Jay and Vincente drove in comfortable silence when Jay's cell phone began to ring. Jay stopped the car on the side of the road while Vincente curiously listened.
"Hello?" Jay asked inquisitively.
There were some loud words spoken from the other side of the line which lit Jay's face up like the fourth of July.
"You son of a bitch! Now you remember me!"
More words.
Jay let out a hearty laugh, slapping the steering wheel. "Oh, this is a blast from the past. How'd you track me down, huh? Don't tell me you used one of those fancy private detectives—what was his name, Rick? Ricky Two-Toes?"
Jay continued chuckling, "So, what's the occasion, huh? You're not calling me after all these years just to tell me you finally beat me at poker."
The two talked a little more before Jay hesitated for a moment, glancing at Vincente, he covered his phone with his hands, "Hey, you don't mind inviting my buddy to your party right?"
Vincente whispered, "Invite him Jay, someone who can tone down your grumpiness in my party will be heaven sent."
Jay raised an eyebrow, he removed his hand, "Well, actually, you're calling at the perfect time. We're headed to a birthday party. Big one. My kid, you'll like him. Why don't you swing by? You still know how to follow an address, or do I need to send you a carrier pigeon?"
The voice on the phone erupted into laughter alongside Jay.
"Will do. And hey, try not to scare the kids. You've always had that 'grumpy uncle' vibe."
The call ended with both men chuckling. Jay tossed his phone back into the cup holder and glanced over at Vincente, who looked like he was buzzing with questions.
Vincente with a curious tone asked, "Okay, spill. Who was that?"
Jay replied with a smirk, "An old buddy of mine. We used to raise hell back in the day. Smart as a whip, sharp dresser, terrible at bluffing in poker. You'll like him."
As Jay began to drive Vincente began to nag him with incessant questions.
"Jay, did you forget the road home? Do you have Alzheimer's? Should I start writing down my name on flashcards for you?"
Jay's grip tightened on the wheel as he muttered, "Oh, here we go…"
Vincente threw his hands dramatically in the air, addressing the heavens. "¡Ay Dios mío! He's so young, so full of life, and yet here we are… lost in the twilight zone because Jay Pritchett suddenly decided he doesn't remember street names anymore!"
Jay snapped, his voice rising. "No! I don't have Alzheimer's!"
The car fell silent for a beat, the outburst hanging in the air.
Jay exhaled sharply, his usual confident demeanor cracking slightly. "Alright, look. Gloria told me there's a… thing happening in there. A surprise party for you, okay? And… I'm not good with this kind of stuff. The pretending, the 'Oh wow, I didn't see this coming!' The confetti! Ugh, the confetti…"
Vincente's lips twitched into a sly smile. "Jay, are you… nervous? About a birthday party?"
Jay defensively argued, "I'm not nervous. I've landed helicopters under enemy fire! I've given speeches to boardrooms full of suits! But this—this is emotional ambush warfare!"
Vincente chuckled, shaking his head. "Relax, Jay. I already know about the party."
Jay winced and muttered under his breath, "Damn kid's too sharp for his own good." He sighed, giving up. "Alright, fine. You figured it out. It's a surprise birthday party. But don't let on that you know, alright? You're supposed to act surprised when we get there."
Vincente chuckled, leaning back in his seat. "Jay, I've known since this morning. I mean, the shopping-distraction, Mama and Manny checking on some 'work' and the final nail in the coffin Mr. Dunphy calling to ask for my favorite flavour."
Jay blinked, processing the information, "So… all this time, I've been sweating bullets, and you've just been… casually letting me spiral?"
Vincente shrugged, "It was kind of fun to watch. Like a slow-motion train wreck."
Jay let out an exasperated sigh, leaning back into his seat and staring at the ceiling of the Cadillac. "Unbelievable. You kids are ruthless. Back in my day, we respected our elders."
"Back in your day, they were still discovering fire."
Jay shot him a look, but a small smirk crept across his face.
"Hey, don't worry," Vincente said, patting Jay's shoulder. "I'll give them the performance of a lifetime. Big gasp, wide eyes, maybe even a little happy tear."
Jay glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. "You better. And don't you dare tell anyone I slipped up, too. This stays between us."
"Deal," Vincente said, holding out his pinky finger with a grin.
Jay rolled his eyes but hooked his pinky with Vincente's. "You're lucky I like you, kid."
By the time they pulled into the Dunphy driveway, Vincente was practically bouncing with anticipation. Jay, still muttering about how hard it was to pull off a surprise these days, opened the trunk to retrieve the bags.
