Bri stood absolutely still. "Is it an orphanage?" she asked. "Are you sending me to an orphanage?"

"No, of course not," Alex said. "Come on, Bri. We can't miss the van. If it was an orphanage, wouldn't I be sending Julie instead?"

"I don't know," Briana said. "Are you sending her someplace else? Or is it just me?"

"Just you because you're the right age," Alex replied. "Stop acting like it's forever and you're some kind of martyr. I wish there was a place I could go, where I'd be guaranteed three meals a day."

"There is," Bri said. "Join the Marines."

"Very funny," Alex said. "Now come on. We still have the park to cross."

Briana was silent for a while. Alex was relieved not to have to answer any more questions, and to sec what passed for normal activity in Central Park. There were plenty of people riding bikes and others walking, enjoying the hot June day. No cars, but at times Central Park was closed to cars anyway. Even the cops riding horseback added to the sense of normalcy, the clop-clop-clop of the horses' hooves making a soothing noise.

"If I hate it, can I come home?" Briana asked.

"You won't hate it," Alex said.

"But what if I do?" Bri persisted. "What if they're mean to me? What if everyone's nasty?"

"We're lucky this place exists," Alex said. "The nuns will look after you, and you'll make lots of friends. The important thing is you'll be safe. I don't know how much longer New York'll be okay. It is now but things are getting worse. We may not talk about that, but you've got to know. And yeah, if I can find a safe place for Julie, I'll send her there. I'm responsible for the two of you, at least until Papi or Mami come back. Don't you think they'd want you to be with the sisters, out of harm's way?"

Briana remained silent.

"Answer that," Alex said. "Don't you think Mami and Papi would want you to be safe, at a convent with holy sisters looking after you?"

"Yes, Alex," Bri said.

"Good," he said.

"Does Julie know?" Bri asked. "Did you tell her and not me?"

"No, of course not," Alex said.

"She'll be angry when she finds out," Bri said.

"That's her problem," Alex said. "Besides, she won't be angry for long. Not when she realizes it's best for you. The way we have."

"I wish I could have said good-bye to her," Bri said.

Alex pictured what that would have been like. "It's better this way," he said. "I'll tell her all about the convent tonight."

They walked in silence for a while longer, Alex trying not to think about how Julie would react.

"Where are we going, anyway?" Bri finally asked.

"To St. Benedict's Church," Alex replied. "They're sending a van there to take all the girls to the convent."

"Will you wait with me until it comes?" Briana asked. "Please, Alex."

Alex nodded. "If they'll let me," he said.

"And you'll write?" she asked. "You and Julie?"

"Of course we will," he replied. "And you'll write to us. The post office is crazy these days, so I don't know how often you'll get mail, but we'll write. I promise."

"I guess it will be like the Fresh Air Fund," Briana said. "I was always scared when I left home each summer, but I had a nice time once I got used to it."

"I packed your things," Alex said. "I put in that picture of all of us that Mami had and your rosary beads and your diary and the Starry Night postcard."

"Thank you," Briana said. "How long have you known I'd be going?"

"Just a couple of days," Alex said.

"I hope I'll come home someday," she said. "I think I'll die if I don't ever see you and Julie again."

"You aren't going to die," Alex said. "And you'll see us again. Now come on. We still have to get to Madison and then walk uptown."

"Are you tired?" she asked. "Do you want me to carry the duffel bag for a while?"

"No, of course not," Alex said. "Just walk faster."

Briana picked up her pace, and the two of them walked more swiftly, resting only at street corners before crossing. The faster they walked, the less Alex thought about how much he was going to miss her.

By 108th Street, they could see the church up ahead. It was older than St. Margaret's hut every bit as imposing. Alex was glad. It made little sense, but it was a relief to see the church look so respectable.

As they got closer, they saw a girl about Bri's age accompanied by her mother. Alex picked up the pace, and Bri followed his lead. "Are you off to the farm?" Alex asked.

"Yes," the mother said.

Alex noticed the girl was weeping.

"She's homesick already," the mother said. "It's scary for her."

"I'm Briana," Bri said to the girl. "What's your name?"

"Ashley," the girl replied.

"I have a friend named Ashley," Bri said. "She looks a little like you. Have you ever been on a farm?"

"No," Ashley mumbled.

"I have," Bri said. "Farms are really nice. Where do you go to school?"

"Mother of Mercy High School," Ashley said. "I'm a sophomore."

"I go to Holy Angels," Bri said. "I'm in ninth grade."

Ashley's mother looked gratefully at Alex. "This has been so hard," she whispered. "But I don't know what else to do."

"I know," Alex said. "I've been telling Briana how lucky she is."

They walked into the church together, and found a sign telling them to wait in the basement. When they got there, they found the room filled with girls and their families. A lot of people were crying, and Ashley began weeping again. Alex found two seats for himself and Briana. He held her hand, but she didn't cry.

"You're being very brave," he told her. "I'm proud of you."

"I don't want to cry," she said. "Alex, I've been thinking. I need you to promise me something."

"If I can," he said.

"No," she said. "You have to promise me this. It's like a holy vow. If you don't, I'm going to get up and leave right now."

Alex thought about Bri, how few scenes she made compared to Julie's endless whining or Aunt Lorraine's dramatics. "There are things I can't promise," he said. "I can't promise the moon will return to its place, that things will ever be normal again."

"I know," she said. "And I know you can't promise me that Papi and Mami will come home. But you have to vow to me that you and Julie won't leave the apartment, that you won't disappear on me. You have to vow that you'll stay at home, so I'll always know where you are, so when Papi and Mami and Carlos come home, they'll know where you are and you can tell them where I am and I can come home then. Promise me that, Alex. I can't have you gone like they are."

"I promise," he said, hoping that if he and Julie ever did have to leave, they'd have time to let Bri know. "We'll stay there for you and Papi and Mami and Carlos."

"All right," Briana said. "You can go now. You need to get back so Julie will know what's going on."

"No," Alex said, surprising himself with his vehemence. "I can't just leave you. I have to stay to make sure you get on the van."

"I told you I would," Bri said. "You can trust me."

"It's not that," Alex said. He didn't want to tell Bri what he just realized, that if he left without seeing her get on the van, she'd be one of the gone and he couldn't bear that. "I have papers they need. I have to stay until the van gets here."

"All right," Briana said. "I just thought you might want to go."

"Bri, I don't like this, either," Alex said. "But it's for the best. For you, and for Julie and me. More food for us. And we won't worry, since we'll know you're being fed and taken care of."

Briana nodded. "I think I'd like to pray now," she said. "I think the holy madre will make me feel better."

It was almost three before the van arrived. When it did, the sniffles turned to sobs, and even Alex had to fight tears. Briana was weeping openly as she hugged her brother farewell.