Jay and Gloria were lounging about in Jay's house, when the doors burst open.
"Mom! We are home!" Manny called out, his voice carrying through the room.
"¡Mamá!" Vincente echoed, following Manny.
Gloria immediately sat up, her face lighting up with a radiant smile. "¡Mis amores! Ven aquí, dame un abrazo." ( "My loves! Come here, give me a hug.")
Manny with quick little steps gave a quick hug followed by Vincente.
"¿Cómo les fue hoy? ¿Se portaron bien?"
Manny looked a little confused, while Vincente smirked, ""¡Claro que sí!" He struck a pose, "They didn't stand a chance against my genius."
"Of course, mi amor," Gloria said, She turned her attention back to Manny, She shot him a look "Manny, and you?"
Manny hesitated. "Well… I may have… spoken a little too passionately about poetry in English class."
Jay raised an eyebrow. "Spoken too passionately? Did you write another love sonnet about that girl?"
"Jay!" Gloria scolded, swatting him lightly.
Vincente's cut though theirs, "You know Manny, She has three boys lined right behind her all the time AND she is four years older than you."
"Vincente!" Manny protested, his face flushing.
"Alright, alright," Gloria said, waving her hands. "Enough teasing. Manny, poetry is a beautiful thing, and Vincente, I'm very proud of you."
Jay leaned back in his chair, watching the scene with a small smile. "You know, it's never quiet with you three around."
Gloria smirked. "And you love it."
Jay grumbled something under his breath, but the corner of his mouth twitched upward.
"Alright! Now, go wash your hands. Lunch will be ready soon!" Gloria said, shooing her boys toward the hallway.
Vincente turned towards the kitchen and started marching.
Manny, however, lingered behind, his brows furrowed with determination.
"Mom! I would like to deliver this sonnet to her before lunch."
Gloria blinked, her head tilting slightly. "Huh?"
"And I would like Jay to help me deliver it."
Gloria's eyes widened in confusion before she started waving her hands. "No, no, no. First lunch, and anyway, Jay is busy right n—"
Jay suddenly scrambled to his feet, cutting her off. "Actually, Gloria, I would love to help Manny with… this… whatever this is."
Gloria turned to him, with a weird look painted on her face, "You will?"
Manny nodded gravely, clutching an imaginary scroll to his chest. "Thank you, Jay. Poetry deserves respect."
Jay unbothered, continued, "And I should take Vincente too. We could bring dessert while returning back."
Vincente, who had just entered the room, looked around confused, "What's happening now?"
Manny excitedly said, "Jay is taking me to her house to deliver the sonnet I wrote."
Vincente turned towards Jay with a weird look on his face, "You are?"
Jay didn't care, already walking away with Manny. "Come on, kid. Let's go make Shakespeare proud. Vincente, follow us!"
Gloria and Vincente shared a look before Vincente followed them.
Jay sat in the driver's seat, obviously while Vincente sat in the passenger's seat and Manny in the back.
They drove two-three blocks away. Manny began to speak up, "Thank you, Jay. You know—"
Jay interrupted him, "Can it, kid. I am here to talk about something more important."
He parked the car on the side of the road. Jay turned to face Vincente and Manny, his expression unusually serious.
"Alright, listen up. I'm thinking about… proposing to your mom."
Manny's eyes went wide, clutching his imaginary scroll like it was a lifeline. "You… you want to marry Mom? Like officially?"
"Yeah" He hesitated a little, which said a lot about the situation, "I just want to hear your thoughts on me proposing to your mom."
Vincente gave a thumbs up, "Do you remember what I said the night I first met you?"
Jay nodded.
"Do that and we won't have problems."
Manny, however, didn't share Vincente's easy confidence. He fidgeted with his scroll, his brow furrowed. "It's just… Mom deserves someone who really cares about her. Someone who'll listen when she talks about her day, who won't make her feel like she's too much… or not enough. I am still hoping for her and dad to get together."
Jay nodded solemnly. "I get that, kid. And I know I'm not perfect, but I love your mom. I mean, I really love her. And I want to do right by her—and by you two."
