A Message From Space

It was a day like no other. The Estrada family always had big family celebrations. But this was different. There were so many people in Naya’s small house in Florida. She didn’t even recognize half of them.

They were all waiting for the big rocket launch. Everyone was having fun . . . everyone except Naya.

She was hiding out in her bedroom, hugging her favorite turtle pillow. Naya couldn’t pretend to be happy.

Her mother was sitting inside a rocket ship, about to blast off into space. She would be gone for three whole months. Plus, Naya couldn’t help thinking about everything that could go wrong on the mission.

“What are you doing?” Abuelo asked, pushing open the door. “You’re missing the party.”

Naya shrugged. Abuelo smiled and kissed Naya’s head. “Your mom has spent years training for this mission. Everything will be fine.”

“Aren’t you a little scared though?” Naya asked, her voice quivering.

“When you’re scared, you take a deep breath. Like one of your sea turtles coming up for air before it goes underwater again.” Abuelo reached out and held his granddaughter’s hand.

“Then you slowly let it out and face whatever is bothering you. I taught your mother that very same thing when she was your age.” 

It was a day like no other. The Estrada family always had big family celebrations with aunts, uncles, and cousins of all ages, but this was different. There were so many people in Naya’s small house in Florida that she didn’t even recognize half of them. They were all having a good time eating, talking, and laughing while they waited for the big rocket launch. Everyone was having fun . . . everyone except Naya

She was hiding out in her bedroom. Her favorite turtle pillow was clutched tightly in her hands while she stared at her laptop.

Naya couldn’t pretend to be happy when her mother was sitting inside a rocket ship, about to blast off into outer space. Her mom would be gone for three whole months. Plus, Naya couldn’t help thinking about everything that could go wrong on the mission.

Naya hugged her grandfather. Just thinking about the sea turtles seemed to calm her down. “I wish I were like Mom,” she whispered. “But I’m not.”

Abuelo pulled back and laughed. “Naya, you are already so much like her. Don’t you see it?” He shook his head. “Your mother is very proud of you. We all are.”

Naya stared at her feet. She didn’t believe her grandfather. Her mother was a hero. Everyone said so. She was an Air Force pilot. She had degrees in engineering and science. She’d even won a national cake-making contest. And now she was going to space.

 Naya was just the president—and the only member—of her school’s Save the Turtles club. Why would her mother be proud?

“Hey, Naya.” Naya’s older cousin JJ walked into the room. Naya smiled. JJ was her favorite cousin. Now that he was in high school, he seemed even cooler.

Abuelo gave Naya one more squeeze. “Stay here as long as you need to. But keep an eye on the clock. I don’t want you to miss the big moment when we see your mom inside the rocket.”

〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰

“What are you doing?” Abuelo asked, pushing open the door. “You’re missing the party.”

“I’m just working on some stuff for school,” Naya answered her grandfather, keeping her eyes glued on the computer screen.

“Hmm, really?” Abuelo took a few steps into the room. He moved a ceramic turtle from her cluttered desk and replaced it with a small plate loaded with cookies and croquetas. “Or did you just need a break from the crowd?”

Naya shrugged and tossed the pillow back on the bed.

Abuelo smiled and kissed the top of Naya’s head. “Everything will be fine,” he said as the noise from more people arriving at the house grew louder. “Your mom has spent years training for this mission.”

“Aren’t you a little scared though?” Naya asked, her voice quivering.

“When you’re scared, you take a deep breath . . . like one of your sea turtles coming up for air before it goes underwater again.” Abuelo reached out and held his granddaughter’s hand. “Then you slowly let it out and face whatever is troubling you head-on. That’s the Estrada way. I taught your mother that very same thing when she was your age.”

Naya hugged her grandfather. Just thinking about the sea turtles seemed to calm her down. “I wish I were like Mom,” she whispered. “But I’m not.”

Abuelo pulled back and laughed. “Naya, you are already so much like her. Don’t you see it?” He shook his head. “Your mother is very proud of you. We all are.”

Naya stared at her feet. She didn’t believe her grandfather. Her mother was a hero—everyone said so. She was an Air Force pilot, had degrees in engineering and biomedical science, and had even won a national cake-making contest. All Naya had was that she was president—and the only member—of her school’s Save the Sea Turtles club. Why would her mother be proud?

“Abuelo, Tio David needs you to move your car.” Naya’s older cousin JJ walked into the room. “He says it’s blocking the catering van.”

