“I think it looks fine.”

Robin gave her a look she would never forget. She had barely needed the scissors. Much of Robin’s hair came away between her fingers, easy as cotton from a boll. The rest, she cleaned up with Hector’s straight razor. Two dollars saved. The paleness of his scalp and the shadows under his eyes made him look so much older.

“I’ll just stay inside and paint birds.”

“Good. You need the practice,” Una said. Robin blinked. She stared back.

I won’t let you sit around feeling sorry for yourself. You have friends, food, a roof over your head. That’s more than a lot of people. So you’re sick, so what? All my friends are gone, Robin. Hector is gone, Lucinda too. It won’t be long for me either. The time you have is precious, don’t waste it.

She let the words scrape inside her, unsaid. They were not things one could say to a sick child.

“I’ll be there with you, the whole time. I’m bringing the chessboard,” she softened her tone.

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“It was so bad last time.”

It was, and it would be worse this time. She didn’t tell Robin they were upping the dose.

“This storm will pass. When you make it through the other side, you’ll be so strong. There won’t be anything you can’t do,” Una promised. She needed it to be true.

Robin ran his hand over his shaven head, trying to get used to the feeling.

“Everyone will look at me,” Robin realized.

“And what will they see? A hincha for Cruz Azul.”

“Huh?”

Una took her surprise from under the table. She’d wrapped it in the comics section from yesterday’s Albuquerque Journal.

“Go ahead,” she said.

Inside was a brand new cap. A badge was embroidered above the bill, a blue cross in a white ring upon a crimson field. Five stars arched above, one for each championship victory. The letters read ‘DEPORTIVO CRUZ AZUL’.

Robin gasped.

“Don’t lose that,” Una grinned.

There was no danger. Robin turned the cap over in both hands, gawking at it as if it were a jeweled crown.

“Where did you get this?”

“A hat shop at the Winrock mall. The owner is from Vera Cruz, he sells hats for all the Primera División clubs. You know, that hat might need a sixth star, come June. Your boys are doing well this season.”

“Of course they are.” Robin puffed up with pride. “La máquina celeste lo aplasta todo.”

The shadows flew from his face and Robin was a boy again. The hat was worth its weight in gold. He rushed off to admire himself in the bathroom mirror. Una practically had to drag him away to get him in the car.