catch up.
I step past them and walk into the living room. Everybody looks up at me and at the Anglo doctor and the nurse.
I say in Spanish, âThis is Captain Dr. Albertson and Lieutenant Nurse Sally. Theyâve come to help us. They donât speak Spanish, but Iâll help.â
I look around for my mother and Juan, but theyâre not here.
âWhereâs Juan?â I try to ask, but the words stick in my throat.
Mom, carrying Juan on her hip, steps into the room from her bedroom. Juan looks pale and tired, but heâs awake and quiet; he stares straight at us. In his right hand he carries C-3PO. I smile at Juan, but his eyes look glassy. He doesnât smile back, but he says in a weak voice, âBerti, you came home!â
Berti wags her tail.
âPneumonia,â Dr. Albertson says to me.
I translate for Mom, who looks very worried.
Dr. Albertson sees Momâs reaction and quickly adds, âHeâs going to be just fine. Iâve given him enough antibiotics to cure a whole village. In situations like this, where there is so much dampness and dirt, bronchitis and pneumonia are quite common. But your little brother is strong, and we got to him early. He needs bed rest and fluids, but heâll be okay.â
My eyes sting again. Thanks, God, I say to myself.
Nurse Sally says to me, âYou did well, José. Iâm so glad you found us and helped us get here. Good work.â Her kind words make me feel good, but embarrassed too.
I mutter, âIâm just glad you were coming here.â Dr. Albertson smiles at us. Watching him work with Juan, I notice again how large the doctorâs hands are as he gently takes Juanâs tiny arm and lifts it up.
Dr. Albertson says to me, âItâs lucky we met you. The translator for our team, Sergeant Pérez, is on leave. His wife is having a baby. Heâll be catching up with us next week, but in the meantime we werenât sure how we were going to manage. Youâve helped us as much as weâve helped you.â
This man saved Juan. He can do no wrong in my eyes.
Now the doctor asks me to translate his words to my mother.
âMrs. Cruz, you have good boys here,â he says, smiling. Iâm a little embarrassed to translate this. The doctor sees my hesitation. âTell her exactly what I said, José.â
I follow his orders, and my mother smiles and nods. He says, âMrs. Cruz, youâve done a wonderful job helping your neighbors. Now I need to ask you to do even more.â
Dr. Albertson pauses to allow for my translation to catch up. Mom nods as I talk. When Iâve finished speaking, he adds, âYour home looks like the only secure structure in La Rupa. We need to set up an emergency clinic here just for today. Is that all right with you?â
As I finish my translation, Mom nods and says âSÃ, claro.â
I translate her words: âYes, of course.â
âThank you, maâam,â Dr. Albertson says. âI know that you have family out and unaccounted for. Weâve put out a search for them, and Iâll keep you posted of any developments.â
Mom listens to my translation and just nods and says, âGracias.â There is no change in her expression.
Watching them talk, Iâm surprised all over again by how strong and brave my mother is. Mom is just over five feet in height, yet she looks up directly at this tall soldier as he speaks. She doesnât speak English, but she listens carefully to him and watches his expressions, and then listens just as carefully to my translations of his words. She doesnât show how worried she really must be.
The doctor and Nurse Sally begin to move people from one side of the room to another, and Nurse Sally calls out to the other soldiers to hurry and bring up the medical supplies.
âYouâre first,â she says to me.
âWhy? Iâm fine. Iâm not hurt.â
âOh, really?â