“I wanted to,” he says. “There just… there never was a right time. I didn’t want to scare you, or prepare you for something we weren’t even sure was going to happen. No one ever likes to think they’re gonna need the plan.”

Hearing him say that makes me feel like I’m choking. I can’t even imagine Pa going to Jorge to have this conversation. He has never found it easy to ask for help, even though he’s always ready to jump into action if someone else needs him.

“You should listen to Jorge. He’ll know what to do.”

“We’ll wait,” I say. “We’ll wait until all of this is sorted out. If they let you and Ma come back home, maybe we won’t need to go to Uncle Jorge’s at all.”

“Yeah,” Pa replies, his voice weak. “Maybe.”

We all breathe silently for a minute. I can’t be certain, but I think Pa and Sophie might be imagining the same as I am—the worst-case scenario, where Ma and Pa would have to leave the country, and my sister and I would be left here all alone.

“How are you, Papi?” Sophie says.

“I’m…” he begins, but it takes him a while to find the right words. “I’m praying for a miracle.”

My parents used to be devout Catholics. We used to go to Spanish Mass every Sunday and say a prayer before dinner every night, but all of that changed when I came out. Ma and Pa felt like they had to choose between their gay son and their religion, since they couldn’t find a way to reconcile both. Luckily, they chose me, but if Pa’s praying now, it’s a sign that things are not looking good. It must mean that there’s nothing left to do.

“What’s that place like?” I ask.

“It’s, uh… not great.”

“What’s gonna happen now?”

“I don’t know, mijo,” he says. “A deportation officer has been explaining the options to me.”

“What are they?”

“Well, I could leave the country voluntarily.”

“No,” I say immediately. “You have to fight. We have to fight so you and Ma can stay.”

Pa remains quiet, but I can imagine him nodding slowly to himself.

“What are the other options?” I ask.

“They could release me on bond—if we hand over some money, they might let me go home while they decide whether they’ll let me stay in the country or not.”

“Okay,” I say, letting out a small sigh. “Okay, that’s good.” I’m not even sure it is, but at this point, I’m prepared to take any positive news we can get.