“Sometimes we need help to not drown in a glass of water.”
In this moment, Cara is talking about putting her problems in perspective. She uses the comparison of drowning in a glass of water to talk about the way in which she feels it's useful to remember that things could be, and have been, harder. She goes on to say that it always helps her to remember all that she has endured when she is having a challenging time. The idea of drowning in a glass of water makes reference to the idea of being overwhelmed by a problem that is more manageable than the sufferer realizes.
“Yes, I was lonely, but I knew then and I know now: I did it because I wanted to change my life. That's what we have to do. We step in the shit on purpose so we're forced to buy new shoes.”
Here Cara is talking about the affair that she had and how it forced her to leave the Dominican Republic. She cheats on her husband and he flies into a jealous rage, despite having been unfaithful to her many times over the years. He attacks the other man and cuts off his leg. Cara hears about this and flees in the night. In this quote she says that she knew, on some level, that she did this because she needed to make a change, however worse this would make her life in the short term. She makes the comparison to stepping in excrement to buy new shoes to say that sometimes people make seemingly bad choices intentionally in order to reset their lives. In this case, she did this, in part, because she did not want to spend her life in the Dominican Republic being abused and unloved by Ricardo.
“Nobody needed to know what happened between us. It felt good to keep it private. Like praying. You don’t have to announce that you pray. I don’t need no one to make me feel bad about it. Jose was the antídoto to some of the most poisonous years of my life. He filled the emptiness of my apartment.”
In this quote, Cara is justifying the affair she had with a married man in Washington Heights. She says that she feels no shame for the time that they had together and also never felt the need to tell anyone about it. She adds that it was a healing experience for her and helped fill the "emptiness" of her home. This quote is indicative of the fact that Cara feels no shame about her own sexuality and also isn't interested in repenting for her past actions. She asserts that what happened between her and José, despite being an instance of infidelity, was positive for her in a number of ways. As she does in other places, she rejects the idea she should apologize for her moments of joy.
"But wait, before we talk about these questions you want me to answer, I want to tell you this story."
This quote indicates how the book functions as a whole. While the frame of the narrative is ostensibly a series of interviews geared towards helping Cara identify her work skills and find a job, it ends up being more of a therapy session in which Cara retells key episodes from her life. The entire novel is mostly Cara putting off "these questions" and telling stories. However, as Lissette notes later on, this act of discussion is indicative of not only Cara's gift as a storyteller but also her great empathy and care for others. In a roundabout manner, Cara demonstrates her strengths in many areas through the sharing and processing of these experiences.
"Although Ms. Romero has been unemployed for over two years, she has worked as a caretaker and support system for the elderly, children of various ages, and persons with disabilities, all who live in her building. A great storyteller, she has shared multiple examples to illustrate her ability to comfort, feed, and housekeep a substantial amount of people in challenging situations. My assessment is that Ms. Romero has performed a significant amount of unpaid labor for community members."
This quote is from the brief moment in which we read Lissette's official assessment of Cara. This is a key moment in the text as it gives us a firm sense of how much Lissette has come to care for and empathize with Cara. It also gives a formal account of how much work Cara puts into supporting the people around her. It also acknowledges how many important skills she has acquired in the process. The addition of this perspective allows the reader to see just how much Cara has been doing for her neighbors; the use of the phrase "unpaid labor" also indicates how Cara deserves recompense for her incredible generosity.
"PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: That the Landlord hereby elects to terminate your tenancy of your subsidized housing that you have had for over ten, fifteen, twenty years? Now that area codes 10032/33 have become desirable and one of the most affordable premises for New York City downtownites..."
This grimly humorous quote is from an official document sent to Cara by the building management. While adopting the formal language of an eviction notice, this quote goes a step further by underscoring the absurd cruelty of the building management. This passage notes the fact that Cara has resided in the building for many years and that she is only being forced out because that land has become "desirable" to "downtownites." These moments not only show the harsh reality faced by Cara, but demonstrate how gentrification has pushed out longtime residents like Cara who cannot keep up with increasing prices and pressure from greedy landlords. In a short space, Cruz manages to make clear how much is stacked against Cara.
"Why are you looking to me like that? Please don't look to me like that. I love my son so much. Where's the water."
This sad moment occurs after Cara tells Lissette about the moment in which she threw an iron at Fernando. She recounts this scene and then says that this instance is both when and why he left. She is torn between defending herself and feeling remorse for her actions, as shown by her stating she loves her son but also asking for more water. She also clearly feels guilt and shame, as she knows that Lissette is likely judging her for the violence she committed against Fernando. It also allows the reader to understand that Lissette is having an emotional reaction to what Cara has said without describing it overtly. This passing moment indicates a great deal about how Cara has thought about this moment, still wanting to claim that she is a good and loving mother while also knowing that what she did was wrong.
"She said, Don't worry about me. I've done everything I've ever wanted to do. Cara, we must not wait to live the life we want. Find a way to be present with the people you love."
This quote is from Cara's neighbor, La Vieja Caridad, an elderly woman Cara often cares for. It occurs after Cara has sensed that the woman's cancer has returned and she likely does not have much longer to live. La Vieja Caridad emphasizes that her life is not tragic, as she has spent time with the people that she loves. She does not want sympathy for her illness; instead, she wants Cara to enjoy her loved ones. This simple affirmation allows Cara to reassess her life, reconciling with Ángela and, later, with Fernando. This brief moment offers Cara a final piece of wisdom: it is worth adjusting your point of view to accommodate the people you love, in order to be "present" with them.
"She looked to me and screamed, You are just like Mama! No, you are worse! You will never take care of my children again. Never! And she slammed the door."
This climactic moment occurs after Ángela has walked in on Cara shaking Julio violently and yelling at him. She is furious, as she has told Cara to never lay a hand on her children. Cara has done this because Julio has just cursed at her and refused to listen to her. Cara says that she only yelled at him and grabbed him, but did not hit him. This moment is so wounding to Cara because it brings back memories of how physically violent their mother was with Ángela when they were children. It is also painful because it reminds her of Fernando leaving. Where Ángela has moved to reject their shared past, Cara remains somewhat trapped in it, inflicting a similar sort of violence that she experienced from her mother and husband.
"Write this down: Cara Romero is still here, entera."
This is the ending of the novel. Cara returns to the employment office one final time, to thank Lissette for advocating for her and to deliver some sweets she has baked. She says talking about all of these memories has been healing and that she has managed to partially reconcile with her son. She tells her to write down that she is "still here" and "entera," which is Spanish for "whole," because she has endured all of these things and still come through the other side. She remains and has managed these struggles and will continue to manage other ones, because she is strong enough to keep her head above water.
