It was May 2001 when several visitors arrived from abroad to meet Adna. They were relatives of Adna’s biological mother, Liz, and it was the first time Adna would meet them. When they arrived, Adna learned that one of them was getting married; the wedding would be held in their paternal grandfather’s hometown on one of the country’s beautiful islands. They asked Adna to attend, but she declined: she couldn’t leave Aunt Felip, who was bedridden, and she couldn’t travel alone. They went to the island without her and returned to Adna’s home after the wedding.

Although it was their first meeting, it felt as if they had known each other for a long time because they had always talked about Adna and wanted to see her in person. When Mom Rona was alive and Adna was still a baby, whenever a relative of Liz visited, Mom Rona would keep Adna away from them. They had no chance to get close to her and sometimes could only watch her from afar. When the relatives returned, they learned that Lex was the representative of their town in the church’s May festivity, competing against many others. It was a money contest—the highest total during the count would win. In the first count Lex was ahead, but in the final count another candidate had the higher total by only a small margin over Lex. One of Adna’s relatives brought Lex to the mall and bought her the most expensive gown, matched with a beautiful pair of high-heeled sandals. The sandals were set with glittering stones that would attract anyone who saw them. Lex’s gown was also beautiful and came with a shawl. Though Lex placed second, she was more stunning than the winner. It was also the first time Lex wore heavy makeup and had her hair done. The priest said to Azia, “It will be your turn next year.” Azia replied, “No—I don’t like to wear high-heeled sandals.”

At the end of June, the older sister of Adna’s biological mother arrived with her husband, who was of a different nationality; he was a merchant seaman. Adna welcomed her aunt and uncle; they gave presents to everyone in the family, especially Lex, Azia, and Al the Second. Adna’s aunt told Al that her uncles on the island longed to see Adna. They were teachers and kept asking when they could see her. Adna was afraid to travel by ship, afraid of drowning like the time she and Uncle Mike were swimming at the beach—she would have drowned if she had not been able to hold on to Uncle Mike’s shorts. Adna’s aunt asked her to go with her to purchase a plane ticket. Adna insisted it be a round-trip ticket. Round-trip tickets were bought for the three of them: Adna, her aunt, and her aunt’s husband. It was Adna's first time traveling without her family; she had been compelled to go to fulfill the last wish of relatives on a distant island. She sat near the window at the back of a 19-seater plane and was amazed to see clouds like cotton. Looking down, the houses looked like matchboxes. In her mind she prayed, "God, please, if this plane must crash, let it be over land, not the sea — I don't know how to swim; let there be trees that might catch the plane." When she looked at the sea she imagined sharks, but later realized they were only small boats. At the airport someone was waiting for them with a vehicle. The place was beautiful, with pretty beaches along the way. When they arrived at the house where they would stay, Adna learned that the woman was a first-degree cousin of her mother and that her husband, a lawyer, held a high government position. Their garden was well landscaped, and the glass walls offered a view of it from inside the house. Adna couldn't believe how elaborate every meal was; she was encouraged to eat a lot. At home, Adna would buy two large fried chickens—enough for Al, Adna, Aunt Felip, Lex, Azia, Al the second, and the nanny. But in the house where they stayed, one large fried chicken was meant for each person. Every twenty minutes the chef served many dishes, and Adna complained that she couldn't eat it all. “I have helped so many hungry people and I know hunger is a big problem, but here I am with a big problem: how to finish my share of food,” she thought.

A few days later Adna noticed she could no longer fit her pants; she had gained weight. It had been a nice tour of the island—a small place that could be seen in half a day. Adna bathed in the cold and hot springs and climbed part of an inactive volcano that had erupted long ago. There was a family reunion, and she met many old relatives, all retired teachers. One of them told her, “I'm ready to die now that I've seen you,” which deeply touched her.

When it was time to say goodbye, Adna prepared to return to her family. Her aunt's husband noticed how much she missed them.