Becoming Naomi Leon

The novel’s second half begins with a brief prologue called “A Passel of Todays.” Like the prologue to Part 1, this prologue reads like a journal entry or an interview with an older Naomi reflecting on the events that occurred on her first trip to Mexico.

With Baby Beluga attached to Bernardo’s truck, the family makes their way from San Diego, California to Oaxaca, Mexico. As they get closer to their destination, Owen becomes antsy. Naomi entertains him by asking him to add to her list of things that they’ve seen in Mexico over the past few days. When they arrive in Oaxaca, Naomi catalogs the sights and sounds she has never seen before. From the way the city looks sitting atop a plateau snuggled beneath the mountains to the cobblestones that pave the streets, Naomi takes in the new setting and surroundings in awe. When they arrive at Fabiola’s sister’s house, everyone welcomes the Outlaws like family. Fabiola’s sister Flora, lives with her husband Pedro, their adult daughter Graciela, and Graciela’s seven-year-old son, Rubén.

Naomi notices the modest home’s placement behind walls, nestled among trees, making use of outdoor living space, and it reminds her of her home in Lemon Tree.