Chapter 9

In the tree where Maria’s family lived, her parents were talking. “What is wrong with that daughter of ours?” He father asked. “She has done nothing but mope around for weeks, she won’t talk to me, she’s not eating, she’s loosing weight, and she won’t be able to make the trip north as skinny as she is.”

“Maria is suffering from a broken heart,” her mother answered.

“A broken heart,” her father asked, “why would she have a broken heart?”

“Because her father forbid her from seeing a certain young robin,” her mother replied.

“So now it’s my fault?” he father asked. “How on earth could it be my fault?”

“Trust me, Dear,” her mother replied, “it is your fault.”

“I’m going hunting!” her father shouted as he flew away. “I can’t take any more of this.”

A few hours later, while Maria’s father was still hunting, he looked up to see Hector’s father, Ralph, hunting near-by. “Ralph,” he shouted, “I need to talk with you.”

“I’m sorry, George, am I hunting in your territory?” Hector’s father asked. “I don’t want no trouble, I’ll just move on. I’m really sorry, I didn’t realize...”

“No wait,” George said, “it’s not that. I need to talk with you. It’s important.”

“Why sure, George,” Ralph said. “What can I do for you?”

“It’s about Hector,” George said.

“Has he been bothering your daughter?” Ralph asked. “ ‘Cause if he has then I’ll have a word with him. I told him you didn’t want him coming around her.”

“No, no,” George said, “I wish Hector would come back around.”

“You do?” Ralph asked. “Why would you want my crazy son bothering your daughter?”

“ ‘Cause Maria hasn’t talked to me since I forbid her from seeing your son. She’s not eating, she doesn’t sing, and she’s loosing weight. She’s already too skinny to make the trip north.”

“Is she sick? Is it something the rest of us might catch?”

“Gladys says she’s got a broken heart,” George said.

“Oh, I see,” Ralph said. “I remember when one of my daughters had a broken heart once. It’s awful to watch.”

“Yeah, and Gladys says it’s my fault too.”

“She’s right,” Ralph said.

“Now you’re blaming it on me too!” George squawked.

“Now don’t go getting your feathers ruffled, George. I’ll make-up some sort of an errand, and send Hector over to your place later this evening. By tomorrow you’ll be back in Maria and Gladys’ good graces.”

“Thanks,” George said, obviously calmer than before, “you’re a real pal, Ralph.”

“Don’t think anything of it,” Ralph said. “This is your first flock. When you’ve raised as many chicks as I have then you’ll understand all of it.”

“You do make it look easy,” George said. “What’s your secret, Ralph?”

“When it comes to the children,” Ralph answered, “I let Martha handle it. When you learn to leave it to Gladys you’ll have all your problems solved. All you have to do is what Gladys tells you to do.”

“But I’m the male,” George asked, “ain’t I supposed to be in charge?”

“You only have to look like you’re in charge.” Ralph laughed. “The females run the whole show. They always have. When you get older you learn that you only thought you were in charge. Anyway, that’s when the job gets easy.”

Later that evening, after Hector ran the imaginary errand his father had dreamed up for him to do, Hector and Maria met in the same tall pine tree they had met in before. “Are you still planning to fly around the world, Hector?” Maria asked.

“Someday,” Hector replied.

“When will that be?” Maria asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Why not?”

“Carlos said it was the wrong time. He said I should fly back to the north with the flock. He said I would know when it was time.”

“How will you know, Hector?”

“I don’t know,” Hector replied. “Carlos just said I would know.”

“That Carlos is a strange bird,” Maria said.

“Carlos is really, really smart,” Hector said. “He’s really old and he’s really smart. I learned a lot about all kinds of things just by talking to him. He’s the smartest bird I’ve ever met.”

“Even smarter than you?” Maria questioned.

“You think I’m smart?” Hector asked.

“Oh Hector, you’re the smartest and bravest bird I’ve ever met. You’re my hero,” Maria cooed.

“You’re the sweetest bird I’ve ever met,” Hector said.

“Hector,” Maria said.

“What?”

“Can I go with you?”

“Go with me where?” Hector asked.

“Around the world,” Maria said. “Can I go with you when you fly around the world.”

“I guess so,” Hector said. “I thought you didn’t want to go.”

“I want to go anywhere you go,” Maria answered, “anywhere.”

Hector spent much of the night hunting worms to help fatten Maria up so that she would be able to make the trip north with the rest of the flock. As Maria had ate very little in the previous few weeks, she was really hungry and ate everything Hector could bring her. When the sun came up the next morning, Hector flew with Maria as she went home to her family. “Hector, it’s good to see you, Son,” Maria’s father said. “I hear you’re going to be migrating north with us in a few days.”

“Yes Sir,” Hector replied.

“So you’ve given up on that crazy notion about flying around the world, I guess?”

“Oh, no Sir,” Hector replied. “It’s just not time yet, Sir.”

“I see,” Maria’s father questioned. “When will it be time?”

“I don’t know,” Hector replied. “I gotta be going home now. See you later.”

“Yeah, later,” Maria’s father mumbled as Hector flew away. “Gladys, I just don’t know about that bird. I think the world of his father, Ralph, but Hector I’m just not sure about.”

“I’m sure everything will be just fine, Dear,” Gladys said looking at the look in Maria’s eyes as she watched Hector fly away, “everything will be just fine.”