Chapter Twenty:
"Oh Daddy! Look at that!" Ali said breathlessly. "Can we go there?" Luis and his mother exchanged smiles over Ali's blond head. She didn't wait for an answer. Just continued chattering. So happy that this day had finally come. She was so excited. She just couldn't be still. Or quiet, he thought laughing to himself. His mother's patience was wearing thin. And he caught their driver rolling his eyes.
Sometimes he saw a bit of his little sister in her. Just a little. Her excitement about things. The way she would carry on. But Ali didn't take fairy tales at face value. She always wondered what happened next. He chuckled to himself as he remembered the way she always badgered Theresa with questions when she read to her. Ali always demanded an explanation.
She looked at him. Blue eyes wide with wonder. He ran his hand over her soft hair and pulled her into his arms. Settling her on his lap so she could see better. "Daddy, when are we going to see Aunt Theresa?" she asked. Her tiny hands framing his face as she stared into his eyes. "Soon, AliCat. Soon. Isn't that right, Mama?"
"Yes, Mijo. Mija. Theresita said she'd meet us at the hotel. Then she's going to take us out for dinner," Pilar said. Pride in her voice. "And tomorrow, AliCat, she's going to take us to her new shop. And a day on the town. Think you'll like that?" "Yes, Daddy," she answered. Laying her head on his shoulder. Yawning despite herself. She fought to keep her eyes open. But she didn't succeed. She was fast asleep when they reached their destination.
Luis grinned broadly as they walked into the lobby and found Theresa waiting. Theresa rushed to hug Pilar, and they clung to each other like it'd been years since they'd lain eyes on one another. She took in her niece. A tiny Sleeping Beauty in her brother's arms. "Aww. Luis. What did you do to her? I was certain she would be wide awake. Drinking everything in," she whispered. Stroking Ali's long blond hair back from her face and placing a kiss on her forehead.
"Nothing. I did nothing to her. She wore herself out. Hardly slept a wink last night. Too excited," he said with a smile. "She couldn't wait to see you. Come on," he ribbed goodnaturedly. "You know she's been looking forward to this day for over a month." Theresa looked lovingly at Ali and said, "I know. I've been just as anxious to see her again. I've missed you guys so much. Talking on the phone just isn't the same." She hugged Luis loosely about the neck. Careful not to wake Ali.
Then pulled away and said, "Come on. It's time to get you guys settled in. You're in a suite. Right down the hall from me." She laughed at Luis's look of surprise. A look that matched her mother's. "Mama, Luis, don't worry about it. It's no problem. I can afford it. I'm a successful designer after all. And don't even think about paying me back," she warned. Luis opened his mouth to protest. But shut it right away at the look on his baby sister's face. "Okay," he muttered. "You win." Theresa's dark eyes sparkled as she beamed with pleasure. "I knew you'd see things my way."
"Tada!" Theresa said dramatically as she opened the door to the suite they would be sharing. Pilar looked around in awe. A hand held to her mouth. Theresa put her arm around her and led her inside. Quieting her protestations against spending so much money on them. Luis left them to their discussion. And carried Ali off to bed. Poor little thing slept the night away. Dinner for Luis was room service while his mother and sister painted the town. He watched his daughter sleep and wondered what the new day would bring for them. Somehow, he knew it would change his life--their lives--forever. He just prayed it was for the better.
"Oh Daddy! Look at that!" Ali said breathlessly. "Can we go there?" Luis and his mother exchanged smiles over Ali's blond head. She didn't wait for an answer. Just continued chattering. So happy that this day had finally come. She was so excited. She just couldn't be still. Or quiet, he thought laughing to himself. His mother's patience was wearing thin. And he caught their driver rolling his eyes.
Sometimes he saw a bit of his little sister in her. Just a little. Her excitement about things. The way she would carry on. But Ali didn't take fairy tales at face value. She always wondered what happened next. He chuckled to himself as he remembered the way she always badgered Theresa with questions when she read to her. Ali always demanded an explanation.
She looked at him. Blue eyes wide with wonder. He ran his hand over her soft hair and pulled her into his arms. Settling her on his lap so she could see better. "Daddy, when are we going to see Aunt Theresa?" she asked. Her tiny hands framing his face as she stared into his eyes. "Soon, AliCat. Soon. Isn't that right, Mama?"
"Yes, Mijo. Mija. Theresita said she'd meet us at the hotel. Then she's going to take us out for dinner," Pilar said. Pride in her voice. "And tomorrow, AliCat, she's going to take us to her new shop. And a day on the town. Think you'll like that?" "Yes, Daddy," she answered. Laying her head on his shoulder. Yawning despite herself. She fought to keep her eyes open. But she didn't succeed. She was fast asleep when they reached their destination.
Luis grinned broadly as they walked into the lobby and found Theresa waiting. Theresa rushed to hug Pilar, and they clung to each other like it'd been years since they'd lain eyes on one another. She took in her niece. A tiny Sleeping Beauty in her brother's arms. "Aww. Luis. What did you do to her? I was certain she would be wide awake. Drinking everything in," she whispered. Stroking Ali's long blond hair back from her face and placing a kiss on her forehead.
"Nothing. I did nothing to her. She wore herself out. Hardly slept a wink last night. Too excited," he said with a smile. "She couldn't wait to see you. Come on," he ribbed goodnaturedly. "You know she's been looking forward to this day for over a month." Theresa looked lovingly at Ali and said, "I know. I've been just as anxious to see her again. I've missed you guys so much. Talking on the phone just isn't the same." She hugged Luis loosely about the neck. Careful not to wake Ali.
Then pulled away and said, "Come on. It's time to get you guys settled in. You're in a suite. Right down the hall from me." She laughed at Luis's look of surprise. A look that matched her mother's. "Mama, Luis, don't worry about it. It's no problem. I can afford it. I'm a successful designer after all. And don't even think about paying me back," she warned. Luis opened his mouth to protest. But shut it right away at the look on his baby sister's face. "Okay," he muttered. "You win." Theresa's dark eyes sparkled as she beamed with pleasure. "I knew you'd see things my way."
"Tada!" Theresa said dramatically as she opened the door to the suite they would be sharing. Pilar looked around in awe. A hand held to her mouth. Theresa put her arm around her and led her inside. Quieting her protestations against spending so much money on them. Luis left them to their discussion. And carried Ali off to bed. Poor little thing slept the night away. Dinner for Luis was room service while his mother and sister painted the town. He watched his daughter sleep and wondered what the new day would bring for them. Somehow, he knew it would change his life--their lives--forever. He just prayed it was for the better.