She Had No Choice Read Free Page B

the living area, preparing to go to bed themselves. She turned to Emilio and nervously asked him what he found out.
    “ The children are sleeping now. Tell me, please, what happened today when you went to town? What did you find out? You were gone all day.”
    “ I thought Señor Vega might be a good place to start,” Emilio explained. “When I rode into town, I saw him on the street, so I followed him into his cantina. He told me I should go see his cousin, Pablo, in Altar. So I rode over there and talked with him. He said he knew people and could make the necessary arrangements for us to get across the border. The hombre who is in charge is called El Jefe.”
    “ El Jefe? Who’s that?” Juanita asked.
    “ Pablo didn’t know his real name. He said no one does. It’s better that way.”
    “ What else did he say? Tell me.”
    “ He said it would cost us $200 to get the whole family across the border.”
    “ $200?!” she gasped. “Where are we going to get $200?!”
    “ Shhh.  Keep your voice down.”
    “ But, Emilio, $200?”
    “ I know, I know, it’s a lot of money. I thought about it all the way home. I haven’t been able to think of anything else.”
    “ How will we ever come up with that kind of money?” Juanita whispered into the darkness. The moon shone brilliantly through the window, illuminating the whites of her eyes. Emilio could see her fear.
    “ We’ll figure it out, Juanita. We have to.”
    Emilio and Juanita recognized the danger of being caught crossing the border illegally – they could be shot out in the desert or arrested and put in prison. But, they were more terrified of staying in Mexico and watching their family die, one by one, from the Spanish Flu. They had to decide what was going to be better for the survival of their children.
    Later that night, while lying in bed, Juanita told Emilio about what she heard in town that afternoon. “Señora Ochoa told me today that five more people died this week, some of them children. I’m afraid, Emilio, really afraid. How many more days until someone else in our family gets sick? Maybe you… maybe me? Ay, Dios, maybe another one of our niños?”
    “ I know, I know. I’m working on it, Juanita,” Emilio countered, defensively. “I’m getting the money together as fast as I can. I don’t know what more I can do. I’m afraid, too.” No matter what he said, he could not calm her fears.
    He hated to admit he was afraid, too. As a man, he wanted to be strong for her, for his family. He wanted her to understand he was doing everything he possibly could to get them out of Mexico soon. But, it was not an easy thing. It would mean sneaking around, selling his prized possessions, walking away from the home he built and the land he owned. But he would gladly do it for the people he loved.
    “ I can’t stop thinking about the dangers,” Juanita said, interrupting his thoughts. “What would happen to our children if we get caught crossing the border? If we get killed or arrested?” Juanita’s mind was racing, playing out the scenarios of what might happen.
    She looked at him through the tears welling up in her eyes. Emilio put his arm around her, and she rested her head on his shoulder. He drew her in close and kissed her softly on her forehead.
    “ I don’t know, Juanita. I don’t want to think about that. I just know our chances of dying are greater if we stay here.”
    He caressed her cheek in his strong hand. “We have to go. We don’t really have a choice,” he told her, looking deeply into her dark eyes.
    The long day had taken its toll on him and he was exhausted, he just wanted some rest. “It’s late. Let’s talk about it in the morning. Try to get some sleep.” And, without another word, he rolled over and blew out the candle on the night table next to the bed. Juanita agreed and closed her eyes, saying a silent prayer for sleep.
    * * * *
    Morning came, and Juanita reluctantly agreed with Emilio to move forward. She