As they approached the front door, Jay shot Vincente a warning look. "Remember, act surprised. I'm watching you."
Vincente smirked but nodded solemnly. "Don't worry, Jay. I've got this. Let's give them a show."
Jay knocked on the door, and as it swung open to reveal a chorus of "Surprise!" Vincente gasped loudly, his hands flying to his face like a dramatic soap opera star.
"Oh my gosh! I had no idea!" he exclaimed, his voice dripping with exaggerated enthusiasm.
Jay chuckled under his breath, shaking his head. "Little ham."
Vincente paused dramatically in the doorway, his eyes wide as saucers. "I—I'm speechless! Truly, this is... wow!" He clutched his chest like a Broadway actor mid-monologue.
The crowd, a mix of family and friends, cheered and laughed, clearly enjoying the over-the-top performance. Gloria was the first to rush over, wrapping Vincente in a tight hug. "¡Mi amor! Did we get you? Were you surprised?"
"Completely, Mama," Vincente said, pulling back with a wink. "You got me so good, I might need therapy to process the shock."
Jay rolled his eyes from behind them. "He knew, Gloria. Kid's been onto us all day."
Gloria's jaw dropped as she smacked Jay lightly on the arm. "¡Jay! You ruined the surprise?"
"I didn't ruin anything!" Jay retorted. "He already knew before I said a word. This one's got a mind like a steel trap."
Vincente interjected smoothly, "Don't blame Jay, Mama. I'm just too smart for my own good." He grinned at Jay. "But he did his best. A valiant effort, really."
Just then, Manny appeared with a camera, snapping candid photos. "Smile, Vincente. I'm documenting this for future historians who'll want to study the genius."
Vincente struck a dramatic pose. "Make sure you get my good side. Wait—never mind, they're all good."
The group erupted into laughter, the rest bundled up to greet him, the kids came first with presents.
Luke came up looking genuinely excited. "Dude, happy birthday! I got you something epic," he said, holding out a wrapped gift.
Vincente raised an eyebrow. "Do I want to know what's inside?"
Luke grinned. "It's a surprise, but let's just say... it might involve lasers."
Vincente laughed. "Thanks, Luke. I'm intrigued and slightly scared."
Haley sauntered up, attention still on her phone in her hand. "Happy birthday, Vincente," she said, briefly breaking eye contact with her phone, "I really had put effort into finding them, they will look good on you." she said with a smile before giving him a small box and disappearing.
Alex was last, standing off to the side with a small smile. When she finally approached, she handed Vincente a neatly wrapped book. "Happy birthday," she said, a bit shyly. "It's a signed edition of your favorite author. Thought you'd appreciate it."
Vincente's eyes lit up as he carefully unwrapped the gift. "Alex, this is amazing. Thank you."
She shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Well, I figured someone as smart as you would appreciate something timeless."
"I do," Vincente said sincerely. "This means a lot."
Cam and Mitchell walked up together, Cam practically bouncing with excitement. "Vincente, happy birthday! Now, this is from both of us, but I must say I had the final say in picking it out."
Mitchell rolled his eyes. "Yes, because heaven forbid I have an opinion about gifts."
They handed over a rectangular box, and Vincente opened it to reveal a stunning set of calligraphy pens and inks.
"For when you're writing all your brilliant ideas," Cam said dramatically. "Or signing autographs for your many admirers."
"Thank you, both," Vincente said, grinning. "This is perfect. And Mr. Tucker, I promise to try and live up to the dramatics you've set."
Claire and Phil walked up next, both looking slightly unsure of themselves. Claire held a neatly wrapped box.
Claire spoke first, hesitantly. "We're sorry, Vincente. We didn't know exactly what you'd want, so we, um, went with our instincts."
Phil chimed in quickly, trying to lighten the mood. "By instincts, she means her instincts. I wanted to get you a hoverboard. But don't worry, we think you'll like these!"
Vincente smiled warmly, sensing their nervousness. "You didn't have to get me anything, Mrs. Dunphy. You organized this amazing party," he gestured around them towards all the decorations, balloons, and sweets. "This is so amazing, I still can't believe this is my birthday party."
Phil beamed at the statement while Claire formed a small smile, her tension easing.
"Why do you keep calling me Mrs. Dunphy?" Claire asked, tilting her head. "It makes you sound like one of Luke's school friends. Call me Claire."
"Alright, Claire," Vincente said with a respectful nod. "Thank you for everything. This party is unforgettable."
