Back to the Sea

Memories

Lito. 

Isabel stared at the photograph in her hands, missing her grandfather more than ever. When their family was coming to the US, they needed to get past the Coast Guard ship, which would have brought them back to Cuba. So Lito was the hero. 

He got into the water. 

The ship rescued him and brought him back, allowing Isabel's family (and the Castillos, who were with them) to get to shore. 

Isabel hoped he was living a good life back in Cuba, although their living conditions there were the very reason they headed to el norte. 

The Castillos were another family from Cuba, neighbours of Isabel's family. It consisted of Señor and Señora Castillo, and their sons, Luis and Iván. With them came Luis's girlfriend, Amara. 

Iván was Isabel's best friend. He was a year older than her and he loved baseball, especially the Industriales, the Havana team. He wanted to be a professional baseball player when he grew up. 

Unfortunately, Iván had just missed Miami. 

Somewhere along their journey, they had decided to take turns getting in the water, to cool off and make it easier for the boat to run. 

Isabel and Iván had been in the water when Iván was bitten by a shark. They pulled him and Isabel back in the boat, but they couldn't save him. 

Isabel shivered at the memory, her best friend's death and feeling the shark brush against her in the water. But she couldn't say, at least it wasn't me. Not with the fact that it'd happened to her closest friend. 

She missed Iván and Lito with all her heart, but at the same time it was full of love for her new baby brother. 

Mariano was born right when they had gotten to Miami. He was named after Lito, after he had been rescued by the ship. Señor Fernandez, Isabel's father, had named him. Mariano learned Spanish, but he also learned English from all around him. A smart baby-- he would grow up bilingual. 

Isabel clearly remembered all that had gone on during the trip, the shark, the tanker, and when her Mami had gone into labour. But she'd never really thought so hard about it. All these memories had been sparked by looking at the one photograph. 

"Isabel!" 

That was Mami. It was a late night, a school night no less, and it was time for Isabel to go to bed. She kissed Lito's picture, put it safely on top of her books, and went to bed. 

But she couldn't sleep.