The Distance Between Us

Reyna’s mother returns after having been in a traffic accident that killed her boyfriend. Grande recounts her mother’s story, which she would hear only years later: She had not intended to fall in love and was certain that her boyfriend, as a wrestler, would be able to protect her. During the weeks after her mother’s return, Reyna frequently hears her weeping: “We hadn’t known how to comfort her or what to say, so we stayed away. She stayed away from us too, and only once did she try to hold one of us—my little sister” (121). Betty dismisses her and reaches instead for Mago.

Reyna’s mother gets her old job back; upon receiving her first paycheck, she treats the kids to a movie, and Reyna notes that during the film, “I leaned my head against Mami’s arm, and she reached out and played with my hair” (124). Her mother’s mood brightens even more when she learns that the government is giving away parcels of land. She takes the children along to stake a claim, but finally Reyna and her siblings, tired and hungry, want to go home. Reyna’s mother insists, however, that Carlos will have to stay behind to guard the land, even staying overnight.