Ch 7

Sunlight filtered through the curtains as Gloria, Manny, and Vincente were seated on the floor, surrounded by open boxes and scattered photo albums.

"Mom, what exactly are we looking for?" an exasperated Vincente asked, taking out yet another album from the box.

Gloria, waved a hand dismissively. "Something important, mi amor. You wouldn't understand. It's sentimental."

Manny adjusted his glasses and peered into one of the boxes. "Is it about Dad?"

Gloria froze for a second before shaking her head vigorously. "No! Why does everyone always assume it's about Javier? Sometimes a woman just wants to look at her own memories without a man involved, okay?"

Vincente smirked. "I think we've hit a nerve."

They all continued rifling through the albums until Vincente pulled one out from the bottom of a worn-out box. Its leather cover was faded, and the edges were frayed. "What's this one?" he asked, flipping it open.

The first page revealed a picture of Gloria holding a baby dressed in a frilly pink dress, complete with an oversized bow on her head. She was beaming, her arms lovingly cradling the child.

"Awww," Vincente cooed, holding up an old photo. "Who's this?"

Manny leaned over to peek at the picture. "Yeah, Mom, who is she?"

Both boys turned their curious eyes to Gloria, who froze like a deer caught in headlights.

"Mom?" Vincente said, leaning closer. "Are you okay?"

Gloria snapped out of her daze, her voice slightly shaky. "Si, si! I'm fine!"

"So…" Vincente smirked, mischief dancing in his eyes. "Who is she? She looks a lot like Manny."

Gloria's gaze darted around the room, her mind racing for an explanation. Faced with her manny's expectant stares, she blurted out, "She's… Manny's twin sister!"

Vincente and Manny stared at their mother, their expressions frozen in disbelief.

"Twin sister?" Manny repeated slowly, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Mom, I don't have a twin sister."

Vincente tilted his head, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Oh really, Mom? A twin sister? That's your story? What happened to her—did she move to a remote island and become a soap opera star?"

Gloria straightened her shoulders, her chin lifting with exaggerated pride. "No! Absolutely not! She... she went to live with our dear aunt in Colombia. Yes! Our sweet, fragile girl needed the pure, fresh mountain air to heal her… delicate constitution!"

Manny raised an eyebrow. "Mountain air? In Colombia? Mom, we've been to Colombia, and there were no hidden sisters frolicking in the hills."

At this, Gloria threw her hands up in the air and let out an overly theatrical wail. "¡Ay, Dios mío! My daughter! My precious angel! She… she fell… from the mountain! Yes! She fell while chasing a… a butterfly! It was so tragic, so poetic!"

The room was filled with Gloria's dramatic sobs as she paced back and forth, clutching her chest like a telenovela heroine. "¡Mi hija preciosa! My angel! Taken from me too soon by the cruel, cruel mountain! And the butterfly—oh, that butterfly! It was her destiny… her final dance with nature!"

Manny, clutching his mouth with trembling hands, his eyes brimming with tears, gasped. "Mom… that's… that's so tragic." His voice cracked, and he sniffled loudly.

Meanwhile, Vincente was in a completely different state. He had rolled onto his side, his head buried in the photo album, shoulders shaking as he tried and failed to suppress his laughter. 

Manny, mistaking Vincente's quivering form for grief, knelt beside him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Vincente. She's in a better place now… with the butterflies."

Gloria, still lost in her monologue, "She was my rose! My delicate flower! Oh, why did she have to chase that butterfly?!"

But Vincente couldn't hold it in anymore. With tears streaming down his face though from laughter, not grief he tapped Manny's arm repeatedly. Manny turned, confused, as Vincente shakily flipped the album to the next page.

There, staring back at them, was the same photo, the same "girl" only now the child was wearing boys' clothes, standing awkwardly with a lopsided smile. It was unmistakable.

"Wait a minute…" Manny's voice wavered as realization dawned. His brow furrowed, his lips parted slightly, and he squinted at the photo.

"That's… that's me!"

Silence fell over the room. Gloria froze mid-sob, one hand dramatically pressed against her forehead, the other still clutching her chest.

Manny's eyes widened, and he turned slowly to face his mother. "Mom… was I the twin sister?!"

Vincente exploded into full-blown laughter, clutching his stomach and rolling onto his back, gasping for air. "Manny was the twin sister! Oh my gosh, this is better than any movie I've ever seen!"

Gloria, cornered and exposed, lowered her hands and cleared her throat. "Well… you were a very beautiful little girl, Manny. It was for a wedding! And… and you made the most precious flower girl!"

Manny's jaw dropped. "Flower girl?! You dressed me up as a girl for a wedding? And you lied about me being a tragic mountain victim?!"

Gloria shrugged, a sheepish smile creeping onto her face. "It sounded better than saying I bribed you with candy to wear the dress, okay?"

