Suddenly, Unexpectedly

CHAPTER ONE - P E T R I C H O R

P E T R I C H O R

(noun.) the pleasant, earthly smell after rain.

It was a distinctive smell, a welcoming smell. Dark clouds enclosed the previously bright sun. At last, rain would fall from the Mexican sky and alleviate the rare draught that had covered Pachuca's neighboring lands on what was meant to be a rainy season. She could hear the children's laughter fill the streets and the echoes of the older generation thanking the higher powers for the welcomed refresher. It would not last long; it never did; mothers would usher their kids inside, scolding them for getting wet. However, for the next ten to twenty minutes, the children would rejoice at mother nature's gift.

"Juju! Juju! It's finally raining!"

She laughed at the term of endearment she had garnered during her initial first days in the city. It was short for Juliana, her actual name. While the adults in the area knew her by her as Doctora Valdés, the neighborhood children had nicknamed her 'Juju' after some internet dance sensation had globally trended. In all truth, she was always four steps behind when it came to the online world or the latest trends, but she welcomed the nickname.

"And why aren't you playing in it, Carla" she teased the seven-year-old girl.

"Wey! Come join us, Juju, before mama comes to get us!" The young brown-eyed girl grinned, her hands extended, urging the Mexican Doctor to join her and the other children.

"Voy!" Juliana attempted to ease the girl's enthusiasm. "I'm coming...but, remember I have to head back to the clinic soon," she warned, not just the kid but herself, knowing that in this welcomed surprise, she could easily get caught up in the joy of it all.

"Vamos!" Carla squealed, taking the older woman's hand into her small one and dragging her through the paved street. Soon enough, they were surrounded by a dozen or so other kids who lived in nearby houses, the shrieks and squeals adding to the sound of those of the downpour. At times like this, she often was reminded of the choices she had made that had landed her in this position, a position she was eternally grateful for.

"Carla Maria Perez, what in the world are you doing?" Echoed a frustrated voice through the giggles and laughter. Juliana couldn't help but laugh herself, for she had now found herself in this scenario more often than she could care to admit. As serious and dependable as Juliana was with her job, everyone in the neighborhood knew that children were her weakness. It was her love for children, after all, that had led to her profession—the idea of being able to bring such incredible joy into the world.

"Rosa!" The young Doctor greeted the figure standing underneath the umbrella. Rosa's patience seemed to be running thinner and thinner, most likely exacerbated by the fact that she was well into her trimester of pregnancy.

"I'm sorry," Juliana apologized, "Carla was helping me bring some items from my car into the clinic, and we caught ourselves in the middle of this downpour." The Doctor sheepishly attempted to lie, the young girl now hiding behind her, trying to contain her giggle. It was a running joke in the neighborhood. Everyone knew Juliana Valdés was the worst liar in town, perhaps driven by her the nature of her profession. Or maybe it was the fact that Juliana indeed was one of the most sincere humans to step foot in Pachuca.

"Don't start, Doctora, remember, I am a proud owner of a chancla, and I do not care how old you are; I am not afraid to use it." The mother jokingly teased, her eyebrows creasing together. "You of all people should know rain could get you sick," her words directed to both the Doctor and her daughter by the way her warning finger danced from Juliana to Carla.

Aware of how serious her mother was and her inability to let the Doctor get the chancla, truthful or not, Carla sheepishly smiled at the Doctor and rushed underneath her mom's umbrella.