How Tía Lola Saved the Summer Read Free Page A

hotels and meals and rides, but four plane tickets. This was a big expense for a family that might soon be relocating to Vermont, where the father would probably have to take a job that involved a pay cut.
    “That’s when she went ballistic,” Victoria says, shaking her head at her sister’s dramatics. “By the way,” Victoria adds, changing the subject before they get into an argument over whether Essie asked about Disney World three times or a hundred times, “I really love your room. It’s like a tropical wonderland in here.”
    “Tía Lola helped me,” Juanita admits modestly, for a change.
    Miguel actually thinks Juanita’s room is over the top. Garlands of colorful cut paper crisscross the room. The posts of her bed have been painted to look like palm trees with fronds forming a green canopy in the center. There is also a small purple couch that unfolds into a bed, where Esperanza will be sleeping. That’s how the girls have decided it. Meanwhile, Cari and Victoria will be in the guest room, which is connected to Juanita’s room by a door. “It’s like our very own private suite,” Victoria points out.
    “Our very own private sweet! Yuuumy!” Cari chimes in.
    “A suite, not a sweet.” Esperanza doesn’t exactly call her little sister “dummy,” but her tone of voice suggests that’swhat she thinks of anyone who doesn’t know the difference between an s-w-e-e-t and an s-u-i-t-e. Miguel would never admit it to Esperanza’s face, but he himself isn’t one hundred percent sure what a suite is. Of course, he does know it’s not something you eat.
    “Maybe you’ll still get to go to Disney World, you think?” Juanita would have to bring up a sore point. But then, very nicely, as even Miguel would agree, Juanita offers to sleep on the fold-out couch and let Esperanza have the splendid bed. That way, even if she isn’t in Disney World, Esperanza can at least pretend she’s in Florida.

    After an afternoon of settling in, Tía Lola boots everyone out of the house. She has to get the treasure hunt ready. “Don’t come back until it’s dark,” Tía Lola orders, waving goodbye. Since it’s summertime, they will all have to entertain themselves until it’s almost nine.
    “What about Valentino?” Cari asks as they are climbing into the van. They will be eating dinner in a restaurant, so they’ll have to leave the dog behind.
    “Valentino es mi asistente,” Tía Lola announces. Valentino hasn’t been in Vermont a full day, and he has already been promoted from guest pet to personal assistant. Lucky dog, all right, Miguel is thinking. He wishes he could stay, but begging off dinner with their guests probably doesn’t qualify as being a good host. Besides, they’re going to his favorite restaurant, Amigos Café, owned by Rudy, who also happens to be the coach for Miguel’s baseball team.
    Saturday night, the place is packed. But Rudy has reserved a big round table for their party of seven. “Hey, captain,” he greets Miguel, playfully cuffing him on the arm. “Tomorrow we start the heavy lifting.”
    “So, what exactly starts tomorrow?” Víctor asks after Rudy leaves them to study their menus.
    Mami explains that Miguel’s baseball team will be having long practice sessions every day through Friday, as they have a big game next Saturday. “Rudy’s their coach.”
    “I’m on the team at my school,” Esperanza pipes up. “Papa helps coach when he has time. So, can I play?”
    Mami looks unsure, but Miguel is very sure. “This is a boys’ team.” Miguel can feel his mother’s eyes boring a hole into the side of his head.
    “That’s against the rules! Right, Papa?” Esperanza turns to her lawyer father. “You can’t keep girls from playing in Little League.”
    “We’re not a Little League team,” Miguel is quick to inform her. Actually, all his teammates were in Little League. But now that school is over, he and his friends have decided to stay together as a summer