Hilda Eunice Burgos - Miosotis Flores Never Forgets

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright 2021 by Hilda Eunice Burgos

Jacket illustration copyright 2021 by Lissy Marlin

Forget-me-not illustration Marta Jonina/Shutterstock

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in an information retrieval system in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

TU BOOKS,

an imprint of LEE & LOW BOOKS Inc.,

95 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016

leeandlow.com

Edited by Cheryl Klein

Book design by Neil Swaab

Book production by The Kids at Our House

First Edition

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Burgos, Hilda Eunice, author.

Title: Miosotis Flores never forgets / Hilda Eunice Burgos.

Description: First edition. | New York : Tu Books, an imprint of Lee & Low Books Inc., [2021] | Audience: Ages 913. | Audience: Grades 46. |

Summary: "When Miosotis Flores discovers that her sister Amarilis's fiance is physically abusive to her, she must decide how to help, while also caring for a rescue dog and pursuing better grades in school"Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2021010395 | ISBN 9781643790657 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781643790664 (epub) | ISBN 9781643790671 (mobi)

Subjects: CYAC: Family lifeFiction. | Dating violenceFiction. |

Dominican AmericansFiction.

Classification: LCC PZ7.1.B875 Mi 2021 | DDC [Fic]dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021010395

For Claudia and Ruben

T he melting March snow crunches under my boots as I step off the school bus. Have a great weekend! the driver calls. I wave before she closes the door. My weekend is going to be great. Amarilis is coming home from college for her spring break.

I picked out the perfect movie for us to watch tonight, with good scary parts but also the lovey-dovey stuff she likes. Tomorrow well hang out at the Skatium, and on Sunday well go to the mall. She always finds the best outfits for me. I want to spend the whole week with my sister, but Papi wont let me take off school, as if anything Im learning in sixth grade is important.

Miosotis, mi amor, is that you? Abuela pops her head through the kitchen door when I walk in. As usual, the phone is to her ear, and I know shes talking to her sister.

Say hi to Ta Felicia for me, I call out as I take off my boots.

No, no, no, thats not how you handle this situation, Abuela says into the phone. Listen, Felicia, this is what you need to do

I grab my backpack and head upstairs while Abuela disappears into the kitchen. The toilet flushes as I walk past the bathroom. Huh, did Jacinto skip track practice to welcome Amarilis home too? Before I get to my room, the bathroom door opens, but it isnt my brother who walks out.

Papi!

You certainly seem happy to see me. Papi raises an eyebrow.

Is Amarilis here? I rush into my room and look around. No Amarilis.

Ah, its not me youre happy to see. Papi chuckles.

Is she here? I say again.

No, shes getting a ride with Richard this evening.

Oh. I plop my backpack on the floor. Can I wait that long?

But while I have you alonePapi steps over the backpack and sits on the edge of my bedlets talk about this dog business.

My heart jumps. I have wanted a dog since forever. I started reading about them in kindergarten. Ask me any dog question and I can answer it. I even volunteer with foster dogs practically every day. Still, Papi doesnt like the idea of me getting a dog, and he gets annoyed when I remind himabout once a weekthat Im ready for one. But now hes the one bringing it up! Could he have changed his mind?

I sit next to Papi and bounce on the bed a little, holding my breath and trying not to seem excited. So, can I get one? I blurt out.

Papi smiles. Not yet, but perhaps this summer.

I jump up and throw my arms around him. Thank you! Thank you!

Calm down! You havent heard the conditions yet.

I sit again, my hands underneath me, and bite back a smile.

First, the dog has to be hypoallergenic. We cant have your abuela sneezing and sniffling and feeling miserable all the time.

Thats no problem. I bob my head up and down. There are lots of low-shedding breeds that would work, like a poodle, a wheaten terrier, a shih tzu

Okay, but thats not all. Papi looks me in the eye. This house isnt very big, so the dog must be small or medium-size.

Hmm, I guess I can live with that. My first friend was a small dog. He was my mothers white shih tzu, and he looked like a little teddy bear, so she named him Osito. When I was a month old, he would curl up next to me and wed nap together. I even have a photo to prove it. I was still a baby when he died, but I know I connected with him. Maybe I can get a dog thats exactly like him. I nod.

And finally, you need to show that youre responsible and this dog wont be a negative distraction.

I frown. What does that mean?

It means that school comes first, as always.

Of course. I turn away so Papi wont see my eyes roll.

If you get straight As on your report card for the last quarter of the school year, then you can have a dog in the summer.

What?! I cant do that. I have never gotten straight As my whole life. Im not Amarilis or Jacinto, I say. Its not my fault Im not smart.

Youre very smart, but you dont apply yourself. Papi stands. Perhaps now that you have an incentive, youll finally work to your full potential.

But thats not fair. You know I cant do this.

On the contrary, I know you can.

Papi doesnt understand how annoying it is to work hard and still not be perfect like he wants me to be. Why cant he accept that Im an average student? What do straight As have to do with giving a sweet dog a loving home? This is so unfair. He came up with these conditions just so I cant meet them.

Ill never get my dog.

I stay in my room until I hear Papi leave to pick up Jacinto from track practice. When I look in the bathroom mirror and see my puffy eyes, I decide to wait a little longer before going downstairs. If Abuela sees me now, shell ask a bunch of questions, and I dont feel like talking about how unfair Papi is being. I open the bottom desk drawer, take out a chocolate bar, and think about my problem while I munch.

My phone pings. Its a text from my sister. Rich and I are on our way. Tell the fam well be there in a half hour.

I answer with a k. Amarilis will help me. She always does. Shell convince Papi that straight As are not realistic for me, even though she and Jacinto always manage them. Papi will listen to her, right? He should, since shes basically perfect and all. By the time I swallow my last bite, I feel better.

When I walk into the kitchen, I close my eyes for a second and take in the delicious smells. Do you need any help, Abuela?

Oh, gracias, mi amor. Abuela plops a handful of green plantains onto the counter. Why dont you scramble a few eggs for the eggplant?

I open the refrigerator and take out two eggs. Are you making meat too?

Abuela glances at me without turning her head away from the plantain shes peeling. Theres a chicken in the oven, but your sister hasnt been home in two months, and she loves my eggplant.