Little Havana Nights

Just Like Old Times

By 2002, both Hernandez couples each had another child. Ariel and Cassandra had another daughter, Felicidad Hermosa Hernandez, born May 3rd 2001, while Gabriel and Danielle had a daughter of their own, Orquidea Fatima (after the flower Orchid, because the venue was decorated with white orchids on their wedding day, and Fatima being Danielle's middle name) born on November 15th 2001.

The families went to Germany for the first time in more than a year and a half after the release of their last song "Morena".

The bands sang their respective 1996 signature songs in a Summery setting where many sat on concrete steps to watch them, they danced, and some people were even in the pool. No Mercy also sang what would be their last song for a few years, "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood".

The Hernandez wives were in the audience watching their husbands perform while dancing with their children in the VIP section.

They vacationed for a week in Paris before returning to Miami. The parents were always wanting to pick them up from the airport so that they could see their beautiful grandchildren. Olivia was a sweet 2 year old, if a little cheeky sometimes. But it was obvious that she loved her baby sister very much. The Hernandez children loved watching their parents on TV, while also watching the musical acts their parents grew up with. When Cassandra and Danielle would visit one another with their children, they'd dance to ABBA with them, just like they did in their teens and early 20s before they got married.

But 2002 was also a sombre year for the Hernandez family. Jose died, and Hortensia was beside herself. Yes, their marriage wasn't the best one, hence her always exhorting her children to have a better marriage, but they still loved each other, and she was the one who had to make the dreaded announcement.

The funeral came and went, with Cassandra putting her and Ariel's daughters down for a nap once they got home.

"It was heroic the way he took me and Gabriel out of Cuba." He said, when Cassandra sat down next to him to comfort him. "You didn't miss out on anything in having no memory of Cuba. It's something I will always be grateful to my father for. Because if he hadn't, we wouldn't have a better life, and I wouldn't have met you."

Cassandra smiled sympathetically. Gabriel made that very same remark to Danielle while she comforted him in his grief. They couldn't believe he was gone, and even though it was sometimes embarrassing, they did miss the little banters between himself and Hortensia.

In time, the grief faded, and everyone was able to move on. The children were growing up before their very eyes! Soon, they were off to school, attending the same school their parents went to.

Olivia was a pretty and popular girl who always looked after her little sister. Gabriel and Danielle's daughter Orquidea was also popular and she and Olivia often got leading roles in school plays.

Felicidad was more interested in the visual arts than in performing, clearly inheriting that from her father. Oftentimes she'd painted with her father, which was her favorite activity to do with him while as a way of bonding.

Olivia loved playing with dolls and wanted to walk the Paris catwalks just like her mother did. She inherited the modelling and dance talents from her mother, and sometimes they're put on music and play "catwalk". Often Felicidad would join in too.

One way Felicidad would bond with her mother was when they'd put on makeup together. That's what ignited an interest in makeup artistry in Felicidad.

"Mi hermosa princesa." Cassandra would tell her daughter.

Meanwhile, Orquidea was the one following her parents' and uncle and aunt's footsteps musically. She had a sweet little voice that only got better as she grew up. Valentino would sometimes help her rehearse for school plays. Many of the children at the school were Hispanic so there was a Hispanic flavor in many aspects of their schooling, just like with their parents.

One day, 10 year old Valentino and 7 year old Orquidea were in prominent roles for a Spanish recital that the school was putting on for National Hispanic Heritage Month. The school children were from various parts of Latin America so Valentino and Orquidea, naturally represented Cuba.

Gabriel and Danielle, sitting with the other parents, watched proudly as their children performed, representing their roots. Ariel and Cassandra attended the performance as well, especially since their own daughters had prominent parts too. But it was Valentino's and Orquidea's time to shine, and their parents were so proud of them.