Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The US embassy was located within a few minutes of the airport. Unlike many other roads in Haiti, the road to the U.S. embassy was kept in good repair, which explained the smooth drive to their destination.  The US embassy was comprised of several buildings.  The main building was three stories high and looked more like a fortress than a building that housed the official residence of the US Ambassador.  In fact, it was both. Built in 2008, it contained the most advanced security systems.  The building’s lack of architectural beauty was softened by the beautiful landscape.   When they reached the residence of the Ambassador, which occupied part of the top floor of the main building, Sabrina’s father guided Sabrina to her room, and they talked some more for a few minutes before he left to answer an urgent call.

As promised, Sabrina then called her mother to tell her of her trip. The call lasted less than five minutes. After she hung up with her mother, Sabrina then called Peter on his cell phone.  He picked up on the first ring with a joyous voice, prompting Sabrina to ask, “Why are you so happy? Is it because I left?”

 “Don’t say that.  I’m missing you and I’ve been waiting for your call.”  Then Peter paused as if he wanted to tell Sabrina something.
                “What is it, Peter?” Sabrina asked.

“Oh, nothing, ” Peter  finally said.

 Sabrina could sense that Peter was hiding something from her. “Peter, I know you’re not telling

me something. What is it?” Sabrina asked.

                “I can’t tell you yet.  It’s a surprise,” Peter replied undecidedly.

                “You know I don’t like surprises,” Sabrina argued.

                “Yes, you do. I promise I will tell you soon,” Peter vowed.

                “OK,” Sabrina said, reluctantly agreeing to wait.

                Sabrina and Peter then spoke about Sabrina’s plans for the summer, including her intention to ask Linda to teach her more about voodoo and the Haitian culture. They spent about an hour on the phone until Sabrina’s father came and knocked on Sabrina’s door to tell her that they would be leaving soon for the brunch.

                “I'll call you when I get back,” Sabrina promised Peter.

“I love you Sabrina,” Peter replied, before Sabrina hung up.

Peter had to restrain himself.  He wanted it to be a real surprise and that’s why he could not tell Sabrina that Peter’s father had scheduled a trip for the two of them to visit Haiti in a couple of weeks. Peter was still thinking about Sabrina when his father, with a sad look on his face, came to his room and said, “Peter, we need to talk.  Your life is in grave danger and it’s my fault.” 

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                Destroyed during the 2010 earthquake, the newly rebuilt presidential palace looked like a replica of the White House in the United States, with huge columns that rose to the ceiling, while reflections of elegant chandeliers could be seen on the shiny white marble floor.   Dignitaries on official visits were met at a spectacular entrance under tall white portico columns and guided to the beautiful  main hall in the interior of the building, where a massive, stylish, double-curved staircase led up to the second floor.

                Sabrina and her father were fifteen minutes early and were taken to a small but stately reception room on the second floor, where several senators and ministers were already gathered.  Sabrina was wearing an off-white linen jacket with matching pants. She was surprised that she liked the clothes that Linda had left for her in her closet.   Her lipstick was a light brown shade, which made her look slightly older.

                When Sabrina and her father entered the room, a faint beat of music from Les Difficiles, a Haitian band from the past, could be heard coming from the ceiling speakers. Several of the dignitaries who recognized her father then came toward them.  Her father was wearing the same pants and jacket that he had worn earlier at the airport, but had exchanged his blue shirt for a white linen shirt.  As he introduced Sabrina to the President’s friends, Sabrina was surprised to see that they already knew about her, her high school and her plans for college, and were asking her about them.  She realized that her father was not kidding when he told her last week that he had talked to all of his friends about her.  While Sabrina was being introduced to the people in the room, waiters were passing by with trays of succulent sausages and plantains, reminding Sabrina that she was hungry.

As her father was talking to one of the new justices on the Haitian Supreme Court, she felt someone touch her arm gently from the back. Although she never saw her before, when she turned, she knew it was Linda. Linda was wearing a long blue silk dress and had long black hair, which was in a ponytail.  Her eyes were kind and she had a disarming smile that would make anyone feel at ease around her.

“Sabrina, I couldn’t wait to meet you.  I’m Linda,” she said.

“I’m glad to meet you Dr. Arden,” Sabrina replied.
                “It’s Linda to you,” Linda said, pretending that she had been offended.  “Let’s leave your dad and Justice Emmanuel to talk about politics. Let me take you on a tour of the building,” Linda added.

When Sabrina hesitated, Linda said “Don’t worry, we won’t be late for the brunch.  The President is not even in the building yet. ” Then changing the subject, Linda said, “You look just like your father, except prettier.”   Sabrina liked Linda already.  Linda seemed not to care about formalities, judging by the type of open shoes she had on her feet, and the bead necklace she wore around her neck. “Your father told me that you want to learn as much as you can about Haiti this summer,” Linda said, as they stepped away from Sabrina’s father, who turned and winked at them before continuing his conversation.

“Yes.  I’m getting ready for college and I thought that it might help on my college application,” Sabrina replied.

Then Linda grabbed Sabrina’s arm like an older sister and said, “Come.  There is a lot to see and learn in this building about Haiti.  Let me show you.”

Linda then took Sabrina to a large room down the hallway that looked like a museum.  Beautiful paintings were hanging on one wall. Some showed Haitian vendors selling goods at the market place, some showed Haitians dancing at different voodoo ceremonies, and others depicted the ocean and the Haitian landscape.

“These are the paintings of some of Haiti’s most famous painters,” Linda explained, before telling Sabrina about the works of internationally known Haitian painters such as Philomé Obin,  Rigaud Benoit , and Hector Hyppolite.  Sabrina was impressed.

“How did you learn so much about Haiti?” Sabrina asked.

“Haiti is a poor country and you can see the suffering that people go through every day. But there is also another side to Haiti.  A side that reveals the beauty, the resilience and the imagination of the Haitian people.  This is the side that I came here several years ago to learn and write about, the side that is not reported on television.” When Sabrina remained silent, Linda, pointing to another wall that was adorned with black and white photos, said, “These are photos of Haiti’s past presidents. Now let’s talk about Haiti’s political history.

They spent about fifteen minutes in the room until they heard sirens coming from outside the gates of the palace, prompting Linda to say, “Let’s go back.  The President has just returned from his trip to the countryside.”

As they were walking back to the main reception room, Linda said, “I know you want to ask me about voodoo.  Don’t worry, you can ask me later today on our way to Leogane.”

“Leogane?” Sabrina asked, confused.

“Your father didn’t tell you? “ Linda asked, perplexed.  You and your father will be spending the next two days with me at my beachfront house in Leogane, a city that is south of the capital.” 

The brunch was very festive and Sabrina, who was the youngest person at the brunch, received

many compliments from the people present, including the President and his wife.  When Sabrina left the presidential palace, she was in a good mood.  Little did she know that Peter had already left several messages for her at the embassy and that he had some unsettling news to give her.