Vivo decided to get a closer look, but stayed out of sight. There was no way he was going to let Gabi talk to him again. Or try to put him into her tiny backpack!
“Gabi, what are you doing?” Rosa asked.
“I’m playing a tune for Vivo, Mom. Maybe he’ll hear it and decide to come to Florida with us!” Gabi said.
Gabi kept playing the harmonica. Vivo cringed. To him, it just sounded like noise!
“Gabriela, what did I say? No more pets!” her mom exclaimed.
Gabi dropped down to her knees and clasped her hands together, begging.
“NO,” Rosa said firmly. “Besides, we cannot take a wild animal on a plane. They will never let us back into the United States with him.”
“Pleeeeease,” Gabi said, wailing. “I promise—” Gabi started to continue, but was interrupted by Montoya, who was running up the street clutching a large case.
“Señora Hernandez! I am so glad I caught up with you before you left,” he said. Montoya placed the case down in front of them. It was Andrés’s drum case!
Vivo shifted nervously. He didn’t know how he felt about Andrés’s case being given to someone.
“Gabi, mi Niña, I know you love music, just like your uncle Andrés. Would you like to keep one of his musical instruments?” Montoya asked.
Gabi’s eyes widened and she nodded enthusiastically.
Montoya smiled. He opened the case to reveal maracas, accordions, and other small instruments.
“Whoa!” Gabi shrieked.
Vivo looked into the case. Just then, he noticed a small space in the back of it.
I could fit in there, he thought. He realized this might be his only chance. He started sneaking closer and closer to Gabi and the drum case.
Gabi picked up the accordion. She struggled to play it.
Rosa chuckled nervously.
“Thank you, Montoya. You gave my wild child an accordion,” she said.
Montoya shrugged and gently put his hand on Gabi’s back. “Music is in her blood.”
“I love Cuban music!” Gabi shouted.
Vivo covered his ears, and then saw them all turn away to watch some pedestrians arguing in the street. He hopped into the drum case and hid under some instruments.
“Marta, here I come,” Vivo whispered.
“Thank you, Gabi, for that beautiful song. I think all of Cuba knows you’re here now,” Rosa said sarcastically.
“Sorry, Mom. I know my playing can get a little too hardcore sometimes,” Gabi said, grinning.
Inside the drum case, Vivo was horrified. “Playing? That noise was playing?” he asked himself.
Montoya laughed and he and Rosa said their goodbyes.
Gabi played another quick little tune and then tossed the accordion back into the drum case. Vivo gulped. There was no turning back now! Gabi zipped up the case just as a taxicab pulled up beside them. He felt the case get jostled around for a second until the car trunk closed. He was off to the Mambo Cabana!
Chapter Seven Key West, Florida
It was a long trip to Florida. “Where am I…? What time is it?” Vivo said to himself groggily.
He looked around the drum case and noticed a small hole where the zipper was. He shifted toward the hole and peeped out of it.
Outside, he could see a large and colorful kitchen. There were flowers in vases and sunlight pouring in from a large window over the sink. Beside it lay a small microwave which read 10:03 a.m.
Vivo sighed in relief.
“I still have eleven hours to get to the Mambo Cabana in time,” Vivo said.
Suddenly, he heard something coming from outside the drum case.
“Look what I got! Are you excited about today?” Rosa asked Gabi.
“Of course! What’s today…?” Gabi wondered.
“It’s your first cookie sale with the Sand Dollar troop!” Rosa exclaimed.
Rosa started unwrapping some frozen empanadas and placed them on a plate, while Gabi rolled her eyes.
“Yeah… about that. I don’t think that’s going to happen. I’ve taken the Sand Dollars about as far as I can,” Gabi said. To avoid her mom’s gaze, Gabi took the plate of empanadas and popped them in the microwave, setting a timer for five minutes.
As the sound started on the microwave, Vivo took the opportunity to get closer to the zipper on the drum case, but he couldn’t reach it without making noise. He decided to try to reach with his tail. Success! He looped his tail onto the zipper.
“You just started with the Sand Dollars,” Rosa said. “It takes time to get to know them.”
