Chapter 9

Dave's turn:

Carlita tells me that my memory is not good.

"I asked you why you wanted to buy me another swimsuit. I have one from the other day with Pat."

"I guess I forgot." I did forget. Probably a mental block that secludes thoughts of Carlita in a swimsuit. I could be wrong. She could look like a toad. I watched her move over to the sofa to pick up the book she'd been reading. Nope, no way that's any kind of toad.

"I've been reading. I talked with Pat. She says I will have to be tested to see where my education puts me in the American system."

"That could be a strange experience. I don't know what you know. I DO know that you sound well-educated."

"I tried to learn. There were people who helped me. I can read. I know something of English grammar..."

"I know kids your age who don't even know that English HAS grammar..."

"I am not like that, Dave. I wish to do well. I do not want people to say 'that is all Carlita knows how to do'. I want Carlita to have no limits. I can do mathematics. Add, subtract, multiply, divide. Algebra."

"Algebra?"

"There was a book at the school. I asked about it. They let me use it."

"Fourteen year old American students do not use algebra books. There is some algebra in their math classes."

"I can do this," she said. "The other day on the boat, you explained about the ... keel. And balancing forces. I understand those things. "Brazo de momento... " is 'moment arm' the correct term?"

"That's physics, Lita."

She stared at me, those brown eyes serene. "You are engineer. You cannot separate science from numbers. Physics is math with materials."

Inside my head the little guy was running around saying 'What?!?' Outside, I just smiled. "You surprise me, Lita."

"I hope it is a good surprise."

"It was a surprise when you popped up behind my seat. It's been getting better and better every day."

She turned around and walked up to me. I looked downward into her face. "Dave, I think you are a good man. I am glad you found me, okay? Very glad. Come sit. Let me show you what I learned today on the computer."

I sat on the sofa beside her, apparently not close enough, because she eased over, her thigh touching mine, and excitedly went through some websites.

"I can search. I type here. I get places to go. I learn."

"Be careful. Sometimes innocent searches can take you to places that are not proper for young girls. And there is 'chat'. Do not chat."

"What is 'chat'? Like you and me? Talking?"

"Yes, except on the computer, where people may not be as they seem. It is a common place for bad men to search for young girls."

"I know about bad men, Dave. I hear stories. I grew up in church. I know what is right and what is wrong. That does not change for me because somebody says that what I learned is not proper for today."

"Where did you hear that 'not proper for today'?"

"I listen on my travels. The men talk of their..." She paused, searching for the right word, "conquests. Talk to silly girls and tell them things to get what they want." She looked at me. "Men think that girls are for only one thing. Maybe two. Make babies. Keep house."

I remained silent, letting her talk.

She looked carefully at me, started a bit of a smile. "I can keep house."

"I can see what you did today. But keeping this house is not what Lita needs to do. Lita needs to be ... what Lita wants to be, not what some man wants..."

"Unless it is a special man who wants what Lita wants," she giggled.

"You will find that man, if you don't get distracted by one with sweet words and flashy clothes and a nice car," I said.

"I'm sure I can tell the difference, Dave..."

"Many a young girl has said that, Lita. Don't chat on the computer."

"I won't. You say no. Is no." She smiled. "Now, this is something I thought was interesting..." and she showed me more discoveries.

"You're smiling," she said.

"Yes, because my Lita is happy. I was worried. Big house, you alone here..."

"It is your house. Part of you is here always. And you have ME here. So there are two of us."

I didn't hear from Brother Bob for three days. In the meantime, I got used to having this remarkable young girl running around my house. It's been a long time ... Maybe it's because American kids are so jaded about things. Much of it was new and exciting to Lita. We went to the library one evening and stayed until they closed. We left with books.

I introduced her to ebooks. "You have given me the world, Dave."

"I just showed you the Internet, Lita."

"No, I'm not talking about that, Dave. I'm talking about how you have given me a place to stay and a place to learn."

Pat came over to check on Lita. Ran into a smiling girl, shorts-clad, acting like she'd inherited the kingdom. I let the two of them take off shopping. Tossed a credit card to Lita. Both of them looked at me.

I shrugged. "She needs to know how it works. Don't get crazy."

They were gone and I was puttering around, noticing that I was saddened by the empty house, when the phone rang.

"This is Dave," I answered.

"Dave, this is Bob."

"Brother Bob," I said. "Good to hear from you. I take it you're well."

"Better than yesterday, and the good Lord willing, I'll be better tomorrow. I have some information, Dave."

"Lita – Carlita is hoping," I said.

"I know she is. We talked. Dave, she's a precious thing. All children are, you know. I probably raised a couple of hundred orphans in Guatemala, but there was only ONE Carlita. She's bright in ways that an old Texas missionary can't fathom."

"I get some of that. Her English..."

