Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish

This section of chapters is titled “Day Two”

The following day, Marcus, Charlie, Melissa, and the three girls squeeze into Sergio’s small, old, lime-green two-door pickup truck for the long drive to Darma’s farm near Orocovis. Because of his size, Marcus is given the broken front seat, which slides precariously with each movement. Charlie snuggles next to Maria, enjoying the way she calls him “lindo” (Spanish for beautiful); he eventually falls asleep on her shoulder. Marcus takes photographs of the changing scenery, leaving the ocean and the town of Old San Juan for the misty green mountains of Orocovis. In his pocket, Marcus has a letter he found in his father’s room at Ermenio’s house; it refers to a restaurant for sale in Orocovis. Sergio says they might be able to visit it later, fueling Marcus’s hope of tracking down his father. There is a wooden sign on the gate to Darma’s farm: “FINCA VEGA PIEDRA SIN AQUA NO AGUZA EN LA FRAGUA” (140), which Maria translates for them: “Vega farm […] Stone without water doesn’t sharpen in the forge” (140). Sergio explains that the saying means “from nothing, nothing can come” (140). Marcus helps Sergio with the gate, stepping in mud and narrowly avoiding horse manure.