Another Look

Chapter 17

"Gabriela and Timoteo, can you please come to the kitchen, there's something we need to talk to you about," Paris said, her hands crossed on the table determinedly, preparing herself to have the talk with her kids.

Finn sat opposite to her at the dinner table, his leg bouncing nervously under the table, as the two kids quickly took their usual seats as well.

"We have some news," she began, hoping this would go over smoothly. "Remember how you dad married Jessica just before Christmas?" Paris continued.

"Yea, we flew to California for that," Timoteo replied.

"Finn and I have decided to get married, so we are also going to have a wedding," Paris continued.

"So there's going to be a party? Can I wear a pink dress?" Gabriela asked.

"Yes, and sure you can wear a pink dress," Paris replied patiently.

"Does that mean Finn is going to be our dad?" Timoteo inquired after a brief moment. He had always been the more emotional and slightly introvert of the twins, while Gabriela was more outgoing and outspoken.

"Your dad will still be your dad even if he is in California, but I suppose I will sort of be like your dad, but you don't have to call me that. Finn is fine," Finn replied, looking at Paris in approval.

"Finn is going to be living with us," Paris added, making sure they got the concept.

"But where is he going to sleep?" Gabriela asked worriedly.

Finn almost laughed at the cuteness of that question, yet he managed to keep a straight face.

"This will mean that we are going to move. The place is too small for us. Leah will also come to live with us some of the time," Paris explained.

"Are we getting our own rooms?" Gabriela exclaimed hopefully.

"That will depend on the house, but we will try to find something like that, yes," Paris replied.

"Can I go finish my puzzle?" Timoteo asked, the topic at hand already becoming too boring for him.

"Of course you can," she replied.

"That went better than I expected," Finn sighed after the kids had moved to the living room. 6-year-olds were still unfamiliar terrain for him, what had worked a couple of times didn't necessarily work with them the next time. He was always a little bit on edge with them trying to figure out how to behave around them. Too familiar might have been too much like trying to replace their father, and too distant wouldn't be involved enough, there was a balance that needed practice.

"Well, I think it's too soon to judge, their brains work differently than ours. They need time to digest it, and they might not realize that all of what it involves," Paris tried to explain cautiously.

Her parenting approach was largely book-based and practice adapted. She could throw facts and theories around like nobody's business applying them capably. Finn adored this about her, he learned from her a number of things already and that without actually having to work for it. He knew that everything he learned he'd also get a chance to apply to Leah.

***

"So Rory, how have you been?" Cara asked, beginning another session.

"Alright I guess. I am really happy how the book is coming along and actually I want to ask you to read it from a professional point of view just in case to make sure there is nothing flawed in it," Rory replied.

"It's a little unusual position I suppose, but I can give it a try," she agreed, adding, "but that aside, I would still like to know what you are feeling - did speaking about all this publicly influence you in any way?"