Chapter 25

George's house which was more of a mansion was on the coast, big and spacious and was near the beach but most importantly it was far away from wandering eyes and the hounds of paparazzi.

But that idiotic man had yet to show his face to Diane. He was smart and wise enough to give the raging room some room and country to calm down before meeting up with her. An angry Diane was no joke, he would much rather take a bullet than face her. Oh yes the guy was smart that was for sure, staying clear away from the still seething woman.

As he was hiding, she was waiting. Patiently waiting for when George would use his balls and show his face and take his punishment like a grown man.

"He had his reasons" Esther repeated bringing Diane out of her daydream of how to break George's hand. Esther was not deeply worried about what George did. George was one of the very few men she trusted around her daughter and she was very picky about who was around her daughter. Esther more often than not felt like a failure as a mother for all the pains and sufferings that her daughter had gone through. She was not the best of a mentor to her daughter from when she was a child to her teenage years. Diane might not know it but she was aware of her daughter's anger and resentment towards her for all the pain she had endured because of her mistakes.

And that was something she could never forgive herself.

"I know. And that is what scares me the most. This is all making sense to me now. Oh God I have been hanging around too many crazy people" she groaned shaking my head in distress.

"But the crazies are the ones who love vou honey" her mother laughed

"Hence the scary"

She stopped kneading the bread long enough to look long and hard at her 28 year old daughter and asked her "Why do you seem so troubled about being engaged to George dear?

Even if the whole engagement to is a total farce? I mean I understand that it is crazy and disturbing but it is also very loyal and sweet which you do not seem to see or comprehend.

You seem to be forgetting that George did not do this for himself, no he did this for you. He made up this whole lie to protect you. He put himself and his career out there in the open for what he thought was in your best interest. Not his.

And that is more than any man has ever done for me"

Sometimes she was more of a big sister than her mother. Their looks certainly made them look like sisters instead of mother and daughter. Blame it on genes for making her look years younger than her actual 45 years.

She had been almost a year younger when she had had Diane. She had always hoped that her only daughter would find a reliable man who would treat her like a queen something she had never once had from a man. The only man she had ever made the mistake of loving was a married man and she will never forgive herself for as long as she lived for getting involved with him.

She knew full well that he was married with kids but her assumed 'love' overpowered her morals and her brains. In the brief moments when they were together he had made her laugh and showered her with attention that she lacked. She would have done anything for him and in some passing moments she thought that he cared for her as well. It had taken her being pregnant with Diane for her to realize what a fool she had been. For her to wake-up from the miserable and false trance he had set her in. And she would never forgive herself for as long as she lived. And she was atoning for her sin by depriving and denying any man an entry into her heart.

"I really do understand what you are saying mom. Honest I do.

But I just can't help feeling blindsided and vulnerable. First Collins then the Adam the fraud and now this. I just feel useless and not in control of my life" she sighed.

"You can't always control life sweetie. Sometimes you have to go with the current but soon there would be land along the way"

"And if there isn't" came the ever pessimistic voice.

"Well then learn to breathe underwater"

"Really? That's the advice you can give? "To breathe under water?""

"Hey do look like a Confucius?" she defended

"Wellill" stretching out the letter L

"That was a rhetorical question" throwing a piece of dough at her causing both of them to laugh.

"I am going to check on the boys" brushing herself off and heading out the kitchen to the backyard. Mario and David were out in the back and were far too quiet for anybody's safety. Something bad must be happening. Pulling the sliding doors open and down the stairs her fears were right. She did not see them anywhere. The soccer ball was in plain sight and their water guns were lying on the grass.

"David. Mario" she called. But she was met with silence.

"Boys" she yelled again silence. Then she heard laughter and shrieks coming from the side of the house that lead to the three door garage and the driveway.

Walking with her arms crossed and her feet touching the warm grass she was wagering just what the Reyes princes were up to. Blowing up the garage, digging up the grass and flowers or better yet trying to dismantle the fountain. And she was very close because kneeling down were her three kids surrounded by a couple of large boxes. She took in the scenario and decided to make her presence known

"What is going on here?"

"Hi mom"

"Hey mom"

"Hey girl"

"Hello children. Now what are you guys up to?" asking them again. She knew that you have to stay on your kids if you ever want a straight and honest answer.

"Uncle George brought us a gift from Amsterdam" Mario exclaimed as he brought out a blue steel bar out of the box.

"Really?" eying the whole box skeptically. She had no idea what contraption they were building this time. Trust George to bring another noisy toy into her house.

"Yeah I saw a kid playing with it and I thought I would get a couple for the guy boys to try it out" he explained to her

"No what I meant was I didn't know that you were in Amsterdam" raising her eyebrow at him.

"Oh yeah I had to fly over there for a quick meeting" he answered quickly.

"Of course you did" rolling her eyes.

"It's true" he protested.

"Mhmm. Now what exactly is this ugh new contraption" changing the subject for now.

"Oh. Umm it's a bicycle car" he explained. Knowing that the conversation was not yet over.

"A what?" she asked again.

"It's sort of a car that you can pedal like a bike a bike and it has a steering wheel and a brake. It is really popular there"

"Is it safe?" She didn't get what it was exactly but her main worry was if it was safe and child friendly.

"As safe as a regular bicycle" he assured her.

"Okay carry on. Anyone want some lemonade?"

She was answered with a chorus of yeses. And she headed back in to get the drinks for her little construction workers. So for the next hour or so she sat on the steps of the house amusing herself at the attempts of George and Mario and David in setting up their latest toy. It was comical to see one grown man and two boys spend more than an hour shouting and throwing insults and jabs back and forth while they constantly tried to put up the car-bike or whatever it is called.

She wondered how long it will take the boys to come to the realization that they had no idea what they were doing.

She finally had enough and not could not take anymore of this wrecking disaster, hollering for her mom, they took over the experiment. 50 minutes later both of the car-bicycles were set up and ready to use. And the boys were just standing there with their tools in their hands and their arms crossed.

Diane looked at their mad and embarrassing expressions

"Come on, if we leave it up to you we would still be here all day and all night" she protested"

"Show off" George muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" Diane challenged

"Come on lets go inside my cheese bread should be ready now. Boys please clean up the mess and George, Diane don't you guys have something to talk about" her mother intervened.

"Yes grandma"

"Yes ma"

"Yes ma'am"

"See you all at the dining table in half an hour"

"I guess it is time" George laughed nervously

"Let's go" she said with glee. "Boys when you done please go and wash up and help abuela in the kitchen"

"Yes mom" Mario replied picking up a cardboard paper.

"Shall we?" she said sweetly to the man standing next to her

"Where? To hell?" he quipped back.

"Wherever you want"