Dominicana

Three days after she tries to leave Juan, Ana continues to ignore him. Juan seems quieter, perhaps understanding he went too far. She wants to wait as long as possible before telling Juan about the baby. Juan mentions the growing turmoil in Santo Domingo and worries that he hasn’t yet secured the land lease with Ana’s father. A woman, Marisela, will stop by later to drop off money she owes to Juan in exchange for her wedding ring, which Juan has kept as collateral. Ana watches him walk the street from her window and notices how he keeps his head down around the police.

Ana finds a letter from Juan to Caridad. In the letter, Juan confesses his love for Caridad and his inability to leave his wife, who has no one in America but him.

Marisela arrives, a beautiful and glamorous-looking woman. She’s a housecleaner for wealthy gringa women, and her imitations of the gringas makes Ana laugh. Marisela gives Ana a bottle of nail polish and the $25 owed to Juan.

Ana fantasizes about making friends with Marisela. She wonders about Caridad and regrets not running off with Gabriel before it was too late. She calls herself “Ana X, the holder of secrets” (145).