Right On Track

Chapter 97

"Ready?" Carlos asked Kiara as they stood in the living room.
She took a shaky breath and nodded."Yep."
Christmas dinner had just ended,everyone all spending time together at Kiara's mother's house in Austria. For the past weeks,Carlos and Kiara had been deciding when to break the news to their parents about the baby. And they had decided that this night would be the best.
"How are you not nervous right now?"Kiara asked Carlos as they started to walk towards the dining room where everyone sat.
"Oh,I'm nervous. Mostly about your dad."He said and passed Kiara the little box they would have everyone unwrap to see the surprise inside.
Kiara looked down at the box and tightly smiled."Well.. I'm also thinking about what your parents are going to think."
"They'll be going crazy. In a good way."He smiled."They love kids."
Kiara hoped so as she got a little less nervous. She felt his hand soon grab onto hers as they entered the dining room,where everyone was engaged in chats or jokes.
Elijah ran into the room at the same time as Carlos and Kiara,too. He immediately ran over and hugged Carlos,then Kiara. "Alora said that you two are staying here longer after Christmas."
"We are,niño." Carlos grinned and ruffled up Elijah's hair. "And we have a surprise too."
"What surprise?"He demanded and pointed a plastic gun at them,one Toto had gifted him.
"You'll see soon."Kiara winked.
Elijah pouted,but soon lost interest and ran back to Alora,who sat at the table with everyone else.
Kiara and Carlos walked over to the long table and stopped behind their mothers,giving each other one last look of assurance.
Then,Carlos said."So,we have one more gift. And this one is for everyone altogether."
"Oh?"Carlos' mother, Reyes, smiled and looked over her shoulder at them.
Kiara handed her the little box,saying."Everybody will have a turn to unwrap a piece,and the person who finally reaches the opening of the box has to read the note out."
"Okay."Toto said from across the table. Kiara wanted to see him,her dad of all people,react to this.
Reyes unwrapped the first layer of wrapping paper,then passed it on the Kiara's mother. After,it went to Carlos's dad and Elijah. The process continued on and on. Everyone only grew more excited as they didn't land on the last bit of wrapping paper.
Kiara looked up at Carlos. He smiled down at her and gave her hand a comforting squeeze, letting her know that everything would be fine.
At that moment, she almost sighed heavy and thought. God,I love this man.
Then,Kiara heard her dad say."Oh,I landed on it."
She immediately looked towards him in surprise,knowing that he would now be the first to see the note and ultrasound pictures. Even Carlos' eyes went wide.
Toto opened pulled off the last of the wrapping paper and started to open the box. He reached in and pulled out the note. "So,I just read it out?"
"Yes..."Kiara nodded,shifting closer to Carlos and biting her lip to hide her smile.
"Okay," He cleared his throat and unfolded the note. "To everyone sitting here,our most beloved family members, we would like to announce-"
He immediately went silent and stared blankly at the note.
"What?" Alora asked with a frown.
"What's wrong?" Ana,Carlos's sister,asked in concern.
Reyes looked back at Carlos,along with Kiara's mother.
Toto just slowly looked towards Kiara."Is this...Some prank of yours?"
"No."Kiara said with a smile,letting her expression be genuine.
He slumped back in his chair,covering his face with his hands as he murmured a few words of disbelief in German.
"Let me see."Carlos' dad said and took the note.
And as soon as he read it too,his reaction was exactly like Toto's. He quickly looked at Carlos dead in the eye."Are you playing with us, boy?"
"No."Carlos assured him calmly, quickly shaking his head.
Silence passed over the room and everyone shared a few confused glances.
"I..." Toto dropped his hands from his face and looked at Carlos Sr. "We..."
"We're going to be grandfathers!"Carlos Sr exclaimed loudly and jumped up in his seat.
"What?!" Reyes demanded.
They threw the note towards her. And then there was a loud gasps from both the mothers who sat together.
Alora,Ana and Blanca grabbed the box and immediately searched it. They pulled out the strip of paper.
The ultrasound images.
And then Alora screamed. "Oh my God!"
Ana exclaimed in Spanish and everyone stood up.
"What's happening?"Elijah frowned.
But nobody really answered him,not as Kiara watched her mother begin to cry,then her father suddenly spun around and ran off into the kitchen in disbelief.
Reyes finally stood up. And immediately pulled Kiara into a hug.

As Kiara hugged her back, both holding back tears, Carlos smiled.