Laura is not happy.

Laura was boarding the bus in the town of Santa Isabel in Chihuahua Mexico
Boarding the bus had become so natural to her she had been coming and going
For over 2yrs know. Her husband David had gone to Mexico one year to be there when his grandmother passed and all that had come of leaving on such a spur was it had
Throw their INS case and paper work in to limbo and put a strain on their marriage. But as she boarded the bus for the 100th time she remembered what it was like when she decided not to follow him and wait till she had Junior she of course did not want him born in Mexico. So she stayed behind and worked and made a life for herself hopping they would hear from INS so David could return to the United states and be with her and there son David JR.

About 6 months after David had gone back to Chihuahua Laura received a letter from Immigration and Naturalization service they had an appt at the American consulate and they both had to be present so Laura called David and asked him to meet her there.
Finally loading the Bus for the first time to see David since Junior had been born.
When they arrived the next day in El Paso Texas she was anxious to see him she had not seen him for about a year and half and she had so much to tell him she crossed the border into Juarez Chihuahua and took a cab to the American consulate they were going to meet in front of the building. The driver asked to where to the American consulate. Do you have an appointment the cab driver asked? Yes Laura answered For you the cab driver asked? No “No” for my husband he is meeting me there well Senora there will be a lot of people there where exactly are you meeting him right in front .O Senora you will have to look for him there is a lot of people always waiting in lines to get in to the American consulate o Senora there are many people always waiting with appointments.
That’s ok Laura told the driver you just get me there. Ok Senora we are here and he was right thought Laura all these people why schedule an appt for so many people and not have enough staff to see them all. Laura got off and paid the driver Junior in tow of his backpack and toys he had brought along for the trip David was waiting for her like he had
Promised. He ran towards them when he seen them get off the cab.
“Oh I thought you had chickened out and weren’t coming” I missed you he whispered in her ear. Tears welled up in Laura’s eyes and David Held her close and this frightened junior he had never seen anyone so close to his mother holding her so tight Specially a man. Why are you afraid? David asked his son, Junior looked at his mother with questioning eyes as saying who is this? Why are you letting him hug you?
Laura picked up Junior and Junior hugged his mother tight and Laura looked at David and said to him he doesn’t know you he is afraid of you. David was sad to hear Laura say that to him he could not believe how his decision to come to Mexico and be with his dying grandmother had effected him until know when Junior was afraid of him didn’t even want him to get close to his mother. Its ok Laura told David. I will carry him get our bags and let’s go get in line. They were checked in at the consulate by security guards who only spoke Spanish, which surprised Laura she thought they would at least have someone who spoke English in the American Consulate once there they checked in and were told to have a seat they would call you by last name over the intercom system.
It was 9:00am and they had not had breakfast and Junior was getting hungry. Laura looked at David and told him to ask how much longer or if we could run and get breakfast or if he could leave and get us some breakfast the Consulate officer then o.k.’s a pass for us to leave and told us to check back in when we arrived. With luggage in tow and a 3yr old boy starving David suggested they get a hotel check-in and get something to eat and head back to the consulate.

Before Laura new they had been at the consulate for over two hours it was almost time for lunch but they had brought some snacks for Junior and decided they would wait until they were called. Finally over the intercom the consulate called Laura Estrada to window 76 they gathered their packet and all the additional paper work that had been requested when the letter arrived for the appointment. They arrived at the window the consulate officer asked how many kids where did they meet did Laura work did he have an employment letter or a job offer from someone in the united states of course Laura had been chasing job offers down and she had a few actually but she only pulled one out where he had worked before coming back to Chihuahua. The consulate office looked it over then asked to see the marriage certificate and the Childs birth certificate. Laura handed everything to the consulate officer and then the consulate officer looked at everything and asked if he had ever been arrested or in trouble with the police
David answered promptly that he had a few traffic tickets and they had all been paid
And that when he was about 22 he had gotten into some trouble but had got it all cleared up the consulate officer then asked what kind of trouble Laura had thought about this all the way to Juarez Chihuahua she knew they were going to ask and she had a horrible feeling about it. Well David said I was arrested with a gun in my front seat and was charged with porting a gun and being an Illegal in the United States in possession of a firearm. Well the consulate officer said they would need further Documentation and he would have to remain in the Mexico until I gathered the additional information they were requesting. Disappointment came across Laura’s face she had hoped this would be the appointment for them and the INS would issue his visa. Thank you said David and gathered the papers and walked Junior by the hand away from the window.
Laura had asked for her two weeks vacation and was going back to David’s hometown to stay with him. They stayed the night in Juarez and the next day they were at the bus station in Juarez Chihuahua headed for Santa Isabella Chihuahua a little ranch or Farm that sat outside of Chihuahua about a 45-minute drive to the capital of Chihuahua.

She had never been to Mexico other then Mexico City and they had flown on an airplane to get there. This was a new experience for her and it felt so good to be in the arms of David. Even Junior was enjoying the bus trip and the scenery once they were out of the city limits of Juarez it no longer looked like a desert there were trees and farms and cattle Laura couldn’t wait to see where David lived he would tell her so many stories of growing up and having cattle and riding a horse. Laura decide to take a nap she was still very tired and it was a 6hour bus drive to get to Santa Isabella from Juarez.

David shook Laura were here we have to get off and board another bus he said come on before it leaves. What are you serious I don’t know if I will ever want to leave or comeback if I do leave she said and gathered her stuff and Junior’s stuff and got off the bus.

