TRAITORS (4 page)

Zina was moved by the great love that Grandma Andrea had for her grandchildren and understood, to the full extent, Luis’ predicament. Grandma had been a mother to him and it showed in the words of the elderly woman the suffering of having her grandchildren away from her, not sharing every triumph with them and not being able to embrace them in times of distress or sadness. Zina also realized their great devotion to the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe, the patroness of Mexico, which Mrs. Andrea would entrust daily prayers to for the care of her children—both her little Luis and Pablo who risked his life daily on the battlefront. Although perhaps not understanding the purpose of the war, she supported him anyway and always had him in her prayers.

Zina only stayed a few days in Mexico since her “excursion” was supposed to be just for four days. It was short but it was enough to offer her emotional support to the family of her beloved. Norma, meanwhile, stayed a few days more. On her return to Los Angeles, Zina met with Luis to recount everything that had happened during her visit to his hometown. They also agreed on a date to go to the lawyer since they already had with them the marriage certificate to accelerate the immigration process. The lawyer received all the documents and requested a change of process in the immigration application. Now it was only a matter of waiting. Time would be the most important ally in this delicate situation.

A few weeks later, just when everything seemed under control, the unexpected happened. The factory where Luis worked started its job cuts, and as expected, Luis, along with many of his peers and colleagues was among the first to be dismissed. He could not afford to be without work even though Pablo was still helping him cover Grandma Andrea’s expenses.

He felt it was now his responsibility to be in the front lines of dealing with the expenses since military personnel did not really receive large salaries. The most valuable asset that Luis had was his education. He had to quickly find a job because Grandma’s medicine couldn’t just wait, and although he had a little bit of savings, it would not last for long.

Again, anxiety and desperation took a hold of Luis. He already knew how risky it was to go out and look for a job. Moreover, as he had to bring with him the falsified documents, which he had purchased to get a job, he knew that if he got caught, this would be a critical blow to his immigration status. But he could not just stand idly by. He really had to go out and look for another job.

During the first week, everything went well. His applications were received by several places without many complications. He only had to wait for a call telling him the good news that he’d been hired since some companies had given him many reasons to hope, and better yet—these were great and well-paying jobs.

That weekend, on the way to Zina’s house, something would happen that would forever change the course of their lives.

The Price of Being
An Immigrant
 

That Friday was a normal day. Luis went out in search of work like any other day. He visited several local companies hoping to soon be welcomed on board since two weeks had passed and he was still unemployed. His cash reserves were nearly depleted but he couldn’t afford not to send money—at least for Grandma’s medicine. He came home around three in the afternoon a little excited about the responses he received from the last applications he filed. A local company had almost assured that he would begin to work in about two weeks’ time. It prompted him to call his friend Norberto to ask for a little bit of money to send to his grandmother in Mexico. Soon, his friend went to pick him up and accompanied him to remit the money at a Western Union branch at Foothill Avenue in Sylmar. Luis felt a little bit relieved.

It was unusual for Luis to call Mexico on a Friday. He would normally call on Saturdays or Sundays since he was either in school or at work during weekdays. That afternoon, he was very happy with the results of his job application. He decided to call and share his happiness. The call surprised his grandmother, who thought for a moment that something was wrong.

“How are you, my
Sweet
Granny
? I sent some money for your medicines and a little extra to buy some soda. I know how much you like them, but I want you to please be sure to take your medicines because you know how important they are for your health. I’m about to go visit you. I want to see you in very good condition since we will go tour around many places and I want you to be able to withstand the travels. I’ll take you to the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe as I promised. I’m also taking you to visit your sister Petra in Michoacán, since I know you have not seen her for many years, and I can just imagine how bad you want to visit her.”

Grandma cried in silence as if she sensed something. Her motherly heart told her something was wrong. Although our mothers are usually strong and they always made us feel safe, inside, their feelings rule over them. Perhaps she had been very sensitive due to the relapse that she had lately. In turn, Luis felt as if his heart would pop out of place because he felt the pain and tears in the words of his “Sweet Granny” and the pain of not being able to embrace her tight. It pierced him to the bones. A kiss may have been the best medicine for the two—kiss, which is a far better medicine than any other. It has the perfect effect to heal the pain. Hearing and knowing that they’re far is an unimaginable misery that one can only comprehend when he experiences it in the flesh. Only the love of a mother has the capacity to heal it. Meanwhile, Grandma Andrea had her little heart crushed by sorrow and many years of loneliness. Even though her grandchildren would constantly call her, and Pablo would sometimes visit, it was not the same as having them by her side every day and having them there to protect one another. A mother always knows that her children are safe under their wings but now, without knowing when it happened, it was her who needed to be under the protection of her children.

It was an unusual conversation. They chatted for a little over two hours and promised to go on with the fight because the moment of seeing each other would be much sooner than first expected. Luis explained that perhaps he would come and visit her in less than eight months. She promised to do a better job of taking care of herself and would take her medicines without fail. They fondly recalled some experiences they had while Luis was still in Guadalajara along with some of the funny moments of his childhood. They were recounting the pleasant moments of his life which he had lived through by the side of his
Sweet
Granny.
Grandma Andrea, alongside his mother, had dedicated her life guiding him through the pathways of life so as to give him the fundamentals of education that served him well in his daily struggles. It turned him into a good man and it stayed like a tattoo on his soul for the rest of his life.

He also spoke to his sister Maria. He gave her lots of advice on how to care for their grandmother. He also thanked her for her dedication in taking care of her. “To you I entrust the most precious thing in my life,” he said. “I have always been grateful to you for taking care of Grandma. You have shown so much love and incredible maturity. Take good care of yourself, sister, I love you.”