Manny looked down at his scroll, his lip trembling slightly before he nodded. "Okay. Okay, Jay. If you really mean that… then you have my blessing. But if you ever hurt her—"
"—You'll make me regret it, I know," Jay finished with a small smirk.
Manny managed a small smile, nodding again. "Yeah."
Vincente tilted his head, squinting at Jay. "Do you have a plan, or are you just going to wing it like your golf swings?"
Jay sighed. "I've been thinking about it. But you two know her better than anyone. What do you think? When should I do it? And more importantly… how?"
The boys exchanged a glance. Manny leaned forward, thoughtful. "Mom loves grand gestures. But… not too grand. She'll pretend she hates it if there's too much attention."
Vincente snapped his fingers. "She likes thoughtful things. Maybe something with family around, but not a public scene."
Jay nodded slowly, processing their advice. "Alright, okay. Thoughtful, family-focused, not too flashy."
Manny smiled softly. "She loves you, Jay. You don't need to overthink it."
Vincente crossed his arms with a grin. "Just… don't mess it up."
Jay smirked. "Thanks, kids. You're not half bad, you know that?"
The three shared a rare, quiet moment before Jay started the car again.
"Alright, let's go deliver Shakespeare's lost sonnet before lunch gets cold."
The car pulled back onto the road, the three of them driving off together, a silent understanding hanging in the air.
[The Proposal]
Jay and Gloria sat together on the couch, a quiet evening unfolding. The kids were off doing their own things, and Jay was just settling in to watch the game. He reached for what he thought was the remote on the coffee table, his hand brushing against a small box instead.
Gloria, sitting beside him, glanced over. "Jay, what are you doing?" she asked, her voice light and teasing.
"Trying to find the remote, Gloria. Where did you put it this time?" Jay grumbled. "Manny, get me the remote."
Manny, who was busy writing 'something,' got up and marched over to Jay. Without even looking, he grabbed the small box and proceeded to hand it to Jay.
Vincente, who was working on a laptop, briefly looked up at the scene. Horrified, he set the laptop aside and ran up to Manny in a flash, tackling him to the ground.
He then scrambled on top of the box and covered it with his body.
Gloria, now alarmed, leaned forward. "¡Dios mío! What is happening? Why are you wrestling on the floor like little perros?"
She then proceeded to push Manny to the side and lifted Vincente up by the back of his shirt.
She looked at the box and picked it up. "Jaay, what is this?" She questioned Jay, who was looking like a deer caught in headlights.
He glared at Manny, who was doing his best to become one with the carpet.
Gloria snapped her fingers to get their attention. Again, she asked with a little bit of emotion leaking in, "Jay, what is this?"
Jay sighed, rubbed his face, and then straightened up, looking Gloria in the eyes. "Well... I guess the universe decided to ruin the surprise. That box... it's... it's for you, Gloria."
Gloria's eyes widened as she slowly opened the small velvet box, revealing a sparkling engagement ring.
Gloria's eyes widened as realization hit her. "Wait… Jay, is that…? Oh my—Is that what I think it is?!"
Jay cleared his throat awkwardly. "Gloria, I was planning to do this in a... slightly more dignified way, but here we are. Will you—"
Before he could finish, Gloria tackled him with a hug, nearly knocking the box out of his hand.
"¡Sí! ¡Sí, Jay! ¡Claro que sí!" ("Yes! Yes, Jay! Of course, yes!")
Vincente and Manny cheered, both relieved and excited.
Jay smiled, finally relaxing as Gloria hugged him tightly. "You know," he said softly, "this went exactly how I planned."
Gloria laughed through her tears. "Liar."
Jay chuckled. "Alright, alright. Let's eat. And somebody find the actual remote!"
Gloria pulled back just enough to kiss him, the boys clapping and whooping in the background.
Jay smirked. "Guess it's official now."
Gloria beamed. "It's more than official, Jay. It's perfect."
[Meeting the Ex-Husband]
It was a rare quiet afternoon in the Pritchett-Delgado house. Jay was in his favorite recliner, the TV volume just loud enough for him to enjoy the game, while Gloria busied herself in the kitchen. Manny sat at the dining table, scribbling poetry into his leather notebook, brow furrowed in deep concentration. Vincente, perched cross-legged on the couch, busy on his laptop.
