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For weeks, Mariana debated what to do. The internet offered no Beatriz Ramirez at that address. The street number might no longer exist. But one evening, while cleaning out a closet, Mariana found a shoebox of photographs. Beneath the pictures of her mother as a baby was a black-and-white image of two young women smiling in front of a flamboyán tree. On the back, in Spanish: “Elena y Beatriz, Santurce, 1979.”
“Elena’s granddaughter,” Beatriz whispered. “I’ve been waiting for you for thirty-nine years.” 1. The primary purpose of the letter in the story is to A. explain why Elena left San Juan B. reveal that Elena had a secret family C. show that Elena never intended to return to Puerto Rico D. introduce a mystery about Elena’s past readtheory.org
Mariana had always believed her grandmother, Elena, arrived in Chicago alone in 1980 and never looked back. Family legend said she left behind no family, no friends, no unfinished business. Yet here was evidence of a promise broken, a connection abandoned, a story never finished. For weeks, Mariana debated what to do
The woman’s hands stopped. She looked at the image, then at Mariana. Her eyes watered, but she did not cry. Instead, she smiled—a slow, sad, knowing smile. But one evening, while cleaning out a closet,
A. she wants to open a bakery B. she hopes to find Beatriz and learn more about her grandmother C. she needs to sell her grandmother’s old books D. she is looking for her own father
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.
