Summer of the Mariposas

The Garza girls try to resume family life only to be thwarted by the intrusion of news crews. Agent Gonzales visits often, assisting with these challenges and doing an interview with the Garza sisters’ mother for television. They even encounter Gonzales at their church, where Delia whispers, “I think he likes Mamá” (313). Odilia grows frustrated with her inability to understand Tonantzin’s instructions about the roses. Odilia’s mother senses this and sits her down for a chat. Odilia asks her mother if she disliked the roses. Odilia’s mother replies that the roses were nice, but Odilia and her sisters were the true gift—without her daughters, she would be a mere ghost of a woman. Odilia is reminded of La Llorona and finally understands what Tonantzin was really asking her to do.

Odilia finds La Llorona in the woods and gives her the roses. La Llorona’s skin instantly becomes radiant. Snout-nosed butterflies weave together to stitch La Llorona’s gown, transforming her into an Aztec princess. Tonantzin appears and calls La Llorona to reunite with her loved ones and claim her place among the stars. Odilia hears children’s laughter and sees a new constellation in the heavens that takes the shape of a woman with her two children.