Arthur couldn't believe his ears.

"You guys want to help me?"

"Of course we want to help you, Cuzzy. If you would've asked us earlier, why, Maru would already be reconciled with her father. Why didn't you?"

"Because I didn't think you'd help me."

"Cuzz, you and us are family. Whether we like it or not, we wouldn't really have had much of a choice, would we? Besides, you helped us, why shouldn't we help you? And it'd be easier, because we are much closer to Maru. Why, just pick the date, and on that day you will reach your goal. Right now, if you want."

They were right. Why hadn't he have thought of that. They did have much more influence than he did. Maru would listen to them.

"Why didn't I think of that. Really, how stupid of me. That' s great, you guys, listen, then, date I pick is right now."

"Very well, you will see tomorrow morning Maru's attitude towards her father will have changed."

"What are you going to do?"he asked.

"Nothing. Things will simply turn out that way, because we know the real truth about why Maru acts the way she does."

"So are you telling me it isn't because she thinks that he abandoned her and her mother?"

"Oh, no, she does. But there's something else, you see. You see, apart from that there are two other things. One we will tell you and one we won't because well, that's not our secret to reveal, but the other one we will, because you know most of it, anyway. Maru, of course blames her father, both of her parents, actually, because of the epilepsy, just as we still do our parents."she added bitterly. "And that's part of the reason. You know, like it was their fault she has to be taking those drugs, and all that. We think the same way, of course."

"Can't you tell me the other thing?"

"Just don't make us. You know we'd have to tell you, if you wanted to know, but, it's...can't you just conform with what you know. We'll take care of everything from now on."

"Fine. But things better come out the other way around, you know."

"Don't you trust us."

"Fine, yes. I will leave everything in your capable hands, then. I gotta go now. I told Guillermo and Rebecca I'd play the Crash Team Racing game for them after dinner, and that I'd give them advice on how to win, and let them play, too."

The dectuplets ran to find Sissy. They found her playing with a cricket. Every time the cricket jumped Sissy would try to catch in her mouth, or slap it with her paw.

"Sissy! You wouldn't mind doing a favor for us, would you?"

"I'm kind of busy right now, don't you see."

"You'll find another one later. This won't take long, anyway."

"What do you want?"

"You have to find out, and tell us where the professor is right now."

"Why?"

"So we know."

"Why do you want to know?"

"Oh, yes, and make sure that while so, don't let Jean talk to him, that will ruin everything. Do something to distract her, too."

"Fine."Sissy told them, and ran to do as she was told.

The dectuplets did not want Jean to intrude. They knew she was part of the problem. Even though, she never said it openly, Ma.Eugenia was jealous of Jean. She always noticed that her father treated Jean more like a daughter than he did Ma.Eugenia, even though Ma.Eugenia said she didn't care. Not to mention the fact that Jean always tried to make Ma.Eugenia feel bad by telling her she was wrong. This, Ma.Eugenia felt was just to prove that Jean could be a better daughter.

"Maru, we thought you were watching Dumbo play the Playstation for Guillermo and Rebecca."

"No. What for? I wanted to listen to Cristian Castro."she said, going through her CDs. "I wonder why my mother always hated his Nunca Voy a Olvidarte."

"It was probably the music, because the lyrics are nice, and it did, after all, win an award."

"But then my mother hated everything. You know, nobody could record an albun because she always said they couldn't sing. Nobody could star in a telenovela because she said they couldn't act. A telenovela couldn't come out because she said it sucked, and so forth."

"That was just because she knew she could never be as good as the artists."

"I never thought about that, but yeah, I guess so."

"Besides, Maru, we were thinking, you know, in Mariana de la Noche, why don't you do the same as Ignacio did in regards to Atilio. And Juan del Diablo also forgave Francisco de Alcazar. You should do the same. Besides, Maru, you always wanted to meet your father, you ask for that in your prayers. The Lord went out of his way to make sure you did, and make sure you met him, and now."

"That about Atilio and Francisco was different."

"Of course, that was much worse."

"Look, you see, he says he never knew, but that would mean my mother lied, and it wouldn't be right to think like that about my mother. She's dead."

"What about Rogelio and Viviana? Rogelio forgave Viviana. You don't hate anybody, Maru. We know. You see, we know that you would like to talk to him. You're just afraid, that's it."

"Really, and why should I be afraid."

"You've never liked strangers, that's why."

"I speak to people on the street."

"San Pedro is a small town. Everybody knows everybody else. Besides, you know, we will share something with you, however, we can't right now, due to the current situation."

"Could you tell me what it's about?"

"No. We will leave everything to your discretion."

Ma.Xiomara looked at Grandes Hits de Cristian Castro.

"I love these songs."she simply commented.

