Chapter Text
“Thank you so much – have a good one!” She stated politely to her Uber driver with a smile as she stepped out of the small SUV, secured her overnight bag to her shoulder, and shut the door. She tucked her flowing curls behind her ear as she turned to the large brick like structure. It was beautiful encased in flowing ivories and an abundance of other flowers and greenery scattered around the property. Behind the building stretched miles of beautiful land that housed the 18 hole golf course. She breathed in the fresh scent, it had been years since she’d been here – her grandfather’s retirement party when she was 15 or 16 if she remembered correctly.
“Welcome to Kissing Tree.” The man pulled her from her memory as she looked towards him. He offered her a small smile. “My name is Liam – how can I help you today?”
She laughed as she pulled her bag tighter to her shoulder. “I assure you even though I am taking in the landscape like a tourist, I’m not. I’m fresh in from San Diego and they do not have country side like this out there!”
The man, Liam, as he identified himself only widened his smile as he nodded. “Understandable miss, I’m from Phoenix, so I can relate.”
She nodded simply. “Anywho – I am looking for the rehearsal dinner. I’m running a bit behind!”
“Ahh yes.” He nodded in understanding. “The Strand-Reyes party. They are in the main hacienda ballroom – straight through those double doors and to the left. You’ll see a sign.”
“Thank you!” She breathed before making her way up the walkway and into the building. She took in the stunning glass chandeliers as she made her way down the small corridor. Her eyes landing on the signage the employee had mentioned to her. She entered through the opened doors. Her eyes glanced around at the 50 or so people before falling on her tía and a couple she did not know sitting at a table towards the side by the entrance.
Her tía immediately spotted her and waved her over.
“My darling, Ana – I am so happy you could make it!” Andrea offered as she stood up to hug her.
She happily hugged her tía back. “Me too, tía Andrea. When my conference was moved last week to Austin last minute, I just knew it was a sign!”
Andrea smiled brightly gesturing her to sit down. She did so, letting her bag slip from her shoulder, and pushing it under the table. “Ana, this is Carlos’ future mother-in-law, Gwyn, and her husband, Enzo!”
The petite brunette offered her outstretched hand as the man beside her nodded with a soft warm smile. “Gwyn Morgan, it’s a pleasure!”
“Likewise” Ana responded.
Andrea clasped her hands together “Ana is my sister, Leann’s, only daughter. Her and Carlos were very close growing up! She is an assistant superintendent out in San Diego. She wasn’t supposed to be able to make the wedding initially due to a conference she couldn’t miss in Denver, but due to those wildfires out there they had to move locations and by some sort of luck it was moved to Austin.”
“That is just wonderful!” Gwyn nodded. “I guess the fates really aligned!”
“Well Ana Flores, as I live and breathe!” Carlos teased from behind her.
She spun in her chair, a grin spreading across her features as her eyes settled on her not so little cousin who stood just behind his mother’s chair now with a small blonde in his arms. She was in a soft pink dress as her blonde curls fell softly around her face. She landed on her piercing blue eyes – they were stunning and familiar.
She rose to her feet to hug him, moving to the opposite side of the little girl who must be about 4 years old before stepping back and kissing his cheek.
“Thank you for letting me crash your rehearsal dinner!” Ana whispered.
Carlos rolled his eyes as he moved around the back of his mother’s chair and sat down next to her. “Of course – when mami told me you claimed the last guest room at the ranch and would get in tonight, I surely wasn’t going to make you sit at the ranch and eat leftovers all alone!”
Andrea chuckled at her son. “Ana is just lucky she called me in time, rooms at the ranch are a hot commodity!”
Carlos nodded in response. “Gwyn and Enzo are staying with TK and I. So, Mami and dad were kind enough to let TK’s best man and his family stay there. They have 3 kids, so we couldn’t quite put everyone up in our house.”
“In fact” Andrea gestured to the small blonde in his lap, playing with the flower pedals spread out on the soft linen. “This is one of TK and Carlos’ godchildren that has been staying with us this week – huh, Evie?”
