Playing Around (2 page)

That week, they became the parents to five strapping young boys. Her heart was ready to burst; Michelle could not have loved Diego more at that moment. Yet her heart also grew to include five little smiling boys.  There was Grady who was six years old. Roger and the twins Jed and Sergio were five. Last but not least little Victor was four and the baby of the group.

~*~*~*~*~*~

22 years later Michelle Diaz is still as happy as ever and even more in love with her Diego. "Mujer, go get the phone. The first of five calls has come in," Diego yelled from the kitchen. 

The first of the prodigal sons is calling. She wonder which one it could be and made her way to pick up. "Hello?" 

"Mama. Como estas?" The deep voice of her little Sergio boomed through the receiver. Even the sound of their voice made her heart proud.

"Sergio, honey, your mama is doing well. Fit as a fiddle for a 40 year old." He’s always worried about his mama. Yet not enough to come home often, these boys will be the death of her. She always worried, especially if they were being talked about in the tabloids. Which was more often than not.

"Mom you’re 43 today, not 40. Is the mind starting to go already?" Sergio reminds Michelle as if she didn’t know. He was always the smart ass of the bunch. 

"Sergio, let your mama feel younger; your daddy says I have the stamina of-" She start to tell him only to be cut off mid-sentence.

"Gross. Like I really want to hear that, shame on you old lady." Comes the complaint. Complete with gaging noises.

"Vieja tu Abuela." How dare he call her old? 43 is the new 30, that's what Gloria her best friend always says. He was going to get his mouth washed out with soap for calling her old.

"Mom, I didn’t call to fight. I called to tell you that I love you and will be there tomorrow. We can go out to dinner. Ok old lady." This kid needs a good spanking. He was just informed it was his grandmother who was old, not her. Like always, they never listen.

 "Si, esta bien. Now go back to your practice before you have to pay all that money as a punishment."  That was her little Sergio. He’s a boxer, maybe you have heard of him. He is very good at his job. He’s also very handsome. If you overlook the nose that has been broken so many times, he’s a part of a matching set. 

His twin brother Jed is a football player. Then there is Roger who of all things decided to be in the UFC, who also has a busted nose. Victor plays soccer, he has very strong legs. Last but never least is Grady, the leader of the bunch. He became a Baseball player. All five of her strapping boys turned into five strapping hunky men. So the calendars they sent her say. When she sees them, all she sees are her five little boys.

That is until last year when Lucinda's daughter got married and had a baby. Truth be told she got married because she was already 6 months with child. After holding that darling baby in her arms Michelle decided she wanted babies in her home. It wasn’t too much to ask for and she deserved them. While she was still young and strong to chase them. 

     Poor boys, they have no idea what mommy has in store for them.

Chapter Two

 After getting off the phone with little Sergio. Michelle went and made sure the boy’s rooms were all neat and orderly. They were wild boy’s growing up but still neat as a pin. Michelle guessed it was Grady who would tell them to be on their best behavior, so they wouldn’t get sent away.

Frowning her eyes scanned the room. It seems like her boys somehow knew what they would be as adults. Michelle reach up to touch the 85’ Chicago Bears poster Jed had on his wall. Then turned and smiled up at the poster of her little Jed in his football uniform. 

Her boys were all doing well for themselves. Yet it was all the tabloids and magazines that would say negative things about all the women after women they appeared with, that worried her. All those women looked anorexic and very slutty. “Eso no es lo que yo quiero para mis hijos.” No, that was not what she want for her children. What they needed is a strong woman who will be their equal and not some airhead eye candy. 

After closing the door to Jed’s room, it dawned that it was time to call a meeting of the round table. There was still time before she need to get ready for her Birthday date. Diego had already left for the garage. It was less than half an hour before her doorbell rang. She had already made the coffee and set out some cookies, cake and toast. 

“Hola Gloria, Lucinda, Reina, Camila, Patricia." I greet my best friends as they come in one by one. They have been her rock. Without them, she might not have been able to raise five boys. There was always a pair of eyes on them as they grew up.

"So what's the big emergency Michelle? We celebrated your birthday yesterday so that you had time with the hubby today?" Patricia asked looking confused. 

"It's my boys, they’re all gathering home tomorrow. I have decided it's high time they found a good woman. I mean the youngest is 24 and not getting any younger. When we were their age, Diego and I had five children already." They all started to laugh at her words. 

"Honey, it is not the same thing. How can you even think to compare your situation with Diego to their lives?" Camilla admonished making Michelle pout. She really dislike being contradicted. 

After hearing more from the girls about their options everyone turned to Lucinda. She was not her normal cheerful self. "Lucy what's wrong?" Michelle ask as they all gathered around the woman. Her tears started to slide down her face and they all felt her pain. 

"Molly called me this morning to finally inform me that she and her husband got divorced last month." Lucinda said on a sob. They instantly went to hug and comfort her. "She admitted that he was not the father of her baby. He married her anyway because he loved her. Yet she did not love him and would not sleep with him. It’s been a year now and he finally got tired of not getting any. She agreed to the divorce, because she still did not love him."  

"Wait, what? So who's the father then?" Michelle asked as they all closed in on Lucinda. Molly was such a lovely girl. Why hadn’t she married the baby’s real father? So many things went through Michelle’s head at that moment. 

"Molly doesn't want to tell me. She's coming home in a week and I'm going to make her talk then." Lucinda said full of determination. "Don't worry about me, let's talk about this plan of yours. My only daughter is a mess and was married before your little plan took root. So I'm guessing we are going to pair him up with the girl's daughters?" Lucy asked smiling again as she wiped at her tears. 

