Note from the author: Hey everyone! Sorry it took me soooo long to get back into writing. I have been dealing with a lot and having to heal from so much. I needed a long break but I am excited to finally be writing again. I hope you enjoy this little chapter. Oh, and I think it's worth mentioning that Rosita is six years older than Ingrid so by now she is around eleven or twelve. Thanks again for reading!

3. Cousins

The whole of Casita was complete chaos for the next 12 hours with Dolores into labor. Everyone was scrambled to help in some one way or another until it was a few of the women in the nursery with Dolores, who was on the bed. Julieta was on one side, helping her to breathe and Pepa was on the other.

"You'd think that…hah…after three…times…hah hah…I'd be used to it…hah...by now," Dolores said in between each inhale and exhale. Beads of sweat were appearing on her forehead.

Her mama Pepa squeezed her hand tightly. She was trying incredibly hard to keep herself together, but her mood was showing if only but a little as a cloud started to drizzle over Dolores's head. But Dolores didn't complain. If anything, the mist felt good on her skin.

"You're doing just fine, mi vida," said Julieta, patting her niece's head. "Just a little while longer."

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Bruno was being constantly badgered by Mateo and Gabriela who demanded to know what kind of new siblings they would have.

"Come on Tio Bruno! Fess up!" Mateo whined. "Are they boys or girls?"

"Or a boy and girl?" Gabriela demanded.

"I told you kiddos! I do not know anything!" said Bruno, nervously.

Gabriela glared at him for a moment. "Liar," she said. "You DO know!"

Bruno stared into her dark eyes that were very much like her father's. "Oh… yeah," he mumbled. It took him a second to remember that little Gabriela's Gift was her ability to know when someone was lying. The truth was his wife Elena was so curious one night that she convinced him to have a vision about what kind of new babies would be born into the family. Her extreme enthusiasm was so contagious that eventually he cracked and looked into the future. This did not go unrewarded by Elena that night. But now, Bruno was starting to feel the burden of keeping it a secret from everyone.

"Well even if I did, too bad," he said firmly. "Dolores said to keep it a surprise and I'm not going against your mother, and neither should you."

"But Tio Bruno-" said Matteo and Gabriela in unison. But Bruno interrupted them.

"Ah ah ah!" he said, holding a hand up for them to stop talking. "Talk to the rat!" he added while holding up a squeaking rat in his other hand.

Mateo and Gabriela looked at each other and gasped. They then turned around and ran off while shouting "TIO ANTONIOOOOOO!"

"NO!" Bruno shouted after them. "Wait! I didn't mean that literally!"

Ingrid watched curiously from the staircase as Bruno chased after her cousins. But after a pause, she shrugged to herself and began to climb her way up. She didn't get far when she heard someone calling her from behind. She turned around to see it was Rosita.

"Hey prima!" Rosita said.

"Hi," Ingrid said, quietly.

Rosita caught up to her and said, "Tio Milo and Tia Hanna told me to come get you so that you could wait with them."

She then paused and noticed Ingrid's position on the stairs. "Where were you going?" she asked curiously.

Ingrid didn't say anything but looked longingly in the direction of the nursery. "Are you excited?" her cousin asked.

Ingrid finally looked up at her and asked, "You're not? They're YOUR brothers or sisters!"

The way she said it was filled with such intensity, Rosita could feel it building within herself now.

"Of course I am!" Rosita answered back. "But we should leave it to Tia Julieta…" she then trailed off for Ingrid's eyes started to fill with tears. She watched as Ingrid clenched her fist and began to tremble.

"It's just not fair…" Ingrid said quietly. "I want a brother or sister too! I'm…alone…I'm lonely…"

Rosita was taken aback. "But you're not alone," she said. "You have me! And Mateo and Gabriela!"

Ingrid's reply came out in mostly a mumble, but Rosita was sure she heard her say, "Cousins," and "Not the same."

"Now that's not fair," said Rosita, folding her arms this time. "You shouldn't just disregard your cousins like that! I think of you as my sister just as much as Gabby!"

Ingrid stared up at Rosita's irritated expression. Feeling hurt and embarrassed, she ran away crying.

She was trying to wipe her tears away as she ran. But because she couldn't see what was up ahead, she ended up running right into someone's arms.

