𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐓𝐓- 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝟏

Fulgencio!

"Whoa" I gasped as Jay pushed me behind him, "You're always to busy to pick me up at the airport, you send a total stranger with a cardboard sign" Ms. Ramirez scoffed, "Hey Grandma" Manny smiled as he walked into the room, "Hey, buddy get over here" Jay mumbled pulling Manny to his side, "I sure do love the cross you got me, but do I have to wear it today? It's kinda hard to close my shirt over it" Manny croaked. 

"Oh, no, no, no, you do whatever you want, Padrecito, I know that's the way in this house, but if you wear it, oh, you'll make me proud, it's been in my family for five generations" Ms. Ramirez sighed, "Okay" Manny nodded, "I'll walk you out buddy, is anything in her family new-"? Jay began, then a bang went off, we all turned around, "Just you" Ms. Ramirez chuckled. 

I went downstairs, Claire was here, "Here, we've got the deli platter, and there's more in my car" Claire sighed, "But those are not from Rumpernook's" Gloria frowned, "No, because the cheese at rump-I don't go there anymore" Claire sighed, "I'm going to do the laundry" Sonia announced, "Okay, Sonia, I love you so much" Gloria smiled. "Wow, pretty cozy with the new housekeeper, huh"? Claire whispered, "It's her sister" I giggled quietly, "Wow, pretty weird with your sister, huh"? Claire gasped. 

"She likes to keep busy, but I feel bad for her,  I have so much and she has nothing" Gloria frowned, "Okay, well people make their own choices, it's not like you're responsible" Claire defended, "No, no, maybe just a little bit, I was older and I had opportunities to travel, and I took them" Gloria frowned, "Oh, it didn't prevent her from going anywhere" I smiled as I bit into my apple, "no, no, maybe just one time, there was a letter that had arrived from America about a job opportunity and it was only for one person, and I went" Gloria shrugged, "But it's not like the envelope was addressed to her, and you opened it and...you're evil" Claire gasped as Gloria pulled a guilty face. 

"I had to get out of there guys"! Gloria cried, "You just strapped on those high heels and walked right over her back didn't you"? I huffed, "Maybe a little bit" Gloria squeaked, "Where is the river"? Sonia asked walking back in, me and Claire let out a deep breath. 

Me, Gloria and Sonia walked into Gloria's closet, "I want you to wear something beautiful tonight, so please, choose"! Gloria smiled as she pointed to her clothes, "What is this room"? Sonia asked, "This is the closet" I whispered, "So all of the people of the town, they leave their nice clothes with you"? Sonia asked, "No, these are all my clothes, but I do miss the simple things at home, so tell me, how-how are things in the village"? Gloria asked. 

"We had a flood" Sonia shrugged, "Ay, but it wasn't a big one right"? I asked, "We had a boat" Sonia added, "Ay, that's great" Gloria smiled, "We had a boat" Sonia repeated. "Are you dating anyone"? Gloria asked changing the subject, "You remember Antonio Marquez"? Sonia asked, "Yes of course! The most handsome boy in the school with those beautiful eyes"! Gloria nodded, "His father with a wooden leg, he lost it in the flood" Sonia frowned, "So, is it serious"? Gloria squeaked. 

Me, Jay, Claire and Joe where in the kitchen, "Right to my face, 'I don't like you', nobody doesn't like me, I'm Jay, I'm salt of the earth"! Jay ranted, "Why are you inhaling Joe"? I asked as Claire smelt Joe, "Oh, they only smell perfect like this for a little while....yeah, that's the stuff" Claire huffed as she smelt Joe again. "From day one I've treated this woman like a queen, I have flown her back and forth, I've...I've tasted her native food, you know what chin taste like? 'Cause I do! And now I find out-Why are you rubbing my baby on you"? Jay asked, "I have seen you French kiss Stella" I laughed, "She was taking a treat out of my mouth, that's a trick" Jay huffed. 

"I am sure you know what I find funny about this situation" Claire smiled, "What"? Jay asked, "You have an in-law who, no matter what you do, no matter how hard you try, can't win over" Claire smirked, "What about it"? Jay asked. "Wait...that doesn't sound familiar"? Claire asked, "You're not saying"? Jay questioned, "Mm-hmm" Me and Claire hummed, "Yeah, I am" Claire nodded, "Son of a bitch...I'm Phil" Jay gasped. 

We were at Joe's christening and Jay was doing a speech, "Let me tell you about the day, I met my beautiful wife, because up until the birth of this child, it's the best thing that's ever happened to me, so, it's morning, my car's getting waxed. I hop in the diner, I hear this adorable accent, I turn and I see this pretty girl talking to her friend I send over a piece of pie, couple of minutes later who comes over to thank me but Gloria, the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, she sit's down, we start talking, and we haven't stopped talking since" Jay smiled, we all clapped, "But here's the crazy part, I didn't send the pie to Gloria, her back was to me, I sent it to her friend, who went to the bathroom and missed it, and that person is here today-Gloria's sister Sonia"! Jay announced Gloria was shaking her head. 

"You stole my life"! Sonia yelled, "no-" Gloria tried to speak before the two ended up fighting, "No, no, wait hold on"! Jay yelled trying to calm the two, which didn't work, "I got Gloria"! Phil yelled. We all went into the smaller chapel, "No more! I want my own life, my own bed, my own email account"! Sonia huffed, "Yeah, leave your poor old mother alone" Ms. Ramirez sobbed. "Don't worry mama you can come live with us" Gloria offered, "Whoa, pump the breaks here"! Jay huffed, "What? Do you have a problem with my mother"? Gloria asked. 

"No, your mother has a problem with me, you think she's helpless ask her what's in that box"! Jay huffed, "It's not the family gun"? Gloria questioned, "Jay, if anything should happen to Gloria, I am there for you" Sonia smiled, "What, Sonia? What's going to happen to me"? Gloria yelled flicking her hair, "You might go for a walk in you closet one day and never come back"! Sonia snapped. "Okay! That's it"! Jay yelled, "We're in a house of god, damn it"! I huffed. "Fine, everyone just abandon me" Ms. Ramirez cried. 

"Pilar, with all due respect, no one's buying the martyr act, not even this guy, you ask me, you've been keeping this one under your thumb 'cause you're afraid of going on with you're life, but you're an attractive woman with a lot to offer, this could be an opportunity, hell, I don't even think I knew what happiness was till I was sixty! Sonia, we're gonna help you get you're own place, have some independence, and if you ever feel lonely, you can come visit us as much as you want...with in reason. We'll send these two down to visit you"! Jay offered, "What"? Me and Manny frowned. 

"But their not becoming priest because they like girls and boys, can't get em, but they like em, so, everybody think about it"  Jay ordered, "Not for too long there is a AA meeting here at six" I reminded everyone, "Sonia, please, let us do this for you, I really want you to be happy, can you forgive me"? Gloria frowned, "It will take some time" Sonia huffed, "As much as you need" Gloria nodded, "And some dresses" Sonia added, "As many as you want" Gloria nodded, "And some shoes" Sonia smirked, "You're angry now" Gloria sighed. 

"In the name of the father and the son and the holy spirit, what name have you given the child"? The priest asked, "Fulgencio Joseph Pritchett" Jay smiled, "May god be with you all" The priest ended, " Thank you Jay" Gloria smiled, "We're never gonna call him that" Jay whispered.