Dreaming in Cuban Chapter 14: Daughters of Changó (1979) Summary

  • Lourdes is losing touch with the voice of her father, Jorge. He's kind of drifting off into the cosmos.
  • He still has things to tell Lourdes: 1) He loved Celia; 2) Celia loved Lourdes; 3) He tried to destroy Celia, leading her to mental illness and emotional distance from Lourdes. Ouch.
  • Jorge admits that his mother and sisters were horrible and that Celia was treated with heavy meds and electroshock therapy. He wanted to break her because of her Spanish lover.
  • He tells Lourdes of Felicia's death and says that it's time for her to go back to Cuba.
  • The final shocker: he knows about Lourdes' rape. He asks her to apologize to Celia for him.
  • Lourdes has a vision of a decorated church altar in April, her favorite month (contrary to her mother).

Pilar (1980)

  • Pilar buys an old Beny Moré album (remember the one Felicia played over and over?) and reflects on her Punk days, which seem to be somewhat in the past now.
  • She has calmed down tremendously and that scares her a little.
  • Pilar visits a botánica, a shop that sells folk medicine, herbs and religious amulets. The proprietor has knowledge of santería and immediately calls Pilar a daughter of Changó.
  • He also says that she has to "finish what [she] began" by the "moon after next." He gives her herbs to bathe in and a candle to light so that she finds spiritual clarity.
  • Pilar is not religious, but she's kind of lost her way, so she takes the items and heads home.
  • On the way, she is assaulted by three young boys with knives. She is molested and finally makes it home in a state of shock.
  • Pilar uses the herbs as directed for nine nights. She realizes that she must go to Cuba and calls her mother to tell her so.