Michael clicked the link out of curiosity, and the video that opened centered on a couple. The guy looked a lot like Edwardo, but his hair was slightly longer and his shoulders weren't as wide. The other person was a beautiful Hispanic lady with long dark brown hair, and a grin that suggested whatever this was about had some serious mischief attached.
They introduced themselves as Enrique and Angela, Edwardo's brother and sister-in-law. Apparently this was their plan to get back at Edwardo for getting totally shit-faced on the plane trip, and to give Michael a candid look on how their family feels about Edwardo being in a same-sex relationship. Enrique was going to handle the interviews, and Angela was going to film and translate. Michael continued watching eagerly…
The format was pretty simple. They asked their family members if they'd noticed Edwardo was feeling down, and pretty much everyone admitted to thinking something was wrong. Then they gave the reason for Edwardo being so gloomy as he did something stupid to hurt his boyfriend's feelings. Most of them reacted mildly, or with a hint of surprise at the word "boyfriend." Though, one older woman made it a point of saying she knew Edwardo would end up with another man.
Then, Enrique showed them pictures of Michael from his phone. There were lots of "oos" and "ahhs" and literally everyone called him pretty. Michael couldn't help but be a little embarrassed when the interviews got to that part.
In at least two of the clips, Edwardo had caught them filming and tried to get them to stop by trying to take away the camera. Of course, he was unsuccessful each time.
They even managed to get some sneaky footage of Edwardo being chewed out by various family members. Michael almost felt bad for him. Almost. Not really.
There were a few of Edwardo's family he had a feeling he'd get along with wonderfully, judging only from their short interviews. One was a little girl, who couldn't have been much more than five years old. She apparently loved whatever pictures they showed her, and was asking things like how Michael got so good at makeup, and if he painted his nails himself, and if she asked really nicely if he would paint her nails so she could be pretty too.
She was one of the ones they caught video footage of confronting Edwardo, supposedly telling him, "Uncle Eddie, you need to make up with the pretty man because I really want to play 'makeovers' with Uncle Michael and you're not supposed to tell lies anyway because you're supposed to tell the truth because if you don't you get in trouble."
She went on to say, allegedly, since Angela clarified it was a rough translation, that Edwardo was a "Meanie McPoopy Pants" for lying.
Michael couldn't contain his laughter. He was ready to fly out right now to hang out with that kid, even if he'd need a translator to be able to talk to her.
Another one that had him in stitches was when they interviewed a middle-aged woman, who from the brightly colored drink in her hand had to have been at least a little drunk. She squealed in delight over Michael's pictures, remarking on how cute he was. Next thing, she'd taken the camera for herself and centered it on her face, fluttering her eyelashes and speaking in English.
"Honey, forget that old Edwardo. He doesn't deserve you anyway. I'll be your sugar mamacita! Tia Ti-ti would take good care of a sweet thing like you!"
Enrique jokingly called her a cougar for going after someone half her age. She didn't deny it one bit, letting out another high-pitched noise that must have probably been a laugh.
It all made Michael feel so fuzzy inside. Every one of Edwardo's family members seemed really cool, so why did Edwardo feel he needed to lie to them?
The last interview in the video was with a very sweet, very old, and very frail looking lady who was tucked up all nice and cozy in a chair. He heard Enrique use the term "abuela," and Angela helpfully clarified that this was Edwardo and Enrique's grandmother on their mother's side, the one who had dementia really bad. She cooed over Michael's pictures too, supposedly calling him "very handsome." Then she was told about Edwardo's lie, and nearly did a 180 in personality, demanding Edwardo be brought to her that instant.
Oh, if only Michael had thought to make popcorn for this…
Two other guys who were interviewed earlier in the video very gleefully dragged a slightly protesting Edwardo into the shot. Michael was expecting he'd be verbally reprimanded like all the other times, but what happened was like something out of a sketch comedy act!
This tiny woman… This tiny little old lady… She pulled her sandal off and smacked Edwardo with it! All while giving him a complete tongue lashing!
It was priceless.
Now, Michael was sure Edwardo wasn't actually getting anything hurt but his pride, but seeing a giant six-foot-something beefcake shrink away from a lady probably no bigger than Michael himself all while getting smacked repeatedly with a dirty shoe? That was funny.
It was enough to make Michael finally feel a little sorry for Edwardo, Just a little. At least Michael knew he had Edwardo's family on his side.
Angela summarized the scolding for him as it happened. Turns out, Edwardo's grandmother was omega too, and was lecturing him up, down, and sideways about how he was "raised better than that" and how he "completely deserved having his omega leave him for being so stupid." She was a little confused since she kept threatening to tell his father, and suggesting Edwardo was her son instead of her grandson, but she got the spirit.
After Edwardo's grandmother calmed down she apparently told him to go see Michael right that instant and beg on his knees for forgiveness. The next clip in the video was just that. Edwardo, on his knees, begging forgiveness.
