Page 137 of Something in Between

A few days later, we get a message back from Mr. Alvarado telling us to show up at his office at 1:00 p.m. We’re ten minutes early. We’re all getting out of our car, wondering why he needs to see us.

“Why are we here?” Isko says.

“I don’t know,” Dad says. “Your sister got a message from this snake of a lawyer that requested the entire family arrive. I thought we should have hidden you children in the closet before we left.”

“What? Why?” Isko says.

Dad opens the car door. “This could be the moment they catch you.”

Isko gets out. “Who catches me?”

“ICE,” Dad says.

“Stop trying to scare them,” Mom says.

She gives Dad a sideways look. He goes quiet.

“What’s ICE?”

“US Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” I say. “They identify undocumented people and arrest them, even in churches.”

Isko ducks behind me. “They’rehere?”

“Stop it,” Mom says. “Both of you. Jasmine, you know better.”

Dad laughs. “I’m just messing with you. This lawyer probably just wants to say his goodbyes and have us sign a final form.”

“Do we have to sign them too?” Isko asks.

No one answers him.

Mr. Alvarado greets us at the door. “I’m so glad all of you came. Have a seat.”

“Where do we sign our final papers?” Dad asks as we all find chairs. He sits closest to Mr. Alvarado’s desk. Mom is next to him. “Let’s get this over with.”

Mr. Alvarado sighs. “I’m afraid that’s not why you’re here, Mr. de los Santos.”

“Don’t tell me it’s gotten worse? We’re planning to leave in two weeks as required,” Dad says. Our house hasn’t sold yet but Lola Cherry will wire us the money when it does.

“There’s been a development,” Mr. Alvarado says.

“What kind?” Dad says angrily. “We’ve jumped through every possible hoop we could. What does Uncle Sam want now? Our savings? Do they want us to leave right now?”

Mom puts an arm on Dad’s leg to try to calm him.

Mr. Alvarado is holding a pen. He taps it on the desk. “I received a phone call from Judge Reynolds,” he says. Every one of us holds our breath. I feel like I’m at my first cheer competition ever, standing in front of an audience, scared to death.

It feels like the silence lasts forever. Then he says triumphantly, “Judge Reynolds has personally informed me that your deportation has been canceled.”

“Canceled?” Dad says.

Mom grabs Dad with one hand. The other she puts over her mouth. “Oh my God! What changed his mind?”

“If you choose to stay in America,” Mr. Alvarado continues, “your family will be allowed to live under temporary work visas until you get your employment-based immigration visas, which have also just been approved.”

“What?” I say, cheering happily. “I can’t believe it! We can stay! I can go to Stanford!”

“We can stay?” Isko says, jumping up.

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