Before We Were Free Read Online Free PDF

Mami sell my brown oxfords and old-fashioned jumpers I don’t like. But she smiles and says that won’t be necessary just yet.
    Lucinda and I aren’t the only ones to make friends with our neighbors. Mami starts a canasta group to introduce Mrs. Washburn to other Dominican ladies and help her practice her Spanish. Two or three tables are set up on the back patio. The ladies chat in lowered voices. Every once in a while, the new maid, Lorena, comes around with a tray of lemonades or clean ashtrays. Although Mami is trying to save money, there’s too much work keeping up with all the houses in the compound for just Chucha. So Mami has hired the young girl to help out. But we have to be extra careful what we say around her.
    “Why?” I ask. “Because she’s new?”
    Mami gives me a look that has
“Cotorrita!”
written all over it. After I told Mami that her nickname for me was really getting on my nerves, she promised to stop using it. But she still lets me know with her eyes when I’m speaking up too much. “Just be careful what you say,” Mami repeats.
    I guess you can’t trust a maid who hasn’t changed anyone’s diaper in the family!
    Actually, I can’t really complain about being asked to keep secrets. Sammy and I haven’t said a word about our discovery. Twice we’ve gone back to Tío Toni’s
casita
only to find the door closed and the padlock in place. But there have been fresh footprints leading to and from the
casita
and a pile of cigarette butts, as if someone without an ashtray has thrown them out the window.
    “Very fishy,” Sammy observes, an expression which he says means that something strange is going on.
    Our compound is crawling with fish, all right.
    At school, any interest in my disappearance for two weeks is upstaged by two much more exciting developments: Christmas is coming
and
Sammy has joined our class.
    “Samuel Adams Washburn,” Mrs. Brown introduces him.
    “Sam,” Sammy corrects her.
    Mrs. Brown asks “Samuel” to come to the front of the room and say a little something about himself. Mostly, Sam shrugs as Mrs. Brown introduces him herself.
    Then Mrs. Brown goes down each row, and we have to introduce ourselves. When my turn comes, Sam pipes up, “I know Anita already.” My face burns with pleasure.
    Behind me, Nancy Weaver and Amy Cartwright giggle their flirty hellos. I feel a pang of jealousy! Being Americans, they’ll have so much more to share with Sam than I do.
    I knew him first!
I want to shout.
He’s living in my cousins’ house
next door!
    Not that I think of Sam as a boyfriend, which I’m not allowed to have anyway. Mami doesn’t approve of my being around any boys who aren’t related to me. But since my cousins moved away, the rules have both tightened and loosened in odd ways. I can’t talk about the SIM’s visit or my cousins’ leaving for New York City, but I can have Sam for a best friend even if he is a boy.
    After we all introduce ourselves, Mrs. Brown says she has an announcement to make. “Class, we are going to play a special game for Christmas!” Everyone cheers. Mrs. Brown holds a finger to her lips to hush us. When we quiet down, she continues. “You will each pick a name out of a hat, and you’ll be that classmate’s Secret Santa—”
    Oscar’s hand is in the air before Mrs. Brown is done explaining, which is something we’re not supposed to do.
    Mrs. Brown ignores him. “As a Secret Santa, you’ll be leaving hidden notes for the person whose name you’ve picked. Little gifts and surprises. Things like that. Then, at our Christmas party, you’ll each find out who your Secret Santa has been.” Mrs. Brown claps her hands at the fun this is going to be.
    “Any questions?” Mrs. Brown adds, looking over at Oscar, who waves his hand eagerly. The class groans.
    “What if you pick your own name?” Oscar wants to know.
    Mrs. Brown thinks for a moment. “That is a good question. I suppose the best thing would be to put the name