Vivo tried to pull the zipper down, but it got caught in his tail. “Aaaayyyy!” he squealed under his breath.
“Please give them a chance, Gabriela,” Rosa continued. She sat at the counter and gave Gabi a stern look.
“Look, Mom, it’s too late. I’ve already made my resignation video,” Gabi said, showing her mom her phone. Gabi started to play a clip for her mom, wherein a video of Gabi popped up against a picture of the Sand Dollars and said, “See ya!”
Rosa couldn’t help but laugh at Gabi’s creativity. Then she cleared her throat and turned serious again.
“Gabriela Maria Rosa Hernandez! You are part of that troop. You made a commitment. They are counting on you and you can’t just abandon them now!” Rosa said.
“Why not?” Gabi asked.
“You can’t keep pushing everyone away. You have to try to get along with other kids. Otherwise, you’ll just end up lonely,” Rosa told her daughter.
Gabi shrugged her shoulders and pulled the empanadas out of the microwave.
Meanwhile, Vivo was still tugging at his tail, trying to get it free from the zipper.
Rosa walked over to Gabi and grabbed her lightly by the shoulders.
“Gabriela, listen. You’re doing this. I let you dye your hair purple! You so owe me! You’re going to the cookie sale today. You’re going to take selfies and have fun and BOND with other girls. Now get that cute uniform on!” Rosa exclaimed.
Gabi opened her mouth to protest, but her mom stuffed an empanada in her mouth. She was not taking no for an answer. While Gabi chewed on an empanada, her mom handed her the uniform.
“Get it on, now,” Rosa said, before leaving the kitchen.
As soon as she was out of sight, Gabi hid the uniform in the microwave. She sat at the counter and continued to eat.
Vivo tried to listen, but couldn’t hear anything.
I think they’re gone now. Coast is clear. This is my chance, he thought.
He pulled on his tail, a little harder than before. Suddenly, he was free!
But just then, he felt the case start to move with his weight. It rolled off the counter and onto the floor. Vivo tried to escape. He started scratching at the case.
Gabi watched all this take place in confusion.
She spat out some of her food and said aloud, “Uhhhh what is happening?”
Vivo kept scratching the case, rolling himself in the only direction he could: forward. He had no idea if he was making his way out of the house and to the Mambo Cabana, but he had to try!
But little did Vivo know that he had rolled himself directly into Gabi’s room.
Gabi followed, clearly stunned by the moving drum case.
“It’s fine.… Everything is fine,” Gabi said nervously. She snuck over to her closet while Vivo spun himself in a circle.
She pulled out a pair of goggles, a hockey stick, and her ultimate weapon: silly string. She was ready. Gabi walked over to the case and carefully started to unzip it.
Inside, Vivo gasped.
“Aaaaaahhhh!!!” Gabi screamed joyfully, seeing Vivo inside.
“Aaaaaahhhh!!!” Vivo screamed back.
“Vivo! You came after all! You’re here with us!” Gabi shouted.
Vivo tried backing into the drum case, but Gabi pulled him out and squeezed him tightly.
“You couldn’t resist following me, could you?” Gabi asked.
Vivo w
as caught. He nodded yes.
“So, you snuck into my bag?” Gabi asked.
Vivo nodded again.
“Is it because you love me?!” Gabi shrieked.
Vivo’s eyes widened and he shook his head.
But Gabi didn’t seem to notice. “I’m so glad you’re here, Vivo. We’re going to be best friends forever!” Gabi said, hugging him even tighter.
Vivo could not take that chance. He started struggling against Gabi, trying to get away.
“Forever’s a long time, kid! I have a song to deliver! Nice meeting you, I’m out of here!” Vivo said.
Vivo ran toward the closest doors he could see, not realizing it was just Gabi’s closet.
Suddenly, there was a knock on Gabi’s bedroom door.
“Gabi? Is everything all right?” Rosa asked before starting to open the door.
“Quick! It’s my mom. Hide!” Gabi whispered to Vivo.
Vivo just stared back at Gabi. There was no way he was going to hide in her room. He had to try to get out through the door! Gabi, noticing his plan of action, nudged him gently with her hockey stick and pushed him into the closet, which was filled with piles of toys and clothes.
