The States

Eureka

Eureka
eu·re·ka
exclamation
a cry of joy or satisfaction when one finds or discovers something.
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February 27, 1848
Alta California
Some of the states had been taking bets on whether it would be a girl or a boy, light-haired or dark, blue-eyed or brown, that sort of thing. Texas, the only one who knew what California looked like, kept his mouth shut.

Alfred had expected that Mexico would have her. He had expected that Mexico would hand her over after he won the war.

He had not expected that Lora would not know where the young personification of Alta California was.

He had not expected to hear Mexico say that she hadn't see Alta California in years, since before the failed Republic.

So now he was going from coastal town to coastal town, because Mexico had said she did remember that Alta California liked the ocean. She had also said that Texas might know where she is. (He hadn't. Tex also said he hadn't seen the Alta since about 1820, fifteen years before his revolution. He also said that he and California had not gotten along well to begin with.)
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He finds Alta California on a beach.

She looks at him with lonely eyes the color of honey and doesn't say anything.

Calypso, he names her.

After the lonely goddess, banished to an island.

March 3, 1848
Alta California
California is young. And scrawny. And horribly lonely- the worst part is that she was used to it.

Alfred sent off a letter to Sera informing her to cancel any meetings he had for the next couple of months. California needed someone to stay with her.

March 7, 1848
Alta California
Callie has accepted that she isn't Mexico's anymore, that she is America's now.

Sometimes, she misses it. Being called Valentina and being sung Spanish lullabies.

March 19, 1848
Alta California
The day California hands him a lump of gold he just stares at her.

She shifts from foot to foot. "It's gold. I find it sometimes."

Alfred stares at her for a few minutes before he crouches down to her eye level. "How would you like to have settlers?"

Her eyes widen. "Would I get bigger if I had more people?"

America nodded. Her small population was probably part of the reason she was so scrawny and short. "If I show this to some people, I think they would come here. Can I show it to people?"

California nods frantically.

1848
Alta California
America says Hey Cal, wanna go on an adventure? and Cal doesn't think he's being serious.

He is, and she gets a new sister out of it. Charlie's eyes remind her of Carmen's- except Carmen's are blue and brown and Charlie's are blue and green.

The government says Alta California is too big, so they divide it.

It hadn't hurt as much as she thought it would. When they pulled Gabe and Jax and her apart, it had burned and ached and Callie had felt like she was dying. Lora had held them all, even though they were getting too big to hold all of them. She had held them and they had cried.