Authors Note - The novel, The Bean Trees by Barbra Kingsolver is about a young girl, who changed her name to Taylor, who moved away from her mother and her home to venture on her own, to learn to live, and to learn everything she possibly can. On her journey, she's been gifted a baby from a native woman, for no reason. She doesn't know who the baby is, who the woman is, or where this baby is from. After getting the baby she moves in with another woman, Lou Ann, and her young child, Dwayne Ray. They soon make new friends who are illegal immigrants that seem to be from the same country as Turtle--Taylor's baby--named Estevan and Esperanza. The young couple were forced to move to America, and had their daughter taken away. After being together, it seems as though Turtle should be Esperanza's daughter, but in the novel, she isn't. While reading the story, I wanted Turtle to actually be Estevan and Esperanza's daughter, so I decided to compose an additional scene to the novel The Bean Trees.
The car is packed. Turtle, Estevan, and Esperanza, and I are on our way to figure out our situation. I've been pondering who's daughter Turtle really is and where she came from. I want to know the answer, but I don't want to find that her parents are looking for her, I want her to myself. I don't think I could even think about giving her up, she's helped me through my travels, we've taken each other as family, and she truly means the world to me.
"Alright, is everyone ready? Esteven and Esperanza, stay low and make sure to keep your disguises on. We don't want to get pulled over and questioned. You know how they patrol these areas for illegals." I reminded my passengers.
"Yes, we know. You know how good my accent is!" Estevan exclaimed.
Hours pass and we are back at the gas station where I was gifted Turtle. I can feel my nerves running up and down my spine. It could all end here, if we find her parents. I don't want to give her up, her family was abusive and I don't think she would last a day back in their grubby hands.
Inside I see the old lady, the one who changed my life. As the four of us enter the station, Estevan and Esperanza immediately call out to the old lady, "Mama!"
I turn my head to see what is going on and the three of them are hugging and crying and speaking Spanish. At this moment I don't know what to do other than to stand there holding onto Turtle, probably tighter than she liked. "Wait, you know her?" I questioned Estevan and Esperanza.
"Yes, she's my mother. I cannot believe that she is here. Wait, do you know her too?" Esperanza replied in her accent.
"Uhm, yes. She gave me turtle." I replied weakly, knowing that this trip is ending different than I had imagined.
After my reply, the young Spanish woman turned to her mother asking her who the child was--of course in Spanish. I didn't understand but Estevan translated for me. He said that the old lady said that Turtle--whom she called by another name--was Esperanza's daughter, the one they forced to give up before coming to America.
My knees shake, I drop to the ground, still holding Turtle in my arms, bawling. I never knew that this would happen, that my new friends would end up being the parents to my baby, the one who completes my life.
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