"I know. We used her for a translator. A teacher. Fourteen. She called me, Dave. She says good things about you, your sister, your brother ... they accept her."

"What else is there, Brother Bob?" I asked. "I cannot begin to understand a person who would turn his back on her. Of course we accept her. I told her that she's good here as long as she wants. Not 'needs'. I know there are Federal shelters and programs that would provide food and shelter. I said 'wants'. I see Lita, I see a girl who wants the right things."

"Yes, as do I. I should have adopted her and brought her back with me, but when the narcos beat me, I had to come back before I could make those things happen. You have no idea how many nights I prayed for her by name. I prayed for all the little faces, Dave, but Carlita was in the front of them all."

"I can see her standing out. She's ... something."

"I know. Now, let me tell you what I have accomplished."

"Go ahead," I said.

"You can imagine that the government of Guatemala is, shall we say, open to a little persuasion, in the form of US dollars."

"I understand that much south of the border is like that."

"Sad," he said, "but justice and attention can be bought. The Guatemalan Ministry of Foreign Affairs issues passports. They have a consulate in Houston, some people I have dealt with, as well as some people others have dealt with, with, shall we say, negotiable ideas of Guatemalan law."

"I imagined they'd have a consulate in Houston," I said.

"They do. Working there is a Senor Juan Rios. He has indicated to me that he will be able to provide Carlita with a Guatemalan passport and a birth certificate."

"That's great!" I said. I knew there was more to the story.

"There is more, of course. He said that the fees and service charges for such activity would be five thousand US dollars..."

I didn't bat an eye. I have the money. I saw what that debit would do to my savings and balanced it against the face of Carlita Ortiz. Mouse versus elephant. "How do we do this?"

"Are you certain?"

"Is this a guy who, when bought, stays bought?"

"Ah-hah!" Brother Bob said. "The proverbial 'honest politician'. You're a smart man, Mister David Johnson."

"I read books without pictures, Brother Bob."

"Uh, just so you know, I had a friend do a background check on YOU. Carlita is precious to me. I worry."

"Except for a speeding ticket three years ago, I doubt that you found anything," I said. "And in your shoes, I understand. So what do we do next?"

"You show up at the consulate in Houston. Senor Rios will meet you and go to lunch with you. He is supposedly a well-read man. During the course of the meal, you will give him an envelope with five thousand dollars and two passport photos of Carlita. Expect your documents in two weeks."

"Will Senor Rios be available on Friday?"

"Yes. He is flying back to Guatemala on Saturday."

"And naturally, if he STAYS in Guatemala, I'm out five grand and Carlita's still stuck."

"He's a good politician. You can consider that my promise to you and Carlita."

"I will take Friday off and do as you say."

"Do not bring Carlita. Does she have a place to stay?"

"She has taken over my house," I said. "And my sister finishes the school year. I think she is off on Friday. If not, my sister-in-law is available." I didn't tell him a couple of things – first, that Carlita took over my heart as well as my house and second, that she had stayed here by herself with no problems.

"Good. Dave, this is an answer to my prayer. Carlita's, as well. Thank you so very much."

"Thank you, Brother Bob. For my little friend."

"Tell Carlita that I still pray for her and that I hope this works well for her."

"I will do that, sir."

"God bless you, Dave. Goodbye." And the phone clicked.

Carlita and Pat returned.

"Did you buy anything?" I asked.

"One thing, only," Lita said.

I noted Pat's off-center smile. "She DIDN'T buy another bathing suit, Dave. She told me..."

"I know. I forgot." To Lita I said, "So what'd you buy?"

"This!" she said, presenting me with a metallic foil covered box. "I liked the smell. Pat said you bought some once before."

I ignored the fact that she bought me a present with MY money. Where the money came from was insignificant compared to who was giving the gift.

"Thank you, Carlita," I said.

She stood in front of me, innocently twisting, expectant. I opened my arms. She jumped into my grasp, hugging me. Kissed me on the cheek. "Thank Pat, too. She helped me choose."

"Thank you, Sis," I said.

"She was insistent," Pat said.

"I know it is YOUR money, Dave, but maybe just a little bit of it is happiness from me?" She cocked her head, gave me those brown eyes. I was gone.

"It is from Lita. That makes it the best of gifts, no matter who pays."

"Well, I have a phone call to make," Pat said. "Lita, the offer to stay at my house still stands."

"Oh, Pat," I said, "Friday I have to go to Houston. Aren't you off?"

"Yes. Carlita? Would you want to run the roads with me?"

"I would love to, Sister Pat," Lita said.

"Good! Then call me when you're ready. We'll try to do something interesting."

"Very good," Lita said.

"G'night, y'all," Pat said. The door closed. Carlita went to it and turned the deadbolt to lock it.

She turned to me. "You will wear that cologne after you shower tonight?"

"For my Lita."