Among the Ducklings Read Free Page A

programming class at Miami Dade Community college. Isabel
was one year younger than Lucy and was still in her freshman year, while Lucy
was finishing her last semester. Lucy was two inches shorter than Isabel and
was very attractive. She was born to African-American parents in a poor rural
town in Alabama, and left home when she was sixteen years old to come live with
an aunt in Miami. A year after moving in with her aunt, she found herself
pregnant and abandoned by her boyfriend, when he learned of Lucy's pregnancy.
Lucy and Isabel bonded immediately when they met, as both were young, single
and raising small children alone.

    They would
babysit, help and watch out for each other. After Lucy graduated from the junior
college, she went on to attend Florida International University, where she
received a degree in Education. Isabel soon followed and graduated with a
degree in Computer Engineering. Several years later, after their graduation,
Isabel became Lucy's maid of honor, in Lucy's wedding to Jack, one of Isabel's
clients.

    “I’m glad
she is doing well, after everything that the two of you have been through,”
Richard said. They were headed south on route US1, hoping to take State Road
878 and get off on Kendall Drive. The rain had now turned to a light drizzle.

    “I like the
smell of the rain,” Isabel said.

    “The rain
doesn't have any smell. What you like is the smell of dirt mixed with
rainwater. In my world, we call that mud,” Richard said, teasing Isabel.

    “Don't be
smart, Richard. Take me home, I'm a little tired.”

    “At least
the street is empty,” Richard said.

    The road
was dark and all they could see were red lights blinking in front of them, as
they drove through each intersection.

    “I really
wished the county would install more lights on this road,” Richard said, squinting his eyes.

    “Try to
slow down. The road is very wet,” Isabel warned him.

    “Don't be a
backseat driver. You'll be home soon. I promise,” he said. “By the way,
are we still having lunch tomorrow?”

    “Yes, at
11:30, after Mass,” Isabel replied. “Rebecca is coming too.”

    “Good. I
can't wait. I've not had Latin food in two days,” Richard said, prompting a
laugh from Isabel.

    "Between
you and me, I am no longer sure who has the Cuban heritage.”

    As the car
was approaching Bird Road, it looked as if the car had picked up speed. When
the car reached the middle of the Bird Road intersection, Isabel, who was
looking above at the blinking lights, turned towards Richard as Richard was
describing a new restaurant that he found.

    “I found
this great Cuban place in Coconut Grove. It’s not fancy.....”

    It was as
if time had gone into a slow motion. On Richard's left side, coming at full
speed, was a large vehicle which was about to violently ram their car.

    Isabel
could not see the shape of the vehicle, only its largeness and two menacing
lights. The lights were round, bright, big and getting bigger as the space
between the two vehicles was being devoured by what appeared to Isabel to be a
huge truck. It only took a few seconds. But to Isabel, it seemed an eternity.

    She
screamed.

    Loud
impact.

    Metal
against metal.

    In a flash,
Richard's Acura flew into a tail spin, violently flipping across the road. The
sound of screeching metal and screams could be heard for miles, while flickers
of fires popped every time the car hit the pavement during each flip. The scent
of gas, burnt rubber and metal permeated the air as the spin finally and slowly
stopped, with the car landing upside down, several feet into the eastern side
of Bird Road.

    Incredibly,
Isabel, who was still restrained by her seat belt, was not feeling any pain.
She could feel the blood and its wetness on her blouse. She turned and called
Richard's name, but Richard did not respond. She then heard sounds of feet
running toward the car as her eyes began to fail her. She managed to call
Richard's name one last time, before everything