Pedro Pascal Character Imagines

It Takes a Village Part 2 (Javier Pena)

Summary: Javi is trying to give Alicia a normal childhood which means she has to go to school.

"Alicia! Darse prisa! (Hurry up!) We're going to be late!" Javier called to his daughter.

She came run the stairs, her backpack on her back. She ran over to Chucho. "Que tengas un buen día Abuelo (Have a good day Grandpa)." She kissed him on the cheek.

"Have a good day, pequeño (little one). Make some friends and pay attention."

Javier led her to the truck. As much as he loved his father's truck, he missed his Jeep. He needed to drive up to Hebbronville one day and buy one.

They pulled up to the elementary school and Javier helped his daughter out.

Today was Alicia's first day of second grade and Javier was more scared than when he was hunting for Escobar.

They went to the office.

"Oh! Mr. Peña!" the secretary said.

She came around and said, "This must be your daughter. Little Alicia. If you'll follow me."

They came to a door in the second-grade wing.

"This is Miss Cox's class."

The secretary knocked on the door and a brunette woman answered the door.

"You must be Alicia Peña. We've been expecting you." Miss Cox held out her hand and Alicia took it as they walked inside. She led her over to a cubby.

"You can put your stuff right here, okay?" Miss Cox helped her take her backpack off and grab her school supplies out. "Brian will your desk buddy."

Alicia sat down across from the young boy.

Javier stood there awkwardly.

Miss Cox walked over to him. "She'll be okay. I promise."

Javier rubbed the back of his neck. "Did they tell you? About...?"

Miss Cox nodded. "They explained everything. We have quite a few children and staff that speak Spanish in case we need a translator."

"I just worry about her..."

"She's your first, isn't she?"

Javier blushed. "Is it that obvious?"

Miss Cox laughed. "Parents are always like this when it comes to their first. But she'll be okay. Look."

Alicia was already laughing and playing the other kids.

"You're welcome to stay for a little while. If it'll make you feel better."

"No...no. She looks like she's doing fine."

"We'll see you at three then."

"Yeah."

The house was quiet without Alicia babbling in her mix of Spanish and broken English. Even Chucho found he missed the little girl when they went out to tend to the farm.

Javier showed up at the school a half hour later than the other parents, having lost track of time while helping his father. "I am so sorry," Javier apologized to her teacher.

"Javier, calm down. Why don't you sit down?"

Javier leaned up against the small desks. "I suck at this."

"All things considered, Alicia is very well adjusted. You should have more faith in her ability to speak and understand English. She's actually very fluent. She falls back to Spanish because it's comfortable for her. It's easier for her to express herself that way."

"Miss Cox..."

"Madeline, please."

"Madeline. It's just...none of this has been easy for me."

"I don't imagine it has. You take down Escobar and then you go back thinking you're just gonna take down Cali. You never expected to come back with a little girl. Especially one so independent already. Being an adoptive father is never easy. No matter who you are."

"You talk like you have experience."

"I was adopted at 10 years old. My parents were in France volunteering with the Peace Corps. They visited an orphanage one day and saw me. So I understand what Alicia is going through. Being in a new country with a new family and not speaking much English."

Alicia came running in and ran to Javier. "Papa!"

Javier scooped her up and kissed her cheeks. "Ready to go home?"

Alicia nodded.

"Have a good night, Javier, Alicia," Madeline said, "And Javier? I'm always here if you want to talk to someone."

"Thank you, Madeline." Javier carried Alicia out to the truck. He was going into town tomorrow to buy a new car and then he was going to ask Madeline Cox out for dinner.