Naya smiled at seeing JJ. She was happy his family had come down from Chicago for the launch. He was her favorite cousin, and now that he was in high school, he seemed even cooler.

“All right.” Abuelo gave Naya one more squeeze. “Now, you stay in here as long as you need to. I’ll cover for you until you want to go back out.” He wagged his finger in warning before leaving. “But don’t take too long. I don’t want you to miss the big moment.” Abuelo had a slight twinkle in his eye. “I want you nearby when we see your mom inside the rocket.”

“OK,” Naya said as Abuelo left her room.

“This is all so cool,” JJ said, leaning against the door. “It must be awesome to have an astronaut as a mom.”

“Sometimes,” Naya sighed. “It’s just hard to live up to everyone expecting me to be like her. I don’t even like flying in planes. I get airsick.”

JJ laughed. “Yeah, that could be a problem.” He looked around Naya’s room. Sea turtle posters hung on the walls. A small collection of stuffed turtles filled a rocking chair. Books on ocean animals lined the bookshelves.

Even Naya’s desk lamp had sparkly pink turtles on it. “Guess you’re really into turtles,” JJ said. “I knew you liked them when we were little, but you sure have a lot of them.”

“Yeah,” Naya stared at the floor. “I’m pretty sure Mom thinks it’s silly to have so many in my room.” She could only imagine what her older cousin must think of her and all her turtles. He probably still saw her as the 5-year-old who spilled milkshakes down her shirt.

“I guess it is babyish,” Naya said. “I should get rid of some of them.”

“Why? We should all have things we’re passionate about. Like your mom with space. I only wish I knew what my passion was,” JJ said with a grin. “Loving Abuela’s cookies doesn’t really count.”

〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰

“This is all so cool,” JJ muttered, leaning against the door. “It must be awesome to have an astronaut as a mom.”

“Sometimes.” Naya sighed.

“Seriously?” JJ shook his head. “She’s only my aunt, and I’m always telling people that we’re related.”

“It’s just hard to live up to everyone expecting me to be like her. I don’t even like flying in planes. I get airsick.”

JJ laughed. “Yeah, that could be a problem.” He glanced around Naya’s room, where sea turtle posters hung on the walls, a small collection of stuffed turtles filled a rocking chair in the corner, and dozens of books on ocean animals lined the bookshelves. Even Naya’s desk lamp had a pink sequined turtle on it. “Guess you must really be into turtles. I mean, I knew you liked them when we were little, but you sure do have a lot of them.”

“Yeah.” Naya took a bite of one of the croquetas that Abuelo had left for her. “I’m pretty sure Mom thinks it’s silly to have so many in my room.” She stared at the floor, imagining what her older cousin must think of her and all her turtles. He probably still saw her as the 5-year-old who spilled milkshakes down her shirt. “I guess it is babyish. I should get rid of some of them.”

“Why? We should all have things we’re passionate about. Like your mom with space. That’s what my dad says at least.” JJ tilted his head and grinned. “I only wish I knew what my passion was, because loving Abuela’s chocolate chip cookies doesn’t really count.” He snatched a cookie from Naya’s plate and peered over her shoulder to look at the computer screen.

“That’s just something I’m doing for school,” Naya explained as he read the flyer she’d been working on.

“A beach cleanup day?” he asked, pointing to the screen. “To help your little ocean-loving friends?”

“In a way.” Naya smiled. “A clean beach helps everybody.”

“And you’re the one organizing it?” JJ asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Yeah. I’m going to put up the flyers at school tomorrow.” Naya pulled out a paper from her desk drawer to show him. “This is from the one I did last month. I only had like five friends come out, but this time I think there might be about eight of us. We’re also going to meet with some park rangers early in the morning to look for sea turtle nests.”

“Do you always find nests?” JJ asked.

“I can usually spot at least a couple of loggerhead nests during this time of year. They’re my favorite turtles. We make sure the nests get marked so people don’t bother them, since so many sea turtles are in danger of extinction.”

JJ leaned back and stared at Naya. “Wow. You’re pretty impressive . . . for a younger cousin.”

Naya sat a little taller in her chair. She’d never thought of herself as impressive.

“Helping the environment and animals . . . maybe I should do something like that in my school. Make a difference like you and your mom do.”

“Really?” Naya’s eyes widened. “If you want I—”

JJ glanced over Naya’s shoulder at the computer screen. “A beach clean-up day?” he asked, pointing to a flyer on the screen. “To help your little ocean friends?”

“In a way.” Naya smiled. “A clean beach helps everybody.”

