**EJ in the Media**
"Rosa, she's beautiful." Ms. Carina smiled at her. We were back home. Well, our new home. We had to move because of, well, Miracle. We moved out of the city actually. Our closest neighbor is down the block. Luke has all the backyard space he could ever want. I actually started a little garden for Rosa with Eli's help. He had been keeping an eye on it. He and Chelsea actually helped me move in. Because I was with Rosa at the hospital, they took all our stuff, and put it in the new house. I've only actually been there twice in 8 months.
"Thanks Mami. Where's dad?"
"Oh, um. Your father. He, um, "
"Mami, you seem nervous about something. What's wrong?" Carina pulled me to the side and whispered, "Lyric, I can't tell her. I can't break her heart like that. I don't want to see her cry".
"Rosie, your mom and I have something to tell you."
"What is it baby?" I sat down next to her and held her hand.
"Your mom and dad got a divorce Rosa."
"Mami? Is that true?"
"Yes Rosalina. I'm sorry."
"When did this happen?"
"When you were in a coma."
"You wanted the divorce?"
"I did sweetie. Your father treated us horribly. He was holding both of us back."
"I know Mami. I'm proud of you for standing up to him."
"Really!? I did it all for you sweetheart."
"Why Mami?"
"Because you deserve the best mija. I want you and Lyric to be happy and your father was causing drama."
"I love you Mami."
"Te quiero mucho Mija." Carina embraced Rosa in a hug. While they were hugging my phone rang. It was the hospital.
"Hello... Yes this is she... What!?...Yes...Yes we'll be down shortly." I hung up the phone in shock.
"Lyric what's wrong?"
"They got papers lost --- they misfiled."
"Lyric?"
"We have another baby."
"What!?"
"EJ has a twin brother."
..........
How could this happen? Well let me tell you how it happen. I was with Luke when they told me it was time to deliver the baby. Since Rosa was in a coma, the doctors never really checked up on Rosa. Dumb doctors, you would think they check on her more! When they did they kept the ultrasounds to themselves. We just thought it was one baby. When I finally got Luke to sleep EJ had already been born. There was no need to question anything because we didn't know. The hospital misfiled the baby and put his last name as Jackson instead of Johnson. It took them a week to figure it out.
"Ms. Carina can you please stay here with Luke and EJ?"
"Of course Lyric."
"Um, Rosa. We'll call Eli and Chelsea from the car and ask them to pick up a few things for him. Like a carseat, some diapers, bottles. We'll go shopping for the big stuff tomorrow. I still have Luke's crib that he can sleep in tonight before we get him his own."
"We have a son!"
"Yes we do. Now let's go get our son."
..........
"Matías Ángel Johnson." I hated how for a week he's just been Baby Boy Doe. Now he has a name and his family who loves him so very much. Eli and Chelsea met us at the hospital. They couldn't believe that EJ had a twin.
"Thank you guys for getting the baby stuff." Rosa said hugging Chelsea.
"We wouldn't want it any other way. We love helping you. Plus it's good for us. It's good practice." Chelsea immediately covered her mouth.
"Relax Chelsea, we know already." She turned to Eli who turned bright red.
"Eli!! It was suppose to be a surprise."
"You know I'm bad at surprises." Oh! I forgot to mention. Eli and Chelsea got married!! I'm so happy for them. They liked each other for oh so long. I feel so invested in this relationship, and I really don't know why.
"C, is Papa Hill all recovered now?"
"Yep, his doctors cleared him, he can be back to work any day he chooses."
"That's great news. Are you hoping for a boy or girl."
"TWINS!"
"Oh lord." Eli shook his head at her. "Not twins."
"We have twins."
"That's true. But I'm shit at dealing with babies."
"E, you're Luke's godfather."
"But Chels, it's not like you can program what baby you want." Eli ignored my statement.
"Maybe in 20 years." Rosa put a hand on Chelsea's shoulder.
"Baby, I think Matías is tired." I nudged Rosa.
"Oh, let's get him home and get him all set for bed."
"Thanks again guys. Come around the house tomorrow."
"No problem, and definitely."
..........
When we got back to the house Luke was watching EJ. I don't mean babysitting her, I mean he was watching her --- he was staring at her eat. I wasn't really sure why he was doing that but Ms. Carina thought it was hilarious.
"Carina, how long has he been doing that?"
"I'd say 20 minutes."
"Mami, where are you living now?"
"Well your father got the house, so right now a hotel." Rosa and I both looked at each other.
"Mami, you can't stay there."
"I have nowhere else to go mija."
"Carina, we would love for you to stay with us!"
"I couldn't possibly impose on you guys."
"Mami, it's not like we don't have the room. We have plenty of space. Several extra bedrooms." I know you're wondering where I got this money from -- again from the accident settlement --- it was a lot. Drunk politicians tend to pay when they almost kill someone. "Mami! You can be a stay at home abuela while I'm a stay at home mom! We're gonna have so much fun!"
"Are you sure about this Lyric?"
"You're like a mother to me Carina."
"Then, I guess I'm staying."
.........
The next morning I woke up to not one, but two silky voices singing in Spanish. The cadences of their voices were breathtaking. The combinations of their voices were angelic and magical. Rosa's voice all around was mellifluous. I could listen to it all day, whether she was singing or talking. I remember when I first heard her sing.
I opened the door to the bathroom on the second floor of 'Singe Hall'. I didn't have to go to the bathroom, I just wanted to wash my hands. As I walked in I heard this voice singing. It was beautiful. It was hauntingly pure. Who could this be? The girl walked out of the stall and saw me. It was Rosa, Professor Flores's daughter.
"Hi, did you hear me?"
"I'm sorry, yes I did."
"Oh. Was it that bad?"
"It was beautiful Rosa."
..........
I walked downstairs to Rosa and Carina singing and dancing together in the kitchen. They seemed to be salsa dancing. "Rosa, Carina. How long have you been downstairs?"
"About an hour."
"Look at this feast."
"I really love you Lyric."
"I love you so much more Rosa." I picked her up and spun her around. I leant in to kiss her when crying pulled us apart. "I'll get her."
"How do you know it's EJ."
"Intuition."