February 23, 2020
New York City, New York
When Laurel was coming back from today's show, almost at eleven pm, she found her twins waiting for her. They just wanted to party on a Sunday night, taking advantage that tomorrow is Monday and Laurel has no Broadway show.
They wanted to relive the old days of when they turned 21 and were finally able to party properly and without breaking the law, when they had nothing else to do and Laurel definitely didn't have a show to perform eight times a week.
Those are the perks of creating your own job, or well, inherit it from their parents. Laurel is so stuck with the show that she always has to ask for permission. She loves the theater, but perhaps she would also like to be freer and have her own time at will.
Laurel said yes to her siblings and the three went to the hotel's night's club. They had a really great time just the three of them, enjoying each other like the old times.
So, after a couple of hours, they decided to go back to Laurel's penthouse to have some sleep, because well, tomorrow is working day for Iray and Emilio. They came to New York for work, like all the times they do.
"I, I follow, I follow you deep sea, baby," the three sang yelled and opened the door to the service stairs, taking a seat on the steps.
Seems like they got served a little bit too much.
"I missed this," Emilio sighed, resting his head on Laurel's shoulder. She put her arms around his brother's body, hugging him. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Laurel chuckled and left a kiss on his forehead.
"I think we work way too much," Iray babbled, resting her back on the wall behind her. "We needed a night off."
She's got that one right. Now more than ever, Iray and Emilio are trying to work harder so that they can be named Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Legal Officer of the Group, respectively, even though it would mean more responsibility. They have just started to think that they had enough time to be 'rookies' and learn about the family business; now is time to be full-time committed to the patrimony they will inherit someday.
"And yet, no matter how hard we work, Rafael is still the first in line to be the CEO when mum and dad retires," Emilio snorted. He is right as well. "Like royalty," he sarcastically chuckled.
Rafael is the Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Group, known also as the successor at the head of the Group.
Laurel sighed. "When that moment comes, surely we will fight over who will be the boss," she mumbled. "Sometimes I just wish mum and dad would sell everything and spend it on themselves, because that feud between us is unavoidable."
Something clicked in Iray's mind. "You have that genius brain, and you are so good at Math, you could be a great CFO," she straightened her back and looked at Laurel. "But you studied theatre, so you don't have to fight with us for the position of CEO of the Group."
Emilio's eyes widened. That makes a lot of sense. No one ever really understood why Laurel studied theatre if she could be a great actuarial or financier. She has talent to be a performer, but she could also be the greatest financier the world has ever seen.
Laurel nodded. "You caught me. It would be unbearable to fight with you for money or power," she chuckled. "Like Emilio said it once, we are bound to one another. You are my home, and we share a pretty good life, so I would never let anything compromise it."
"That is so cheesy," Emilio teased and shook his head.
"I know, please don't tell anyone I said this," Laurel slightly laughed.
Iray smiled. "I love you both."
The three smiled and hugged each other. Sitting there, in the service stairs, they had a great, deep talk again. It's needed sometimes.
"Sorry to bother you, but you can't be here," a guy from the hotel said when he saw the three tipsy guys sitting in the stairs.
"We are your bosses, please leave us alone," Emilio said and moved his hand in the air.
The guy just left, a little confused. Seems like he doesn't know who his bosses are. Emilio, Iray and Laurel don't tend to brag about their position, but this was necessary. Once a year does not hurt.
●●●
February 29, 2020
New York City, New York
"I want a Medieval Meal," Laurel said to her mum as they were driving on the McDonald's Drive Thru.
"Okay," Sofía nodded and rolled down the car window to order. "I'll have a chicken sandwich and a Medieval Me..." she stopped short, realizing the stupidity she was about to say. "That doesn't exist, right?" she turned around to see her daughter, who laughed out loud. "Laurel, come on."
"I'm sorry, I'll have a Double Cheeseburger," he said.