“What’s up, Mom?” Gabi said, laughing nervously.
“Why was your Sand Dollars uniform in the microwave?” Rosa asked her, holding up the uniform.
“I was drying it,” Gabi said matter-of-factly.
Rosa’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. She walked into Gabi’s room and pointed at a bag of chips on the floor.
“What is THIS?” she asked, pointing to the bag.
Gabi quietly sighed with relief. Her mom hadn’t noticed Vivo hiding in the closet!
“We can’t have food in our rooms, Gabriela. How many times have I told you? It’s going to attract animals!” Rosa said.
Gabi flashed a look toward her closet. If only her mom knew how close an animal really was.…
“Here,” Rosa continued, handing Gabi the uniform. “Take your dry uniform and start getting ready for the cookie sale.”
As soon as Rosa walked away, Gabi threw her uniform at the bed.
“See, Vivo? No one gets me, especially not my mom. She wants me to be like everyone else, but I’m not! I bounce to the beat of my OWN drum!” Gabi said.
Vivo climbed out of the closet and noticed the piece of paper with Marta’s letter had fallen out of the drum case. Gabi noticed at the exact same time.
“No!” Vivo shouted, but it was too late.
Gabi grabbed the piece of paper and began to read.
Chapter Eight The Plan
As Gabi read the letter, Vivo decided to sneak out the window.
She was so engrossed with reading that she didn’t even notice. Vivo grinned. He was free! He looked around at the bright sunshine and tall palm trees.
“So… this is Florida, huh?” Vivo said.
Gabi’s neighborhood was very different from his neighborhood in Havana. Rows of houses lined the streets with bright green grass and flower gardens.
Vivo missed seeing the bustle of the Havana streets and the colorful houses and shops.
“Well, it’s no Havana, but everyone’s different, I guess,” Vivo said.
He headed down the sidewalk, approaching the center of downtown Key West. To his right, he spotted a lawn full of pink plastic flamingos. Then a large group of tourists in Hawaiian shirts and cargo shorts started snapping pictures in front of the flamingos.
Vivo shrugged. “Florida is weird,” he said.
He turned away from the tourists before they could spot him. He had to find directions to Miami.
Suddenly, a bus pulled up behind Vivo with a billboard that read, MAMBO CABANA: ONE NIGHT ONLY.
An image of Marta graced the billboard. Vivo recognized her instantly. This was his chance!
People started to get off the bus while others lined up to get on. Someone asked the bus driver if the bus was heading to Miami and he confirmed it was.
Vivo was excited.
“Mambo Cabana, here I come!” Vivo cheered.
Vivo lined up behind the other passengers, trying to blend in. He pulled his cap down and adjusted the bandana on his collar.
But there was no way the other passengers wouldn’t notice an animal trying to get on the bus!
“What is that thing?!” one passenger shrieked, pointing at Vivo.
“He has rabies!” another passenger yelled.
“Driver! Get him off the bus!” the passengers started to shout.
Plop! Vivo hit the ground and watched the bus pull away. He barely had time to dust himself off before coming face-to-face with a scary-looking dog.
“Gulp.”
Vivo took off running at full-speed, with the dog following closely behind.
Vivo tried remembering his way back to Gabi’s neighborhood, passing the tourists now taking pictures in front of large palm trees and a sign that read, WELCOME TO KEY WEST! He hopped on a hedge and barely had a second to look around for a way out. That second was all he needed. In the distance, he saw a window wide open. He jumped and ran as quickly as possible, with the dog barking and snapping his teeth.
In the nick of time, Vivo made it to the window and slammed it shut. The dog was barking hysterically outside and Vivo couldn’t help but stick his tongue out at him.
“There you are!” Gabi suddenly yelled.
“Oh nooooo,” Vivo moaned. He had unintentionally made his way back to Gabi’s house!
“I know why you’re in Florida,” Gabi said. “You’re here to deliver this to Marta.”
Vivo had considered taking his chances and going back out into the street, but what Gabi said made him turn around and stare at her in surprise.
“I read Tío Andrés’s letter from Marta. He wanted to be at the show tonight, didn’t he? You came in his place,” Gabi realized, sitting down with the letter in her hands.