Vincente was on the floor now, completely incapacitated with laughter, his legs kicking weakly in the air. Manny stared at his mother in shock, flipping between disbelief and mild betrayal.

"I can't believe this…" he muttered, shaking his head.

Gloria sighed, placing a hand on Manny's shoulder. "Oh, mi amor, it's nothing to be ashamed of. You were adorable! Besides, every little boy should know how to walk in heels—it builds character."

Manny groaned, burying his face in his hands. "I will never live this down."

Gloria smirked, picking up the photo album and hugging it to her chest. "Well, at least now you know the truth… and look at the bright side, Manny—you really could've pulled off being a soap opera star."

Vincente burst out laughing again, and Manny stormed off to his room.

Jay, who had just entered the room with a pillow tucked under his arm and his reading glasses perched on his nose, paused mid-step as Manny stormed past him, his face flushed and his hands waving in exasperation.

"Is he… gonna be okay?" Jay asked, frowning and pointing over his shoulder at Manny's retreating figure.

Gloria, with an overly casual wave of her hand, dismissed his concern and turned her attention to Vincente, who was still laughing uncontrollably "¡Ay, muchachito! ¿Te habría matado quedarte callado? ¡Eres un diablillo!" (Oh, you little rascal! Would it have killed you to stay quiet? You're such a little devil!)

Vincente wiped a tear from his eye, his grin still wide, "Entonces, ¿estaba bien que él pensara que tenía una hermana gemela que murió trágicamente?" (So, it was okay for him to think he had a twin sister who tragically died?)

Gloria put her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowing "¡No me hables así, muchachito atrevido! ¡Soy tu madre!" (Don't talk to me like that, you cheeky boy! I'm your mother!)

Vincente raised an eyebrow, "Pero, mamá, tú fuiste la que inventó la historia de la mariposa y la montaña." (But, Mom, you were the one who made up the butterfly and mountain story.)

Gloria threw her hands in the air in mock exasperation. "¡Ay, por Dios! ¿Ahora eres abogado o qué? ¡Vete! ¡Anda, haz algo productivo antes de que te dé una palmada!" (Oh, for heaven's sake! Are you a lawyer now or what? Go on! Do something productive before I give you a smack!)

Vincente chuckled as he backed away slowly, holding up his hands in surrender. "¡Está bien, está bien! Me voy. Pero, mamá, admito que fue una buena actuación." (Alright, alright! I'm going. But, Mom, I admit—it was a good performance.)

Gloria couldn't help but crack a smile as she pointed a warning finger at him, "¡Fuera de aquí, diablillo!" (Out of here, little devil!)

Vincente dashed out of the room, leaving Gloria shaking her head with a small laugh.

Jay approached Gloria with mild amusement. "Gloria, I've noticed something. You mostly talk to Vincente in Spanish, but with Manny, it's almost always in English. Why is that?"

Gloria paused, a faint smile playing on her lips as she glanced at Jay. "Ay, Jay, you notice everything, don't you?"

Jay shrugged. "Well, I'm a pretty observant guy… and also, you're not exactly subtle."

Gloria chuckled softly before sighing. "It's not something I planned, you know? With Manny… when I first came here, I was so worried he wouldn't fit in. I wanted him to feel like he belonged, like he was part of this world. So I spoke to him in English all the time. I thought it would make things easier for him at school, with friends, with… you know, everything. Eventually, he started forgetting it."

Jay nodded thoughtfully. "Makes sense. And with Vincente?"

Gloria's smile grew warmer. "Vincente was different. By the time he came along, I was more comfortable here. I knew he'd be fine no matter what. And besides, Vincente… he's like a little sponge. He picks up everything—English, Spanish, music lyrics, dance moves, everything. So with him, I let myself speak more Spanish because I wanted him to keep that connection to where we come from. To mi tierra."

Jay's expression softened. "That's actually… really sweet, Gloria."

Gloria crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Sweet? Are you getting soft on me, Jay?"

Jay smirked. "Don't tell anyone. I have a reputation to maintain."

Gloria chuckled and patted his cheek affectionately. "Don't worry, gringo. Your secret's safe with me."

Jay grinned and walked away, muttering under his breath, "Yeah, until you get mad and start yelling in Spanish."

From behind him, Gloria called out with mock indignation, "¡Eso es porque cuando me enojo, el inglés no me alcanza!" (That's because when I'm angry, English just isn't enough!)

(Scene)

Vincente strolled into the living room, a mischievous grin still tugging at the corner of his mouth as he picked up the landline phone. He dialed a number and waited as the line rang.

Ring… Ring…

"Hello?" came Claire Dunphy's voice on the other end.

"Hola, Mrs. Dunphy. It's me, Vincente."

