Echo

Ivy looks for Araceli. The two girls both moved around frequently and came to La Colonia with their respective families the same week. Upon finding her friend, Ivy must announce her departure. Back at home, her parents make plans to leave the following morning, and she realizes she will not get to say goodbye to her teacher, much less play her harmonica solo. She laments the loss of a musical opportunity, and her parents tell her she must become more serious and recognize the opportunity for their family. 

On the drive to Orange County, Ivy thinks back to her first day at school in La Colonia. That day was also Fernando’s eighteenth birthday, on which he chose to enlist. On the same day, she received her first harmonica, painted with a letter “M,” and was told by her teacher that she had “a gift, a real talent for music” (394). After Fernando announced his enlistment, she played a song to comfort her familyand continued playing until Fernando departed. Before leaving, he told her that he was counting on her to “fix things” after he left their family “a little bit broken” (397). 

Ivy’s family passes by an idyllic school, which they believe Ivy will attend. They arrive at their small house, from which the landowner’s larger house is visible. His family is not home, and Ivy doesn’t understand where they are. However, she is quickly distracted by the promise of her new room, which would be entirely hers. 

Ivy and her mother, Luz, meet their neighbors, Joyce Ward and her daughter, Susan. Luz will do Joyce’s ironing. Susan seeks to befriend Ivy and says she will save her a seat on the bus. Ivy notes that Mr. Ward, looking at them from his car, appears unfriendly. Her mother tells her that such an appearance often suggests that such a face is “hiding a reason we cannot see” (413).