Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring

Paloma and her mother wait for Professor Breton from the local university to pick them up. While they wait, Paloma studies a poster that depicts a woman with hairy eyebrows surrounded by animals. Her mother explains that it is an advertisement for the Frida Kahlo Museum in Coyacán, which is near the house in which they are staying. She expresses her regret for not teaching Paloma about Kahlo—her father’s favorite artist. Her mother hopes that Paloma will learn about Kahlo and her art in the summer course in which she has enrolled her.

That night, Paloma and her mother attend a reception by the university at Casa Azul, the former home of Frida Kahlo which now serves as a museum of her work and personal artifacts. Paloma wears a purple flower in her hair. At the reception, Paloma grows bored as her mother talks with the adults. She wanders over to listen to the mariachi band. She likes the trumpets, played by a boy and a girl who look about her age. Paloma spots another boy off by himself and gets his attention. He introduces himself as Tavo, a seventh grader, like Paloma, who spends his time between Mexico, the United States, and Spain. Tavo’s parents are Mr. and Mrs. Farill—faculty who are part of the university funding Paloma’s mother’s fellowship.

Tavo shows Paloma one of the Kahlo paintings inside of the house, explaining that Kahlo is well-known for her self-portraits. He describes them as the equivalent of “selfies,” explaining why he likes them. Paloma sees the mariachi trumpeters listening in as she tells Tavo of her love of mystery novels. She wonders aloud if the Kahlo paintings may have a mystery to reveal.

The night ends and Paloma deems her first day in Mexico a success. She looks forward to seeing Tavo again, his parents having invited she and her mom to dinner. As they are leaving the party, Paloma’s mother introduces her to the two young people from the mariachi band: Gael and Lizzie Castillo—twins who are 12, like Paloma. Paloma’s mom explains that the brother and sister will be her tutors in Spanish for the summer and that she, in turn, can help them with their conversational English. When they talk, Lizzie insists that Paloma’s name means “pigeon,” not “dove.”

As they say goodbye, Gael slips Paloma a note which she reads later, alone in her bedroom. It asks her help in solving a mystery, explaining that a “great injustice” has been done and that Frida Kahlo herself is impacted. Paloma is not sure whether the note is a joke but, remembering how helping others cost her father his life, throws the note away.

That night, Paloma has a dream in which she meets a fortune teller outside of Casa Azul. As they talk, Paloma realizes that the fortune teller is Frida Kahlo. Kahlo tells Paloma that she is missing something.

Paloma’s mother wakes her in the morning, telling her that Lizzie and Gael have arrived to practice Spanish with Paloma. Paloma decides that she will ask Gael about the note and slips it into her pocket. When she enters the kitchen, Gael is speaking about his father, an artist who is currently in the United States.

After breakfast, Paloma announces that she is ready to begin learning Spanish in earnest and invites Gael and Lizzie onto the patio where they can be alone. She writes new Spanish words on her notecards. She then broaches the subject of the note Gael gave her by asking Lizzie if she is aware that Gael gave Paloma the “crazy” note. Lizzie is aware and says that Paloma’s response proves that Paloma is not brave enough to help them with the mystery. When Paloma protests, Gael proceeds to explain the note.

Gael and Lizzie explain the mystery. Two weeks ago, they overheard their father speaking on the telephone. In the conversation, he explained that just before Kahlo died in 1954, she designed a silver ring in the shape of a peacock. After her death, her husband, artist Diego Rivera, locked the ring—along with many of Frida’s other possessions—in a room at Casa Azul. He instructed a friend named Dolores that the room was to never be unlocked. When Dolores died in 2002, the museum discovered the note Diego had given her about the locked room. Museum personnel opened the room, but the peacock ring was not inside.

Gael and Lizzie hope to locate the ring—for which a large reward has been promised—by July 6, Frida’s birthday. Paloma protests that she can be of no help to them. Lizzie stomps off and insults Paloma by saying that her name means “pigeon,” while Paloma had always been told that it means “dove” and that her father chose it specially. However, Gael reveals to Paloma that the purple flower she wore to the party suggested to him that Paloma is like Frida. This is why he is certain that Paloma can be of help.

After Gael and Lizzie leave, Paloma finds her mother, who is at her computer. Dismayed that Gael and Lizzie have left so soon, she tells Paloma that she wishes that she would take the Spanish lessons more seriously. She prints a photo of Paloma’s father from the computer and places it in a frame.

Paloma asks her mother to tell her, once again, the story of his marriage proposal. Though she has heard the story hundreds of times, it seems Paloma never tires of it. Thinking of her father, she wonders if she made a mistake by refusing to help Gael and Lizzie.

Paloma and her mother walk to the city’s central garden to sample a churro. Once they arrive, they spot the same fortune teller from the night before. They peruse the jewelry she sells and a specific ring captures Paloma’s attention. Her mother is surprised, noting that Paloma’s father used to wear a necklace featuring the same medallion: an Aztec sun. When Paloma notices that the fortune teller wears an image of Frida Kahlo beneath her wrap, she notes that she is interested in finding a peacock ring. The fortune teller stammers, and Paloma is certain that she acts suspiciously.

They find Gael at the churro stand where Paloma tells him that she will help solve the peacock ring mystery.

Paloma and Gael walk to Casa Azul to begin their investigation. Paloma confides in Gael about her love of the series of mystery books featuring detective Lulu Pennywhistle. Though her friends in Kansas tease her about this obsession, Gael is interested. Paloma suspects that the fortune teller may be involved in the mystery; Gael admits that she suddenly appeared in town just when he and Lizzie learned of the ring’s existence and absence.

Once inside the museum, they approach a portrait of Frida’s father. Gael reads its inscription, explaining to Paloma that Frida’s father was of German heritage. Paloma, having a German mother and Mexican father, shares her parallel with Gael. He asks about Paloma’s father’s whereabouts, then feels foolish when Paloma explains that he is deceased. He hugs her, then gifts her a medallion on a cord, explaining that it is an Aztec eagle which protects the wearer. Paloma changes the subject, eager to visit the locked room.