"Double Cheeseburger, I'm sorry for that," Sofía said again. She finished ordering and moved in the cars line to the place where they would collect the food. "You are unbelievable," she snorted.
"Mum, it's a cultural reference, is from Shrek," Laurel amusedly said. "George loves Shrek, he told me about the Medieval Meal."
"He does?"
"Yes," Laurel nodded.
"You hated Shrek as a kid," Sofía remembered. Laurel chuckled, knowing that her and George are different in so many ways but yet they are still together. "You'd rather watch the Pink Panther or the Looney-Tunes."
"I remember that," Laurel chuckled. "I remember once dad went to Mexico City for business and visited the town center, where he found a bunch of plush toys at thirteen dollars each."
"And then he came back to Miami with one Bugs Bunny for Rafael, one Pink Panther for you, one Buttercup from the Powerpuff Girls for Iray and a Spongebob for Emilio," Sofía rolled her eyes. It was so ridiculous to see Alejandro coming out of the airport carrying plush toys with him.
"He did," Laurel cheerfully replied.
The girl from McDonald's delivered the order and Sofía paid, giving the paper bags to Laurel. She drove out of the Drive-Thru and parked the car so that they would eat together while having a chat alone. It's been so long since the last time they were together, just the two of them.
"Mum, how did you meet my dad?" Laurel asked. Surprisingly, she doesn't know their parents' story, and now that they are finally getting married, it seems pertinent to know.
"Well, I was a foreign student at college, because I am from Oaxaca and my former university is in Puebla, so I lived in a residential college," she started to explain. "I lived in the Ignacio Bernal college."
"Ignacio Bernal was a Mexican anthropologist, investigator and PhD in Archaeology," Laurel excitedly said. She remembers studying about him during college.
"Really?" Sofía surprisedly said. She never took the time to investigate that guy before, even though she lived in a building with his name. "Anyway, my roomie was a cheerleader, and your dad was part of the football team, so one day this girl took me to a match because she was drooling over your dad, but guess what?"
"My dad went to say hi to you instead of her," Laurel assumed and smiled, cheekily.
"Yes," Sofía laughed. "My roomie was so pissed, and then she never talked to me again." Laurel laughed out loud. "Your dad and I started dating right away, it was like love at first sight."
"Do you believe in that claptrap?" Laurel frowned.
"Of course," Sofía nudged her daughter. She is so skeptical. "But you know, your dad and I were on an off all the time during our four years in college." Laurel pouted and looked at her mum, expecting for the end of the story. "But then we graduated, your abuelo gave the presidency of our family company to my brother Leonardo and I was so pissed because I worked harder than Leo during college, and I deserved that place more than him. Your dad offered me to come to the US together and create our own company, and that's what I did."
"Just like that?"
"Yes," she smiled. "Because I always knew it was him."
"Like...meant to be?" Laurel made a face.
"Oh, no, not at all," Sofía shook her head. "Like you, I don't believe in fate. I chose your dad. And he chose me. Even if we broke up and made up a million times, we chose each other. When it seemed like we should give up, we chose each other. And even after a long time, we keep choosing each other, in the face of every single twist and turn life brings us."
Laurel chuckled. "And that is not fate." Laurel shook her head and Sofía imitated her, knowing that her daughter understood everything. "Is commitment."
"Exactly," Sofía smiled widely. "Meant to be is too easy, is like just hoping that things will happen eventually."
"But everything happens eventually," Laurel interrupted. "Even the stuff you think never happens, it happens."
"Yes, but is not fate," her mum frowned. "It's hard work, effort, determination, overcoming obstacles and fighting through disappointments and failures. It's like you with Broadway, you had to make such a big effort, you auditioned and waited for an answer. You were not meant to be in Broadway. It happened eventually, but because you worked for it."
Laurel nodded repeatedly and looked down. "Through disappointments, failures..." she whispered to herself.
"And even long-distance," Sofía wiggled her eyebrows. Laurel turned to see her. She really didn't want her mum to listen to it. "Is commitment."