“¿Tía Claudia?”  I gasped in surprise. She wasn’t really my aunt but we always treated each other like family since she took care of me when my parents were too busy working.

 “¡Ay querida! We’ve missed you so much!” she expressed tightening her grasp. I start looking around the room and perceive Caridad’s parents talking with mine relief on their faces.

“I can’t believe it? When did you come back? All these days I’ve been worried-” I suddenly stop my discourse. Something isn’t right. She isn’t there. “sick… Where is Caridad? Was she too tired to come here?” Silence fills the room. Ms. and Mr. García looked at each other not knowing what to say. Tía Claudia gazes at me with sorrow, looks back at Caridad’s parents quickly, and then takes my hand to lead me to the kitchen. Still confused, I question, “¿Tía, que pasa? I don’t understand… Is she doing well? She is here, right?”

 

She takes a deep breath and begins. “Back there we… We weren't able to make it on time. You know we used to live en la Víbora right? Well, on the day of the exodus the traffic was horrible! I think you could imagine with all these families leaving the country for a better life -not counting all the criminals Casto deliberately let escape to get rid of them- that all the roads of Cuba were jammed. When we finally arrived, we were almost an hour late! The boat already left but many people were still there, waiting to pass the military who decided who could pass or not. Thankfully, we were able to all pass, unfortunately, others don’t have esa suerte.”

“Move from here culo!" screams an armed man pointing his weapon toward another man, “your kind of people can’t leave!” Everyone on the boat heard that but no one wanted to interfere. They didn't want to help people with this “lifestyle”. We just ignored it, except for one person, Caridad.

“Hey, leave him alone! He did nothing wrong.” She exclaimed from the boat. “We all deserve a chance to leave!”

“Ah! Did you hear her guys? This little girl thinks she makes the law!” The armed man laughed alongside others, “Young girls like yourself should keep their mouths shut, rather than trying to create a new “justice”, while failing miserably!”

Before she said anymore, the boat started quitting port Mariel. The last view we had from it was the man getting beaten up by the military. I could see Caridad tense up in front of this view, you know her, she always hated injustice. Her parents never really liked that side of her as much as you did…

“Caridad! Why would you do that? Are you crazy? Do you maybe want us to get killed?!” said her mom, madder than she ever was.

“To defend these kinds of people! Are you maybe one of them? Hah!” My brother started as a joke.