"Whoa!" said Amalia as she caught her.

Ingrid gasped and finally looked up to see her aunt's beautiful face which now carried a look of surprise.

"Hey," Amalia softly said this time. "What's wrong?"

She gently patted the top of Ingrid's head just like she used to do with Hanna when they were younger. Then she guided her to the nearby bench where they sat side by side.

Ingrid hugged Amalia tightly and told her everything. When she was done, she began to sob. Amalia gave Ingrid a minute or two to calm down before she spoke.

"You know…" said Amalia. "I think you're really lucky. You have such a big family. And it's only going to continue to grow even bigger! It's true! You have quite a few cousins who love you. You all are so close to one another. Just like siblings. Personally, I would have been very curious to know who my cousins even were…if I ever got to meet them…."

Ingrid stared at her, sniffling a little as she did so. "What?"

Amalia half smiled at her. "Hanna and I…didn't exactly get to know our extended family. We…kept to ourselves…Our father wanted nothing to do with his brothers let alone get to know their families. And our mother's siblings went missing many years ago. Your mother and I pretty much only had each other until we met your father."

Ingrid gasped, a little in shock. She had no idea that her mom and her aunt were so lonely. So even siblings get lonely sometimes… She felt guilty for how selfish she was before.

"I'm so sorry…" she said, glumly.

"Well, hey," said Amalia. "I get your side too. It's a wonderful experience to be a big sister. I totally understand you want that for yourself."

She paused before she looked right into Ingrid's hazel green eyes and added, "It will happen for you. Just be patient. But in the meantime, be there for your cousins. Because, regardless of whether you have different parents or not, you're still familia."

Ingrid sighed deeply but nodded all the same. She and Amalia got up and walked hand in hand towards the kitchen, only to come face to face with Rosita again. She and Ingrid stared at each other for what felt like a long moment. But then Rosita broke the silence and said, "I'm…sorry. I shouldn't have gotten mad at you like that."

Ingrid's eyes widened. "I'm sorry too," she said. "I was selfish."

She let go of Amalia's hand and ran up to give Rosita a big hug. Amalia smiled at the two of them.

They were then intruded upon by Mariano who had come running wildly down the stairs with a huge grin on his face! The entire rest of the family gathered around him with much anticipation.

"THEY'RE HERE!" he exclaimed. "IDENTICAL TWIN BOYS!"

Everyone cheered and applauded.

Rosita and Ingrid smiled at each other and started jumping up and down excitedly.

"Come on! Let's go see!" said Ingrid. She led Rosita up the stairs by the hand while Mateo and Gabriela followed them. They were greeted by Pepa, Julieta, and Alma who allowed them to quietly walk in and see Dolores holding two, dark-haired baby boys. Both were so identical that they even had the same eyelashes. Ingrid asked if she could hold one. Dolores smiled and nodded. She passed the baby in her right arm for Ingrid to carefully pick up.

"That's Julio," said Dolores. She then passed the other twin to Rosita. "And that's Dario," she told her.

Rosita smiled down at her new baby brother. Ingrid walked up to stand next to her with Julio in her arms.

"They're so adorable," said Rosita.

"Yeah," agreed Ingrid.

"Promise you'll help me look after them?" Rosita asked.

Ingrid smiled. "Of course, I will," she replied.

They continued to cuddle the two boys until everyone else came in to have a turn.

Isabela then came to greet Dolores. She flipped her long hair as she stood by the bed and said, "Well what do you know? Mariano got the five babies he always wanted."

Dolores let out a tiny humph.

"What?" Isabela asked, curiously.

"He never said he wanted five babies," said Dolores, a matter-of-factly.

Isabela's jaw dropped. "But… you said…" she stammered.

"Yeaahhhh," Dolores said, grinning. "I lied. Mariano said he would be happy with two or three. At the time I just... happened to add those numbers together."

"YOU WHAT!?" Isabela shouted angrily.

Julio and Dario started crying in response.

"Isabela!" Alma exclaimed in shock.

"Isabela turned back to Dolores furiously and said, "You're lucky you just gave birth to twins you...YOU...!" she struggled with her words

Rosita and Ingrid looked at each other and giggled. "They're so close, aren't they?" asked Rosita.

"Yep," said Ingrid, smiling down at Julio in her arms, hugging him sweetly.