“I was worried at first, too. But Geneviève said it’s normal. Especially between twins.”
A small silence followed, then she said, “Oh, well, if Gigi said it’s fine, it must be fine. She is a doctor, after all, right?” Sienna’s voice was sarcastic and aimed to hurt. “Ugh, and right now they’re on hour two of singing that stupid shark song. But in French. Or whatever it is they’re speaking. It was annoying enough in English, Beau.”
Another laugh bubbled out of me. “Geneviève taught them that. I agree, it’s irritating in any language. But they did catch on pretty quick.”
“And why are you the only one that calls her that name? Everyone else calls her Gigi.”
“Because it’s her name,” I answered back curtly with an exhausted huff. I’d only been on the phone with her for a minute, and already she was draining the life out of me. “Was there something you needed? I don’t have much time.”
“Something I needed?” Sienna nearly shrieked just as Geneviève jumped back into the car. I put my finger over my mouth and silently shh’d her while she buckled up. “You dropped off two boys that I cannot understand! What am I supposed to do?”
Again, I chuckled to myself remembering how cute it was watching and listening to the boys speak in their new language. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out. I have to get going now.” I said goodbye to her and looked at Geneviève. Her shoulders and chest were shaking. As soon as I hung up the call, she burst out laughing.
Then so did I.
“I’m sorry, it’s not funny that you got in trouble because of me.” She wiped her eyes and took a few breaths between laughing fits. “But they really are hilarious to watch.”
“I know. I told Sienna it was normal.” I gazed over to Geneviève. “It is normal, right?”
She shook her head. “I don’t think it’s normal for them to begin to pick up a second language so naturally or so quickly. And I also don’t think it’s normal for them to make up their own language in no time flat, either.”
I stared at her. “You said it was normal.”
She laughed and touched my arm, sending a shock right to my heart. It’d been forever since she’d touched me. “Papa, settle down. I’m telling you that your children are smart. Exceptionally so.” When the boys had begun calling me, Papa, I’d felt an odd, new emotion.
Like the first time they called me, Daddy.
But so much more profound.
Papawas what most of us called our fathers in Quebec.
Hearing that word come out of my sons’ mouths was an indescribable feeling. But somehow, it felt amazingly perfect.
“You had me scared there for a minute.”
“It doesn’t sound like their mother is all that excited about them learning French.”
I put the Jeep into gear and said, “Well, she’ll just have to get excited about it. You opened the floodgates this weekend, Martin.”
“Yeah, the cows are out of the barn, that’s for sure,” she said, smiling to herself as she sat back in her seat. Not looking one bit sorry.
Quite the opposite, in fact.