Everything was peaceful… until the doorbell rang.
Ding-Dong.
Jay groaned. 'Why is it always when the game gets good?'
"¡Dios mío!" Gloria exclaimed, nearly dropping the salad bowl. "He's here!"
Manny's head snapped up, his face lighting up with excitement. Vincente paused, one eyebrow raised in mild curiosity.
"Who's here?" Vincente asked, setting his laptop aside.
"Your Papá Javier!" Gloria said, clapping her hands together.
Jay froze mid-sip of his scotch. "Oh, great. The poetry cowboy's back in town."
Before anyone could respond, Gloria rushed to the door and threw it open. Standing there, with his shirt unbuttoned just enough to show off a gold chain and a flash of chest hair, aviators perched coolly on his nose, was Javier Delgado.
"¡Gloria! Mi reina colombiana!" he said dramatically, spreading his arms wide.
"Javier…" Gloria said with an exasperated sigh as he leaned in and kissed both her cheeks.
Behind her, Jay muttered into his glass, "We get it, you're exotic."
Manny leaped up from his chair, clutching his poetry book. "¡Papá!"
Javier swept Manny into a hug, spinning him slightly before setting him back down. "Manny! My little philosopher!"
Vincente stood at the back, his arms crossed. He gave a nod, receiving a hug from Javier.
Jay cleared his throat loudly, drawing everyone's attention. "So, you're Javier. In the flesh."
Javier turned to Jay and removed his sunglasses, tucking them into his shirt pocket. "And you must be Jay. The man who has… how do I say this… borrowed my family."
Jay stood up, setting his scotch down with a little more force than necessary. "Borrowed? No, pal, this isn't a library. We're talking permanent checkout."
Gloria stepped between them, waving her hands. "¡Basta! Enough of this macho posturing. Jay, be polite. Javier, be… less you."
Vincente leaned over to Manny, whispering, "This is better than reality TV."
Javier smirked and extended his hand to Jay. "Tranquilo, Jay. I'm just here to spend time with my son."
Jay shook his hand—firmly. Too firmly. Javier winced slightly but maintained his charming grin.
Manny stepped between them, clutching his poetry book. "Papá, you said you'd take me to that poetry reading downtown."
"Of course!" Javier said dramatically. "But first, let us sit, relax, and talk like civilized men."
Vincente slid into a chair beside Jay, propping his chin on his hand. "This is gonna be good."
{One-hour later}
"So there I was," Javier said, gesturing wildly, "facing down a bull in the middle of Madrid. No one believed I could do it, but—"
Jay cut him off. "And let me guess. You tamed the bull with poetry and a guitar solo?"
Javier chuckled. "No, Jay. With confidence. Something every man should have."
Jay rolled his eyes. Vincente snorted into his soda.
Finally, Gloria clapped her hands. "Okay, okay. Enough stories for tonight. Javier, you promised to take Manny out, and it's getting late."
Javier stood up with a flourish. "Manny, my boy, let us go experience the soul of poetry under the stars."
Manny grabbed his book, his eyes sparkling. "Coming, Papá!"
Javier turned to Vincente. "You should come too, my little star. Broaden your creative horizons."
Vincente shrugged. "Yeah, no thanks. I'm good here with my couch."
As Javier and Manny headed for the door, Javier turned back to Jay one last time. "Jay… you're a lucky man."
Jay raised his glass. "I know."
The door closed behind them. Silence filled the room for a brief moment.
Jay sinks back into his chair, scotch in hand, muttering under his breath. "Great. Now I've got Zorro with a poetry degree in my living room."
Gloria sighs and sits beside Jay, smiling softly she says, "You know, Jay… for what it's worth, you're the one who's here every day. And that means everything."
Jay grumbles something unintelligible but squeezes Gloria's hand.
From across the room, Vincente smirked. "You two are adorable."
Jay pointed a stern finger at him. "Don't start."
[Announcing to the Family]
The Pritchett-Delgado household was buzzing with energy. The dining table was set with Gloria's finest dishes, candles flickered in the center, and the scent of her famous arroz con pollo filled the air.
