I turned to Menotti. He had kicked off his covers, sweating through another fever spike. He opened his watery eyes to look at me and his sister, then moaned and turned over in his bed. Tentatively I reached out for him. He was hotter than my stove. We needed help. I made my way down the stairs as my world began to spin out of control. I reached out to steady myself. I could hear Teresita crying in the distance.

From the corners of my eyes a blackness crept into my vision. I blinked, trying to keep the darkness at bay, but it made everything look farther away, like I was staring down a tunnel. I leaned against the wall, rooted where I was by fear. I had to keep going down the stairs. I willed myself to move on, gingerly putting one foot down, then another. I was almost to the front hall when I couldn’t hold back the darkness any longer. I tripped. The bottom of the stairs rushed toward me as my world went black.

The warm sun seeped through my skin, blinding me before I even opened my eyes. I roused, hearing the sounds of children giggling. I took in my surroundings: I was no longer in my home. I was in a field, which looked strange but somehow familiar. Just a short distance away stood a small house.

It had a thatched roof that hung over the stone walls, which leaned ever so slightly to the right. It took me a few minutes to realize why I recognized this house: It was my beloved childhood home. “This can’t be real,” I said as I wandered toward the front door.

“We’re over here, little one!”

I stopped. I knew that voice. Why did I know that voice? The giggling children caused something to lurch deep within my being. Those were my children. I followed the sounds of the laughter just beyond the house to find my children playing with the stranger.

“Papai?”

“Anna! How nice of you to finally join us!”

My children, realizing I was there, ran to me, wrapping their arms around my legs. “What are you doing here?” I asked, looking around me. “Where are we?” My children ran off again through the field.

“Those are questions I cannot answer, little one.” Together we watched them play. “You should know, you have brought more honor to our family than you realize. That’s why I am proud to be the one to collect Rosita.”

I shook my head, taking a few steps away from him. “No, I won’t let you. Rosita! Menotti! Come here now.” Menotti ran over to me, but Rosita went straight to my father.

He lifted Rosita up into his arms. “I am truly sorry, we have no control over these things.”

I held Menotti by the shoulders, pressing him closer to me. Together, we watched as my father turned and walked toward the setting sun. Rosita looked over his shoulder, waving to us as they disappeared into the light.