My Own Four Cents [2016]

Chapter 28: A Real Author

Mom gets an email on her work computer in August from the address grodriguez-editor@gmail.com.

To: Maria Valasquez

From: Gina Rodriguez

Subject: Your book has been published!

Dear Maria Valasquez,

Your book My Own Four Cents was published on August 16. The people in my company loved it. I'm sure the world will love it too. You will be paid part of each book sold. A copy of the book will be sent to you in the mail. Congratulations on becoming a real author!

Yours truly, Gina Rodriguez

Mom turns around and squeezes me so tight I think I'm going to choke. I'm so happy that I don't care. I forward the email to tks5701<3@gmail.com, Tanisha's email address. She writes back in a second.

To: Maria

From: Tanisha

Subject: RE: FW: Your book has been published!

OMG THAT IS GREAT!!! I AM SOOOOO PROUD OF YOU!!! YOU ARE AWESOME!!! YAY I AM SOOOO HAPPY FOR YOU!!! <3 <3 <3 :D :D :D

Love, Tanisha

Is her computer stuck on Caps Lock? Looks like it!

I go over to her house and hug her. She is so excited and proud that she can't stop hugging me. Finally I pull away and we bake celebration cupcakes: blue, red, yellow and purple tie-dye batter. Tanisha then emails Clarissa and asks her to come over. She writes back soon.

Subject: RE: Come over & celebrate!!!

Wow Maria, you are awesome! That sounds like a cool story! Of course I'll come over and have some fun with you! Can I have a copy of the story??? See you soon. ~Clarissa

I write her a message back.

Subject: RE: RE: Come over & celebrate!!!

Sure. See you in a minute!!! Come over as soon as you can. We're making cupcakes, you can help if you want. From Maria and Tanisha

Then we wait for her to come. She comes over in about ten minutes. She immediately tells me congratulations and then helps finish the cupcakes. Then she reads the first couple chapters and stares at me. Maria, you really had a childhood like that? I had no idea! Oh my gosh! You really had a rough life, huh?

I nod. Yeah. It's true! This whole book is true.

Clarissa stares at me with awe and sympathy. Wow! I'm so sorry! That's really well written, though. Amazing!

That's the way I think. I lost my family when I was seven and I lived in an orphanage until about a year ago, when I was adopted by my new family. My mom speaks sign language because she's got a friend from college who's deaf, named Aedda, who was her best friend. She's one of the people who suggested that deaf workshop.

Oh, yeah! That was so cool! Did you like playing the instruments? I loved the vibraphone and the bass drum. It made HUGE vibrations!

Yeah, and I liked the snare drum. That was a great idea to do the balloons, right? I would love to have a drum of my own.

Me too. Maybe I can get my parents to buy me one. My mom and dad didn't think a deaf girl should get involved in music, but my music teacher recommended the workshop and they let me go!

Oh yeah! I made a drawing during the orchestra music. Right here, see? I show her my drawing of the music.

Clarissa admires it. That's a great picture! You should give it to the sale at your school! (I've already told her about the mixed sale.)

Good idea! I think I will. Oh! That reminds me, my sister Veronica is coming to live with me!

Tanisha gasps. You didn't tell me that! she says, looking crestfallen.

Sorry, I had a lot of stuff on my mind.

I notice Tanisha looking a little left out, so I help her make conversation with Clarissa. I learn about Clarissa's younger sister who is hearing and who speaks sign language. Then the cupcakes come out of the oven and we make the frosting. We make purple for Tanisha, red for me, and chocolate for Clarissa. Then we eat some and talk about the book. That's another good thing about not talking with your mouth: you can talk and stuff your face at the same time.

So, when did you write this?

I started in about October or maybe November, when we had this sale at school for student made items.

Clarissa sighs. Wow. I wish I could write like that!

I grin. I took a break from the story when I fell off Tanisha's horse Liberty and broke my dominant hand.

Clarissa winced. That can't have felt good.

I shake my head. Nope. Hey, do you want to see the other horses?

Clarissa gasps. Yeah!

We walk out to the paddock and say hi to Liberty and Tundra. I tell Clarissa that Tundra's due in October. She's excited.