Romiette and Julio (28 page)

“Wow, so we helped after all,” Romi mused.

“I’m glad all what you went through was good for something,” Destiny said seriously.

“Hey, Destiny,” called Romi. “Come over here close to the bed. I’ve got something to whisper in your ear.”

Destiny leaned over close to Romi’s face. “Yeah, Romi. What’s up?”

“You remember you said your soul mate would come from London?” whispered Romi.

“Yeah. So?” Destiny didn’t follow where Romi was headed.

“Maybe your dream meant London Woods! And
wasn’t he supposed to be big in music? And colors? Isn’t that a perfect description of Ben?”

Destiny sat back on the bed with a thud. “Well, shut my mouth! I had my soul mate in front of me all the time? And it’s Ben? I want my money back! I mean, your money back!”

“Relax, Destiny. I can tell Ben’s crazy about you by the way he looks at you.” Romi grinned as Destiny looked over at Ben with new eyes. She wasn’t sure if she wanted Romi to be right or not. Ben looked at both girls like they were crazy.

Romi’s mother came back into the room, and Romi asked, “Mom, where’s Julio?”

“Perfect timing,” her mother replied. “The nurses are bringing him in now. Here they come!”

Romi was suddenly quiet.
“Hola,
Julio,” she said softly.

“Hola,
Romi. Are you OK?” He looked worried.

Romi tried to smooth her hair, but with no results. “Yeah,” she said, seeing no one but Julio. “I’m fine. Just fine.”

“Quit grinning so wide, Romi. Your face is gonna break!” teased Destiny.

Ben looked at Julio and remarked, “Julio is just as bad. Let’s get out of here, Destiny. They need a few minutes alone.”

“OK, Ben,” she agreed easily. “I’m gonna let you take me out to dinner!”

“Bet,” he grinned. “I don’t have to eat health food, do I?”

“No,” teased Destiny, “but you have to watch me eat it!”

“No problem. Let’s go. And just to show I believe in equal opportunity, Destiny, I’m gonna let you pay!”

“The modern gentleman!” Destiny bowed and, with great exaggeration, escorted him from the room as they both cracked up with laughter.

“Later, Ben. Later, Destiny,” called Julio. Romi felt so much better, having her friends and family close by again.

Cornell had gone to get coffee while the teenagers were in the room. As Ben and Destiny left, he walked back in. He glanced at Julio, smiled slightly, and nodded in his direction.

“Daddy,” Romi said, “this is Julio.”

“Hello, son,” Cornell said cordially. “It’s been quite a ride these last two days. Are you going to be OK now?”

“Yes, sir. I am fine. It’s Romiette I worry about. She was so cold, and I was afraid she’d never breathe again.”

“You did a fine job, Julio. You saved her life. I can never repay you for that. She is my flower.” Cornell looked at his daughter lovingly.

“Yes, sir,” Julio replied, readily agreeing with him. “She is truly a flower.
¡Una flor hermosa!”

Romi interjected, “Would you two quit talking about me like I’m dead or something!” Then she decided to cut through the delicate steps Julio would dance before he had nerve enough to ask Cornell for a job. “Daddy, Julio wants to work in the newsroom.
He wants to learn how to use the cameras and produce a news show. Is there something he can do at the station after school or during summer vacation?”

“I’m sure we can find something. That intern job is still open—the one I offered you, Romi.”

“Yeah, but I hate that kind of stuff,” Romi said, pretending to gag. “Julio eats it for dinner.”

“I would love to have the opportunity, sir—”

“Say no more, son. How about two weeks from Monday, after school,” said Cornell, checking his pocket organizer. “Stop by and we’ll show you the ropes. You willing to put in long hours?”

“Oh, yes!” Julio’s eyes were wide with anticipation.

“And sweep the floor if it needs it?”

“Even before you ask!” Julio promised.

“Learn the cables and the cameras?” Cornell continued.

“As fast as you can teach me!” Julio replied.

“You got the job!”

“Thank you, sir. You won’t be sorry.” Julio grinned.

“You’re not planning to be a news anchor, are you?” teased Cornell.