“And you’re the one organizing it?” JJ asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Yeah. I’m going to put up the flyers at school tomorrow,” Naya explained. “Only like five friends came out last time. But this time I think there might be about eight of us. We’re going to meet some park rangers early in the morning to look for sea turtle nests.”

“Do you always find nests?” JJ asked.

“I usually spot a couple. We make sure nests get marked so people don’t bother them.”

JJ stared at Naya. “Wow. You’re pretty impressive . . . for a younger cousin.”

Naya sat a little taller in her chair. She’d never thought of herself as impressive.

“Helping the environment and animals . . . maybe I should do something like that,” JJ said. “Make a difference like you and your mom do.”

“NAYA! It’s almost time!” Abuelo called out. “HURRY!”

Naya felt her stomach do a flip. She remembered what Abuelo had told her. Be like a sea turtle. Take a deep breath and then dive in.

〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰

Before Naya could finish her sentence, the sound of people running through the house distracted her.

“NAYA! It’s almost time!” Naya’s father called out from the family room. “HURRY!”

Naya felt her stomach do a somersault as her insides began to shake. She remembered what Abuelo had told her. Be a sea turtle. Take a deep breath and then dive in.

Naya inhaled and slowly let out the air as she and JJ walked together to rejoin everyone in the family room.

The entire house had gone completely quiet. No one was talking anymore as all eyes were glued to the large-screen TV.

Naya could see the rocket perched on the launchpad with white smoke billowing out from the bottom. The walls in the house felt like they were trembling as the sound of the rocket engines firing up reverberated through the TV speakers.

Naya could feel her heart beating hard inside her chest. Her father stood next to her with his arms wrapped around her while all the people in the family room seemed to hold their collective breath.

All of a sudden it felt like New Year’s Eve with Naya’s whole family shouting at once.

“THREE . . . TWO . . . ONE . . . LIFTOFF!”

The rocket rumbled as it lifted up toward the sky.

“There she goes!” Abuelo shouted. “¡Esa es mi hija! That’s my daughter!”

The whole room erupted into cheers as a camera inside the space capsule showed Naya’s mother giving the thumbs-up sign. Abuelo smiled as Naya jumped up and down with excitement.

“So amazing!” JJ shouted as he high-fived Naya.

And then the next big moment came eight minutes later. Naya and her family became quiet once again as the main engines cut off and the astronauts became weightless in space.

Naya’s mom had done it. She was officially a space traveler.

“Look, Naya!” Abuelo pointed to the TV, where the camera was focused on the inside of the space capsule. “That’s for you.”

That’s when Naya saw it.

A stuffed toy sea turtle began to float past the astronauts like a helium balloon. It was a special message from Naya’s mother. She had taken a little piece of Naya to space. Both of their passions were together.

A tear slid down Naya’s cheek, and she started to laugh.

There was a loggerhead in space!

It was something she’d never imagined, but it made her think about what JJ said about making a difference. Maybe he was right and there was even more that she could do . . . although she wasn’t sure what that was yet.

Naya’s smile grew even bigger.

She hoped that her mom could see it all the way from space.

The entire house had gone completely quiet. All eyes were watching the large TV.

Naya could see the rocket on the launchpad. She could feel her heart beating inside her chest. All of a sudden, Naya’s whole family was shouting.

“THREE . . . TWO . . . ONE . . . LIFTOFF!”

“There she goes!” Abuelo shouted as the rocket lifted toward the sky. “¡Esa es mi hija! That’s my daughter!”

The whole room erupted into cheers. A camera inside the space capsule showed Naya’s mother giving the thumbs-up sign. Abuelo smiled as Naya jumped up and down with excitement.

“So amazing!” JJ shouted as he high-fived Naya.

The next big moment came eight minutes later. Naya and her family became quiet once again as the main engines broke off and the astronauts entered outer space. The TV showed the astronauts floating in the spacecraft.

Naya’s mom had done it. She was officially a space traveler.

“Look, Naya!” Abuelo pointed to the TV, where a camera showed the inside of the spacecraft. “That’s for you.”

That’s when Naya saw it.

A stuffed toy sea turtle began to float past the astronauts. It was a special message from Naya’s mother. She had taken a little piece of Naya to space, bringing both of their passions together.

A tear slid down Naya’s cheek, and she started to laugh. There was a sea turtle in space!

It made her think about what JJ had said earlier today. Naya’s smile grew even bigger. 

She hoped that her mom could see it all the way from space.