Vivo nodded at Gabi.
“But why?” Gabi asked him.
Vivo took his hat off and pulled out the sheet music to Marta’s song. He handed it over to Gabi, who read part of it. She looked from Vivo to the song, then the song to Vivo. She was smiling.
“Tío wrote Marta a song?” she asked.
Vivo chirped yes.
Gabi continued reading the song, and then she put it down.
“But if you have this, that means Tío never got to tell Marta he loved her,” Gabi said.
Vivo nodded again.
Gabi turned and looked at a photo of her father on her bedside table.
She took a deep breath and then stood up, looking determined.
“Vivo, this is important,” Gabi said. “Marta needs to hear this song, so I’m going to help you get it to her.”
Vivo gasped, completely surprised.
“We don’t have much time, but don’t worry, Vivo. I have a plan,” Gabi said.
Vivo had never seen anything move more quickly than Gabi. She was like a reckless tornado! One minute she was on her laptop looking up directions on how to get to Miami, and the next moment she was packing items into her backpack. Finally, Gabi turned to Vivo and motioned for him to get into the backpack.
Vivo knew this was his only option. He had to do this for Andrés.
Vivo hopped in and Gabi closed the backpack, leaving a small hole for Vivo to see and breathe out of.
“Mom?!” Gabi called. “I need to talk to you.”
Vivo heard Rosa come into the kitchen.
“No. Whatever it is, the answer is no,” Rosa said. “I can see you don’t have your uniform on.”
“Mom, this is important. I need to go to Miami,” Gabi said.
Rosa grunted, completely shocked by Gabi’s request.
“It’s Marta Sandoval’s last show ever! Mom! It’s not even that far!” Gabi pleaded.
“Since when are you a Marta Sandoval fan?” Rosa asked her daughter, crossing her arms in suspicion.
“Since FOREVER!” Gabi said.
“Fine, then name one song,�
� Rosa said, amusement crossing her face.
“Uhhh… ‘Des… pa… cito’?” Gabi tried.
“Go get your uniform on. You’re going to that cookie sale. I’m not going to ask again,” Rosa said.
Rosa walked away. Gabi slunk back to her room and threw the backpack on the bed. Vivo groaned.
“Sorry, Vivo,” Gabi said, pulling him out of the backpack. Then she grabbed her laptop. She looked defeated for a split second, but as Vivo was starting to learn, nothing could stop Gabi.
“Don’t worry, Vivo. Like I said, I have a plan. This is Plan B. If my mom won’t take us, then we’ll have to find our own way. Let’s see…,” Gabi said, looking at the bus schedule for Key West.
“Perfect! This bus will get us there just in time for the show!” Gabi said. Vivo hopped back into the backpack and he and Gabi snuck out of the house.
“Mambo Cabana, here we come!” Gabi said, strapping on her bike helmet. Then they were off!
Vivo was nervous but hopeful. Would their plan to get to Miami really work?
Chapter Nine The Sand Dollars
“Welcome to downtown Key West!” Gabi said to Vivo. “I wish I could give you the full tour, but first, we need to get those bus tickets.”
Gabi sped over to a nearby vending machine in the center of the plaza. She pulled her wallet out of her bag, winking at Vivo, and then bought the bus tickets and tucked them into the front of her backpack.
“Okay, we’re ready. Now remember, stay in my bag at all times,” Gabi told Vivo.
“Cookies! Cookies!” a group of girls suddenly called out. There was a group of young girls sitting nearby on a park bench selling cookies.
“Oh no, it’s the Sand Dollars,” Gabi hissed.
Gabi shuffled over behind a group of people, trying to blend in.
“I can’t believe they’re here. They’re usually on the other side of the plaza! We’ve got to get out of here before they spot me!” Gabi said to Vivo.
As Gabi tried to slink away, she overheard one of the girls, named Becky, talking to a customer.
“Did you know the Everglades are home to two thousand different species of plants and animals? And did you know—excuse me, sir? Is that a plastic bag you’re using? You can buy one of our cloth bags instead,” Becky said.
Vivo Movie Novelization Page 2