—Los deportados, the driver said and sighed. —The U.S. turns our people into criminals and then sends them back to us so we have to suffer the consequences. Cabrones son.

—They were born criminals, Esperanza said, looking into a small mirror, frustrated that the humidity was making her mascara run.

Dallas was listening to her CD player, bopping her head, looking out the window. Damn, it was hot. She stuck her hand out of the car and let it ride the air.

—Look at those cabrones, the driver said, sighing again. —They might’ve been better off if they had never left.

Bobby took in the smell and sights of his childhood. But he couldn’t find his childhood in la capital, which was lit with McDonald’s arches and Baskin-Robbins neon signs. On one strip, he saw KFCs, Häagen-Dazs, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Benetton. He saw six-story-high shopping centers and high-rise luxury buildings. Behind the concrete structures were the small dirt roads, randomly paved, many littered with potholes that led into crowded streets, haphazard food markets, wooden houses, barefoot children. He was jolted when a man on a motocicleta banged on the car hood.

—Who are we staying with? Dallas asked.

—Your tía Pura. You’re finally meeting some of your family, Dallas. It’s also the house I grew up in.

—Does she have a toilet?

—Of course she has a toilet, Esperanza said.

—Does it work? Don Chan joked, knowing of the many Dominicans who had purely decorative toilet fixtures because they didn’t have enough water for a flush.

—Does she have a phone line? Bobby asked. He had work he needed to send to New York City in a few days and needed to connect online.

—Yes, but don’t worry, you’re only here for a few days. I’m sure you’ll manage, Esperanza said and was glad that her children would see that things here weren’t as great as Don Chan had made them out to be. And if it were up to the Colóns, they would’ve been peddling candies on the street for pennies. And that was just the capital. Wait until they got to Los Llanos, her children would see what she saved them from.

—When we drop them off, I want you to take me to Los Llanos, Don Chan said to the driver.

—It’ll be too late to go there tonight, Esperanza said.

—I want to go tonight. Don Chan slapped his hand on his knees and shook his head.

—It’s only a two-hour drive from the capital. I don’t mind, the driver said.

—Of course you don’t mind, because you make the money, Esperanza snapped.

—Mami, be nice, Bobby said, holding Consuelo on his lap. Bouncing her to keep her from getting restless.

—It’s decided. We drop off the women, and Bobby and I will go to Los Llanos. We’ll have to stop by San Pedro de Macorís to pick up the keys.

—Why can’t I go? Dallas asked.

—Trust me, you don’t want to go there, Esperanza said. —Besides, who’ll watch Consuelo while I distribute all the stuff we brought back for the family?