When they hung up the phone, both cried for a long time, as if sensing that something bad was about to happen; but every word they had spoken was a great encouragement to continue on with their daily lives. After reflecting for a while longer, he called Zina and told her he would pass by to see her. They had thought about going to a movie premiere, but with his financial situation, there was no room for wasting money. Seeing his girlfriend was enough for him and of course for her.

He was on Hubbard Boulevard heading towards Highway 210 just before crossing Glenoaks Street, a car driving in the opposite direction lost control and crashed head on with Luis’ car. The other car flipped several times and crashed into the fence of a shopping center on the right side of the road. Luis’s car swerved and ended up crashing into another vehicle parked on the side. He immediately got out and ran towards the other car. Realizing that there wasn’t much he could do, he decided to call 911.

Before the firefighters and paramedics arrived, he and some others tried to get the passengers out of the other car but were unsuccessful. Within minutes, the police and the firefighters came and began rescuing the injured. They had to force the doors open since the passengers had been locked in and the doors were jammed. Inside the car were a lady driver and her two children about the age of twelve and six. The older child sustained the most serious injuries as did the mom who had hit the windshield and became unconscious. The injured were taken to the nearest hospital. Luis did not have major wounds, just some pain in the neck area and arm from trying to maneuver the car. He also suffered a tear in his right arm that was treated immediately, thus there was no need to take him to the hospital. Luis could not leave until he was able to clarify how the accident happened. Two others were also asked to stay as they were witnesses who had seen everything and had tried to help the injured.

The officer approached Luis, who had managed to calm himself down. He asked for his documents. Luis only gave the insurance card.

“I have no license,” said Luis “but it wasn’t my fault. The other car lost control and crashed against mine.”

One of the witnesses came forward and confirmed his statement.

“We can’t do anything for you, Sir,” said the policeman “from this moment on, you are considered at fault for driving without a license. I’m sorry, but you’re under arrest since there were injuries involved”.

They read him his rights. He was handcuffed and taken to the police station in San Fernando. Once they arrived at the station, he decided to exercise his right to make a phone call—one of the rights that all detainees have. He called Zina to explain the situation. She immediately called Norma, and they left to where Luis was jailed.

Upon reaching the police station, they quickly inquired about Luis. He was given no visitation rights until necessary investigations were made as the injured were still in the hospital and legal proceedings were yet not allowed. Using her military privileges, Norma was able to talk to Luis and he explained what had happened. She assured him that they would do everything possible to get him out of there soon. Though they knew it was going to be complicated, she didn’t say anything so that he wouldn’t be more worried than he already was. On Monday morning, Luis had to see the judge who would either impose charges or order his release. That day, Norma and Zina were present in the court room to show their support, although they didn’t know what fate awaited the young man.

Although the mother and the younger son had already been released from the hospital, the older son was in the intensive care unit. No one knew how soon he would recover. There was talk of two months, but it was a matter of waiting. The woman testified in court that she had lost control of her car and affirmed that she wouldn’t be pressing charges against Luis; yet due to the absence of a driver’s license, the court charged him with attempted vehicular manslaughter since the child was injured. The charges were clear.

The judge also clarified that after he served his sentence pertaining to the accident, the defendant must report to the immigration service, since the police found a fake ID and a fake Social Security card, which was considered a felony. Such cases should be resolved by a Federal Court judge.

Luis was taken back to his cell. He was to be transferred to the county jail where he would serve his sentence and he would remain there while his family sorted out the case with the help of a lawyer. With tears in their eyes, Luis and Zina said goodbye with a terrible sense of helplessness and anguish, not knowing what fate had in store for them.

Immediately, the family moved to find a good lawyer to take on the case. Norma also sent Pablo an e-mail. Pablo wasn’t able to communicate until two days after. Confused, he asked for a clearer explanation of the accident. He could not believe how, just a few days ago, everything was fine and now his life had been turned a hundred and eighty degrees. Already aware of the situation, he gave some ideas on how to solve the case and asked his wife to do everything possible to clarify the situation and get his brother out of jail. He also asked her to avoid telling his family in Mexico, so as not to stress Grandma Andrea.

Things would not be so easy because the bail was extremely high and there was no money to pay for it. The best thing to do was to save what little they had to pay the attorney’s fees that, they knew, were not going to be cheap. Because of this, they decided to immediately ask family members for a little help to be able to afford Luis’ representation. It would be quite difficult though, because the judge had to wait until the child was released from the hospital in order to reduce the charges. The lawyer reiterated what the judge had said that while the child is still in the hospital, the case would remain on hold and only until he is released, that the final verdict be pronounced. The lawyer also clarified that he would only work on the case concerning the accident and that they should start looking for an immigration lawyer who specializes in deportation as the involvement of fake documents was extremely delicate. In most cases, the defendants were deported after several months of fighting to be set free.

Pablo requested permission to travel and be with his family throughout the proceedings of his brother, but his superiors did not find sufficient reasons and denied his request. It was not a matter of life or death and his battalion was, at that time, in a very important operation and could not do without him. He had no choice but to follow their orders. However, they allowed him daily communication with his family back in the States to receive updates.

Meanwhile, Zina could not hide her dismay and helplessness for not being able to do much. On her next visit, she decided to talk to Luis about something she thought necessary.

“I will talk to my father tonight and ask for his help. Maybe he can pull some strings and use his influence to get you out of here,” said Zina. “We know that your only crime was not having a driver’s license and the other person involved in the incident did not file charges against you. In addition to which, she pleaded guilty.”