The Good Life

Chapter 83

Marla held onto Rosie’s hand on their way to the airport with her older nephew on the other side of her.

”Momma..why are they taking pictures of us?” Rosie asked her mother.

”Well…baby…” Marla paused looking at Bruno looking for help. ”They take pictures of special people and you are a special person.” Marla told her daughter.

”But, momma..they don’t take pictures of Zaccy. Britta and Simon…” she said talking about her cousins.

”Well, baby…you are just even more special than they are.” she said hugging her daughter tightly as they passed by the paparazzi so they couldn’t see her face. Shit. I wanna put a blanket over her head or give her a mask. Marla thought as they passed through the metal detectors. Bruno grabbed onto Rosie pulling her thorough the metal detector pulling out a pair of bright pink Ray Bans for her to put on.

”Mi amor..put these on.” Bruno said to his daughter.

”But daddy..if I’m special why don’t you want them to see my eyes?” Rosie asked him.

Bruno bent down looking into her eyes so free from the press and what they had written about them- recently they had noticed small stories about Bruno being with girls while on tour. While, not far from the truthi n the past- obviously- it couldn’t have been farther from the truth this time around. He just continued to cross his fingers hoping no one ever found out about Madison. ”Rosie..you’re so special that me and your mom want to keep you just for ourselves. So, that’s why you need to keep these on, okay?” he told her. She smiled at him nodding her head.

**

About six hours later the large group got off their plane walking through the airport in Hawaii. They were welcomed by hula dancers and leis. Marla and Bruno put their leis on Rosie who twisted them around her neck as they walked through the terminal. Marla held onto Rosie as they walked suddenly feeling Rosie’s hand let go and her start to run down the long hallway seeing her grandmother.

”Shit.” Bruno said under his breath. ”She’s gonna have to be a runner.” Bruno ran toward her daughter seeing her jump into his mother’s arms.

”Grandmaaaa…guess what?” Rosie asked her grandmother.

”What my love?”

”My mom is gonna have two babies! And I’m gonna have a br….”

”Woah..hi mom!” Bruno stopped his daughter from telling the small family secret.

”Well, I wonder where she got that from.” Bernie answered hugging them tightly.

”Well, it certainly wasn’t me.” Marla laughed as they walked to get their bags. Bruno was stopped a few times taking pictures with people in the airport as they walked to his mother’s car. Her family rented a car and would meet them at the house.

”So…this surprise. Are you all going to tell us about it? Are there like eight babies in there? Marla…you are huge.” Bernie laughed.

”Hey!” Marla laughed.

”But, baby…you’re pretty pregnant.” Bruno said kissing his wife’s cheek. ”No, you’re going to have to wait until tonight like everyone else, mom.” Bruno smiled.

”Grandma! I’m naming them Dora and Dexter!” Rosie exclaimed hearing their conversation. Marla and Bruno both smacked their faces in embarrassment.

”Rosie! That was our secret!” Marla said grabbing her daughter’s hands.

”But that’s what I named them.” Rosie answered.

”Oh, dear.” Marla sighed.

”It’s okay. It can stay in the car.” Bernie said trying to hold back her tears.

”Mom…don’t cry.” Bruno told her reaching over to touch his mother’s shoulder.

”It’s just…they’re the first twins…..” Bernie answered. ”Like….in the family…and now I have to go to the store to get another cake.”

”Cake?” Marla asked. ”But no shrimp.” she laughed.

”Seriously though, mom. She’ll rip your head off.” Bruno told his mother.

”I remember. There’s no fish…” she laughed as they got out of the car. Rosie ran to the backyard where the beach was toward the water before they had a chance to stop her.

”Rosalia!” Bruno exclaimed throwing a bag toward Marla trying to run down the stairs to the beach in flip flops. He saw Rosie running toward the water putting her feet in the water dropping her body toward the water laughing. She turned around smiling at her dad splashing in the water. ”What are you doing?” he asked her trying to decide if he was angry at her or just surprised by how fast she moved.

”Daddy….we’re on vacation. I’m playing.” she said throwing water at him.

”Oh….we are. You’re right.” he picked her up holding her tightly walking further in the water playing with her. After a few minutes he heard Marla and Lisa’s voices in the distance. He turned to see them staring at him and his daughter shaking their heads. Marla opened up a giant beach towel for her daughter to dry off in. Rosie ran to her mother hugging her around the waist throwing herself into the towel.

”Momma…I just need to stay here to get warm. I’m not gonna get sick. No, no, no. She sang.” Marla let go of Rosie seeing Bruno walking toward her with a sly smile on his face.

”I swear to god, Peter Hernandez! If you get near me when you’re soaking wet and full of sand and salt…ahhhhhhh….” she started to scream as he wrapped his arms around her kissing her neck. Lisa grabbed Rosie’s hand walking her toward her children as Bruno held onto Marla.”Get off me now..you made a point…” she said half joking. He loosened his grip smiling at her.

”Mar…I love you.” he leaned in with his wet hair falling in her face kissing her.