“My dad is a supervisor at the farm he works for,” Luna said softly. “We’re renting a house down the street. I was born in this country.”
“See,” Rachel said. “They live here. They aren’t just here for the picking season.”
Amy began packing her thread into the little case she carried it in. “It doesn’t matter. I can’t stay with her around. I’m going home.” She stormed off.
Rachel sighed and turned to Luna. “I’m sorry. She isn’t usually mean.”
Luna shrugged. “I’ve had that happen a lot. It’s hard making friends with the local kids. I’m glad you were nice to me.”
Rachel smiled at her. “Come sit next to me, and I’ll show you how to make a bracelet.”
Luna did as she was told and watched as Rachel continued braiding the green and red bracelet she’d been working on.
“See. It’s easy. I’ll help you get started. What colors do you want to make your bracelet?” Rachel asked.
“I like yours,” Luna said, pointing to Rachel’s wrist.
“Okay. Blue and yellow.” Soon, Luna was braiding her own bracelet while Rachel finished hers. The two girls talked about school starting up soon, and Rachel learned that Luna was eight and would be in her grade.
“I’m scared about starting a new school,” Luna said nervously. “Especially since the local kids don’t like migrant children.”
“I’ll be your friend,” Rachel said. “Hopefully, we’ll be in the same classroom.”
This seemed to make Luna happy.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over Rachel, and she looked up to see her brother standing over her.
“So, who’s your new friend?” Keith asked, leering down at Luna.
“None of your business. Leave us alone,” Rachel said, pushing down the fear she felt rising inside of her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jeremy standing on the sidelines. His dirty-blond hair hung around his face, and his eerie dark blue eyes stared directly at her. If Keith started harassing them, Rachel knew that Jeremy wouldn’t help her or Luna.
“Don’t be such a little bitch,” Keith said to his sister. He eyed Luna. “You’re kind of pretty, for a kid.
“Keith!” Rachel yelled. “Stop it!”
Luna cowered at the table while Keith laughed.
“Come on, Jeremy. They’re too young for us—now. Maybe in a few years,” Keith said, laughing wickedly.
To Rachel’s relief, they left.
“Luna,” she said to her new friend. “Stay as far away from Keith and Jeremy as you can. They’re not nice.”
Luna nodded, her face looking frightened. “I will.”
Rachel and Luna finished braiding their bracelets, and Luna proudly wore hers on her wrist.
“We’re twins now,” Rachel said, both girls holding their wrists up next to each other. If anyone had been watching them, they would have sworn the girls were sisters.
The two girls said their goodbyes and went their separate ways toward home. It was almost five, and Rachel knew her mother would expect her back at the house.
There were nice homes and shabby homes in their neighborhood, and to Rachel’s embarrassment, theirs was shabby. It was a small bungalow with a Spanish tile roof that was in need of a paint job. The shutters hung crookedly next to the windows, and the front door, which was once red, was peeling and tired looking. Rachel’s father was away several days a week, trucking, and her mother spent most of her days inside, watching talk shows and drinking beer. Rachel never knew what her mother’s mood would be like when she walked inside the house.
Rachel smiled when she saw her aunt and uncle’s station wagon parked at the curb. She adored her Aunt Julie and Uncle Gordy. Julie Scott was her mother’s much younger sister. She had the prettiest curly auburn hair, and her blue eyes twinkled when she looked at Rachel. She was the opposite of Rachel’s mother, who was overweight with bleached blond hair and wrinkles forming around her mouth from smoking. Aunt Julie was smart, too. She’d graduated college—the only one in her family to do so—and worked in an accounting firm. Her Uncle Gordy was successful too, and very kind. Rachel always loved it when they came over to see her.
Walking up their cracked cement driveway to the kitchen door, Rachel was about to climb the steps of the small stoop when she heard loud voices inside. She froze. Rachel knew immediately that her aunt and mother were arguing again.
“You can’t have her!” Rachel’s mother yelled. “She’s mine, and I’m keeping her.”
“Judy, please,” Julie pleaded. “We could give her a good life. You don’t even want her. You sit in here all day and smoke and drink and watch TV. Where we’re going, Rachel could have a nice home in a good area and grow up to be anything she wants.”
“No!” Judy said. “Get out. You can move anywhere you want, but you can’t take her.”
Rachel jumped when she heard something hit the back door and shatter on the kitchen floor. She backed up, away from the stoop. Once her mother was angry enough to throw things, it got ugly.
“Fine. We didn’t want to do it, but we’ll get lawyers involved,” Julie yelled. A moment later, Julie and Gordy rushed out of the house, as another item hit the back door. Julie’s face looked shocked when she saw Rachel standing there.
“Oh. Dear. I didn’t know you were out here,” Aunt Julie said, her face softening. “How long have you been here?”
Rachel didn’t want her aunt to know she’d heard anything. “I just got here,” she told her.
Julie looked relieved when she heard this. “We’re just leaving,” she said, hugging Rachel. She pulled back and gazed into Rachel’s eyes. “You’d like to live with us, wouldn’t you? I mean, if I can talk your mother into it.”
Rachel didn’t understand why her aunt kept fighting her mother for custody of her, but she kind of liked the idea. She adored her father, but her mother and brother were always mean to her. She knew
