thomas blushed as Twig untangled from his stiff half-embrace. “I’m okay now. Please, lead the way.”

“I wish we could wear masks.”

Twig thanked Adam silently for not making them wear masks. What if she ran into Leo with a mask on? He would probably run the other way.

“I’ll give you a little tour. It’s best if you get your bearings. I don’t want you getting lost. And if we get separated, try not to panic, and we’ll meet at the van. Okay?”

“Yes. Okay. Good idea,” Twig agreed.

The plaza was like a small park, with green grass and little concrete paths winding throughout. People with big carts sold things like ice cream, candy, and drinks. Children played in the middle of the square. Old women with straw bags sat idly on benches watching them. Young women in tight clothes, happily showing off their bodies, orbited around the plaza with purpose, running their errands.

The colors. The textures! The hospital and Gran’s were fairly tame when compared to the life bubbling around her in Turrialba. There were so many different smells. Twig found herself delighting in the aroma of fresh baked bread from the panader
í
as one moment, only to have her nose filled with something repellant, urban and wet, the next. There was beauty, and there was ugliness. She loved it all. She had to feign fear and slow her steps as she walked beside Thomas. She wanted to run ahead.

A van with a megaphone attached to its roof was slowly making its way around the square. Noise blared from its speaker. At first Twig was taken aback, thinking it was Adam’s voice. But there was more than one voice, and they were speaking in Spanish.

“Festival de musica esta noche!”

“They are announcing a music festival that will happen tonight in the square.”

“A music festival?” How wonderful. She wished they could stay.

“A lot of bad people come to things like that. And they bring a lot of bad things with them.”

“I understand,” Twig lied, her curiosity peaked. Thomas was the perfect person for Adam to send on supply runs. He either had incredible self-control or—Twig hated to think it—no imagination or curiosity. Either way, he was loyal to the bone.

A clock decorated a bell tower in the plaza’s center, reminding Twig of home. Except this clock was so big you could see it from wherever you stood. For the first time, Twig could simply look at a clock to see the time. Twig thought of Adam. He was the clock in the center of the compound, and it was the opposite of Turrialba. More often than not you couldn’t see Adam, but you always felt like he could see you. She even worried he could see her now. See inside her. See her thoughts.

At the post office, Thomas showed her what he called their “P.O. box.” He opened it with a small gold key and shoved its contents into a bag. “For Adam’s eyes only,” he explained.

“Of course,” she answered. She wondered what could possibly be in all of those envelopes.

“Mostly bills, I think,” Thomas said, as if reading her thoughts. Twig was dying to ask Thomas if he had ever snooped, but she knew he hadn’t. Thomas taught Twig about postage and how to use their money in exchange for goods. The women who worked at the post office didn’t seem to notice Twig or Thomas. They sat quietly doing their work. Twig noticed they looked hot and bored but hardly threatening.

Next came
Libreria
Fantasia. Thomas said it was Turrialba’s general store, but it felt like heaven to Twig. They had everything! Rolls and rolls of fabric, dishes, cleaning supplies, medical supplies, stuffed animals, candy, yarn, stickers, toys, puzzles, clothing. Twig could have spent hours there. There was so much to look at.

Thomas made a dash to the back of the store for something. Twig ran her hands over the fabrics and dripped a Slinky between her hands. She was wide-eyed and giddy. It was as if she had been living in black and white and now she was seeing color for the first time. She had a new appreciation for the rainforest. What would life have been like without the only color and texture she had ever really known? And now she had Gran’s house—her art studio and her treasure of art supplies.

Thomas returned with a shopping bag and dragged a stunned Twig out of the store. “I know, it’s a lot to take in. It can be overwhelming the first few times, but you will get used to it.”

Twig had so many questions, but she kept quiet. She didn’t want to say the wrong thing and lose the privilege of coming into town.

“Let’s eat our sandwiches now, and then we can go to the market and then head home.” They walked back toward the van. Twig wracked her brain for a way to get a few minutes by herself. She was desperate to get away from Thomas and look around. She felt as if she were on a leash. When the van was within eyesight, Twig got an idea.

“Thomas, I desperately have to go to the bathroom. Can I meet you at the van? I can see it from here. I’ll just go into one of these restaurants. They will have a bathroom, right?”

Thomas frowned, but nodded. “I hadn’t thought of that. I will wait for you right here.”

“It’s my woman’s time,” Twig whispered. “I need a few moments.”

Thomas blanched. “Go ahead. Take your time,” he replied weakly. “I’ll meet you at the van.”

“Start eating without me.”

The restaurant Twig chose had green linoleum floors that were specked with white and gray circles. The tables were covered in oilcloth. A stout Asian woman with black hair pulled into a ponytail and rosy red cheeks from the heat of the kitchen greeted her with a big smile.

“Welcome to Meng’s,” she said. “I’m Meng,” she whispered and raised her eyebrow’s. “One?”

Twig didn’t know what she meant.
One?
She blushed, but she was happy this woman spoke English. “May I use your bathroom, ma’am?” Twig did have to go, and what was she going to do? Ask this woman if she could just look around her restaurant for a while? Did people do things like that?

“Of course, dear. It’s in the back. Just promise to come back soon to try my noodles.”

Twig paused. She didn’t want to lie to the woman. The woman seemed to notice Twig’s reluctance to answer, or maybe she felt bad for Twig, because she smiled warmly and pointed to the back of the restaurant. “I am only joking with you, dear. The bathroom is that way”

Twig smiled and headed to the bathroom, giving a small bow of her head in thanks.

