THE NEXT DAY, I dug through my clothes for a disguise that would make me unrecognizable to Wilfrido, yet cool to Carmen. Something that made me look like a spy from a Bond film. But I didn’t have a tuxedo. And the only pair of sunglasses I could find were my mom’s bright orange ones. I tried looking in my dad’s closet for something when Carmen knocked at the door. Desperate, I ran back to my room and grabbed some clothes out of a box full of stuff I was going to give to my little cousins. As I slid on my choice of disguise, my arms felt like they were going to burst through the fabric. With no time to second guess, I threw on my sneakers, slid on the accompanying mask, and bolted to the door. When I opened it, my jaw dropped.
“Hey,” she said. Thank goodness I had a mask on, because I didn’t want Carmen to see how red my cheeks probably were. She wore heels that made her look five inches taller, and makeup that made her look ten years older. Her hair was totally done up, and a pair of glasses completed her disguise. Like I said, she looked way older than thirteen, and I felt like a complete idiot.
“The Hulk! I like the choice,” she said. “You could be, like, my little brother or something.”
Her little brother? This was a disaster.
“I’ll go change,” I said through the mask, which made my voice sound like I had a bad case of asthma.
“No! It’s perfect,” she said, grabbing my arm. “Come on—let’s go.”
I really wanted to change, but Carmen insisted that it was a great choice for a costume. She said nobody would suspect a kid dressed like a superhero of snooping for information.
The clack-clack of Carmen’s high heels mixed with my increasingly muffled breathing as we walked down the street. It was a typical summer Miami afternoon where the humidity punishes any and all. Especially idiots who wear superhero costumes that don’t fit and rubber masks that only have one small hole to breathe through. Costumes like this should be outlawed from any place where the humidity is greater than 10 percent.
Carmen and I continued down the street in silence. It was really awkward. I lifted my mask because I couldn’t bear the heat anymore. I tugged at the fake Hulk muscles squeezing my real chest, and desperately hoped the costume would break and we would have to go back so I could change into regular clothes.
“Wait, put your mask back on,” Carmen said. “We’re getting close to Wilfrido’s store.”
I really didn’t want to, but Carmen told me it was the only way we were going to find out exactly what was going on.
“If he recognizes you, he might not share information.”
I didn’t think Wilfrido cared about a couple of kids checking out his store, but I went with it anyway. As soon as I put my mask back on, I felt sweat bubbles forming on my nose.
A few people walked out carrying canvas bags and fancy folders. Two of them were Annabelle and George, the young couple who went on dates at La Cocina.
A beep-beep made Carmen and me jump out of the way. It was Bicycle Bill, in his tricked-out three-wheeler bike with a basket that carried a huge speaker and his toy poodle, Henry, and had a large picture of Celia Cruz taped to the front. Nobody really knew where Bicycle Bill lived or even where he’d come from, but he had been a fixture of Canal Grove for as long as I could remember. He ate dinner at La Cocina at least once a month. He never said more than three words when he ate. “Hola. Gracias. Okeydokey.” Bicycle Bill turned off the speakers, chained his bike, and took Henry inside.
I glanced at Wilfrido’s store closely for the first time. The inside was bright white, and through the window you could see a huge mural with two gold Ps in the middle. There were white leather chairs organized neatly in two corners of the store, and a large table with several laptops for browsing. I realized that Wilfrido’s store wasn’t a store at all. It was an office.
An office having a party. People picked at a buffet table filled with sweet and savory pastelitos and cups of cafecito. There was a huge replica of a city near the window. It looked a lot like my neighborhood, only it had a huge tower at the corner of what was Main Street.
“No me gusta eso,” Bicycle Bill blurted loudly as he walked back outside. “Nah. Nah.” I guess he knew more than three words after all.
Carmen whispered something to me, but I couldn’t hear her over my loud, heavy breathing. She whispered again as we went inside, but I still couldn’t hear her. Air-conditioning blasted through the holes in my mask, instantly cooling my costume and drying my sweat. I paused for a few seconds to take in the gloriousness.
“Arturo? Arturo?”
“Huh? Oh, sorry,” I said. “I was dying out there.”
“Try walking five blocks in heels in this heat,” Carmen said.
It seemed like everyone from Canal Grove had received an invitation to Wilfrido Pipo’s fancy office party. My seventh-grade language arts teacher, Ms. Patterson, and the school librarian, Ms. Minerva, chatted excitedly by the model of the town. There was another long table across the back wall that had a few fancy glass pitchers with mint leaf stems that jutted out of the tops. This kid from my school named Eddy Strap and his parents delicately ate some of the mini-quiches that were plated perfectly next to the mint juice. Eddy and I didn’t hang out; he was pretty full of himself.
“I simply love that this building will bring a new kind of person to the neighborhood,” Eddy’s mom said in a way that sounded snooty.
Wait, what building?
“Come, Juancito, look at the pretty building!” I guess Carmen wanted to find out about this building too.
“Who’s Juancito?”
“You are,” Carmen whispered. “Juancito, my younger brother.”
“That’s so weird.”
“Just go with it.” Carmen put her arm around my shoulders and spoke to me like I was five years old.
“Isn’t it interesting?” she said again, making a point to show me the tall building in the center.
The mini high-rise had the same initials as this office—PP—in gold cursive on the front.
I took a closer look but was distracted by the sound of clinking glass as people gathered around the model.
Wilfrido Pipo emerged wearing the same white suit and hat I’d seen him in at La Cocina, smiling brightly at everyone he passed. He politely made his way to the model and stopped right next to Carmen. His eyes narrowed and I could feel beads of sweat forming on my nose once again. Wilfrido would bust us for sure.