“Not soon, sir. You’ve got a couple of years before I’m ready for
your
job!” Julio teased boldly.

Cornell grinned at Romi. “I like this kid,” he said.

“Me, too, Daddy,” Romi said quietly.

It was one minute to airtime. The Montagues fidgeted nervously, smoothing their clothes and hair. Cornell was miked and ready, and Lawrence the cameraman sat grinning in the shadows in the back of the studio. The two families had decided that the best way to inform the community, and to thank everyone who had helped, was to go on the air live at the top of the evening news.

Julio and Romiette rested comfortably, watching the news from their hospital beds. They continued to be amazed at all the attention that their disappearance had generated. From kids at school to total strangers, everyone wanted to reach out and share the joy of their rescue. A reporter from the
Today
show had called, a film crew showed up, and Romi and Julio’s interview was scheduled to air the next morning.

The red light on top of Camera One blinked. It was time.

—Ladies and gentlemen—this is Cornell Cappelle. Standing next to
me is my wife, Lady Brianna Cappelle, and on this side are Maria and Luis Montague, our friends.

—I would like to bring you up to date on the facts as we know them right now. First of all, I would like to thank everyone—the volunteers, the searchers, the organizers, the folks who brought the doughnuts, everyone—for their help in finding my daughter, Romiette, and the Montagues’ son, Julio. Such a community outpouring has been so very much appreciated. We could not have gone through this ordeal without your support, and we cannot begin to convey our deepest thanks.

—From what we can gather, Romiette and Julio had been harassed at school by some young people who may or may not have been identified with a gang. They were stopped near London Woods, grabbed and placed in a car, then taken to the boathouse near London Woods Lake. From what we can tell, it was a means to frighten and intimidate our children, and it got out of hand.

—Romiette and Julio were then tied up, put in the bottom of a small boat, and set afloat on London Woods Lake. On an ordinary day, that might not have been life-threatening, but you are all aware of the storm last night, and there is the fact that my daughter cannot swim.

—Evidently, they were able to untie the ropes that held them, but they were adrift in the boat in a storm in the dark. Lightning finally struck the boat, and it was destroyed. They were forced to jump into those frigid waters, and Romiette almost drowned. Julio managed to drag her to safety, even after she had been overcome by the force of the water and the storm.

—When they reached the shore, Julio, carrying the unconscious Romiette, apparently tripped and fell over some storm-fallen trees. Close to unconscious himself from the cold and exposure, he dragged
her to safety in a hollow under some rocks and branches lodged under a huge fallen tree. The two of them huddled there the rest of the night—both of them drifting in and out of consciousness, Julio protecting Romiette with his body. That is how we found them—huddled together—barely conscious but, praise the Lord, very much alive.

—They are both awake, alert, and hungry. Neither seems to have suffered any major injuries, although both will probably have headaches for a few days, and Romiette had quite a bit of water in her lungs.

—Once again, let me thank our new friends, the Montagues, and our many other friends who helped in the rescue effort. It shows what a community can do when it cares about its young people. And, although I love Shakespeare, I sure am glad that this story of the Montagues and the Cappelles did not end as Shakespeare’s tale did.

They cut to a commercial then, and Maria Montague let out a huge sigh of relief. They all laughed and headed to the rear of the studio. Cornell didn’t have to finish the news that evening; he had been given the rest of the night off to get some much-needed rest. As they headed out to the parking lot, they passed Nannette carrying a huge box.

“Nannette, what in the world are you doing?” Cornell asked.

“I’m taking my stuffed animals home from the office. This is my third box,” she replied cheerfully.

“Why?”

“Oh, didn’t they tell you? I got a new job! No
more ruining designer shoes for me! I’m moving to Indianapolis, where I’m gonna have my own talk show on cable TV! I’m gonna call it
Nannette’s News.
Uncle Roscoe arranged it for me after he saw my interviews today. He said he’d never seen anything like that before.”

“Well, that much I can agree with,” Cornell chuckled. “I wish you the best, Nannette,” he said sincerely.

She turned back and continued up the steps, whistling, and never noticed Cornell’s dance of joy.

