I laid in my bed about to fall asleep when my mom ran into my room. “Get up! Get up! Get up! We need to leave! Put some clothes on and meet me outside!” As she yelled at me in a panic.

 When she left the room I got up and changed into some comfy clothes. I then ran outside where my mom was. “Andale Celia!” My mom spoke in a quiet voice but loud enough for me to hear. I sprinted to my mom as she put me in a truck. 

“Where are we going Mama?” I asked

“Somewhere where it's better for you to grow up.” She smiled when she said that and it made me happy. I smiled back at her. “América aquí vamos.” My mom said under her breath.

It was hot in the truck we were in. But I could stay there as long as my mom is there. She makes me feel safe and like I can do anything.

 “Celia!” My mom yelled while shaking me. I guess I fell asleep in the truck. “donde aqui.” my mom said nicely. I got out of the truck and saw beautiful green trees and brightly colored flowers. “I wish papa can see this.” “Lo sé cariño, yo también.” It looked like she was going to cry. 

We both miss papa but I feel like mama needed more time with him. Mama says that I look a lot like him and it makes me happy. “celia vamos.” My mom called me.``Próxima!” We got in another truck and almost immediately we were on the road again. 

“ya casi llegamos a América.” She looked at me and smiled. But I wasn't able to see it for long… Someone behind her got shot in the head. We ducked our heads for safety. Thank god that the truck had a thick meal or we would have died. The truck didn't even stop, it just kept going, thankful because if it stopped i think we all would have died. “Un autobús más, entonces podemos encontrarlo.” She trembled. I wonder who we're going to see. We are halfway to America. I was so excited that I couldn't even sleep. I eventually passed out and when I woke up we were in New York City.

 “Aquí es donde tu papá se esconde.” she smiled again. I smiled back at her. She used to tell me how her and papa met. Papa was an explorer and went to Mexico for a few years because he liked it too much, my mom says. Both of them met and fell in love with each other. My grandpa didn't really like the fact that a black man wanted to marry his daughter. But after I was 3 he had to go back to his job as a travel writer.

He told my mom that once I was 16 he would be in New York City and we could be an actual family. We got off the bus and started walking around looking for park slope. We were walking for at least an hour when we finally found the street. Now all we have to do is find his house which is hard because all the houses look the same. “De ninguna manera.” My mom dropped all her things and started running. She then hugged a random person. “Mi amor, Te extraño mucho.” My mom said happily.   “Jade!?” the random man said. I picked up my moms things and went over to them. “este es tu padre Tyrell.” She looked at me while hugging him. 

“Hola, Papa.” Celia said while waving. “Hola.” I said while smiling it felt good seeing my wife and my daughter with me right now. “How did you guys get here?” I asked. "Nosotras cruzamos la frontera.” My wife said happily. “Now we can be a happy family together.” Celia said. “You can speak english?” I asked. “Si, I learned in school and with the books you left.” She told me. I smiled at them. I grabbed both of their hands and walked them inside. “Now let's teach your mother how to speak English and get you into a school.” 

The End