“Hello,” he said as he patted my shoulder.
“Uh, uh, uh,” I mumbled, and looked away at the model.
Carmen held her hand out and pulled me close.
“He likes your display.”
“Excellent. I’m very glad,” Wilfrido said.
He turned to Carmen and smiled. “What a nice kid. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must address the room.”
He tapped his glass again and started. “Everyone! I am new to town and can say that the people of this neighborhood are truly wonderful.”
To make his point, Wilfrido put his arm around me and almost knocked off my mask.
“Uh, uh, uh,” I mumbled again, shifting around and trying to keep my face hidden. Even if Wilfrido didn’t recognize me, every neighbor in this room would.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” he said. “Here—let me help you adjust that.”
“No!” Carmen yelled, and stood between us. “Ahem, I’m sorry. He, he just doesn’t like anyone touching his mask. Isn’t that right, Juancito?”
I nodded and Wilfrido took his arm off me. “I’m so sorry. My sincerest apologies.”
It happened very quickly, but I could’ve sworn Wilfrido rolled his eyes as he apologized.
“As I was saying, this is a beautiful town, full of beautiful, hardworking people.”
I looked around and took in the crowd. He was right.
“So it is with this,” Wilfrido continued, “that I hope to make a contribution to the neighborhood. Presenting: a new facility to reward your hard work and make your community even stronger.”
Wilfrido pointed to the high-rise in the display. “In the next few weeks, I will be speaking with all of you and showing you how this building, Pipo Place, will be the cornerstone and future of this community!”
Carmen and I were pushed to the side as the crowd moved in closer to the model.
“This multi-use building is a state-of-the-art property designed to fit your every need. It will include a high-end grocery store, personalized parking for residents who live on the upper floors, a ten-thousand-square-foot gym, spa, an Olympic-size pool, and a therapy center with free spin classes and daily yoga.”
“For everyone who lives in Canal Grove?” Eddy’s mom asked excitedly.
“No, unfortunately. But anyone in the neighborhood can apply to become members and have access to many of the facilities.”
“Many or all?”
“Many,” Wilfrido said, still smiling brightly. “May I continue?”
Wilfrido pointed to each section of the building and continued to describe one incredible thing after another. “There will be a rooftop lounge so patrons can enjoy views of the water. Cafés on five floors so residents and members don’t have to go down to the street to get their morning cafecitos, like I know you all love!”
The crowd nodded in agreement. They seemed to marvel at what Pipo Place would contain.
“So,” he said, suddenly serious, “this is a place I’m confident the neighborhood and community will love. And hopefully, it’s just the beginning! Think of the possibilities: this building will attract more people to the neighborhood. It will create jobs, bring money into the community, and add a level of luxury that the town deserves! Pipo Place will be the crown jewel of Canal Grove!”
Carmen looked like she had just eaten a really disgusting cookie and couldn’t understand why everyone else thought it was delicious.
“Well,” Wilfrido said, putting his hands together in a prayer pose. “A very important vote is happening in a few weeks—one that will change the face of Canal Grove and provide a new and exciting opportunity for the wonderful citizens of this community. Can I count on your support? Will you let your city council know how much you want Pipo Place?”
I watched as people applauded. Our city commissioner, Tomás García, patted Wilfrido’s shoulder. Eddy’s mom looked at Eddy and nodded. My teachers smiled as if they had just heard the most wonderful news.
“¡Perfecto! Now please, enjoy the food and cafecito! And don’t leave without these leather tote bags specially made from the finest cows in all of Argentina!”
Carmen and I watched as Wilfrido mixed and mingled. I glanced at the mini-version of Main Street and had to admit—Pipo Place looked nice. A huge building in the neighborhood couldn’t be all that bad, could it? The model had a tiny version of Two Scoops. All the people living at Pipo Place would surely go buy ice cream. I saw the little Spanish columns and gated entrance of Books and More Books. Everyone’s favorite bookstore would get more visitors. The boutique clothing stores, several neighborhood art galleries, and other local restaurants and cafés were all part of the model. Pipo Place would bring people closer to Main Street—more hungry customers for La Cocina de la Isla. Except . . . La Cocina didn’t seem to be part of this model.
I looked at Carmen through my rubber mask and tugged at her dress to get her attention.
“Where’s La Cocina in the display?” I whispered.
Carmen’s eyes widened.
In this version of town, Pipo Place took over the entire corner of Main Street. La Cocina de la Isla was nowhere to be found. My skin felt hot, my stomach dropped, and I had trouble breathing again. Not even the AC could calm me down. I turned to walk out of Wilfrido’s office when I felt a tug at my shoulder.
“Wait, little boy,” Wilfrido said. “Take this as a token of my thanks.”
He handed Carmen and me each a fancy leather tote. Wilfrido smiled, but it didn’t feel friendly this time. I don’t know why, but I was pretty sure he’d known who we were all along. “Enjoy,” he said.
Once we were out of his line of sight, Carmen took off her heels and I pulled off my mask and Hulk bodysuit. We walked in silence. My tank top was completely drenched in sweat. As we got closer to home, I realized we had both put our things into Wilfrido’s fancy bags. The bags were very useful, and suddenly I felt more uncomfortable than I did wearing the mask. We got home, and Uncle Frank asked Carmen to help prep dinner. She said we should meet up after to figure out what to do.
A few hours later I found Carmen in the courtyard, really fired up.