Romi curled up on the sofa in the living room with a bag of chips and a book. She and Julio had been back to school for about a month. Spring was fast approaching, and Destiny was already agonizing over which dress to wear to the prom in May. The phone ringing startled her for just a second, but she picked up the receiver on the first ring.

“Hi, Romi!” Julio’s voice, which always made her smile, floated to her ear. “Isn’t normal wonderful!” he said.

“You got that right.” Romi grinned. “To have to complain about school and homework and the taste of grape soda—how very ordinary and fine!”

“It’s hard to be famous,” Julio mused. “The kids at school sure treat us differently.”

“Yeah, I liked it better when I was just Romi, the girl with the new orange sweater, not Romi, the girl who almost died in the lake.”

“Don’t sweat it. It will be over soon, and you’ll be ordinary Romi once again. But you’ll always be special to me.”

“I guess everybody is supposed to get fifteen minutes of fame,” Romi said seriously. “I’m glad we got ours together.” Both were silent for a moment. “But I’m ready now to be ordinary, just go to school together, and play with Taco.”

“I’m with you on that! Are we still going to the movies tonight, Romi?”

“For sure! What shall we see? Nothing with gangs or near-drownings, though, bet?” she teased.

“You got that right,” agreed Julio.

Romi heard a thumping, crashing sound in the background. “What was that?” She laughed.

“Taco,” Julio chuckled. “That silly puppy just ran through here—chasing a fly, I think. She knocked down a wastebasket and a chair.” Romi could almost see Julio’s smile through the phone. “Such a silly puppy,” Julio said quietly. “I really love her. And I really love you, even though you don’t chase flies!”

“I could learn, if that’s what turns you on!” Romi laughed.

“No, I think I like you just the way you are, Romiette. No flies necessary.”

“You know, Julio, it’s hard to grab hold of all that happened to us. It really is like something from a movie.”

“And I can’t help thinking how close it is to the Shakespeare story—sort of,” added Julio.

Romi laughed, “I don’t think even Shakespeare could have imagined this one! We really managed to live through one of our crazy fantasies, Julio.”

“You’re right,” he said seriously. “It was scary for
more than a moment, though. And it made me realize how much I care about you. I don’t care what color you are, or what color your daddy is, or the color of your car or your dog. I just care about you, and the person you are. I am so glad that we are both alive so that I can tell you that.”

Romi was silent for a moment. Finally she said quietly, “I feel so close to you, Julio. I don’t know when your smile first became a part of mine.”

“And you say I talk fancy,” he teased her. “But I know what you mean. Always remember, Romi, that nothing can ever destroy the part of you that is a part of me. You are the mate of my soul.
Te amo,
Romiette.”

“I love you, Julio.”

“Soul mates,” he said quietly.

“Forever.”

As the novel opens, Romiette is awakened at 3 a.m., shaken by a powerful and vivid dream. Romiette decides to write in her journal, as Draper reveals that “Writing soothed her, relaxed her …” Is this how you feel about writing in general? Some kinds of writing?

What is the appeal of gangs? Which character, would you argue, finds the appeal most compelling?

Granpa tells Julio, just before moving to Cincinnati, to “keep the river in [his] heart and follow it” (Chapter 4). What do you think Granpa meant?

Destiny’s name fits her well. How do her actions and words support her beliefs about the world?

What can you tell about Julio by the things he unpacks in Chapter 17? How else does Draper reveal who he is?

How do you feel about Ben? Would he be a good
friend to have? Does his physical appearance influence your viewpoint? Why or why not?

Both fathers remained focused on appearances—Romiette’s race and Julio’s interest in the computer and the possible gang affiliation—even throughout much of the search. Why? How do the mothers differ?

Several times in the novel, the similarity of Romiette and Julio’s names to those of the title characters in Shakespeare’s
Romeo and Juliet
is noted. How else are Romiette and Julio’s and Romeo and Juliet’s lives similar? Are any other characters similar? In name or substance, or both?

Draper uses foreshadowing to anticipate the climax of the novel. What clues does she gives as the story unfolds?

Why do you suppose Nannette Norris is a part of the story? Why would Draper include her?

This novel is told in multiple text formats. What do you think Draper’s purpose was in using this technique to tell the story?