Madrid Squad

Reunion

   "Ate Mikaila!" Noelle pointed, spotting her cousin and aunt in the midst of an ocean of people.

   "Mikaila! Auntie! Uncle!" waved Amir excitedly, jumping up and down trying to catch their attention.

   Queenie turned her head to the familiar voices and taps the shoulder of her sister and husband earning her daughter's attention as well. They turned to the kid's direction and faster than the speed of light, Mikaila was enveloped in her cousins' arms.

   The three adults follow after her pushing two trolleys stuffed with bags. Kylie quickly ran to her sisters and embraced them.

   "I missed you, guys!"

   "Same to you, Ate," joked Zhen.

   "Zherileen," Queenie gave her a look, "I missed you, Bulldog."

   "Usamamir," Kylie acknowledged.

   "Hello, Kylie," he nodded. "Ruru."

   Ruru waved with one hand and carried the baby with another, "Hey, Bro."

   "Mommy! Mommy, can we go to that nice restaurant by the park again, please?" bounced Mikaila, pleading her mother.

   "Well, Darling, only if everyone agrees that it's okay," she responds.

   Mikaila along with her two cousins looked at the adults with their cute little Padilla eyes, "Abu, Auntie Zhen, Auntie Kylie, Uncle Ruru, please?"

   "You forgot to ask Silas," kidded Ruru shifting the baby's position.

   She giggled, "Little Silas, do you wanna go to that restaurant by the park so your Ate and Kuya and I can play?"

   Silas, being such a happy baby, took Mikaila's words as a little game to make him laugh. He smiled and let out a little giggle.

   "Silas said yes!" Noelle happily thrust her fist in the air.

   "If the baby says yes, then so does everybody," Zhen smiled.
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   "Marner, wanna join us?" Amir cooed his brother.

   "Bud, your brother's name is Silas Emilio not Marner. Where in the world did you get Marner?" Ruru snickered.

   Amir shrugged, "The book."

   "What book?" asked Usamamir rather intrigued, hoping the particular book the boy mentions will be 'Mikaila-approved' and will get her to actually read.

   "Silas Marner, Uncle," he replies before running off to the playground.

   Zhen eyed the baby, "Did you name him after that book, Ate?"

   "Nope, Silas is named after the guy in the Bible, the one who accompanied the Apostle Paul in his second missionary trip," Kylie replied.

   The three nodded, not really knowing anything about the Bible.

   "So, Zhen, what are you plans now that you're done with college?" Ruru asked.

   Zhen laughed, "Wow! I didn't think it was possible that anyone could sound that much like Papa."

   "Did I really sound like Papa?"

   Queenie muffled a laugh, nodding.

   "I'm planning on taking six months before applying for a job, take some time off," she coolly replies.

   "Look at you, all grown up," Queenie teased.

   "Mama!" exclaimed Amir as he and his two companions ran towards the table with their tomato-red, sweaty faces.