Jay adjusted his collar as he poured himself a glass of scotch. "Why are we making such a big deal about this? Can't we just send out an email or something?"
"¡Ay, Jay! This is not how we share big news!" Gloria said, flicking his shoulder playfully. "We do it with love, with family, and with—"
"Too much rice," Jay muttered, eyeing the overflowing pot on the stove.
Before Gloria could scold him, the doorbell rang.
{A few minutes later}
The living room was packed. Claire and Phil sat on the couch, Luke dangling upside down from the armrest while Haley scrolled through her phone. Alex sat cross-legged on the armchair, her laptop open but momentarily ignored. Mitchell and Cam were squeezed into one chair. Manny and Vincente stood by the doorway, both dressed a little too formally for an ordinary dinner.
"Alright, we're all here. What's the big news?" Claire asked impatiently.
"Yeah," Phil added. "Are we getting a puppy? Please tell me we're getting a puppy."
"No, Phil," Jay said flatly.
"Jay and I have an announcement!" Gloria beamed, holding Jay's hand tightly.
Everyone leaned in, the room suddenly very quiet.
Jay cleared his throat. "Well… uh… Gloria and I—"
"We're getting married!" Gloria burst out, unable to contain herself.
The room froze for a split second before erupting into chaos.
Cam gasped so dramatically it could've won him an award. "Oh my GOD!"
Mitchell's eyes went wide, but he managed a smile. "Congratulations, Dad! Gloria!"
Claire's jaw dropped. "Wait… seriously? Like seriously seriously?"
Phil jumped up, clapping his hands. "Yes! A wedding! I love weddings!"
Haley barely looked up from her phone. "Cool. Can I bring a plus one?"
Luke, still upside down, asked, "Does this mean Gloria's officially my grandma now?"
Alex adjusted her glasses and smirked. "Statistically, second marriages have a success rate of only—"
"Alex!" Claire scolded.
Alex sighed. "Fine. Congratulations. I'm genuinely happy for you both."
"¡Ay, gracias a todos!" Gloria said, wiping a happy tear from her eye.
Jay, looking slightly overwhelmed, took a sip of his scotch. "Okay, okay. Settle down, everyone. It's not happening tomorrow. There's still plenty of time for you all to ruin it."
Manny stepped forward, clutching his poetry notebook. "This is beautiful. A blending of souls, a symphony of love that transcends—"
"Okay, Manny," Vincente interrupted, patting his shoulder. "Save it for the vows."
Cam clapped his hands together. "Oh, I have to plan the wedding! I already have a Pinterest board called 'Colombian Elegance Meets American Classic.'"
Mitchell groaned. "Cam, they just got engaged. Give them a second to breathe."
"Actually," Vincente said, joking, "I've already drafted a vlog title: 'My Mom is Getting Married to a Millionaire: The Delgado-Pritchett Fairytale.'"
Alex also perked up. "I could help optimize your video title for better SEO. 'Age Gap Love Story: How My Mom Found Her Perfect Match.'"
Jay groaned, rubbing his temples. "Great. Can't wait for that to hit the internet."
Phil moved beside Jay, placing an arm over his shoulder. "Welcome to the club, buddy. Marriage—it's a rollercoaster. Sometimes you scream with joy, sometimes with terror, but in the end, it's all about holding on tight."
Jay stared at Phil for a moment before mumbling, "Thanks… I think."
Gloria stepped forward, raising her wine glass. "To family, to love, and to new beginnings!"
Everyone raised their glasses—or, in Luke's case, a juice box.
"To Jay and Gloria!" the room chorused.
As glasses clinked and laughter filled the air, Jay looked around the room. Despite the chaos, despite the loud voices and the overly emotional speeches, he couldn't help but smile.
He caught Gloria's eye, and she gave him a soft, loving smile in return.
For a moment, amidst the chaos, it was just the two of them—two people starting a new chapter together.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tell me what do you think of this chapter and it's dynamics?
There's not a lot of focus on Vincente because, well because it's Jay and Gloria's special day.
Thank you for reading!!!