Chapter 25
After Paul, Montana, and the girls had a brief stop at his father's for a few days, they had moved on to see his mother in New Mexico. Like his father, she had taken to Montana almost right away, noting how much her grandchildren had adored her son's latest lady friend.
But just as she had been shocked to see Paul's short hair, the little Mexican woman had been equally upset when she saw Mac with an almost similar style that the girl happily showed off to anyone that would look.
"Hijo, what did you do to Mackenzie's hair?" she wondered.
Paul sighed. "Now, Mami, before you get too upset, I will have you know the whole thing was Mac's idea. She wanted to get it done because she liked what I did."
The older woman shook her head. "You both had gorgeous hair. You both gone loco!"
"The remains went to a good cause," he protested.
"Papi and I both gave our hair to the place so sick kids that lose theirs can have some, Abuelita," Mac nodded, putting her arms around her grandmother.
"But you look like a chico pequeño," her grandmother replied.
"Mami, I don't think anyone's going to be mistaking Mac for a boy anytime soon with the school clothes Montana helped me pick out."
"Well, at least little Kira here has been spared." his mother said.
"Don't like haircuts," Kira wrinkled her nose.
"Isn't that the truth. She screams bloody murder when she gets trimmed. Oquela."
"Mind the language, hijo. There are niñas and a señorita present."
"Oh, it's quite all right, ma'am," Montana nodded. "I'm rather immune to it. There's people he works with that have said far worse than that, trust me."
The older woman shook her head. "Such dangerous work. I wish he do something not so risky. Who's to say this isn't the last time I will see him?"
"Mami, come on, don't start this again," Paul said with a sigh. "We go through this every time. I'm telling you again, it's okay; I know what I'm doing."
"But I worry. I already lost one hijo. I can't lose another."
"You won't. Don't worry. I promise to be careful."
"And I promise to keep him in line with everything else," Montana added with a reassuring wink. She then offered to take the girls out for awhile. "You need to spend time with your mom anyway; you don't see enough of her as it is."
"We just took them for school clothes two hours ago," he replied.
"Yes, and now they should have a little fun. There isn't much summer left before they go back to your dad's to start school. At least let me take them to a park or for ice cream."
"Ice cream!" Kira said cheerfully.
"Can we go, Papi? Pleeeeeeeeeease?" Mac begged.
"All right, but stay with Montana and don't go too nuts. Maybe you both can blow off some steam and actually sleep tonight," Paul replied.
"This coming from a man that has pulled some all nighters himself," Montana shook her head.
"You've been staying up again?" his mother asked.
Paul looked at Montana. "You have the biggest mouth, you know that?"
"Serves you right. You need to go to bed at a decent hour, just like you tell these girls."
"She's right," her mother agreed.
"Weren't you going to take these kids out?" Paul asked Montana. "Vaya."
"Adiós," Montana responded. "We should be back before dark."
"Oquela," he muttered under his breath. "Mujeres."