No one moved. The first one was Jasmine and Aida's father.
"Oh, but, Dearest, that's wonderful! Congratulations!"he exclaimed.
"I don't think this is something to be congratulated."said Iago, but nobody heard him, since Genie had already started a parade, with balloons, trumpets and everything. Abu and Carpet joined in with him.
"You see, Father. That's what's been keeping me sleeping late."
"Of course, Dearest, of course. This is wonderful. Congratulations, Jasmine. Congratulations to you, too, Aladdin. My, but what a creative way to spread the news."
Cazeem also congratulated Aladdin, who didn't seem to know what was going on.
"Congratulations, Son."he said, hugging him.
"It was Aida's idea."Jasmine said.
"It wasn't really my idea. I just saw it used somewhere else before, that's all."
"Where did all the children come from?"
"The marketplace. I saw them, picked them up, and I payed them for volunteering."
"This calls for a bigger celebration."said Genie.
"Yes, yes, Genie."said Jasmine's father. "A very big one."
"But we can't have kids in this Palace!"yelled Iago. "They'll only be good for pulling your feathers and giving you headaches! Don't you think it would be better if it were postponed?"he suggested, but Genie picked him up, and tied his beak together with a big ribbon so that he couldn't say anymore.
"That Iago, he was at us the other day that you should make him his advisor."Aida told Aladdin.
"Oh, yeah. He is best for that job."said Aladdin, who seemed so overcome that he didn't know what he was saying.
"Really, is he? I think you'll regret that, Aladdin."
"Oh, no."
"Well, I say we've got to get started. All you kids, here, aqui, this way!"called Genie. "We've got a big party to organize. And the three of you"he added, pointed to Abu, Iago and Carpet. "With me here."
"Abu should be an elephant again."said Aida remembering what Jasmine had written about when Aladdin had tried to impress her as a prince. "How will the kids be able to ride him as a small monkey?"
"Yes, of course."said Genie.
Abu screeched and ran from the room.
"Hmm, that didn't go too well, did it?"
"No, I don't think he liked it, Genie."said Jasmine.
"Of course! We must of course prepare everything, the whole palace for the baby's arrival. We'll need to fix up the nursery, oh, dear, so much. So much to do."said Jasmine's father.
"Well, who's going to choose the colors? I would probably be good for a girl, but for a boy, I don't know. The colors I like are too…too cutesy, I guess."
"Oh, Aida."
"Hmm, well, then if it's so much, I think we better get started."said Genie as a long list appeared in front of it, and he started going over it and checking things off on it. "Grandpa number one,"he said, pointing to Cazeem. "Right, you will be in charge on Tuesdays thru Thursdays, from eight to two a.m. Daddy, in charge from two to noon…"
"No, Genie. I don't think we get to that for a while."said Jasmine.
"It's better to be prepared now."said Genie, making some corrections with a pencil.
"I think things would have been better if not everybody knew at once."said Aida. "I should've given the matter some more thought, and come up with a different way."
"Oh, I think it's more fun this way."
"I hope so."
The Palace was in turmoil after breakfast. Genie had Abu, Carpet, and Iago scrubbing the nursery, preparing blankets, arranging pillows, lists, and anything else that seemed necessary, while he supervised and checked his list.
"No, no, monkey boy, I still see dust."he said to Abu.
"Genie, what are you doing?"asked Aladdin.
"No, no, no, Al, don't."he said shooing Aladdin. "No, we don't want new germs in here, with the time we're putting in to cleaning it. Absolutely no contaminents!"
"But, Genie…"
"No, no, no. This is supposed to be a surprise, and squeaky clean, and I've got to get back inside, there's no telling when those three might slack off. Knowing them, they already did."and he went back into the room.
Aida was picking her most perfect embroidery and setting it apart from the rest, while Jasmine watched.
"I think this one."said Jasmine.
"No, not that one, all the baskets are a different shade. I kept running out, and there was no one to go buy more for me. So I kept using left overs. I once saw ones that had names on them."
"But we haven't decided on a name, yet."
"I still say you're going to name him Ali. Apart from Prince Ali, you should only know that's one of my favorite names."
"I don't know what Aladdin'll say."
"Well, if he chose that name for himself, I'm sure it's because he'll like it."
"Maybe you could come up with others."
"Well, I'm sticking with one."
"Genie already has Carpet, Iago and Abu working like slaves."Jasmine told her. "He has cleaning up the nursery, and everything. He's checking for hazards, you get the idea. I only saw them a little while ago, when he gave two seconds to have their lunch, before getting them back to work."
"Hmm, well, that's good. Iago should learn a little about work."
"Oh, he was asking me to save him, when Genie pulled him off and send him back to work. They look worn out."
Aida rolled her eyes.
"You didn't save him, thought did you?"
"How could I? Genie didn't give me a chance to, he just apologized for Iago's rude behavior, and carried him back with Abu and Carpet."
"I think I'll go to the marketplace. Who knows I might find something interesting there."
"I hope not. You're room is already full of the things you find interesting."
"Well, what can I say? Besides, the room isn't full. There's lots of space, and you never know, they might come in handy."
"Like those cats?"asked Jasmine.
"Oh, I bought those because they look so real. They have such wonderfully textured fur, you see, it's like real fur. And the other one, because it's so soft."
Jasmine sighed and rolled her eyes.
Aida walked around the marketplace, looking at the merchandise. She always like to look at the merchandise, especially if it was something she could use to decorate her room, or a book to read.
"Yes, that's a very good one right there."said a boy, pointing to a book, Aida was considering.
"Oh, what?"she said, looking up.
"I've read that one before. I don't read Arabic very well, but I've managed a book or two in Arabic."
"Oh, what do you read in, then?"
"Latin based languages. The Romance languages. Spanish, French, Portuguese, Romanian, Italian, you get the picture."
"Oh, yes. I'm guessing that must mean you've read Yolanda Vargas Dulche's works, and Miguel Cervantes's Quixote, right?"
"Yes."
"But I don't understand how you could not know Arabic."
"Because I'm not Arabic."he said.
"Oh? Where are you from?"
"I'm from Mexico, my family owns an hacienda there, in Yucatan. I'm here, visiting the Seven Deserts, because it makes me feel much closer to my heritage. One of my great-grandfathers was a Spaniard, you see, and the Muslims were in control of Spain, I can't remember what time period, but it still shows up in our language today. Like in the word, ojala. Originally it meant something like to God, today we just use it as maybe, but isn't Allah God to the Muslims? See, Allah, ojala."
"Oh, yes."said Aida.
Now that she noticed, he really wasn't from the here. He wasn't dressed, for one. Instead of a turban, he wore a hat with a wide brim that kept shade all around him, he wore bellbottoms, and pointed boots, and his clothes were made in a different style and from a different fabric than was usual here.
"So, you aren't Muslim?"she asked.
"Oh, no. My family is still Christian. Roman Catholic. However, I've always held the Muslims in great esteem."he said.
"And you come to the marketplace everyday?"
"Almost every day, yes. And you?"
"Of course."
"My name, by the way, is Andrade, Francisco Andrade."
"I'm Aida. How long will you be in Agrabah?"she asked.
"I'm not sure. It might be quite a while. It depends on how soon I'm needed at home, you know."
