The Red Umbrella

Spring is arriving, and Jennifer and Lucia are researching bird types to complete a school project about migration. Grand Island holds a yearly festival to celebrate the migration, and Lucia wants to select a special type of bird. Jennifer and Lucia giggle in the library and discuss the freshman spring dance. Lucia imagines dancing with Eddie and thinks about how she doesn’t “want what happened with Manuel to repeat itself” (315). In the last few minutes before Jennifer’s mother picks them up, Lucia discovers a picture of a white heron, and “the book showed how some herons had migration routes that crossed through Cuba and Nebraska” (316). Lucia decides the white heron is the perfect bird since it represents both her homeland and her home with the Baxters; it is a bridge between the two worlds.

When Lucia gets home, she finds the table has been nicely set. Mrs. Baxter explains that Mr. Baxter has been cleared to go back to farming, and they are all in the mood to celebrate. When Mr. Baxter gets home, he gives Lucia a letter from