"We did talk a lot about wanting our kids to get together when they were younger. Plus your girls are not married. I'm guessing, what the hell. It doesn't hurt to manipulate situations so they can meet again as adults. Maybe we can orchestrate a way to get them together." Michelle smirked already thinking up ways to get her boys married.  

"You are one scary woman when you set your mind to something." Camilla said causing them all to laugh again. 

Yes an idea was taking shape in her mind. Michelle had already planned on creating a list in which she would write the names of all her friends’ daughters. There she would figure out what they might have in common with her boys. They were all beautiful and special girls. She would welcome anyone of them into her family. Yes, mama had some planning to do. It all had to be done before Diego came home or he would forbid her from interfering. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

That night, Jed made it home. So had everyone else as one by one they arrived. Jed had been the first to make an appearance and was sitting on the couch. The knee was still throbbing painfully. As he placed the ice bag on top of it, the door knob jiggled. He immediately shot off the couch and his knee went out. “Holy shit,” came his agonizing curse as he realized if there was a fucking burglar on the other side of the door. He wouldn’t even be able to run to safety.

After sinking back into the couch he shrugged. “Oh well, life sucks anyway. Maybe they'll come and put me out of my misery.” When the door swung open Roger walked in. "You scared the crap out of me." Jed muttered as he sent the ice bag flying to Rogers head.  

 "Am I that ugly?” Roger asked as he rubbed his chin between his fingers. “Or were you scared because I can kick your ass now?” He said laughing and tossing Jed the ice bag. He then raised a brow in question.  

"I would get up, but the knees fucked up. At the moment it's hurting like a bitch. So come down here and give your brother a hug." Roger did as he was told. After flopping down on the other couch he turned to Jed.  

"I'm guessing you didn't tell the folks about this yet?"  He asked gesturing to Jed’s elevated leg. He would be right, they all tried to keep their parents from worrying about them. Before Jed had a chance to answer the door handle turned once more and in strolled his twin brother Sergio.

The first words out of his mouth were, "You got hurt?"  Roger just nodded his head. People never understood their special bond. "I’m assuming it’s bad, since you didn't come give your older brother a hug.” That made Jed chuckle. 

"Shut up, you're only older by two minutes." They started to catch up for a while and were lost in conversation and didn’t even hear Grady walk in. The look on his face had them all rolling in laughter.

"What? Did you think you were the only one who thought to be here one day earlier?” Yes they were brothers for a reason Jed thought as they all teased Grady. He was the older and more serious one of the group. 

Not too long after Grady closed the door Victor showed up. Seems they had indeed all had the same thought. "Cabrones me ganaron," were the first words out of Victors mouth. As the youngest, he was always trying to one up them.

"I am not a bastard and yes we got here first. Pendejo no chingues." Grady tells Victor and pulls him into a bear hug that lifts him off the floor.

Damn, but Jed loved these bastards. He never got over hearing Grady speak Spanish. He was whiter than a piece of bread. He smiled remembering how much they would tease him about it as they grew up. At that moment Jed finally realized how much he had missed being home and with his brothers. They all took turns asking questions about his knee. “Once the swelling goes down, I'll know how bad the damage is. I'm hoping it's not that bad. But shit, I don't even want to think about it now.” Roger ordered a couple of pizzas and Victor went out to get beer.  

~*~*~*~*~

While her boys made themselves at home Michelle and Diego had arrived for dinner.

She was busy contemplating that in all these years, the restaurant was still top quality. Their chocolate cake is amazing and she was looking forward to having a slice. "Estas tan linda, como el primer dia que te conoci," Diego tells her as he holds the chair out. Michelle turned and place her hand on his cheek, then placed a kiss on the tip of his nose. Does he really believe I am as beautiful as the first day he met me?

After scooting her chair in placed, he gave her a quick kiss on the nape of her neck. “You are quite the flatterer Mr. Diaz." Oh how this man still had the power to make her knees weak.

"Ah, my love, but it is quite easy with such a sexy thing before me." It was impossible to believe he still made her melt when he looked at her in that way. How could he still be so sweet and so loving after all these years?  

"I love you Diego, I don't think I say it enough. Because of you I have had the best and everything I have ever wanted. Most importantly, you gave me my five babies." Tears stung the back of Michelle’s eyes and she blinked them away.  

"Mi vida, you are my whole life. For you, I would walk to the ends of the earth and back. Those boys completed us. That heart of yours would have withered and died without them. Then I would have followed you. Those boys are my life too."

She put her hand over his and squeezed. Although his words were very touching. Michelle had just realized this was the perfect time to add a new member to her team. "Diego, do you really mean that?" She asked breathlessly and frowned when they were interrupted with the appetizers. It seemed Diego had called ahead with their order. He served the glasses of Champaign and they toasted to her health and happiness.  

"To the most beautiful woman in the world, may we have another 70 years more?" They both took a sip then he looked her in the eyes. "Now tell me what you require of me to make you happy. You have been squirming in that chair for minutes now.” Michelle felt her face flush, but decided to press her luck.

She went into her bag and pulled out a paper. Still not breaking eye contact she started to unfold said paper. "Well you see it’s like this. The boys are heading down the wrong road with the girls they're dating. It's killing me. Every paper I read that has anything negative to say about our boy’s kills me. I wasn't going to tell you. Yet it seems more help is needed.” Through her spiel, Diego was quiet and did not take his eyes off of her. Michelle took a deep breath and went on.

“I wrote out a list of the daughters my friends have and what they may have in common with our boys." It was then that Diego held up his hand.