A Dream Come True
A few days later, it was a warm morning as a group of Pine Hollow students had ridden down to the shore of the nearby river.
Carmen was there too and she was talking to some of her friends who attended the riding school.
Amari heard splashing and saw Daniel flailing his arms in the water.
"Oh no," Amari shouted. "a boy is drowning in the water! And the current is carrying him into the rapids!"
Carmen took her jellies off and made a quick dive into the water.
"I won't let you die in a watery grave!" Carmen exclaimed.
"Do be careful, Carmen." Amari said.
Carmen swam over to Daniel just before he hit the rapids.
Carmen got Daniel to shore safely.
"The fool swallowed a lot of water," Renee Wentworth laughed. "he's done for!"
"Not yet, Renee! I know CPR!" Carmen said to the snooty girl.
Deborah came over to the spot where Carmen was administering CPR on Daniel.
Daniel coughed up some water.
Now, Carmen could see Daniel's face clearly, he had jet black hair.
When Daniel opened his eyes, Carmen saw that they were green.
"Good job, Carmen." Deborah praised.
"Thanks, Deborah." Carmen said.
"Thank you." Daniel signed to Carmen.
"I'm Carmen," Carmen said to Daniel. "tell me, what's your name?"
Daniel got to his knees and wrote his name in the sand.
Daniel saw his two best friends running toward him.
"Daniel! Are you all right, Buddy?" EJ asked, also signing.
"I'm fine now, EJ," Daniel signed. "thanks to Carmen."
"Oh, why did this happen on my watch," Deborah said worriedly. "Daniel, I'm afraid Max and I will have to surrender custody of you over to our good friends in the Moondance clan, the childless Minelli couple, Megan and Angelus."
"I understand, Deborah." Daniel signed.
That evening, Daniel was in his bedroom getting his bags ready to go.
When Max entered the doorway.
"Are you ready to go?" Max asked and signed to Daniel.
"Yes, Max," Daniel signed. "I am ready to go meet my new parents."
That evening at the celebration of Carmen reaching adulthood and Daniel transitioning from a Montegue to a Minelli due to officially being adopted by Angelus and Megan.
Lisa and Rafael stood proudly watching as Carmen celebrated with her friends.
"I always knew she could do it." Lisa said.
"Oh, I did too," Rafael smiled. "she is my sister after all."
"Daniel seems to be a fine young man." Lisa said.
"Yes, he has more than earned his place in the clan," Rafael agreed. "and, I don't think that Carmen is going to have to worry about Lavinia again for a long time."
"You won't hear me complaining about that," Lisa said. "I just hope that she will eventually grow up some and realize that the world doesn't revolve around her."
"We can only hope," Rafael nodded. "now, I have something to ask you, my dear."
"What?" asked Lisa
Rafael turned and smiled at Lisa, giving a little bow, "May I have this dance?" he asked.
"Of course you may." Lisa said to Rafael.
As Lisa and Rafael danced, Angelus and his wife, Megan were also there watching with smiles on their faces as their new son Daniel danced with Carmen.
"I never thought I would see this day, after the miscarriage," Megan said. "but here we are finally parents we finally have a son."
"Yeahm we do," Angelus said, putting his arm around his wife while looking every bit the proud father that he was.
"But you know, Max and Deborah should get off their own backs about what happened," Megan said. "it was an accident and one accident certainly doesn't make you bad parents or guardians!"
"Which is exactly what I told them," Angelus nodded. "they'll do fine with their own child and the kid will be lucky to have to good people like them for parents."
"And our son will do great things!" Megan smiled.
Daniel and Carmen stopped their dance and went over to the refreshment table for a snack.
While they enjoyed their snack, Daniel and Carmen saw a shooting star streaking across the night sky.
