Chapter 1 Patience whispered Dad The music’s coming I promise There’s something about that moment right before the first star appears in the sky It’s like at an orchestra concert when the conductor raises his hands and everyone is hushed not even breathing waiting for that very first note to wash over them At my first concert with Dad the conductor paused on the stand for what seemed like forever It went on so long I couldn’t help wiggling in my seat I lean back against the rough bark of an almond tree feel the chill of the breeze across my face and hear something like those words again Except this time it’s my best friend Sofia saying them It’s coming Kate She rubs her thighs to warm them up It won’t be long now I promise Sofia gets a daily email about the night sky and when certain stars will appear It’s never wrong Ever But that doesn’t mean Sofia can’t remember it wrong I’m about to say so when she shouts Look There it is She points at a bright star hovering above the orange line of the horizon
tight as we can making a wish to me again The scrunching part is very important when I hold my breath and those words come back I look at my watch Right on time Sofia laughs and bumps her shoulder against mine Told you Make a wish We both close our eyes scrunching them as The music’s coming I promise But the only person who can bring the tinkling crashing zipping soaring sound of music back into my life is Dad Please please please I whisper Beside me I hear Sofia mumble Por favor I open my eyes and see her clasping the cross hanging from her neck It’s not a prayer you know Sofia opens one eye Sshh You’re breaking my concentration What kind of wish are you making A big one Obviously Now quiet She rubs her thumb along her cross a couple more times mouthing something I can’t make out before sighing and looking at me There She drops her necklace Why were you praying
It never hurts to try everything Not when it’s important The wind blows again finding the spaces between the buttons on my sweater I can’t see buds forming on Mr Harris’s almond trees yet but they’ll be there soon It’s the beginning of January and spring always shows up the first week of February You can count on it So what did you wish for I ask To go back in time and have Christmas again It’s the last Friday of winter break There are probably a lot of people wishing for that right now People who didn’t open all their presents with one eye on the door waiting for someone who never came And be cooped up in the house with Marcos and Miguel for another week says Sofia No thank you My wish is much bigger and more exciting She presses her lips together the way she does whenever she has a surprise treat for me in her lunch box me Tell me I poke her arm You have to tell I don’t know Then it might not come true I roll my eyes You don’t actually believe that You’re right Sofia laughs I’ll tell you I wished to be a movie star With a mansion and a closet full of beautiful dresses and somebody I pay to clean my room
I glance at the bottom of Sofia’s jeans where her mother sewed in cotton lace to make them long enough for her to keep wearing You’re right That’s a big wish Sofia stands up and begins waltzing around and waving at imaginary people She speaks with a snooty British accent When my movie premieres you’ll accompany me down the red carpet It will all be very fancy I wrinkle my nose at the word fancy Don’t be like that Sofia says her British accent faltering What I just don’t want to wear a fluffy dress or anything stupid like that It’s not stupid Sofia curls her hands into fists the way she does when she’s about to yell at her brothers I jump to my feet Maybe I can come as your bodyguard okay close Sofia’s hands unclench I guess that would be Then I can karate chop anyone who gets too Yeah Hiyah Sofia does her best impression of a roundhouse kick but she is way off I relax into ready position with my fist resting against the palm of my other hand Nobody touches my best friend These hands are registered weapons
