Breathe and Count Back from Ten

Verónica defines dysplasia as “the state of being displaced, inside and outside of your body” (52). She notes how things found in nature, such as flowers and trees, are allowed to be imperfect and bend in all sorts of ways, but the way her body bends makes her “chueca” (53), or crooked, and she doesn’t see why the two should be treated differently. Being called “crooked” also puts in a category with other “crooked” things, such as corrupt politicians or police. Verónica has undergone several surgeries to correct the misalignment in her hip socket. The most recent surgery seems to have worked, but her parents continue to treat her as if she’s fragile. When at dinner one night she implies that she would make a good mermaid, her father gets increasingly irritated and calls the profession a glorified form of sex work. He brings up the story of the sirenas who lure men into the water with their song and looks at Verónica, implying that he is referring to the night with Jeremy in the hot tub. He is adamantly against the idea and won’t budge on the matter. When Verónica suggests moving into a bigger apartment or townhouse now that