Chapter 1: Secrets

Secrets were always buried within the family. There are things that mami never allowed us to say. There were different secrets, different types of secrets. Ones you can tell * tía Carmen and family that lived in America, but you would never dare to mention to family back in our country. Then there are secrets that are harder to keep. Secrets that lay heavy and dead in my chest, ones that tía carmen would never know.

Those were the ones that killed us.

Those were the ones that brought us together.

Those were the ones that left a trail.

Those were the ones that would hold us down.

People never knew exactly, tía carmen could only guess but she would never really know. But we know if we never give a secret a proper burial but instead we drag the corpse and stick it in the closet you’re bound to smell it. People will notice there’s rot in the house. And everyone knows that rot and death will bring flies…

And we’ll always have flies in the house

*= aunt