Alternate ending for "The Bean trees" by Barbara Kingsolver

(Continued from page 215 after line 19)
I watched as Esperanza held Turtle tightly with streams of joy running down her face as if she were in a fantasy. She was completely unaware of how long she had been holding Turtle. She continued to sob and as she did so her body convulsed with every sob released from her body. The thought passed my mind that she would never let go, I noticed that this thought passed Turtle’s as well.
Turtle futilely tried to back away from the hug as one does as it has reached its time limit and has been quenched, but as she pushed away Esperanza clenched her even tighter. As she did this Turtle let out a murmur.
After all of us patiently waited for this hug to end, it didn’t. Estevan thought this lasted way too long. “Dear wife shouldn’t we now let the new mother get a chance to hold her daughter” said Estevan very politely and calmly. Esperanza said nothing.
After a long while of sobbing Estevan tried again. “Dear wife may I have her now” said Estevan as he slowly reached for Turtle. She said nothing. “May I have her” said Estevan louder this time while trying to pry her out of Esperanza’s arms which were unwilling to let go. She rocked back and forth on the chair holding Turtle sobbing an old Mayan lullaby. Estevan is still struggling with her to free Turtle. I was very confused and scared it was like someone else was in control of Esperanza.
Involuntarily I yelled out “let go of my baby”. She smiled with eyes wide open and whispered to herself over and over while rocking “No one is going to take Ismene this time” said Esperanza in a crazed voice. She shrieked “NO ONE!” then began to giggle. “Ismene you’re all mine” said Esperanza in her accent while giggling.
I was thinking the whole time how could she betray me this way. She knew how much I loved Turtle and still she did this to me. I asked her as politely as I could even though I felt like strangling her “Can I have her Esperanza”. I was unsure whether we were naming her April or Turtle or what in front of the adoption people so I just decided to avoid naming her whenever possible. I said again “…may I have her now”. She jerked her head suddenly and in a monstrous way said “NEVER” her voice sounded satanic as she was possessed, twitching, and sobbing all at the same time. We all stared at her horrified and nervous.
“Taylor” said Mr. Armistead trembling “You may not adopt a child unless the parents consent and apparently Esperanza is not consenting.”
“My baby, my baby, my baby, baby Ismene” said Esperanza while running out the door clenching Turtle. At this point Turtle was crying her brains out punching and kicking futilely at Esperanza to let go. Esperanza yelled out something in Spanish to us while taking off, I didn’t understand. As Esperanza ran down the hall and out the main entrance Turtle sobbingly yelled “Daylor telp me”. By the time I ran out the main door they had slipped away in the pitch black stormy night. Esperanza had been sobbing longer than I thought because it was already night time.
Estevan had already followed me out the main entrance and we stood still outside of the entrance trying to peer through the darkness for signs of the crazed Esperanza. I yelled out “Turtle” and immediately heard a yelp and when I looked to see where it came from I saw a barn. I ran to it and then yelled “Turtle” again, then heard another yelp that confirmed my baby was in the barn. I yelled again but heard nothing.
I was frightened and started to run harder and faster towards the barn, my heart was racing, then with all my might I threw the door open. Estevan followed quickly behind me. Once I realized what happened I immediately threw my arms around him and sobbed, he also sobbed. It started raining and we still stood there holding each other. Rain dripped down both our bodies and our clothes were drenched and our bodies up against one another. We both collapsed and continued to sob on the ground for a long time until the morning. Once the sun brought us out of our trance we started up the Falcon and drove away, far away.
What I saw that night scarred my memory forever and I see it every time I close my eyes even though it has been years since the awful tragedy. Days turned into months, then to years. I have a new life and kids and Estevan finally got his green card via marriage to a tough American girl by the name of Taylor. We have a happy home and my kids are doing just fine but I can never forget my first…
I still burst into tears thinking about that night poor Turtle, my Turtle. I remember asking Estevan what it was exactly Esperanza said in Spanish while running out the door. He told me she said “This cruel world is no place for you and I Ismene so we will live together forever in the after life, my precious daughter.” I closed my eyes and I was there again reliving it, it was so life like. I began to vomit, but the horrible memory persisted. The blood everywhere…I can hear the sound of the farm machinery doing the devils’ work. Poor Turtle, my Turtle….