The trip, this odyssey, was pulling his family apart, stripping them away like leaves from the trees in the fall.

What does odyssey mean?

But it was hard to fight against the inevitable. The water in the boat was almost to Isabel's knees. She and the others worked in the blazing hot Caribbean sun to scoop, pitch, scoop, pitch...

What does inevitable mean?

"you have done enough already for me to prefer serious charges against you, Captain Schroeder said, still frustratingly even-keeled."

What does even-keeled mean?

"But they were there to celebrate Officer Padron, not badger the captain about why the were still on the ship."

What does badger mean?

Soldiers in blue uniforms with red berets and armbands hurried to stop them, firing tear gas canisters into the crowd.

What does canister mean?

"This was limbo. They could do nothing but wait."

What does limbo mean?

"You are Aaron Landau's son, Josef, yes? I'm sorry about your father" he said. Josef was tired of hearing people's condolences.

What does condolence mean?

"He took his shirt collar in both hands and ripped it along the seam, rending his garment as he'd done when Professor Weiler had been buried at sea."

What does rend mean?

"He made the sign of the cross over Ivan's body and said, 'eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen"

What does eternal mean?

"The St. Louis was throwing a party. Even bigger than the one it had before... this one had the euphoria of more than nine hundred people who had been saved at deaths door..."

What does euphoria mean?

"She paused a moment, then took the picture down off the wall reverently, with both hands." What does reverently mean?

"She heard a different rhythm, a beat underneath...Her foot tapped in time with the hidden cadence, and she realized with a thrill that she was finally hearing it."

What does cadence mean?

"Negotiations between Capitan Schroeder and the four countries still took time, and it was a full day later, under the grim portrait of Hitler, Josef found out where they were going."

What does negotiation mean?

"She laughed in spite of herself. The water was just below Isabel's waist. They were almost there."

What does in spite of mean?

"The solider looked at her expectantly. At first Josef didn't understand what he wanted--they didn't have anything else to give."

What does expectantly mean?