Song of the Mockingbird: My Journey with Josefina

The cooks have made a huge stack of tortillas and Señora Sanchez’s house is tidy as a mouse’s hold. We eat a quick meal of stew and then Tía Dolores announces it’s time to return home for a siesta.

The sun is hot overhead and it seems to bore a hole straight into my skull as we trudge back to the rancho. The freshness of the morning has worn off and even the bushes at the side of the path look dusty and dirty. Sleeping through the hot part of the day sounds pretty good in a world without air conditioning.

Then my thoughts start to turn from sleep to my stomach. I feel kind of queasy. As we keep walking in the blazing sun, I feel worse and worse. I think back to the stew I ate and I almost groan out loud. Josefina looks me over and takes my arm. She asks if I’m doing okay, and I just shake my head.

When we reach the Montoya’s house, I head straight for the sleeping sala and collapse on a bedroll. The other girls lie down, too, and soon the room is filled with a peaceful breathing as everyone takes a nap. But I can’t sleep. Instead I lie there, nausea rolling in my stomach.

When Francisca sings that it’s time for us to wake up, she jumps from her bed. She searches through layers of folded clothes. She pulls out a skirt to lend me, but then she looks at me. I look sick. Another wave of nausea rolls through me. Josefina leans over me and feels my head and my palms. She says my hands are clammy and I’m pale.

Francisca ignores my sickness and unfolds the blue green skirt. She says I’ll be up in just a moment, and then I can wear these clothes. Josefina nudges her sisters aside and refolds the skirt. I can’t go to the fandango if I’m feeling ill. She climbs off the bed and disappears through the doorway. Soon, Josefina is back carrying a steaming bowl of broth. It’s tansy mustard. Tía Magdalena always recommends it for upset stomachs.

I sniff it. I can’t help wrinkling my nose and I back away. Unlike the chamomile tea, this one smells like burnt rubber. I don’t know what to do. I want to take the medicine… and I don’t at the same time. The brew is scary, even though Josefina is learning healing. But I am dying to go to the party, and I won’t get better in time without treatment. I want to trust her. She’s my friend. And then the room is thrown into sudden darkness as the sun sinks below the window and a chill sets over me. I long for home, yet I want to stay with Josefina. And my stomach still feels awful.