Each Tiny Spark

With help from Gus, Emilia Rosa (sometimes called “Sweet E”) makes a video for her dad. It is the 30th video she has made for him; she says she misses him and that she spent her birthday with Abuela (her dad’s mom) making flan de coco. She wonders if her dad is in the mountains and shows him her dragon drawing, thinking it could inspire another tattoo near his Semper Fi US Marine Corps tattoo.

Abuela flattens Emilia’s auburn hair with an iron: She doesn’t want her granddaughter going to school with unruly hair. Abuela’s hair is straight and well-maintained, but Emilia’s mom’s hair is wavy. Mom and Abuela argue over Emilia’s multiracial identity, with Abuela stressing her European traits and Mom emphasizing her Yoruba (a group from West Africa) characteristics. Abuela and Mom quarrel about religion, and Mom points out that Abuela gave Emilia a Catholic baptism. Emilia asks how Mom tolerates Abuela, and her mom indicates that it takes patience.

For breakfast, Emilia eats carefully selected foods—a peanut butter and spinach smoothie and a fish oil pill—because the doctor said they should help her concentrate. The family makes café con leche, and Emilia loves the smell of coffee with milk.