章 7: Javier
The wedding day loomed closer, and the Delgado-Pritchett household was in a frenzy. Gloria was obsessing over every little detail, determined to make sure the wedding was perfect. Jay, while trying to remain calm, found himself caught up in the whirlwind of preparations. He thought he'd get used to Gloria's relentless drive for perfection by now, but this was on a whole different level.
Adrian sat at the kitchen table, absentmindedly scrolling through his phone while Manny frantically ironed his suit for the fifteenth time that morning.
"Adrian! Can you please help me decide between these napkins?!" Gloria burst into the room, holding up two napkins—one cream-colored, the other white, which looked exactly the same to Adrian.
Adrian glanced up from his phone. "Mum, they look identical."
Gloria looked appalled. "Identical? No, papi! This one is 'eggshell,' and this one is 'ivory!'"
Jay strolled into the kitchen, overhearing the conversation, and grunted. "If they can't tell the difference, neither can anyone else."
Gloria shot him a look. "Jay! You said you'd stay out of the details!"
Jay shrugged. "I just thought it might help you... relax a little."
Gloria let out a long sigh. "I just want everything to be perfect. You only get married once—or, well—again."
Jay walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Gloria, it will be perfect because I'm marrying you. That's all that matters, okay?"
Gloria softened and gave a small smile. "You're right, papi. But I still want the napkins to be perfect."
Adrian chuckled under his breath, then glanced at his phone. His smile faded when a message notification appeared, reminding him of something looming on the horizon. "Hey, Mum… does dad know about the wedding?"
Gloria hesitated for a second, then nodded. "Sí, Javier knows." She glanced at Jay, gauging his reaction. "He wants to meet Jay before the wedding, to talk."
Jay's eyes narrowed. "What does he want to talk about?"
"You know Javier. He's just being Javier. It's probably nothing," Gloria said with an attempt at nonchalance, but the way she avoided Jay's eyes told a different story.
Jay sighed heavily. "Fine. I'll talk to him."
A few days later
Jay paced around the living room, straightening his shirt for what felt like the hundredth time. He wasn't nervous about meeting Javier—he wasn't threatened by Gloria's charming, roguish ex—but he knew Javier had a way of getting under his skin.
The doorbell rang, and Jay could hear Gloria greet Javier at the door. Soon after, Javier strolled into the living room like he owned the place. He was dressed in his usual suave, overly confident style—dark sunglasses, a perfectly tailored suit, and an air of self-importance.
"Jay! Amigo! Look at you, standing there all strong and confident!" Javier greeted, extending his arms wide for a hug. Jay extended his hand instead, forcing Javier to awkwardly pivot and shake hands instead.
"Javier," Jay said, trying to keep his tone neutral. "You wanted to talk?"
"Ah, straight to business! I like that about you, Jay. No time for small talk." Javier grinned as he sat down on the couch, crossing his legs in a relaxed pose.
Jay remained standing, arms crossed. "So, what's this all about?"
Javier removed his sunglasses and leaned forward, as if about to impart some great wisdom. "I wanted to make sure... you're ready for this."
Jay raised an eyebrow. "Ready for what?"
"For Gloria," Javier said, gesturing dramatically. "She is a force of nature, a whirlwind of passion and beauty. You must know this by now. And, as her ex-husband, I feel it is my duty to remind you what you're getting into."
Jay stifled a groan. "I think I know Gloria pretty well by now, Javier. We've been together for a while now."
Javier smirked, leaning back again. "Perhaps, but Gloria is like a wild horse—you can never fully tame her. You must learn to... ride the storm, not fight it." He winked, as if he was offering sage advice.
Jay's patience was wearing thin. "I'm not trying to 'tame' her. I love her for who she is. We're happy, and that's all that matters."
Javier smiled, though it was tinged with something slightly smug. "Ah, so you are up for the challenge. I admire that." He paused for dramatic effect before adding, "But remember, Jay, I will always be in her life. Adrian and Manny are my sons. So, we will see each other often. I hope you can handle that."
Jay stared at him for a long moment, feeling the tension building. "I can handle it just fine. I'm marrying her because I love her, and I'm not worried about you. We're going to be a family, and that includes both Adrian and Manny."
Javier tilted his head, as if studying Jay for the first time. "You really mean that, don't you?"
"Yeah, I do," Jay said firmly. "I'm not here to replace anyone, but I'll do whatever I can to make sure Gloria and Manny are happy. That's what matters to me."
Javier sat quietly for a moment, his usual bravado slightly diminished. Then he stood up, placing his sunglasses back on. "Well, Jay... I respect that. You have my blessing."
Jay blinked, slightly taken aback. "Uh, thanks?"
Javier grinned again, his confidence fully restored. "Of course! Now, if you'll excuse me, I must find my son and impart some fatherly wisdom before the big day. I've been teaching him how to play poker. Gloria will love it."
Jay watched as Javier sauntered out of the room, shaking his head. He couldn't quite figure Javier out, but he didn't need to. Gloria was his future now, and that was the only thing that mattered.
As the door closed behind Javier, Gloria appeared in the doorway, watching Jay with a soft smile. "Thank you, Jay," she said, walking over to him.
"For what?" Jay asked, a bit confused.
"For putting up with Javier. I know he can be a lot, but you handled it well. I appreciate it."
Jay smiled and wrapped his arm around her. "It's all part of the package, right?"
Gloria laughed. "Sí, it is."
Together, they stood in the quiet living room, a brief moment of calm in the middle of the wedding chaos. Jay realized that despite all the noise and the preparation and the unexpected bumps, marrying Gloria felt like the most natural thing in the world.
The Week Before the Wedding
As the days ticked down to the wedding, the house was bustling with activity. Gloria and Claire were busy finalizing the seating arrangements, Mitchell and Cam were perfecting the playlist, and Manny was practicing his speech. Adrian, meanwhile, found himself playing mediator, bouncing between helping his mother and calming Manny's wedding jitters.
The chaos was a little overwhelming, but amidst it all, Adrian found himself excited. For the first time in a long while, everything felt like it was falling into place. Jay had passed the ultimate test—meeting Javier—and now, all that was left was the big day itself.
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