...in Hugo, Oklahoma, lived a beautiful 14-year-old girl named Solana Esperanza Espinosa Bishop, whom everyone called "Sunny". She lived with her parents, Lucia and Derek, and her maternal grandfather, Bernardo.
Bernardo treasured his family very much, especially his daughter and granddaughter—and there was a big reason why. It all happened when Lucia was just a little girl. Bernardo was married to a woman named Sofia Flores, and they were very much in love. Sofia and Lucia filled Bernardo's life with joy and music. Bernardo loved his wife, and he took every opportunity to show her. But one very early morning, the family woke up, and there was a poisonous gas leak in the house—and it spread around. Bernardo escaped and called 911, but Sofia went to save her 5-year-old daughter before she could get sick—and Sofia herself breathed in the poisonous gas. She was taken to the hospital, but it was too late—she'd fallen gravely ill and died, leaving Bernardo devastated and Lucia with no mother. Lucia was so young when it happened that she barely remembered her mother at all. What's more, she was the spitting image of Sofia, which is why Bernardo spoiled her so much and was very protective of her. Sunny was also the spitting image of her grandmother, which is why Bernardo was just as protective of her as Derek was.
Sunny was very happy with what she had, but she wished she'd known her grandmother. Bernardo liked to share stories about Sofia, and it made Sunny and Lucia feel like they knew her.
Over the summer, the family moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Derek and Lucia were starting a business of their own. They were the owners of a new music shop called Music to My Ears. It was the day the family had moved to Albuquerque, and Sunny was in her bedroom, putting her stuff up. Suddenly, she came across a little box and opened it, and inside was a beautiful pink ruby necklace. This was her grandmother's necklace, and wearing it makes her feel closer to her. She took the necklace out of the box and put it on.
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Sunny took out a picture of her grandmother as a young woman playing the violin. Suddenly, Bernardo came in to see her.
"Settling in okay, mija? Bernardo asked.
"Just fine, Abuelo," Sunny said, putting down the picture.
"I see you've found Abuela's necklace," Bernardo smiled. "I've said it hundreds of times before, and I'll say it again: you remind me so much of her."
"I wish I could've known her," Sunny sighed.
"It's okay, Solanita," Bernardo told her. "Remember, she died to save your mother's life—otherwise, she wouldn't be here, and neither would you."
"Gracias, Abuelo," Sunny smiled.
Derek came to see his daughter and father-in-law. "How's everything?" he asked.
"Fine, Daddy," Sunny replied.
"Derek, why don't you take Sunny to the mall to get some new back-to-school clothes?" Bernardo suggested. "I can help Lucia come up with instruments for the shop."
"Thank you, Bernardo," Derek smiled. "Let's get a move on, sunshine."
"Okay," Sunny nodded.
Derek and Sunny went to the mall, and Sunny looked for clothes to wear. She'd bought some good clothes to wear, and now it was time to find some shoes.
"How about these nice black shoes?" Derek asked.
"Beautiful," Sunny gaped.
"We can buy two pairs of shoes for the price of one—we can get you another pair," Derek said.
"Okay, Daddy," Sunny nodded. She skimmed through the shoes and found a pair of shiny black boots with blue flames. She tried them on, and they felt comfortable. Suddenly, a girl asked, "You're not seriously buying those things, are you?"
Sunny turned to find a snotty-looking blonde girl. "Actually, as a matter of fact, I am," she smiled. "It really gives that Mexican feeling, not to mention the feeling of my hometown."
"Where are you from?" the girl asked.
"Hugo, Oklahoma," Sunny replied. "I'm half Mexican on my mother's side—I'm Sunny, by the way."
"Beebe Chowdhry, and who names their kid 'Sunny'?" Beebe blanched.
"It's what I go by," Sunny frowned.
"What's with the necklace?" Beebe asked. "It looks like it's 100 years old."
"It's been in the family for three generations, Beebe," Sunny glared.
Suddenly, Beebe's mother showed up and asked, "Beebe, are you ready to find a new...?" But when she saw Sunny, she stopped and stared at her.
"Hello, you must be Mrs. Chowdhry," Sunny said awkwardly.
"Why, yes, I am—Lorelei Chowdhry is the name," Lorelei said, still staring. "And you are?"
"Sunny Bishop," Sunny replied.
"Have we met before?" Lorelei asked.
"No, I don't believe so," Sunny declared, taking off the boots and putting on her old brown boots.
"She's from Oklahoma," Beebe told her mother.
"I see—that must explain why you have dirty, revolting boots," Lorelei pointed out. "Also, why did your parents name you 'Sunny'?"
Suddenly, Derek came up, having witnessed what was going on—and he was angry as a hornet. "What is the meaning of this?" he glared. "It just so happens that my daughter has always been on the move, which is why her boots are covered with dust. Another thing: her first name is Solana, which starts with the Spanish word sol—which is the Spanish word for 'sun'."
The way Derek snapped like that scared Beebe and her mother good.
"Well, we'd better get a move on, Beebe," Lorelei said awkwardly. She turned to Sunny and Derek and said, "Good day to you both." Then she and Beebe left.
"What was that all about?" Derek asked.
"I don't know—it was already bad enough with Beebe bashing on me," Solana declared. "Then when her mother saw me, she stared at me."
"Weird," Derek frowned.
That night, the family got together for dinner.
"How are the ideas for the new instruments coming along?" Derek asked.
"Great," Lucia replied. "I even ordered a new violin for Sunny."
Bernardo turned to Sunny only to find that his granddaughter was barely eating. "Sunny, is something wrong?" he asked.
"She had a run-in with a girl and her mother at the mall, and it seemed like the mother was harassing her for her name and clothes," Derek replied.
"What?" Bernardo growled. "Nobody messes with my nieta!"
"Well, Daddy scared them good," Sunny declared. "I bet you would've scared them like an angry lion, Abuelo."
"I bet he would've," Lucia chuckled.
"It's weird," Sunny frowned. "Mrs. Chowdhry stared at me for some reason. I have no idea what her problem was—it was already bad enough I had a bad start with her daughter."
"Well, this Mrs. Chowdhry you speak of better not mess with you again," Bernardo declared.
Sunny smiled—she was used to having her grandfather defend her when she was being harassed.
