Mariana approached the counter and held out the photograph. “Are you Beatriz?”
When she arrived at Calle de la Paz, number 1423 was now a small bakery called La Coquí Feliz . An elderly woman with silver braids stood behind the counter, kneading dough. Around her neck hung a gold locket shaped like a tiny house. readtheory.org
Mariana booked a flight to San Juan the next morning. Mariana approached the counter and held out the photograph
Inside, the letter was incomplete. The date at the top read “June 8, 1985.” The first paragraph described a hot summer afternoon in Chicago, the sound of coquí frogs from a record her grandmother would play when she felt homesick. The second paragraph apologized—but for what, Mariana could not tell. The sentence broke off mid-way: “I know I promised to return after Abuela’s funeral, but the snow here is nothing like the rain at home. I met someone. His name is Daniel. He works at the factory and he—” The rest of the page was blank. No signature. No closing. No mention of Beatriz again. Around her neck hung a gold locket shaped like a tiny house
A. She resents Elena for leaving and never writing. B. She has completely forgotten about Elena. C. She has remembered Elena and hoped for some kind of closure. D. She believes Mariana is Elena in disguise.
Mariana found the letter while cleaning out her late grandmother’s attic. It was tucked inside a worn copy of The House on Mango Street , pressed between pages 84 and 85. The envelope was yellowed and unsealed, addressed in her grandmother’s familiar cursive to a name Mariana did not recognize: “Beatriz Ramirez, 1423 Calle de la Paz, San Juan, Puerto Rico.”
A. her career as a baker B. her longing for a home or family connection C. her wealth and social status D. her love of travel