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Charlotte appeared in Carlos’s life out of nowhere one tuesday morning, all of seven years old and knowing no more about how or why she was there than he did. Somehow, by way of some absurd and obscure law or statute or something, Carlos became her guardian. And when that happened, Charlotte became Lottie.
Remus popped up out of nowhere, too. The way Cecil told it, Intern Calvin had found him one day and brought him into the station. When Intern Calvin died a tragic death by Khoshekh-poison later that day, care of the little boy fell to Cecil.
At some point along the line, the two decided to combine their parent-being efforts, which is how the four of them all came to be living in Carlos’s house near the centre of town.
The September following brought complications to Carlos’s life that he had never anticipated having to deal with, namely having to shape his entire life around sending a pair of first graders to school.
Magdalena called him one thursday afternoon in late September. Or maybe it was early October, he wasn’t sure anymore. He was waiting in front of the school to pick up Lottie and Remus, maybe he’d ask them what month it was when they got in the car.
"Hey, Magdalena, I really don’t have time to talk," he greeted.
"Got a date with Cecil or something?" Magdalena asked. “I know his show’s not on ‘till later, Ana asked him at Christmas."
"No, no, it’s not that," said Carlos. “It’s -"
"Great, you can talk, then!"
"Magda, I really -"
"Daddy, Lottiewon’t stop hitting me with the fish!" Remus shouted as he slammed the car door behind him.
"Daddy, Remus won’t stop getting in the way of my fish!" Lottie countered, slamming her own door.
"Oh my god, Charlotte May, where the hell did you get a fish?" asked Carlos, forgetting for a moment that his sister was on the line.
"Who are you talking to, Carlitos?" Magdalena asked innocently.
"The kids," Carlos answered, “and no, we are not having this conversation now."
"Since when do you have kids? Or are they Cecil’s? Did you pull an Ana and marry a guy who already had kids? Oh my God, did you marry Cecil? Is that why you’re picking up his children from somewhere? School?"
"What part of we-are-not-having-this-convesation-right-now means ask me eighty questions about the thing we are not discussing?" replied Carlos.
"All of it, big brother," Magdalena replied.
"Lena, I have to deal with this fish thing," Carlos declared. “I’m hanging up on you."
"Who was that?" the kids asked in unison when he threw his phone onto the passenger’s seat.
"That was Aunt Magdalena and we are still discussing the fish," said Carlos. “Where is it and where did it come from?"
Lottie handed him what appeared to be a whole dead salmon. “Mr. Glow Cloud came in today for career week."
“Oh," said Carlos, setting the fish down on the seat next to him, being careful not to put it on top of his phone. “Well no hitting, okay? And speaking of career week, Daddy Cecil’s going with you tomorrow."
"Yay!"
“And we’re going to the station now because he left his dinner on the table by the door again."
"Yay!"
"But we’re not staying."
"Aww."
Two days later - about two days longer than Carlos was expecting, actually - Ana called.
"Why were there children in your car when Magdalena called?" she began.
"Hi, Ana, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?" responded Carlos.
"Carlos," Ana said sternly.
"I was picking them up from school," Carlos answered. “And no, they aren’t Cecil’s from a previous relationship and no we aren’t married. They just showed up one day - well, two days - and we ended up taking care of them."
"And their names are?" prompted Ana.
"Lottie and Remus," said Carlos.
"And you’re bringing them to meet everyone at Thanksgiving?"
"I don’t know if Cecil can get away."
"And you’re sure you’re not married?"
"Positive."
"Okay. See you at Thanksgiving."
"Ana!"
"Are you at home? Are the kids there? Can I talk to one of them?"
"Yeah. Hey, Lottie!"
"Yeah, Dad?" Lottie replied, looking up from her math work.
"D’you want to talk to my sister for a bit? She’s very loud and very annoying and very much wants to meet you and your brother."
"Okay! Which one? You said you have two, right?" asked Lottie.
"Ana."
"Yes?"
"No I was talking to - here."
He handed the phone to Lottie.
"Hi Aunt Ana," Lottie greeted. Carlos sat down next to her and started checking her math.
Over the course of her ten minute conversation with Ana, Lottie’s responses went from perfectly normal ("I’m in first grade at Night Vale Elementary") to utterly bizarre ("No, I’m not adopted. I appeared in his living room").
Eventually Carlos took the phone back and hung up on his sister before launching into an explanation of why 17-39 is not, in fact, purple.
In the end, they weren’t able to get away for Thanksgiving after all, despite several threats from Carlos’s family.
(There was an explosion at the drawbridge and another mass disappearance of the children in town, but what they told Carlos’s mother was “Cecil really can’t get away from work, so we’re going to have to stay in town," which received mixed reactions from the sisters and Tia Isabel flat out didn’t believe.)
Consequently, Magdalena and Ana flew down to Night Vale to escort them to Wisconsin for Christmas.
On December 24th, Cecil and Carlos sat on the roof above Carlos’s childhood bedroom, having swept the snow away in a big enough patch to allow them to sit comfortably and already sent the children to bed.
"Hey Cecil?" said Carlos hesitantly.
“Yes, Carlos?" Cecil replied.
"Marry me?"
Cecil almost fell off the roof.