When I Was Puerto Rican

Mami is pregnant again, this time with Francisco’s baby. Francisco starts to have incredible stomach pain, which everyone think is appendicitis. Unfortunately, it is cancer. The family moves to a bigger place so that Tata can live with them and help take care of Francisco, whenever he is able to come home. In the hospital, he is almost literally wasting away before their eyes. It’s a shock and another reminder of mortality.

The baby, Franky, is born. Mami and Francisco come home from the hospital on the same day. For days, Francisco lies in bed with the baby, singing to him. His parents do not approve of him living with the Santiagos. They think he should be home with them, but he resists. On a trip to visit him in a hospital, he tells Mami that he has had a vision and has seen an angel. Mami tells him that it is nonsense, but days after being released into his parents’ care, he dies. Mami goes into mourning for a full year.

For several weeks after moving to Brooklyn, Esmeralda wrote letters to Papi, describing the city, her school, and more. When Delsa arrives from Puerto Rico, she tells Esmeralda that Papi has a new family and has married.