TRAITORS (19 page)

Zina’s mother had called a doctor, a family friend.

“She’s not doing well,” the doctor told Tamara. “I want her to take these pills every four hours and please be on the lookout for her. If you notice any unusual medical reaction, please call me immediately so that I may prescribe other medication.

The mother and daughter left for home. Upon arrival, they were surprised to see Jack. They entered without acknowledging him but he stood in their way.

“Do you see everything you’ve caused? Now all the reporters are looking for me. I don’t know where all this will end up. You have finally gotten what you wanted, my political career is over.”

“But of course,” answered Zina. You still haven’t changed. Still the only things that matter to you are what people say and your filthy career. You don’t care about what’s happening in your community or your family… well I hope it stays ruined forever. And as for me, since I never really mattered to you, I swear to God, I will stay away from you forever.”

Zina shut herself in her room and left her parents arguing. Tamara reprimanded him for his actions and went to her daughter’s room. Jack called a friend. He needed to vent, and he needed some advice to help him find his way out of such a difficult moment in his live.

Meanwhile, there was a large group of students gathered outside Sylmar High School around two o’clock in the afternoon. They had decided to go to the City Hall in San Fernando to protest what happened. Some teachers had decided to accompany them, since they too had read Luis’ letter. As they organized themselves, teachers who had spoken out against helping Luis withdrew from the school trying to leave unnoticed, like Mrs. Dru, who was somehow regretful for her actions.

At about half past three in the afternoon, the students and teachers arrived at the City Hall. There were about two hundred of them stationed outside the main entrance and they asked to speak with the Mayor. They wanted to report to him what had happened. A few minutes later, the Mayor came out surprised to see so many people gathered. He listened to the complaints of the protesters. Mr. Ortega and Jonathan took charge of informing him about what happened and they handed him the letter so he could analyze it for himself. The official promised to launch further investigation into the incident, and although it would take him more time to fully understand the situation, he understood the feelings of all those present and promised to search for justice.

Towards the end of the afternoon, the journalists reported the news as a main headline. Some of them had publicly read a part of the letter’s content. Others just limited themselves to stating the title of the document and called it “Traitors.” Within hours, it became national news. Although details were not yet given thoroughly, they talked about the suicide of an immigrant, the husband of the daughter of a Councilor, who could no longer bear the pain of injustice and had taken the easy way out—suicide. At last, Luis’ voice had been heard. Nothing could bring him back to life, but his last wish had been fulfilled.

Still confined in her room, Zina watched with amazement how the news had spread like wildfire. The topic was headline and she saw with delight how her father was portrayed as the main ‘Traitor.’ In her anger, she believed that her father was receiving the punishment he deserved for his vile act. Zina’s uploaded the letter on YouTube and her MySpace page, and even included a video that said:

“Here, I leave the legacy that my beloved left us. I hope the world stands witness to this great injustice perpetrated against us.

I hope you also turn your back on the traitors who abandoned us. They did not care about the lives of others, most especially my father, who let the fear of being shamed prevail over his love for his daughter.”

She remained locked up in her room all afternoon. Her mother occasionally went to check on her and to give her the anti-depressant drugs that the doctor had prescribed. Her mother had also tried to get her to eat something, but she just wanted to be alone to cry out her sorrow. At that moment, she didn’t care about the outside world. She remembered the time when her father had promised to protect her from the injustices of life and swore that her happiness was most important to him… but he had abandoned her to her fate. She also remembered all the joyful moments she shared being with her family, how life had given her everything since she couldn’t possibly ask for anything more… until that moment… She recalled how love struck her and Luis, and how they had struggled just to be together since her father never accepted the relationship. She reminisced her visit with Luis to Disneyland on her birthday, which made it the most special one she’s ever had in her life. Their love had been wonderful because they loved each other unconditionally. The struggle of one had been the struggle of the other, and the suffering of the other was more painful to bear than their own. They had had a very tough battle from the day of the accident, which completely changed the course of their lives. Since that day, nothing had been the same. Though she fought with all her might to get Luis out of the problem, she wasn’t able to manage it, and to her, that was the most painful part. She also suffered imagining the agony that Luis must have felt upon learning about the death of his grandmother. But it was all over. The strong determination to keep on fighting so that justice could be enforced by the American people was now only in her memory.

The following morning, Zina’s mother went to wake her up so that she could eat something. It had been almost two days since she last ate. She knocked on the door repeatedly, but received no response. Terrified, she yelled for her husband to help her open the door, not knowing what happened to their daughter.

“Jack! Come! Please help me!” she yelled, troubled. “Zina’s door is closed and she’s not answering!”

Jack quickly looked for the spare key to open the door. The few minutes had been terrifying for the two, but they eventually found the key and were able to enter the room. Zina was apparently asleep in her bed. They tried waking her up but they couldn’t. Jack felt her pulse and realized she was alive. But turning to see the table beside the bed, he saw two empty bottles of the prescribed drugs. She had taken a total of seventy pills. In her hand pressed against her chest was a picture of her and Luis with a couple of words written on the back: “Together forever”.

“Call an ambulance immediately!” Jack ordered his wife. Within minutes, the paramedics arrived. After giving her first aid, they moved Zina to Holy Cross Hospital, in Mission Hills, a few minutes from their home. She was treated in the emergency ward. Tamara called Norma to tell her what happened. Norma was on her way to the airport to pick up Pablo, who had just arrived from Guadalajara.

“We’ll be there as soon as I pick up Pablo,” said Norma.