Ana looked back to the little girl, her blue eyes glowing with amusement as she spoke. “Yes, I love the horsies!”
“I used to love the horsies at tía Andrea’s and tío Gabriel’s growing up!” Ana offered softly to the little girl.
Carlos chuckled as he looked from the little girl to Ana who was watching her with amusement. Ana glanced to the left as a little boy with blonde hair brushed past the table with fervor.
“Daniel Buckley” Carlos scolded softly as the little boy stopped abruptly and turned back to him. “You better not let your parents catch you running around!”
The little boy nodded and held the napkins in his hand. “Papa said I could throw them away, Uncle Carlos!”
Ana was captivated by the little boys piercing blue eyes – she realized they mirrored young Evie’s. She looked back to her cousin whose face had softened.
“Okay kiddo – go ahead, just remember, walk, okay?” Carlos smiled.
“Yes, Uncle Carlos.” The little boy turned and continued to the trash can before placing the crumpled napkins inside.
Ana watched the little blonde squirm in Carlo’s arms as he let her down to follow the little boy. “I go with Danny!”
Ana watched the two kids disappear into a small crowd of about 10 people before she turned her attention back to her tía who’d begun to speak again. Her mind was swimming. Daniel Buckley. Those blue eyes. It couldn’t be.
“Those 2 couldn’t be more opposite if they tried!” Andrea offered with a small smile.
Carlos nodded with a laugh as he looked back to Ana. “That’s our other godchild, Evie’s twin, Daniel, and he’s a terror just like his father!”
Gwyn laughed at that. “TK and Evan did nothing, but get into trouble when they were younger!”
Ana inhaled sharply. Carlos took immediate notice, his smile faltering as he stared at her. “Ana, are you okay?”
She chewed on her bottom lip, plastering a smile across her lips. “Absolutely.”
Carlos nodded. “Well I should go find my future husband, dinner should be served shortly.”
She watched him make his exit and cleared her throat as her eyes scanned through the small sea of standing people around the ballroom. Maybe it was all a coincidence, but then it wasn’t. He had his back to her – the little blonde boy, Daniel, in his arms. He was standing among a group of about 10 other men and women, but she knew it was him.
“Edmundo” She breathed.
“Did you say something dear?” Andrea questioned, pausing her conversation with Gwyn.
Ana shook her head sharply. “Uh...ladies room?”
Andrea smiled. “Just outside the doors you entered through.”
She stood up slowly and made her way back towards the doors, raising her eyes at the somewhat familiar voice. “Hi Ana.”
She gasped slightly, a small smile coming to her lips. The once little boy was no longer little, of course, she hadn’t seen him in nearly 7 years. He was 11 then and now, well, he stood taller than her with the assistance of his crutches. They were no longer a bright red – now a soft navy blue she noticed. His curly blonde hair was darker and gelled back. He looked so handsome in his black dress pants, and soft green button down shirt which brought out his honey brown eyes. His voice so much deeper than that of the little boy she remembered.
“Christopher Diaz.” She whispered in surprise. “My goodness, you are all grown up, and so handsome!”
His smile only grew. “I graduated high school last month, you know? What on earth are you doing here?”
She chuckled at him. “That is amazing – I can’t believe it! Um...Carlos is my cousin, I could ask you the same thing.”
Christopher nodded, glancing over her shoulder. “Papa is Uncle TK’s best friend.”
“Papa?” She breathed as a question, but it wasn’t really as she turned and followed Christopher’s eyes to his Papa.
Buck was talking to a man she didn’t know, he had a cowboy hat on and was probably around there age. His eyes danced with amusement as he told a story to the other man. Everything fully clicked into place. Those blonde, blue eyed twins were mirror images of the tall man on the other side of the room. Their papa. Christopher’s papa.
She glanced over to Christopher who stood next to her now, smiling softly as he waited.
“Hey Chris, do you remember that conversation we had like 7 years ago?” She wondered out loud.
He laughed softly. “You mean the last time we saw each other before today?”
