Summary

In Chapter 16, when Efrén and Apá returned to the apartment, Efrén asked if they could attend mass the next day. Apá agreed that it was a good idea to go and give thanks. The following morning, Apá ran to pick up the phone when it rang. He told his children that Amá had crossed the border, “She [was] in San Diego. On her way home” (219). As they got ready for church, Apá looked at the small apartment and apologized to Efrén for not being able to give him more. Efrén told his father, “I don’t need a bunch of fancy stuff to be happy. I’ve got my family” (222). As they walked home from mass, neighbors exclaimed about the good news and offered to bring food to the house. However, as they waited for Amá to return...