Chapter 10

 

Chapter 10: Finding Them

The next morning, Becky sat at the kitchen table, tapping her fingers nervously against her diary. It had been three days since the raid. Three days of silence. Three days of waiting.

But today, they were supposed to get answers.

Tía Rosa’s phone rang. Becky bolted upright.

“Gabriela,” Tía Rosa answered quickly, putting the call on speaker.

“I found them,” Gabriela said.

Becky’s heart nearly stopped.

“They’re in the Elizabeth Detention Center.”

Elizabeth. That was only thirty minutes away.

Becky felt relief wash over her—but then it hit her. They were still locked up. Still not home.

“Can we see them?” Becky asked.

Gabriela hesitated. “Not yet. There are visitation rules. We need to get legal representation first.”

Becky clenched her fists. More waiting. More obstacles.

But at least now, they knew.

Meeting the Lawyer

Later that day, Becky and Tía Rosa met Mr. Alvarez, an immigration lawyer, in a small office packed with books and paperwork. He had kind eyes and spoke in a calm, steady voice.

“I’m so sorry for what you’re going through,” he said. “Your parents don’t have criminal records, and they’ve lived here for years. That works in our favor.”

Becky sat on the edge of her seat. “Can you get them out?”

Mr. Alvarez sighed. “It’s possible. But we need to act fast. First, we’ll request a bond hearing—if the judge allows it, they can be released while their case is reviewed.”

Becky frowned. “What if the judge says no?”

“Then we fight harder,” he said.

He looked at Becky. “I read your letter, Becky. You have a powerful voice. If you’re willing, we could use that voice to bring attention to your family’s case.”

Becky blinked. “Like… how?”

“Media. Public support. Petitions. Protests,” Mr. Alvarez explained. “The more attention your case gets, the better the chances we have of stopping their deportation.”

Becky swallowed hard.

Talking in front of a group at the meeting was one thing.

Talking to everyone?

But then she thought about her parents. Her mother’s note.

“Be strong.”

She took a deep breath. “I’ll do it.”

A Plan in Motion

As they left the lawyer’s office, Becky felt something she hadn’t felt in days—hope.

They had a plan. They had a lawyer.

They had a chance.

Tía Rosa squeezed her shoulder. “I’m proud of you, mi amor.”

Becky nodded, holding her diary close.

She wasn’t just writing in her diary anymore.

She was writing her own story.

And she was going to make sure it had a happy ending.

As they drove home, Becky looked out the window.

She imagined her parents, sitting in a cold detention center, waiting just like she was.

But now, she had a way to fight.

And she wasn’t stopping.