CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE

The test that they took a few days later was positive and they positively beamed with happiness as they went about all the fun and work of caring for a house full of children.

Flip had taken a liking to Cena and Neto , following Neto around like a shadow, often accompanied by his friend Jose, the boy his own age. Armando and Amelia were at the Casa nearly daily, often with the two younger daughters, the elder away at University now. The ten year old boy, Francisco, or Cisco as he was called, was the brother of the 5 year old, Fernando {Nando} and for some reason had attached himself and his brother to Armando and Amelia, so much so that it was no surprise when at the end of the week Armando announced that he had asked the boys to let him adopt them and they had said yes. The gruff man was so happy to have sons to love that he dissolved in tears when he told Neto and Cena. And they in turn declared that they would not only raise Flip, their nephew but would adopt Jose, both claiming they didn’t want to separate the boys and they needed some one young to love again.

Everything was falling into place. David had become so enamoured of the tiny baby he began calling Adriana, since no one knew her name, and Janet was won over the first time she held the baby and felt the tiny hands pressed against her face.

It took Sebastien and Maddie a little longer to fall in love with Nicole, Maddie first, as she took care of the dainty, smiling child, giving her a name and playing with her on the grass, encouraging Seb to hold her and feed her and laughing with delight when he began to seek the child out. He was smitten and Maddie was overjoyed.

For Carlos and Gerry it was love at first sight when they went to the nursery to help out and Annabella laughed and reached out for them to pick her up.

Urs was worried. He had fallen, hard, for the beautiful little girl he thought of as Soshi and thought that if she was sent away to live with someone else it would break his heart. She reminded him so much of Elena, her green eyes and dark hair a sign of Mayan or Inca ancestry, her good nature and constant laugh so much like his darling wife…. but she said nothing to him about the child…until one afternoon when Armando mentioned that a friend might be willing to adopt the last little girl and he saw Elena pale and quickly leave the room.

He followed her out and found her in the music room, weeping and curled up in one of the chairs.

“Baby, what is it? Please tell me, I can’t stand to see you upset.”

She shook her head and cried even harder and he held her letting her cry it out.

“The baby…I don’t want her to go to someone else. I’m sorry Urs… it’s a lot to ask of you, a baby on the way and now this, but I want her so much.”

He hugged her and kissed the top of her head.

“Her name is Soshi…..Soshi Buhler, at least that’s the way I’ve been thinking of her all week. It would break my heart too if we lost her.”

She drew back out of his arms and began to cry again.

“Urs Buhler, I love you so much.”

She wound her hands in his hair and pulled his head down to ravage his mouth until he couldn’t breath and he sank into a chair with her still in his arms and their mouths still joined.

“Wow…. If this is how having babies makes you act then maybe we should aim for 12, instead of 6.”

She leapt to her feet with a giggle and took his hands to pull him to his feet.

“C’mon Papa….. let’s go claim our little treasure before someone else snatches her away.”

**

It was nearly a week later and many, many cursing, bargaining, pleading and threatening phone calls and e.mails from Simon before the Il Divo entourage arrived back in the UK. They went directly to Simon’s office as ordered and when the stunned silent receptionist opened his office doors, the couples all entered wearing huge grins and each of the men carrying an adorable baby girl dressed for the Easter Parade in a pretty gown, white shoes, lacy hair ribbons or bands and nearly toothless smiles.

Simon had been rising from behind his desk to begin a rant but flopped back in the seat as the Ladies sat down and the babies were placed in their Mother’s arms while the Papa’s faced Mr. Nasty with grins, sitting on the arms of the chairs with an arm stretched protectively over the back.

He keyed on his intercom and stared at the men as he spoke to his receptionist/secretary.

“Nancy, I’m going to be busy for a while. Cancel my next meeting…Please.”

He leaned back in his chair and folded his hands over his chest.

“Gentlemen… what in Hell have you lot been up to?”