The Smoking Mirror (18 page)

Chapter Twenty

The world was assembling itself around them, but at the periphery of the gray, Johnny could sense a vast darkness in which enormous monsters seemed to writhe in a mass of serpentine coils, leathery wings, and endless hunger for destruction. Their attention coalesced momentarily, focusing on his awareness of them, but then he dropped into this world, stumbling across rocks on the sandy floor of a cave. His mother and sister emerged from the space between dimensions a split second later.

After the initial disorientation, Johnny became aware of a deafening roar that filled the small space, not so much a cave as an alcove. Water was rushing in torrents across the entrance to the small space.

“
¿Qué fregados?
” he exclaimed.

“I think we’re at the Cola de Caballo,” his mother shouted above the sound of the cascade. “Horsetail Falls. In Cumbres National Park.”

She hugged them both excitedly and led them carefully through the rushing curtain of water. Down a rugged slope dotted with trees, the three of them made their way to the crowds of tourists visiting the famous waterfall. From there it was relatively easy to grab a taxi and let the warm air dry them as the driver wove his expert way through traffic to Colonia Tecnológico.

More difficult, however, was explaining to the police officers assigned to their missing persons case what had happened. Johnny was perversely proud of the lie his mother spun: she’d been kidnapped by
zetas
in Donna and taken across the border. The band’s leader had gone missing, however, so the criminals had been awaiting further instructions for months. When they had finally sent their demands to her sister’s apartment, the twins had intercepted the message and had foolishly gone off to rescue her, taking 50,000 of their aunt’s pesos. The criminals had accepted the money and let them go.

The police didn’t exactly buy this story, but they had little choice other than to accept it. Andrea confirmed the missing money and the twins corroborated every detail. Reporters swarmed the area, and Johnny almost broke down crying when he saw his mother quickly slap on make-up to be interviewed for the local news. It was such an ordinary ritual, but one he had missed more than he had imagined.
She’s something else, isn’t she?

In the midst of all the chaos, the phone rang. Everyone was busy, so Johnny answered the old-fashioned landline.

“
¿Bueno?
”

“Johnny?” It was his father, his voice trembling excitedly.

“Dad?”

“Yes, son, it’s me. Oh, God, I’m so glad you’re okay. You scared the crap out of me, kid.”

“I know, I know. But we got Mom back, Dad. She’s here, right now, safe and sound. Andrea said she called and left a message for you.”

There was a pause. His father’s breath came in ragged snatches. “Yeah, I heard it. Can I talk to her? To your mother?”

“Hang on…She’s outside with a reporter. Let me go get her.”

Johnny’s mother rushed inside when he told her who was on the phone. After about five minutes, she hung up.

“He’s on his way,” his mother explained with a nervous smile. “He had been getting an import sticker for his car to drive down; that’s why he didn’t answer at first.”

She was crying a little, and Johnny hugged her tightly. “We’re going to be together again, Mom. All of us. Don’t cry.”