Phil handed over the box. "Oh! Open now—it's a fun one!"
Vincente opened it to reveal a baseball helmet with weird contraptions attached to it.
"It's my custom design!" Phil said proudly. "HeadscratcherTM, to relax that big brain of yours."
Vincente laughed. "This is amazing, Phil. This sounds like just what I need."
Claire smiled softly, seeing Vincente's genuine appreciation. "We're glad you're happy, Vincente."
"Thanks to both of you," Vincente said sincerely. "You've made this day so special."
The family was enjoying their time with laughter sharing jokes and stories when the bell suddenly rang.
The laughter simmered down as everyone turned toward the door, curiosity piqued. Gloria was the first to speak, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Who could that be? Everyone we invited is already here."
Jay perked up and walked towards the door, "Might be my friend that I invited."
Gloria threw her hands up in exasperation. "¡Ay Dios mío! This is supposed to be a family party, Jay. What kind of person invites strangers to a family party? "
Jay shouted back pointing at Vincente, "I got his permission."
Gloria turned back to look at Vincente who was nodding.
Jay opened the door, revealing a family of four standing on the porch.
The man was tall and someone in his late forties, same for the lady, hiding behind them were two kids. The boy looked older than the girl.
Jay exclaimed, "PAT!"
The man responded in kind, "JAY!" and went in for the hug.
Gloria appeared behind Jay, her eyes narrowing at the unexpected guests. "Jay, who are these people?"
Jay turned towards Gloria, "Gloria, this here is Patrick O'Connell. Patrick's an old friend from way back."
Jay turned towards Patrick, "She is Gloria, my wife." He gestured at Gloria.
Patrick extended his hand toward Gloria, his smile warm and genuine. "Mrs. Pritchett, it's a pleasure to meet you. This is my wife, Maggie," he said, gesturing to the woman standing beside him. Maggie stepped forward with a graceful nod, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"And these are our kids," Patrick continued, nudging the two figures hiding behind him. The older boy hesitated but eventually stepped into view, his expression a blend of nervousness and quiet confidence. "This is Finneas," Patrick said proudly.
Finneas gave a small wave, his shaggy hair falling into his eyes. "Hi. Thanks for letting us crash your party."
The younger girl peeked out from behind Maggie, her big, curious eyes scanning the lively scene inside. Patrick placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "And this little one is Billie."
Billie stepped forward tentatively, her hands clasped in front of her. "Hi," she said softly.
Gloria's stance softened slightly as she took in the polite introductions, though she still shot Jay a sidelong glance. "Well, it's a family party," she said pointedly. "But I suppose there's always room for more."
Jay clapped Patrick on the back. "See? I told you she's got a big heart. Come on in, Pat. Let's introduce you around."
As the O'Connells stepped inside, Gloria whispered to Jay, "You better hope this doesn't turn into one of your 'bright ideas.'"
Jay smirked. "Relax, it's all under control."
Meanwhile, Vincente, having overheard the commotion, approached the newcomers with a warm smile. "Welcome to the party! I'm Vincente."
Patrick faltered a bit, he turned towards Jay, "I thought it was your kid's birthday?"
Jay scratched the back of his neck, letting out a sheepish laugh. "Well, technically, Vincente's not my kid. He's Gloria's son from her first marriage. But trust me, he's family. And smart as a whip—might even outshine all of us combined."
Patrick's eyes darted to the bottle of wine he was holding, his expression tinged with embarrassment and confusion. "Uh, Jay… I brought this for your kid's birthday. I thought you said it was his party?" He gestured vaguely toward Mitchell, who gave an awkward smile.
Vincente's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Well, I am technically the birthday boy, but I don't think I'm old enough for that just yet."
Gloria, who had been watching the exchange with growing amusement, finally stepped forward, her voice teasing. "Don't feel bad, Patrick. Jay probably forgot to mention the details—he's not exactly the king of communication. But don't worry, I'll make sure to enjoy this wine properly."
Patrick let out a sheepish chuckle, handing the bottle to Gloria. "Well, at least someone will. Happy birthday, Vincente. Next time, I'll bring something more… age-appropriate."
Vincente smiled, his sincerity shining through. "Thank you, Mr. O'Connell. It's the thought that counts, and you've already made this celebration more memorable."
Billie and Finneas exchanged a glance, clearly a bit overwhelmed by the bustling energy of the Pritchett-Dunphy clan, but there was a spark of intrigue in their eyes as they were ushered into the lively celebration.
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As an apology.
Thank you for reading !!!