They walked to another Bus that was read and white looked like it had been in use since the 90’s they paid the bus driver and boarded the other bus. They didn’t talk much for the 45minute drive just short conversation about the baby and how long this process would take and how it was really hard for her to work two jobs and have junior in care during the day and at night while he slept and how she felt like she had been robbed of the opportunity of being a homemaker and taking care of David JR and that she was doing it all alone yet didn’t have the privilege of being single nor married.
David shrugged I don’t want to argue on the bus please we are about 10 minutes away
Let’s not talk about this right know.  They arrived at the side of a road the bus stopped and a few other people got off come on he said were here what do you mean were here there is nothing here Laura said.
Hurry up what had she gotten into she thought there is nothing here what if he had heard that she was dating other people or going out to party was he trying something tricky to take the baby and leave her in the middle of no where. It was about 530pm know they had been traveling all day it seemed. She got off the bus and the other people crossed the street there was a dirt path that went down into a valley of mountains

Chapter 2

Arriving at Santa Isabel



A yellow truck was parked it was his father she remembered meeting him when they had first got married he got off and said hello and token junior by the hand come on he told him I am going to show you the horses that I have. Junior ran to get it in the truck and said come on Mom lets go see the horses.
This put Laura at ease and she sighed and walked to the truck and got in where is my mother in law she asked as she got into the truck. She is at home said Isaias is it far she asked? No said her father in law just over the road.

They drove down the road that wound down into a valley as they entered the little community that sat about 10 miles away from the first paved road.
She turned around and could not see the main road all around there houses some small one some very nice ones but she counted about 30 houses through the community.
How many people live here she asked David he looked over at his dad about 70 people.
She thought how could he live here it is so small as they continued to drive down they passed a building that looked like a school. She whispered again to David is that the school you went to yes he said. Again silence she was in awe she had never been somewhere so secluded they rounded the corner from the school and they parked in front of a home not the nicest it had a white security screen door and a interior door that was half glass and half metal come on in my sister and mom have been waiting for us.

She got off the truck and walked to the door before anyone could open it her mother in law was at the door. Como esta she said and looked at Laura. Fine how was the trip Long Laura said well welcome to our house Maria told Laura come in I have some dinner waiting. Laura remembered when they had first been married his mother had gone to visit and oh she loved her cooking. She felt so strange she walked into the home there was some very old living room furniture and a TV set that she was pretty sure they had gave his mother on one of her visits to the U.S. she just wanted to shower and rest it had been a long trip and Junior just wanted to see the horse. I would like to shower and lay down she said to Maria if that is ok and David asked if everything was ok yes I am just tired.


Laura got a quick tour of the home and the room they would be sleeping in while she was there visiting it was a strange lay out you walked in the front door and you were in the living room and to the right was a very large kitchen and it had a kitchen table planted in the middle close to a very large window that was open allowing the July wind in and you walked across the kitchen and there was a door that lead you to the back yard if you could call it that and nest to that hall way was the room they would sleep in there were two twin beds and a dresser and pictures of all of David’s sibling’s and of the grand children. Laura sat her purse down and one of her bags she was carrying and David had already left his stuff and was heading out the back door with Junior in tow where are you going she asked through the screen door to take him to see the cows and a get the horse. Come on said Maria and walked her back through the kitchen and past the living room this is our room and this is Liz’s room Liz’s was David’s youngest sister she was 15 yrs old and here is the bathroom. Do you need anything no I have a travel bag and I have my own towel thank you ok Maria says I will leave you to shower you can join us for something to eat once your done says Liz.
Laura looked in the mirror and took out her ponytail and brushed her long brown hair and started to undress what had she got herself into just to think in a week she would be going home alone with Junior and back to the reality that she was raising Junior alone and paying her own way and still managing to help David with a little extra money being since David had not been able to find work her brown eyes filled with tears she bit her upper lip she always did that when she was nervous or didn’t want to cry. She didn’t want to face the reality and admit that she had grown apart from David that being away from him all that time and dealing with Junior alone and paying her own way had allowed her to discover herself to grow up and maybe she thought maybe coming here had not been such a good idea after all.

She got the shampoo out of her bag and her body soap and turned the water on to get in the shower she cracked the window a bit in the bathroom she took along shower and  got out and put some jogging pants and a  t-shirt. She walked through the kitchen and to the room where they would be sleeping Maria had sat two huge fans in her room and they were on the curtains were shut and the fans blew cool air into the room she laid down and before she knew she had fallen asleep.          







She must have slept for at least two hours and got up in a hurry Junior was shaking her that he was hungry she sat up in bed and looked around. Mom I am hungry where is your dad she asked him showering we just got back and I got to ride the horse and they a have a bull and they have a lot of cows. Did you have fun she asked him? Yes come on my grandma has food serve me. It felt really good to sleep without having to worry about work or what would junior get into knowing he was with his Dad was just a relief.
Come on she picked her hair up in a pony tail and walked to the kitchen Maria had made Spanish rice and a stew with chucks of beef. I want a tortilla Junior said so she started the stove and moved the griddle to the flame to allow the griddle to warm up she asked Junior to get the tortillas out of the fridge. She served him and heated up the tortillas for him and she opened a glass bottle of soda and served him a cup of soda and sat next to him. David had finished showering by know and was walking to the kitchen and Laura was just sitting next to Junior talking to him about where they had gone did he like it here and David sat at the table and looked at Laura and said serve me I am starving she looked at him she had forgot his old ways and that he liked to be tended to foot and hand. Well what are you waiting for serve me he demanded she couldn’t move she was in shock you know I am eating she said you can serve yourself by know his mother had walked in to the kitchen she served David and he sat there just waiting for everything to be handed to him.