Chapter 54

Jorge and Juliana had arrived one Friday morning as schedule; as by sheer luck, Paul wasn't scheduled for a show that weekend, allowing him to accompany Lana and the kids to the airport to await the twins'arrival.

The twins had never flown on a plane and it was just one of many new experiences they would have. It had been frightening at first, but then each had gradually began to enjoy their plane right, especially Jorge, who always had a small adventurous streak to him anyway.

When they arrived, it hadn't taken long for both Jorge and Juliana to recognize Paul, but at the same time, were shocked to see the woman who would be their mami.

Both knew from both the missionary that had taught them English and the nuns who ran the orphanage that their new mami spoke little Spanish, but they had had no idea that though they would have a papi of Mexican descent like themselves, their mami was a white woman.

While Jorge and Juliana grabbed each of Paul's legs and cried, "Papi!", Jorge couldn't take his eyes off Lana and the two small children that accompanied her.

Danny stared back, his young mind unable to process what was happening in front of him, wondering why these two strange children was calling his father their papi even though Paul and Lana had given the best effort possible to prepare him for today.

"Danny," Lana chided him gently while balancing Emily. "It isn't nice to stare."

Jorge's staring wasn't lost on Paul. "¿Su nueva mami es una señora bonita, no es ella?" he asked, chuckling.

"Sí," the boy replied, nodding.

"Recuerde, Jorge, usted y Juliana también necesidad de hablar inglés alrededor de Mami," Paul reminded him.

"What did you just say to that child about me?" Lana wondered, glaring.

"Relax, sweetheart," Paul laughed. "I was just asking Jorge if he thought his new mami was a pretty lady and reminding him that and he and his sister need to also speak English around you."

She nodded, still giving him a look. "All right."

"Trust me, it wasn't anything dirty. What kind of guy do you think I am?"

"Sometimes, it's hard to tell with you."

They arrived at the car, Lana putting Danny and Emily in their respective car seats while Paul strapped in the twins. When they began to protest to the strange things being on them, he gently reassured them that it was all right, that children their age had to wear seat belts.

This was a new type of car for them, not like the vehicle the nuns had taken them in back in Mexico. While Danny and Emily had fallen asleep, Juliana looked out the window, fascinated with the passing scenery and things she and her twin brother had never seen before, chattering to each other excitedly in Spanish.

"Usted dos," Paul reminded them, "En inglés, por favor."

"Paul, if they want to talk in Spanish, it's perfectly all right," Lana replied, understanding what was said that time. "Let them be comfortable."

"Okay, fine for now, but they're going to need to be reminded to do it," he answered, "especially when I'm not around to interpret. And there's the issue of when they go to kindergarten."

"We can worry about kindergarten when it happens," she smiled. "Right now, let's just concentrate on letting them get used to their surroundings first."

It was a long drive to the house, and Lana too had eventually dozed off. While she did so, Jorge, still fascinated with her, had leaned forward and lightly touched Lana's radiant auburn hair with wonder.

"Hermosa," he whispered to Juliana.

"Sí," Juliana responded, nodding eagerly.

Paul shook his head and chuckled, not missing what had been going on. Perhaps his wife was right; the kids should get used to their new life first. They had a lot to explore and discover, and he vowed to make sure to be part of their lives as much as possible and help them adjust. But what he was seeing so far, it wasn't going to be a difficult transition.