"Oh, hi, Vincente!" Claire responded. "What's up? Is everything okay over there?"

"Sí, sí, everything is fine," Vincente reassured her, his voice smooth and confident. "I just wanted to call for a little… family bonding."

Claire hesitated, her voice laced with suspicion. "Family bonding?"

"Sí," Vincente replied, drawing out the word dramatically. "I had an idea, and I wanted to ask your permission before getting everyone else involved."

"Alright, I'm listening…" Claire said cautiously.

"Well, you know how Mama and Jay are planning their Wedding, right?"

"Yes, of course."

Vincente's grin widened as he continued, "I thought it would be incredible if Luke, Alex, and Haley joined me and Manny for a little… performance."

"A performance?" Claire repeated, eyebrows raising on the other end of the line.

"Sí, like a little musical number! Something fun, something entertaining… something memorable for the big day!" Vincente's enthusiasm was contagious, even over the phone.

Claire let out a short laugh. "Oh boy, you've definitely inherited Gloria's flair for the dramatic."

"Thank you, I take that as a compliment," Vincente said proudly.

"Well, Vincente, if you can manage to convince Luke, Alex, and Haley to join in—and let me tell you, convincing Haley might require some… effort—then I don't see why not. Perform away!"

"¡Perfecto! You won't regret this, Mrs. Dunphy. This will be epic!"

Claire chuckled softly. "Alright, kiddo. But don't say I didn't warn you if Haley rolls her eyes into another dimension. Good luck!"

"Gracias, Mrs. Dunphy! See you soon!" Vincente hung up the phone, a triumphant smile plastered across his face.

He rubbed his hands together mischievously and muttered to himself, "Alright, Dunphy kids… prepare yourselves. Operation Wedding Extravaganza begins now."

"MANNY!"

(Scene)

The Dunphy living room is scattered with school bags and snacks.

Alex is on the couch, nose deep in a thick textbook, Haley is lounging with her phone and Luke is on the floor… attempting to eat cereal directly from the box without using his hands.

Vincente stands confidently in front of them, holding a small notepad and pen like a seasoned event planner.

"Alright, team Dunphy! I have a proposition that is going to blow your minds."

Haley, eyes still on her phone, "If it involves effort, count me out."

Alex, chimed in, "And if it involves stupidity, count Luke in."

"Hey!"

Vincente waved them off, his grin unwavering. "No, no, listen! This is genius. I've got a big idea for my mom and Jay's wedding. A family performance! All of us, together, like a big, happy musical number."

Haley raised an eyebrow but stayed focused on her phone. "Is this going to be one of those things where we humiliate ourselves, and it goes viral?"

"Only if we mess it up," Vincente replied, unfazed.

Now Alex was interested. She closed her book and fixed Vincente with a curious look. "What kind of performance are we talking about?"

Vincente raised an arm dramatically, like he was already imagining the spotlight. "Something classy. Something fun. Something… unforgettable."

Luke's hand shot up enthusiastically. "Can I do karate in it?"

Vincente paused, momentarily thrown off, but quickly nodded. "Sure! A little karate flair could actually be cool."

Haley finally looked up, her interest piqued despite herself. "Okay, say we do this. What's in it for us?"

Vincente tapped his chin, pretending to think deeply. "The satisfaction of making two people very happy on their special day… and maybe a little spotlight for everyone."

Alex smirked, leaning back against the couch. "And you're coordinating this?"

"Absolutely," Vincente said, his voice steady. "Alex, you can play something on the cello—add sophistication. Luke, you'll bring your karate moves. And Haley…"

Haley narrowed her eyes. "What about me?"

Vincente's grin widened. "You're the star. The big finale. Picture it—lights dimmed, everyone watching as you deliver the show-stopping moment. All eyes on you."

Haley sat up a little straighter, her smirk softening into something more intrigued. "Okay… I'm listening."

"I'm in!" Luke said, bouncing on the floor. "Can I break a wooden board?"

"We'll see what we can arrange," Vincente replied, jotting it down in his notepad.

Haley glanced at Alex and Luke, weighing her options. Finally, she gave Vincente a look of mock seriousness. "Alright, Vincente, we're in. But if this turns into a disaster, you're taking all the blame."

"Deal!" Vincente said, his confidence unshaken. "Practice starts tomorrow. Be ready to shine, Team Dunphy!"

As Vincente walked away, scribbling notes in his little notepad, the Dunphy kids exchanged glances. Despite their usual bickering, a flicker of excitement crossed their faces.

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Sorry for the delay, I had something else going on.

Anyway, I saw a comment saying that Billie and Mc should meet later in the series, while I had envisioned it like they are some sort of childhood friends. 

Tell me how would you like it:-

Childhood friends.Other root.

Thank you for reading!!!