"We have to go to bed now. We have to wake up tomorrow, to look forward to another day. Another day in the lives of the ten red heads."

They giggled and left.

Ma.Eugenia thought about what the dectuplets told her. They were right. She had always been a very curious person, but she was also very shy. She turned the music off, and put her book down. She sat up. Just how could her best friends do this to her? Now, they knew something she didn't, probably something exciting. Maybe what they meant was that she had to reconcile with her father in order to know. She couldn't help herself. Anything would be better than fantasies. And the only way to find out what those girls knew was to speak to him.

"You have no choice, it looks like, Maru. But don't worry, it can't be so bad. You just say a few things, and you go. The problem is, how would you start."

That was the problem. Whenever they had seen their father, they had always rushed to be first to hug and kiss him.

"Well, we'll have to skip that."she said to herself. "After that, they just spoke the to him the same way they would speak to anyone else, just in a different way. Besides, I should probably ask that he forgives me. I haven't really behaved the way I should, either."she decided.

Maru picked up her fan, and walked out of the room. She knew that he was where to find him. She knocked on the door.

"Come in."

"I,"she started to say. This was quite difficult. She didn't know what to say, so she decided to just get to the point. "I...I want you to forgive me."she said.

He looked confused. She just stared in front of her, not looking at his. Then she lowered her eyes, to look at his, and repeated what she said. She knew that she had to look at his eyes, in order for him to forgive her.

"Forgive you? For what?"

"I know I haven't been a good daughter, but that shouldn't be surprising, of course, as I'm not a good person, either. I'm sorry for all the times I have hurt, offended, and dishonored you. Not just through my words and actions, but also through my thoughts. I hope that you can forgive me. I am very, very sorry."

"I have nothing to forgive you for."he told her.

"Yes, you do. I will beg you on my knees if it's necessary, but please forgive me. God knows I am a sinner. My sins are the worst anyone can ever carry on their conscience. I've sinned through my thoughts, and I have disobeyed the Ten Commandments many times. I have not honored my mother and father."

She began to get on her knees.

"No! No, that's not necessary. None of this has been your fault, Ma.Eugenia. It was...nobody's fault. That was just the way things happened."

"Some of it has been my fault."she said. "Arthur, el Padre Juan, and even the dectuplets told me I was wrong. Jean and Ms.Munroe, too."she added. "But I wouldn't listen. I knew I was wrong, though. I'm sure Meche knew, too, only of course Meche would never have said so. I know I'm not a good person. There's of course no need to tell me. I hope you can forgive me."

I should also apologize to Jean, she thought. She had also felt envious of her, whether she had any reason or not, she knew that it was wrong.

"Before,"she went on. "When I was younger, I would sometimes wish my godfather was my father. I knew such a thought was disrespectful to whomever my father was. I tried not to think that, but sometimes I just couldn't help it. I prayed to la Virgen every night, that someday I could meet my father, and ask just what was wrong with me, even though, I could've answered that for myself. You see, Chachi used to tell me that things had probably happened the way they did, and my father didn't want me because, well, I wouldn't be a good daughter. Chachi may be a little crazy, but she does say the truth sometimes. I prayed to la Virgen every night, that someday I could meet my father and ask just what was wrong with me, just so I could know, but what for?"she said. "Ever since that happened, what have I done? I've only been rude, I've been disrespectful. I asked that no one say anything when Alfonsina told me that her sister told her that they found my father while looking for their brother. I told her to say that I had gone to see the dectuplets, because they needed me to do them a favor. I did do them the favor. That was why I pretended to go out with Lance. It was only pretend, it wasn't for real. I should've told you, but the dectuplets didn't want to risk anyone knowing."

"You shouldn't have let Chachi get to you."

"Chachi was only saying the truth."

"No, she wasn't. I think you're a good person Ma.Eugenia."

Ma.Eugenia shook her head.

"No, I'm not. Besides, Chachi did have a point. You always did seem to like Jean much, much better than me. That's something else. I wanted what another person had. I felt very jealous of her."

"I wouldn't prefer Jean to you. Besides, I should've learned more about you before meeting you. I also made mistakes. I should've known, coming from such a close contact society, that you, like the dectuplets with Arthur would expect much more...warmth, and attention from a relative, especially a parent."

"Nobody at the Institute liked me much, anyway. They would never, and still won't come near me."

"A culture shock. They aren't used to such customs, that's all. While they might think you're invading their personal space, you think you seem unpleasant to them."

Ma.Eugenia smiled.

"Arthur told me I shouldn't greet people by hugging them when I got there. I should simply shake hands."

Ma.Eugenia hugged her father. She simply threw her arms around him, and hugged him as tightly as she could.

"Would you give me your blessing?"she asked hopefully.

"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen."

"Amen."