dress- up. Did you see their little faces when they saw that bag of clothes?”
Mom nods, laughing. “I know. They think we're rich because we have stuff to throw away. And we
are
rich, compared. I tell you, having these Mexicans has put a whole new spin on our lives, hasn't it, sweetheart?” Mom beams at Dad, who looks uncomfortable but nods in agreement.
“Enjoy it while it lasts, ladies,” Uncle Larry says grimly. “Any day now, Homeland Security is going to pay us all a visit. I don't put it beyond them to just come on our property and haul them off.”
Tyler is shocked that his uncle, a reasonable adult, would think this is possible. But if he's shocked, it's nothing compared to Mari, who has just appeared at the door, the cleanup over.
“Folks,” Tyler's mother warns. But it's too late. Mari's face has tensed up with worry and fear, the way it gets when Mr. Bicknell starts talking about the future of the planet. “Honey, Uncle Larry was exaggerating,” his mom explains. “Weren't you, Uncle Larry?”
Tyler's uncle looks unsure, but then gazes toward the door, where Grandma has joined Mari, her old, spottedhands on the young girl's shoulders. “Of course I was,” he says. “You know me,” he adds unconvincingly, “I'm one of those caught-a-big-fish kind of guys.”
“I'll say,” Aunt Vicky pipes up, and Uncle Larry pretends he thinks it's funny, too, when everyone—except Mari— bursts out laughing.
When Grandma goes up to check on the little girls, Aunt Jeanne, who has joined the group, closes the door.
“Larry, turn that thing off, will you.”
“For crying out loud!” Uncle Larry grumbles under his breath. He is the youngest of the three siblings. “I know just how you feel,” he has told Tyler. “We're the low men on the totem pole.” But Tyler can't say he has noticed. In fact, Uncle Larry is the bossiest of all his relatives. Well, sometimes Aunt Jeanne is a close second.
“We need to decide about Mother,” Aunt Jeanne begins.
“What now?” Uncle Larry says like he doesn't think there's a problem.
Aunt Jeanne crosses her arms. “Maybe you need to take a little trip upstairs.”
“Maybe the kids need to leave?” Tyler's mom puts in. But Uncle Larry's boys protest. They want to watch the game, and no, they can't go to the other TV, since Grandma gave it away to the Mexicans.
Aunt Jeanne nods all around, as if this is further proof of what she has been saying. “In the kitchen, then,” shedirects. The adults rouse themselves from their chairs and file out for their summit meeting. The TV blares on.
Tyler tries to watch the game, but he feels distracted. For one thing, he can sense Mari's discomfort as she sits on her hands in a chair, feeling she has to be polite, but not under-standing at all how football works. When Sara announces she's leaving, Mari decides it's time to go home, too. She heads upstairs to round up her sisters.
Tyler joins Sara in the hallway. He does not want to be around if there's going to be a big scene with Grandma. From the kitchen, they can hear Aunt Jeanne's voice, just some words here and there: “Like a voodoo altar … Three car accidents … Shouldn't be living alone …” Tyler wishes he could go defend Grandma, but then he'd be accused of eavesdropping again.
Soon Ofie and Luby are stomping down the stairs, upset that they have to go home. Mari follows, trailed by Grandma and the twins. The party is breaking up. “Bye, Grandma, thanks!” Tyler says in a loud voice to alert the closed- door kitchen meeting. He's hoping that if there has been a vote, two sons and daughters-in-law can prevail against Aunt Jeanne. As for Uncle Byron, he's still in the front parlor, reading his
New York Times,
keeping up with the world while a minor revolution is erupting right here in his mother-in-law's house.
Tyler invites the three Marías to come over and look at the stars through his telescope. Their father and uncles won't be done with the
Mom nods, laughing. “I know. They think we're rich because we have stuff to throw away. And we
are
rich, compared. I tell you, having these Mexicans has put a whole new spin on our lives, hasn't it, sweetheart?” Mom beams at Dad, who looks uncomfortable but nods in agreement.
“Enjoy it while it lasts, ladies,” Uncle Larry says grimly. “Any day now, Homeland Security is going to pay us all a visit. I don't put it beyond them to just come on our property and haul them off.”
Tyler is shocked that his uncle, a reasonable adult, would think this is possible. But if he's shocked, it's nothing compared to Mari, who has just appeared at the door, the cleanup over.
“Folks,” Tyler's mother warns. But it's too late. Mari's face has tensed up with worry and fear, the way it gets when Mr. Bicknell starts talking about the future of the planet. “Honey, Uncle Larry was exaggerating,” his mom explains. “Weren't you, Uncle Larry?”
Tyler's uncle looks unsure, but then gazes toward the door, where Grandma has joined Mari, her old, spottedhands on the young girl's shoulders. “Of course I was,” he says. “You know me,” he adds unconvincingly, “I'm one of those caught-a-big-fish kind of guys.”
“I'll say,” Aunt Vicky pipes up, and Uncle Larry pretends he thinks it's funny, too, when everyone—except Mari— bursts out laughing.
When Grandma goes up to check on the little girls, Aunt Jeanne, who has joined the group, closes the door.
“Larry, turn that thing off, will you.”
“For crying out loud!” Uncle Larry grumbles under his breath. He is the youngest of the three siblings. “I know just how you feel,” he has told Tyler. “We're the low men on the totem pole.” But Tyler can't say he has noticed. In fact, Uncle Larry is the bossiest of all his relatives. Well, sometimes Aunt Jeanne is a close second.
“We need to decide about Mother,” Aunt Jeanne begins.
“What now?” Uncle Larry says like he doesn't think there's a problem.
Aunt Jeanne crosses her arms. “Maybe you need to take a little trip upstairs.”
“Maybe the kids need to leave?” Tyler's mom puts in. But Uncle Larry's boys protest. They want to watch the game, and no, they can't go to the other TV, since Grandma gave it away to the Mexicans.
Aunt Jeanne nods all around, as if this is further proof of what she has been saying. “In the kitchen, then,” shedirects. The adults rouse themselves from their chairs and file out for their summit meeting. The TV blares on.
Tyler tries to watch the game, but he feels distracted. For one thing, he can sense Mari's discomfort as she sits on her hands in a chair, feeling she has to be polite, but not under-standing at all how football works. When Sara announces she's leaving, Mari decides it's time to go home, too. She heads upstairs to round up her sisters.
Tyler joins Sara in the hallway. He does not want to be around if there's going to be a big scene with Grandma. From the kitchen, they can hear Aunt Jeanne's voice, just some words here and there: “Like a voodoo altar … Three car accidents … Shouldn't be living alone …” Tyler wishes he could go defend Grandma, but then he'd be accused of eavesdropping again.
Soon Ofie and Luby are stomping down the stairs, upset that they have to go home. Mari follows, trailed by Grandma and the twins. The party is breaking up. “Bye, Grandma, thanks!” Tyler says in a loud voice to alert the closed- door kitchen meeting. He's hoping that if there has been a vote, two sons and daughters-in-law can prevail against Aunt Jeanne. As for Uncle Byron, he's still in the front parlor, reading his
New York Times,
keeping up with the world while a minor revolution is erupting right here in his mother-in-law's house.
Tyler invites the three Marías to come over and look at the stars through his telescope. Their father and uncles won't be done with the
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