Jonathan learned that Elena and Maria had come to America illegally on a cargo ship. They had no papers, no money, and no plan. Elena thought America would solve all their problems, but she was wrong.
"When we got to New York, Mama became even more sad," Maria said. "She could not speak English well. She could not find work. She drank more and more alcohol. Sometimes she would disappear for days."
Maria described how they lived in terrible places: first in a cheap hotel, then in a shelter, then on the streets. Elena became sicker and more confused. She would sometimes forget who Maria was or where they were.
"One morning, I woke up and Mama was gone," Maria said, her voice barely a whisper. "She left a note saying she was sorry and that I would be better without her. I never saw her again."
Jonathan felt his heart breaking as he listened to Maria's story. This young woman had lost everything: her father, her mother, her home, her country. But somehow she had survived on the streets of New York for almost a year.
"How did you live by yourself?" Jonathan asked. "Where did you sleep? How did you find food?"
Maria explained that she had learned to be invisible in the big city. She slept in doorways, under bridges, sometimes in subway stations. She found food in garbage cans behind restaurants. Sometimes kind people would give her money, but usually people ignored her or told her to go away.
"I tried to get help," Maria said. "I went to shelters, but they were full or dangerous. I went to churches, but most people did not believe my story. A homeless teenager with no papers claiming to be the daughter of a famous musician... it sounds crazy."
Jonathan understood why no one had helped Maria. Her story was incredible. Without proof, people would think she was lying or mentally ill.
"But you kept playing music," Jonathan said.
"Sometimes I would find pianos in hotels or train stations," Maria said. "I would play quietly when no one was watching. It was the only thing that made me feel better. It was the only way I could feel close to Papa."
Maria told Jonathan about the many times she had tried to play for money on the street, but people usually walked past without stopping. A few times, police officers told her to move along. No one wanted to hear a dirty homeless girl play classical music.