“But that’s why I’m crying,
m’ijo
. I’d almost lost hope that I’d see any of you again. It’s a miracle, and these are tears of gratitude to the Virgin. Now, go on, get cleaned up. Your father will be here in three hours or so. He’s going to take us to visit your grandmother’s grave, and then we’ll head home.”

~~~

Oscar Garza nearly swept his wife off her feet in the driveway when he arrived, dashing from the car and embracing her tightly. Johnny turned away as they kissed, more out of embarrassment than a desire to give them privacy, and then he and Carol hugged both of their parents. A few straggling photographers snapped away at their cameras, and the image of the reunited family would appear the following day on the front page of
El norte
.

Retelling the cover story on the drive to Saltillo made Johnny feel horribly guilty.
This is Dad
, he thought to Carol.
He’s got a right to know the truth.

Yeah, well, that’s Mom’s decision, Johnny. She’ll tell him when the moment’s right, I guess.

He didn’t argue with her, but his father’s pointed questions made it obvious the man knew something wasn’t quite right. Oscar Garza didn’t push too hard, though. Johnny figured he was just too relieved to have his family back together to pursue his suspicions.

Soon they were all four of them gathered around the gravestone of Helga Barrón de Quintero, which stood right beside that of her husband Ramón. Johnny’s mother laid a wreath of marigolds upon the freshly turned earth and ran her fingers gently across the inscription carved into the granite cross:
Se alza como una leona
.

She rises like a lioness.

Johnny couldn’t take it anymore.
Too many secrets. Lies. That’s Tezcatlipoca’s way. Not mine.

He looked around carefully. The cemetery was empty of people.

“Dad, there’s something important you need to know.”

What are you doing, Johnny?
Carol’s thoughts were stern, tinged with panic.

He ignored her, stepped back from the grave, and shifted.

Come on, Carol, you too. Now.

She sighed and dropped into her wolf form. Their father stumbled backward, bumping into his father-in-law’s tombstone.

“
Ah, cómo serán de tercos los dos
,” their mother muttered in irritation. Then she, too, morphed into a jaguar. The three
naguales
stood shoulder to shoulder, looking up at Oscar Garza.

Unexpectedly, he smiled and gave a nervous laugh.

“Well, that explains a lot,” he said, reaching out to rub his shaking hand against the fur of each of them in turn. “And it means I’m not crazy after all. Wow. Garza family, we’ve got some important things to talk about.”

The adventures of Johnny and Carol will continue in

A KINGDOM BENEATH THE WAVES,

GARZA TWINS: BOOK TWO,

coming in 2016

Guide to Spanish Words, Phrases and Songs

Chapter 1

m'ija—
sweetie (literally “my daughter”)

tía—
aunt

Chapter 2

ven, m’ijo; ven acá—
come, son; come here.

güey—
dude

¿Qué te crees?—
What do you think you are?

No me creo nada—
I don’t think I’m anything.

Conque hablas español, bolillo—
So you speak Spanish, white dude.

Güero, sí—
Light-skinned, sure.

ese—
guy

vato—
dude

sancho—
lover, boyfriend (of a woman who is already married or spoken for)

se está volviendo loco—
he’s going crazy

imbécil—
imbecile, idiot

Chapter 3

Ya veo—
I see.

gringolizados—
Americanized

café con leche—
coffee made with milk

abuela—
grandmother

tía—
aunt

solterona—
spinster, unmarried woman

puestos—
vendor stands

cajón—
drawer

Chapter 4

nagual—
shapeshifter

tonal—
shadow soul or animal soul

vayan—
go (plural)

abue—
grandma

mensa—dummy

depósito—
small corner store

Gansitos—
sort of chocolate snack cake

Chapter 5

norteño—
genre of music with accordion

Nahuatl
—the language spoken by the Aztecs

Chapter 6

que me abraces ya—
put your arms around me now

Chapter 7

¿Qué?—
What?

¡Hijo de su
Pink Floyd!
—
nonsense saying along the lines of “son of a biscuit eater”

Chapter 8

fresa—
prep; rich, stuck-up kid

Guácala—
gross!

O sea, qué asco, en serio—
I mean, how nasty, for real!

Chapter 9

Ah,
que
la…—
incomplete interjection along the lines of “son of a…”

papi—
daddy

Chapter 10

lechuza—
screech owl

Chapter 11

Ya cállate, méndigo mapache—
shut up already, you freaking raccoon

Chapter 12

esponjada—
unduly upset (equivalent to “with your panties/undies in a bunch”)

abuelita—
granny

mis amores—
my darlings

Han sido muy valientes, los dos—
You have been very brave, both of you.

A la ru ru niño Off to sleep, my baby
A la ru ru ya . Off to sleep you go .
Tus sueños te protegen Your dreams will now protect you
De la oscuridad. From the dark unknown.

A la ru ru niño Off to sleep, my baby
A la ru ru ya, Off to sleep at once.
Porque viene el coco The boogeyman is coming
Y te comerá. And he’ll eat you up.

Y si no te come, And if he doesn’t eat you ,
Él te llevará; He’ll take you to his lair;
Y si no te lleva, And if he doesn’t take you,
Quién sabe qué hará. Who knows what he will do.

Este lindo niño This sweet little baby
Ya se va a dormir Is ready now for bed.
Háganle la cuna Make a cradle for him
De rosa y jazmín. Of jasmine and of rose.

Toronjil de plata, Silvery lemon balm,
Torre de marfil, That drifts from ivory towers,
Arrullen al niño Lull my baby gently now,
Que ya quiere dormir. He’s ready now for bed.

ven acá, amor—
come here, love

Chapter 13

lucha libre —
wrestling

Chapter 14

Allá en la fuente There in the fountain
había un chorrito, There was a geyser
se hacía grandote Big like a mountain
se hacía chiquito. Or small like a miser.
Estaba de mal humor— And, oh! it could be such a snot
pobre chorrito tenía calor. When that little geyser felt it was hot.

Chapter 15

chapopote—
tar

Chapter 16

Órale—
you betcha

Catrina—
name of Godmother Death in Mexico

Chapter 17

lechuzas—
screech owls

tecolotes—
small owls

qué onda—
what’s up

raza—
Mexican-American people

tacos locos—
crazy tacos

calacas—
skeletons

La Santísima Muerte—
Godmother Death

cochina—
dirty-minded woman

Chapter 18

Mamá—
Mom

Los quiere aquí—
He wants you here

Olvídalo—
Forget it.

Pero, ma, si intentáramos… —
But, Mom, if we tried…

¡Oh madre querida! Oh, beloved Mother!
¡Oh madre adorada! Oh, adorable Mother!
Que Dios te bendíga, May God bless you
aquí en tu morada. Here in your home.

Que Dios te conserve, May God keep you,
mil años de vida, Through a thousand years of life,
feliz y dichosa, Happy and lucky,
¡oh madre querida! Oh, beloved Mother!

Sí estás dormidita, If you’re fast asleep,
escucha este canto, Listen to this song,
que todos tus hijos, The one your children
convierten en llanto. Transform into weeping.

Tú que por tu hijos, You who live praying
vives implorando, On your children’s behalf,
en ti madrecita, It’s you, dearest Mother,
vivimos pensando. That we live thinking of.

Recibe el cariño, Accept the affection
de todos tus hijos, Of all of your children
que nunca en la vida, Who could never, ever,
podrán olvidarte. Forget about you.

Sí estás escuchando, If you’re listening,
podrás alegrarte, You can feel joy,
que todos tus hijos, Because all of your children
vienen a cantarte. Have come here to sing.

Tú nombre es María, Your name is Maria,
y no hallan que darte, And no gift is enough,
se sienten dichosos, We feel fortunate simply
al felicitarte. To congratúlate and praise you.

Te quiero, Juan Ángel
.
Tu madre te quiere mucho—
I love you, Juan Ángel. Your mother loves you very much.

Chapter 19

pero ni modo—
but, oh, well!

Perdóname—
Forgive me

Ya—
enough already

¿
Qué pasa, amor
?
—
What’s the matter, dear?

Chapter 20

¿Qué fregados?—
What the heck?

¿Bueno? —
Hello?

Se alza como una leona—
She rises like a lioness.

Ah, cómo serán de tercos los dos—
Ah, you two just
have
to be stubborn.