“Pip! Wake up! Wake up! The truck is gone. Eduardo is gone!”
I rubbed my eyes and, without thinking, “I thought the truck didn’t work.”
I probably should not have said that.
Claudia unleashed something in Spanish as I sat up.
“¡¿Qué te pasa?! ¡Siempre con las bromas! ¡Despierta, Pip!”
She stopped herself and sighed.
For a split second I think we shared a smile but it’s too early in the morning to know for sure.
“The truck isn’t broken.” She looked out toward the fields. “It’s Eduardo who’s broken.”
“¡Ándale!, Pip. Get dressed. Luisa is making breakfast and Pancho is on his way.”
“Pancho is coming here?”
She was already gone.
“I guess I’ll just talk to myself then,” and got dressed.
“I wonder if you’re ever going to get back to Santa Cruz, Pip? What do you think?”
I shrugged and ruminated on breakfast.
“¡Vamos!”
“Buenos días, Luisa. What’s for breakfast?” I asked, sitting down at the table.
“Era el favorito de Papá. Huevos rancheros. You might need the energy today.”
What requires more exertion than a short ten-mile walk to the cafe? I wondered.
My fork snapped through the crisp tortilla.