Norma had committed to give a few interviews that morning with some journalists regarding Luis’ suicide, but had to cancel them upon learning about what happened to Zina. The reporters decided to go to the hospital to get more information, since it was regarding the daughter of a council member. On the way back, Norma called Aunt Lupita and Mr. Mireles to accompany them to the hospital. On his way, Mr. Mireles called the Santa Rosa Parish office to inform Father Carlos. The pastor promised to meet them at the hospital immediately. “I’ll explain there what happened to Luis and about the letter he left,” said Mr. Mireles.

Upon entering the waiting area, Pablo and Norma met with Zina’s parents who were alone. Nobody knew what to say. They only looked at each other, troubled; each with their own grief. Everything had gone too far and it was not the time for reproaches.

“I’m sorry to hear about your grandmother and your brother,” said Mr. Lee with great sadness etched on his face. “I did not consider the consequences of my actions, or lack thereof. You don’t know how much I regret this cowardly act. I know that nothing will bring Luis back, but I want you to forgive me for my mistake and to please understand my sorrow at this time. I want to turn back time and change everything, but I know it’s too late. Now I can only ask God that all goes well for my princess and that she recovers. From now on, I will devote my life to healing all the wounds that I have caused her, and I will fight so that this kind of injustice never happens again.”

They all hugged each other seeking comfort. They were subjected to the same suffering, and they shared the pain. And although things wouldn’t change, they now had each other’s support in moving forward from what life had thrown at them along the way.

A few minutes later, Norberto, Mr. Mireles, Aunt Lupita and Father Carlos arrived.

“What did the doctors say?” asked Norberto.

“They haven’t given us a concrete diagnosis yet. She took a lot of pills last night,” said Tamara, “and we didn’t realize it until this morning.”

“I don’t know how we could have been so blind as to be unaware of what she was doing,” said Mr. Lee. “It seems that the damage is extensive, but for now, all we can do is to wait.”

“It’s filled with reporters outside,” Mr. Mireles commented.

“They want to get something out of us,” said Norma. “We were supposed to have a press conference with some of them this morning, but we had to cancel it because of what happened to Zina, and upon knowing that she was the daughter of a Councilor, they decided to see what news they could come up with and perhaps ask us for an interview here. For now, it’s not necessary to pay attention to them.”

There was much anxiety in the waiting area at the hospital. Jonathan received a text message from a friend, who said that the video with Luis’ letter, which Zina uploaded in YouTube, had received the most hits at the time, and TV channels were broadcasting at national level what was happening in the hospital at that moment, and some journalists had even read the letter in its entirety already. It was now the main topic everywhere.

The doctor suddenly entered the waiting room and asked to speak with the parents of Zina. They suddenly stood up.

“That would be us. Do you have any news for us?” said Jack, anxious.

The doctor stayed silent for a while. He nervously cleared his throat, and finally said, “I’m sorry. We have lost the battle. I’m afraid that when the intoxication was discerned, it was already too late. Zina has passed away.”

The news was heartbreaking. Zina’s parents hugged each other, while the others present said nothing. All were weeping inconsolably. Father Carlos said a prayer aloud. He prayed for Zina’s eternal repose and peace for her parents and friends. He also apologized for the cowardly act that he had committed.

“I am truly sorry for my failure,” implored the priest. “I don’t know how I could have shied away from it. I feel like I am the cause of everything, but I will fight together with you to remedy my fault. I will no longer allow so much injustice to continue. I don’t know what to do to achieve it, but I need to atone for the guilt in my conscience that will haunt me for the rest of my life.”

Some people had already left. Only Zina’s parents, Norma, Pablo, Father Carlos and Mr. Mireles remained.

“I think we have to face the reporters,” said Norma, “I don’t think they’ll leave without getting an interview.”

“I will do it,” said Jack. “It’s time to step up and begin to remedy all the evil I have caused.”

They all left through the main entrance of the hospital and were immediately approached by the journalists.

“Mr. Councilor, how is the situation with your daughter? What can you tell us about what happened to Luis?” asked one of them.

Mr. Lee, in great agony, said, “Today, my life and the lives of those here present have changed forever. My daughter, and her husband Luis Arriaga, just lost their lives. Both have taken their lives for love, a love that I was far from understanding for I lived with my eyes closed, and with a misconception of immigrants. Everything is lost because of an injustice and an act of betrayal which some of us have committed. The very same are being committed in the shadows every day. But from now on, I will tirelessly fight to repair all the damage that I have caused. Now I understand the real need of my society. Now I understand how those people who live in the shadows are being unfairly attacked, and how we, as politicians, instead of seeking a viable solution, are dedicated to making life impossible for them. We drive them to live a degrading life. In some cases, the ending is tragic… just like what happened to my daughter and to Luis. This is not the country we want for our future generations, because America is love and not hate. The United States is unity and not division.

I now understand because I have lived it in the flesh. I understand how these hate groups and officials, that seek to change the image of what the United States really is, have poisoned our minds and our hearts. From now on, I will fight for the legacy that these youngsters from two different cultures have left us. They have shown us that love should be above everything else, because this is what the United States is about. It’s the melting pot of all cultures of the world united in one country, in a community that must live united no matter the language or the color of their skin. God bless the United States.”

Pablo took the floor.

“Today, we will start a fight, together. A fight for equality, for love, for what we came here for—the American dream.”

“And I,” said Father Carlos, “publicly apologize for my cowardice. I will join the fight of Mr. and Mrs. Lee, Pablo and Norma, and I urge all religious denominations in the country to unite to fight for this community living in our midst, whose members are abused daily with the lash of injustice and racism. It is time to unite our voices as one.”

A new movement had begun. Now a non-Hispanic politician, a Catholic priest, and an active military officer came together in a new struggle to promote a nationwide movement for justice and freedom for the estimated twelve million illegal immigrants living in the country. Twelve million human beings hungry for justice. The same twelve million who have recognizably generated resources in times of prosperity, but have been the most attacked in times of crisis. The time for change had arrived.