Nilda Read Online Free Page A

prayers, visiting the spiritualist, who gave her all kinds of remedies and special prayers. Mamá is always asking God or a saint for miracles. She is always talking about fate and that there is a divine reason for things. “A Destiny. Everything is written for you already up there!” That’s what Mamá says, she thought. We must not offend God. All of a sudden it all became perfectly clear to Nilda. Wow! I must have done something very bad to offend God! Something really really bad. She started to think about all the “bad” things she had done in her life. After a while she decided that it must be one special thing, or several things, or maybe everything!
    Well, whatever it is, I’ll repent. I’ll repent it all. But now that it was time to repent she realized that she was in bed for the night. Once they put out the lights she could not leave her bunk. She had to do something right now, at that moment. Taking a deep breath, she said, “I promise you, oh Virgin Mary, to sleep all night with my hands folded across my chest just like you look in some of the statues I seen in church. I will recite all the prayers Iknow and some I just learned. And I promise to think only pure thoughts all night long.” Shutting her eyes tightly and folding her arms, she said, “Please, oh please, let me go home tomorrow.”
    After breakfast the next day, there was a rumor that everyone was going to be sent home. As she heard the children talking, Nilda was both happy and frightened at the same time. Everyone was whispering and talking about going home. In the early afternoon all the campers were called in, assembled in the big dining hall, and seated at the long tables. The large nun entered, walked over to the other nuns and began whispering. Nilda heard the kids.
    â€œWe’re gonna be sent home.”
    â€œYeah, that’s what I heard.”
    â€œDo you think it’s true?”
    â€œMaybe. I overheard some of the brothers and they said …”
    Nilda was afraid to comment or respond lest she break the magic of the miracle that was about to happen. If they knew, it might spoil it all, she thought.
    The large nun walked to the front of the hall and began speaking. “I am here for Father Shaw. He had to attend to some urgent business regarding the camp.” Nilda’s heart was pounding and she could hardly hear or understand what the large woman was saying. “Something has gone wrong with the plumbing and there is no water. Some of you will be sent home today and others will be sent home tomorrow.” A huge cheer went up. The children were elated, jumping up and down on the benches. “Stop it! Stop the nonsense or I’ll send for Brother Sean this minute,” she said, clapping furiously. “Unfortunately,” she continued, “we cannot fix the plumbing or the pipes. There is no water available. This is a major repair job which we cannot do this year.” This brought giggles and happy sighs from some of the tables. “Quiet, quiet!” she clapped. “Now next year …” Closingher eyes with a sense of joy and relief that shook her body, Nilda stopped listening.
    Back in her dormitory, packing away her things in her suitcase, Nilda was filled with happiness at her liberation and secretly guarded her miracle. “It worked!” she whispered. See, she said to herself, just like Mamá always says, faith is very powerful! Looking about her and making sure nobody saw her, she made the sign of the cross and whispered, “I’ll never doubt You again. I’ll be a believer, dear Jesus and Virgin Mary.” And so she made her solemn vow right there in the large dormitory, with the very best of intentions.

Early September 1941
    â€œY ou’ll be late for Mass, Nilda. Hurry! Are you going alone?”
    â€œI’m not gonna be late, Ma. I’m picking up Petra and maybe little Benji is coming.”
    Summer had