"Michael, first off I want to tell you this entire video was completely my brother's idea and I had no idea they were doing it until I caught them filming. I was ANNOYED at first," Edwardo very pointedly looked somewhere beyond the camera when he said that, "but I'll admit it was all for my own good.
"I… I told myself I lied to protect my family's political careers but… deep down… I was terrified of what they would think of me. Society has this ideal image of the 'Perfect Alpha' who runs cutthroat corporations and solves all his problems with intimidation and money and has this 'perfect little omega wife' at his side supporting him in the shadows… And well… I knew I'd never be an alpha like that. And so, I pretended.
"I didn't have to earn my wealth, it's generational. I got through college on my family's name. Hell, my job is to look good while reading words on a little screen! I was scared… what was my family going to think when I failed again to reach that 'Perfect Alpha' standard?
"But Michael, you're amazing. You speak your mind, go after what you want, and it doesn't seem like society's standards bother you at all. And on top of all that, you're stunning. With makeup, without makeup… The morning after our first date, when you came down the stairs wearing my shirt… I thought my heart was going to explode. Oh god, I'm such an idiot…"
"No argument there." Enrique's voice chimed in from somewhere.
Edwardo didn't even look like that annoyed him. He ran his fingers though his hair and wiped at his eyes. Michael could swear he saw Edwardo's shoulders shake just a little. The camera flipped around, and suddenly Enrique was on the screen.
"The point I was trying to make with all this," Enrique said, "was that no one here cares what gender you are, Michael. Male, female, hell, even if you weren't an omega there's no denying how Ed feels about you. As his family, we just want him to be happy. As his brother however," Enrique smiled a devious little grin, "I get the special privilege of tormenting him from time to time, ESPECIALY when he does something stupid enough to deserve it. But, I think I've done enough to earn my revenge this time. Just, remember you've got some allies over here, okay? If he tries something like this again, we've got your back."
The camera flipped back to Edwardo, who was very obviously crying just a little bit. Michael's heart couldn't help but skip a beat at seeing how completely and genuinely vulnerable Edwardo looked. He forcibly reminded himself that he was still mad, and even though Edwardo was crying, Michael had no obligation to forgive him right away. But, he really did look like he regretted what he did… His family certainly gave him hell for it. Yep, this was nothing more than an extra nickel in the repentance jar.
Still, Michael hated seeing Edwardo cry. Some of Edwardo's family were kind of mean in the video… And all that stuff Edwardo said about the pressure he felt to be the "perfect alpha"… Maybe Edwardo could have a little forgiveness. Just enough so his family doesn't bully him the whole holiday.
"Go on, tell him you're sorry again." Enrique commanded.
"I'm sorry… I'm so, so, so sorry…" Edwardo's voice was thick. "I know I can't ask your forgiveness, but I'm so sorry…"
The video focused on him a few moments more before cutting out. Michael couldn't stand it. He dialed Edwardo's number immediately. It rang a few times before Edwardo finally picked up, and there was no hiding the depression in Edwardo's voice.
"Michael? I guess you saw the video, huh…?"
"Yeah, I saw it." Now that Michael had Edwardo on the line, he wasn't even sure what he wanted to say.
"Pretty pathetic for an alpha, huh…?" Edwardo chuckled a little self depreciatingly.
"Edwardo, I… I'm still not ready to forgive you. Not all the way. But… But I'm willing to give you a second chance. I don't know if I'll regret it once my heat's over and I'm thinking more clearly but… Let your family know we're okay. What your brother did, I don't think that was very nice of him."
"No, I kind of deserved that."
"How could you possibly have deserved that? Your brother doesn't even know me! Why'd he even film that in the first place?"
"Well… I… I kinda… I puked on his suitcase yesterday…"
It took Michael a second to process it, but he tried very hard not to laugh.
"See, I told you I deserved it." Edwardo let out a little laugh too, slightly more lighthearted this time. "I'm not mad at him. Everything's out in the open now. And… I'm glad you got a chance to see what my family is like. So… did you get any of the things I sent? How's your heat symptoms?"
Michael sighed dramatically. "My room is now packed with balloons and flowers, and there's no way I'll be able to eat all that fruit you sent before it goes bad. I hope you don't mind if I share with my parents."
"I guess I did go a little overboard…"
"More than a little. They're not getting any of that chocolate though, I'm keeping that to myself. As far as my heat goes," Michael sighed dramatically again, "with my luck it'll come in the middle of the night and kick me out of a perfectly good sleep to run me over with the horny train. But, I don't want to make you uncomfortable talking about stuff like that."
As much as Edwardo really, really, really wanted to tell Michael how sexy he found the subject, he decided to err on the side of caution considering his tentative "second chance" status. They talked about little things until they ran out of stuff to say and they just both sat on the line in silence.
Michael decided to initiate the hang-up. "Let me let you go. I probably won't be able to talk for a few days. Don't let your family bully you so hard."
"I can't make any promises there, but I hope you can keep comfortable. I'll make sure to bring you back the perfect souvenir, okay?"
"I'll hold you to that."