The bathroom was much cleaner than Twig had expected. It was painted a sage green, and a vase of white orchids sat on a small black table where a candle also burned. Twig washed her hands and looked in the bathroom’s mirror. She wanted to stay and stare at herself, examine her face, her neck, her hair. You couldn’t do that at home. She thought of Thomas and knew she had to get back to the van. He would only give her so much time before he came back to find her.

When she came out, she took one last look around. There were plates of steaming noodles coming from the kitchen, and most people had small glass bottles on their tables that said “Coca-Cola.”

And then there he was.

Leo.

Red and blue plaid shirt, olive green khakis, and leather flip-flops. Twig would know him anywhere. And right behind him, coming through the door and looking as gorgeous as Twig remembered, was Hazel. She was dressed in a yellow cotton halter dress and her arms glittered with turquoise beaded bangles.

Oh!
Twig’s heart began to race in her chest. She was sure the people around her could hear it. She didn’t know what to do.

“Hi, Meng!” Leo called out to the woman who owned the restaurant.

“Leo! Hazel!” The owner of the restaurant called back, waving them in. “Have you come to use the bathroom or eat my noodles?”

“Noodles!” Hazel smiled.

“And then ice cream at Hector’s?” Meng asked them.

“You know us too well,” Leo answered.

Meng began to lead the two of them to a table. They were walking in Twig’s direction.

Leo spotted her. “Twig?”

“Hi,” Twig said shyly. He remembered her!

“Uh, hi?” Leo said. “Come here, girl! I have been looking all over for you.” Leo extended his arms toward Twig. Twig hesitated for a moment, remembering infection, Adam, Thomas.
No!
she chastised herself, shutting down those thoughts. She smiled in joy and amazement and fell into Leo’s warm embrace.

And then she froze awkwardly. Her body felt on fire in his arms. She didn’t trust herself to speak. She had been waiting for this moment, and now she suddenly felt so unprepared for it. So unprepared to talk to people like Leo and Hazel. Leo stood back and tilted her chin up to him.

“Hey! You okay?”

“Yes,” Twig gasped. Embarrassed, she began to back away, but she ran into a set of chairs. She wriggled herself away awkwardly, not sure where to go. Meng’s place wasn’t very big. “I’m sorry,” she began to stammer, covering her hands with her face.

“Hey! Get back here.” Leo reached out and took Twig’s hand.

She laughed a little. His warmth was putting her at ease. She felt her hand relax in his. “Hi,” she said quietly.

“Hi,” Leo said surely.

“It’s really good to see you.”

“I know.”

They stood there staring at each other for a few moments while the world around them fell away. That’s just how it felt. She didn’t care if Thomas or even Adam walked in at that moment. She bit her lip to keep from floating off the ground.

“I really have been looking for you everywhere.” He pulled her closer to him and whispered into her ear. “Why do I have the feeling you’re going to have to run off again in a minute?” Suddenly Twig was aware of her white dress, her hiking boots. She had been in a hospital gown when they had met before. Would he think she was dressed strangely?

Twig laughed quietly and nodded her head. She needed to get back to Thomas. She’d been gone too long.

“Okay, listen. You escaped me once, mystery lady, but I’m on to you now. How can I see you again?” Leo stepped back and looked at Twig with an expression of mock admonishment.

“Meet me here at eleven one week from today,” Twig blurted out.

“Okay. I’ll be here,” Leo said matter-of-factly.

“If I’m not, please know that I wanted to be, but couldn’t. That’s the only reason. I couldn’t.”

“Then I’ll be here
two
weeks from today at eleven.” Leo’s tone was serious now. Serious and sincere.

Twig smiled. “Okay. But I’m going to try to be here next week.”

They couldn’t tear their eyes away from one another. They both began to laugh.

“Hi, Twig,” Hazel said in a warm, teasing voice.

“Hi, Hazel,” Twig said, the flush reigniting.

“Whoa,” said Meng to Hazel. “What’s this all about?”

“Tell you later,” Hazel answered. “I need a table, though. I’m starving. Move aside, you two. Who knew the best Chinese noodles I would ever eat would be in Costa Rica?”

“I’m so sorry. I’d better go.” Twig began to gather her dress in her hands and run toward the door. She was suddenly frightened that Thomas would come into the restaurant after her. “It was so good to see you,” she said to Leo and Hazel. “Meng, thank you for letting me use your bathroom. I’ll try to come back to eat.”

“Twig—”

Twig turned around.

“Take this. We never got to listen together.” Leo was holding out his Nano and earphones to her.

“Oh, no. I couldn’t do that. That is so nice, but I couldn’t.”

“Please. I can get it next week.”

“But what if—” Twig began.

“Please, I’ve got a Shuffle. I won’t miss it. It’s yours.”

Twig looked at Hazel for help.

“Don’t look at me, honey. This boy has a mind of his own. I’d take it if I were you.”

Twig took the device and the headphones from Leo and cupped them carefully in her palm.

They are all addicted to something…technology…

Twig could hear Adam in her head, but she pushed his voice away. She wasn’t going to become addicted. She just wanted to hear the music, to get to know Leo through the music he listened to.

“Thank you,” she said quietly. She was humbled by the generosity of the gesture.

“I want a full report when I see you next week. Loved it, hated it, the whole deal.”

“You got it. Thank you again. I’m so sorry, but I have to go.”

Twig thought she heard Leo say something like, “Bye, Cinderella,” but she wasn’t sure, and she didn’t know what he meant. She hoped she hadn’t offended them by running off.