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California woke up in the morning. Miguel, Diego and Morgan had bought her a bed. A very big and cozy bed, too. She liked it very much.
Soon she would turn 5. She wondered if her mom would come to her birthday party.
But it seemed like her mom was gone. But California felt like it didn't matter right now. Cause Miguel, Diego and Morgan were kind of like her parents now. Her dads. They did do everything her mom did. They gave her food, they took her to the park, they bought her clothes and toys... and they tucked her to bed every night.
"Hi, California!" Diego said as he stood in the kitchen. "Did you sleep well? I'm making you breakfast!"
"What breakfast?" California asked.
"Bacon and eggs, of course!"
California grinned. Soon enough, Diego got her a plate with bacon and eggs, shaped like a smiley face. He petted her hair.
"All for you!" he said.
"Gracias, papá!"
Diego stopped his tracks. Did he just hear that right? He turned to her.
"...you're welcome."
He then proceeded not to know what to feel or what to say. But soon enough, he started smiling. She called him papá. She saw her as her father? Wow...
He had to sit down for a minute.
Later that day, Morgan was taking California out to the park. He held her hand tightly as they crossed the street.
"So, what do you wanna do first?" Morgan asked.
"Uhm..." California said, "I wanna... climb... and... slide! And swing! And run!"
"Seems like you wanna do everything!"
"Yes! I am gonna gonna do everything!"
Morgan giggled. "Sounds good, insecto."
As they arrived, California immediately ran away to the jungle gym. She climbed up, went down the slide, climbed up again... Morgan decided to look at his phone, just for a second.
When he looked up again, she was nowhere to be seen.
At first, he didn't panic. There were lots of kids running around and she could just be close and he just didn't see her in the crowd. But after a while, something was off. He couldn't see her anywhere... she always wore that blue jacket, that was what made her stick out. But there was no blue jacket in sight.
She couldn't just have disappeared. Then again, Morgan had seen all those documentaries about little kids who just were playing and got kidnapped in just a second.
Ok, now he was getting worried.
"California!"
Oh boy, where is she? Miguel and Diego would never forgive him if he has lost her. He would never forgive himself he has lost her.
He started to think about so many possible things that could have happened her, when he suddenly heard...
"Papá!"
He turned around.
"Papá?!"
California was just 10 meters away. She seemed to be looking for him.
"California!" he called.
She turned her little head and the moment she saw him, she ran towards him with a bright smile.
"Papá!" she giggled as she jumped into his arms. "I couldn't find you!"
"I'm here!" he replied. Though, after a while of hugging, Morgan suddenly realized what she had called him.
Did she see him as her dad?
That night, after California had gone to sleep, the boys sat down on the couch.
"Something amazing happened today," Diego said. "California... she called me papá."
"What!" Morgan exclaimed, "She called me papá as well!"
Both of them gasped.
"Is it possible she sees us as...?" Diego asked. "I mean, it makes sense... we take care of her."
"I'm gonna get teary eyed," Morgan said.
"She hasn't called me papá," Miguel admitted. The others gave him a sympathetic smile.
"She will!" Morgan assured him.
"Yeah, just you wait!" Diego added.
The next day, Miguel had a mission: To make her call him papá. He had to admit, he felt a little jealous she hadn't called him that yet. But nonetheless, he couldn't force her. But he could try and make it happen.
He started early in the morning cooking breakfast for her. Bacon and eggs, that he had formed into a smiley.
"Good morning, California!" he said, "I made you breakfast today!"
"Yay!" California exclaimed, sitting down at the table. Miguel served her the plate, waiting for her to answer. She looked up at him and gave him a smile. "Gracias!"
Miguel stared at her for a moment. He realized she was not gonna say anything more.
He tried his next attempt an hour later.
"California! Do you wanna go get ice cream?" he asked.
California started to jump up and down. "Yes! Yay!"
Miguel smiled. He had planned to have a day out with her today and see if it came naturally.
They went to get ice cream. He bought her an extra large one. He sat down and watched her eat it.
"Do you like ice cream more than candy?" he asked.
"Yes!" California replied.
"I knew it. That's why I took you out for ice cream."
"Gracias!"
"You're welcome, nena."
She concentrated on eating her ice cream, her face getting messy. Miguel grabbed a napkin and wiped it off. Then he took her hand and they took a walk.
California talked to him about everything and he listened. She went on and on, like a four year old does, and he just smiled at her. She was so wonderful. She had brought him a new purpose in life.
She may not call him papá, but he certainly saw her as his daughter. Especially at this moment.
As he held her little hand, he realized he no longer saw her as just the girl he babysat. He saw her as so much more.
That night, the three of them prepared for California to go to sleep. They were standing by her bed, watching as she crawled up her. Diego tucked her in and Morgan quickly fluffed her pillows.
"Are you ready for your bedtime story?" Morgan asked.
"I don't want a bedtime story," California said, "Not tonight."
"Okay," Diego said, "Do you want us to sing anything?"
"No."
"Want us to... sit with you until you fall asleep?" Miguel asked.
"Yes. But only you."
"Only me?"
She nodded. Miguel looked at Diego and Morgan. They just shrugged.
"Alright," Diego said, "If you want Miguel, you're getting him. But can you give us a hug goodnight?"
"Of course!" she cheered and stood up in the bed. She leaned over to hug Diego and then hugged Morgan.
"Sweet dreams, insecto!" Morgan said.
As the others walked out, Miguel made her lay down in bed again.
"So... did you have a good day today?"
"Uh huh!"
"What was your favorite thing?"
California smiled, "I liked... eating ice cream... then walking... then playing a little... and dancing..."
"So you liked everything today?"
"Yeah."
Miguel took her hand, "And you're ready to sleep now?"
California closed her eyes. "Yes... will you stay with me until I fall asleep?"
"Of course."
He continued to hold her hand as he watched her starting to breathe slower, as she fell into sleep.
He then leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"Buenas noches, corazona," he said as he prepared to carefully sneak out.
California turned her little head and squinted her eyes. She looked at Miguel as he was heading at the door. Then she smiled.
"Buenas noches, papá."
Miguel felt his heart warm up. As he went out from her room, he had to go sit down for a moment.
This was really it. It was really confirmed now.
She saw him as her dad. She saw all of them as her dads.
And they are. They are her dads. She is their daughter.
They are a family.