Eleven years ago, a man saw a small, vague, formless object hiding in the desert bush, on the outskirts of his ranch in Three Points. The pale moonlight cast dark shadows, making it difficult to unmask the strange moving creature. It was too big to be an animal, yet too small to be a threat to his land. But like any frontier, wilderness man, the man had to protect his wife and children, and went out into the night to investigate. What he found, was a small 11-year old boy, sleeping in the cool desert sand with only a handful of clothes to keep him warm. The boy was an illegal immigrant from Mexico, who had been working on the next ranch over. The man could see that the boy was tired and hungry and out of the kindness of his heart, he took him into his home.
The man discovered that the boy left Mexico, after it became clear that his mother's new boyfriend wanted him dead, rather than to be a part of the family. Every night, the boyfriend beat the boy, demanding he go out and work, and every night, his mother stood there and watched, taking sides with the man she believed would give her a future. The boy ran away from home, in hopes of a better life, and a chance to stay alive. After ariving in Arizona and working for weeks underneath the unforgiving, hot desert sun, the boy soon found hope. That man, who found him sleeping in the desert was my Uncle Miguel. And, unofficially, the boy became my step-cousin Juan.
Though he wasnt a blood relative, Juan became part of the family and was included in every birthday, graduation and Christmas gathering. With the help of my uncle and my Aunt Tracy, he learned English, and went to school, graduating with honors in his class. He got a job with my grandfather and uncle's drywall company, bought a truck and was living the above-average version of the American dream. Unfortunately, Juan's dream turned into a nightmare.
Three years ago, Tracy found out her father had been having a highly intense affair with her aunt, and the people she once thought were her cousins, were actually her half-brothers and half-sisters. It was a devastating and crushing blow to Tracy, that caused a major rift in her family, and divided them. Refusing to take sides, Tracy and her family were cast as black sheeps and were sent to live in exile and oblivion. Petty rivalry soon turned into bloodthirsty revenge, when it was discovered that a few weeks ago, Tracy forgave her father for his adulturous past. Outraged, Tracy's mother used the one blackmail card she had on her daughter: Juan.
Tracy's mother knew Juan was living illegally in Arizona, under the loving and caring eye of her daughter's family, making her daughter and her son-in-law criminals, for harboring a fugitive. Several times the border patrol came, and each time, Tracy and her Miguel sent them away, claiming to not know the whereabouts of their "son" Juan, when in reality he was just a few miles away at a friends house, in hiding.
For the next couple of weeks, Miguel, Tracy and their family remained strong. That is, until yesterday, when my family had gone over to help them move into their new house and I asked Tracy where her family was. And it was right there, in her newly refurbished kitchen, that Tracy broke down and cried out every one of her fears. She wondered why her own side of the family had turned against her and wasnt there for support when she needed them the most. She wondered if God had truly forsaken her. But most of all, she wondered what Juan thought of her and her family, and wondered if he saw them as just another family he would eventually have to run away from again.
To reaffirm the faith, that her family would never stop loving Juan, Tracy wanted to do something special for Juan's 22nd birthday, which happenes to fall on October 7, the day after mine. And it was right there, in the newly refurbished dining room, that Tracy, my mother, and the rest of my aunts decided to throw Juan a surprise birthday. In front of me, they discussed possible menus. In front of them, I wondered to myself, if they had forgotten my birthday. In front of me, they talkled about themes and decorations. And in front of them, I wondered to myself, if I was being selfish for wanting a birthday celebration like Juan.
The man discovered that the boy left Mexico, after it became clear that his mother's new boyfriend wanted him dead, rather than to be a part of the family. Every night, the boyfriend beat the boy, demanding he go out and work, and every night, his mother stood there and watched, taking sides with the man she believed would give her a future. The boy ran away from home, in hopes of a better life, and a chance to stay alive. After ariving in Arizona and working for weeks underneath the unforgiving, hot desert sun, the boy soon found hope. That man, who found him sleeping in the desert was my Uncle Miguel. And, unofficially, the boy became my step-cousin Juan.
Though he wasnt a blood relative, Juan became part of the family and was included in every birthday, graduation and Christmas gathering. With the help of my uncle and my Aunt Tracy, he learned English, and went to school, graduating with honors in his class. He got a job with my grandfather and uncle's drywall company, bought a truck and was living the above-average version of the American dream. Unfortunately, Juan's dream turned into a nightmare.
Three years ago, Tracy found out her father had been having a highly intense affair with her aunt, and the people she once thought were her cousins, were actually her half-brothers and half-sisters. It was a devastating and crushing blow to Tracy, that caused a major rift in her family, and divided them. Refusing to take sides, Tracy and her family were cast as black sheeps and were sent to live in exile and oblivion. Petty rivalry soon turned into bloodthirsty revenge, when it was discovered that a few weeks ago, Tracy forgave her father for his adulturous past. Outraged, Tracy's mother used the one blackmail card she had on her daughter: Juan.
Tracy's mother knew Juan was living illegally in Arizona, under the loving and caring eye of her daughter's family, making her daughter and her son-in-law criminals, for harboring a fugitive. Several times the border patrol came, and each time, Tracy and her Miguel sent them away, claiming to not know the whereabouts of their "son" Juan, when in reality he was just a few miles away at a friends house, in hiding.
For the next couple of weeks, Miguel, Tracy and their family remained strong. That is, until yesterday, when my family had gone over to help them move into their new house and I asked Tracy where her family was. And it was right there, in her newly refurbished kitchen, that Tracy broke down and cried out every one of her fears. She wondered why her own side of the family had turned against her and wasnt there for support when she needed them the most. She wondered if God had truly forsaken her. But most of all, she wondered what Juan thought of her and her family, and wondered if he saw them as just another family he would eventually have to run away from again.
To reaffirm the faith, that her family would never stop loving Juan, Tracy wanted to do something special for Juan's 22nd birthday, which happenes to fall on October 7, the day after mine. And it was right there, in the newly refurbished dining room, that Tracy, my mother, and the rest of my aunts decided to throw Juan a surprise birthday. In front of me, they discussed possible menus. In front of them, I wondered to myself, if they had forgotten my birthday. In front of me, they talkled about themes and decorations. And in front of them, I wondered to myself, if I was being selfish for wanting a birthday celebration like Juan.
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