She nodded slowly. “Yeah”
***
Ana stepped out on to the front porch, tightening her purse to her shoulder as she fished for her keys.
“You going home?” Christopher asked.
Ana looked over to find the small boy sitting on the porch swing smiling up at her, his Nintendo switch sitting on his lap.
She nodded slowly as she stepped over to him, sitting down on the other end of the porch swing. “Yeah, everyone is clearing out. I offered to stay and help, but dad said Buck is going to be staying with you guys for a while.”
Christopher nodded. “Yeah, that’s what Buck told me earlier before he left to go get dad at the hospital.”
“Buck sure is a special guy!” She told him.
“He’s the best!” Christopher stated simply.
“You and your dad are sure lucky to have him your corner!” Ana agreed with a smile.
“You know” Christopher started. “After mom died, I didn’t think I could ever love anyone like I loved her and dad.”
Ana nodded. “But you love Buck that much?”
Christopher looked out over the front yard. “I do and sometimes I feel guilty, but I know mom would be happy that I have someone else to love and someone else who loves me.”
Ana could only nod with a small distant smile as she swallowed the lump forming in her throat.
“And dad, too.” Christopher added matter of factly.
Ana followed Christopher’s gaze to look out over the grass of the front lawn. “Do you think your dad loves Buck as much as you do?”
When he didn’t respond, she looked back to find him watching her carefully. “Dad always tells me I shouldn’t lie.”
She smiled softly and nodded. “Your dad is, right, Christopher. You should never lie!”
His woeful innocence was evident as he stared at her. “I know he does. He has never told me so, never said those words, but somethings just don’t need to be said.”
Tears pricked at the back of her eyeballs and she chewed on her bottom lip. She tried a smile, to let him know it was okay. He didn’t seem phased by her emotion, but she could see something in his eyes that looked like sympathy. If an 11 year old could really display that level of emotional maturity.
“It’s always going to be dad and Buck.” He whispered to her. “I like you, Ana, a lot! I don’t want you to be sad, but…”
“But” She fought back tears. “It’s always going to be dad and Buck!”
Christopher nodded and she smiled through her tear filled eyes. “I’ll see you around, Christopher.”
She leaned forward and placed a kiss a top his curls before standing up and walking away.
***
“If I had known that was the last time I was going to see you – I would have at least given you a hug.” Christopher offered with a grin.
“I am sorry we never got a proper good-bye. Your dad asked me to come over a few days later, but you were out getting ice cream with Buck. Dad told me his heart wasn’t into it, but I knew. Just like you knew and confirmed that day on the porch.” Ana paused as she smiled at him. “How long after that did Dad and Bu…er…Papa…”
Christopher nodded as she trailed off. “Not right away.”
She watched him as he thought about it.
“Papa was with Taylor for a while.” Christopher answered simply.
“So you didn’t have a special talk with Taylor, too?” Ana teased him.
Christopher shook his head. “We barely saw Taylor. Dad always teased Papa about hiding her. Sometimes Papa would tell dad about how upset Taylor would get because of all the time he spent with us. They didn’t know I was listening, but I was always listening. Papa and I spent 2 months building this amazing robot for my end of the semester science fair. I was so devastated when dad told me the week before my presentation that Papa wouldn’t be able to make my presentation because Taylor’s sister was getting married in Miami and they’d be out of town.”
Ana followed Christopher’s gaze which was now watching his father’s. Eddie was facing her now on the other side of the room. His attention focused solely on the tall blonde. His arm was leisurely draped around Buck’s waist as the taller man said something to him before leaning in and softly kissing the brunette. She watched Buck walk off a moment later, throwing his arms over the shoulders of a shorter brunette who she recognized from the wedding invitation pictures as Carlos’ fiancée, TK.
She looked back to Christopher. “How did the science fair turn out?”
Christopher shifted on his crutches as he chuckled. “I started my presentation and as I looked up from my notes, Papa showed up, and was standing next to dad.”
Ana nodded in response. “Of course he did.”
“When I asked him about the wedding after my presentation, he shrugged his shoulders, and told me that there would never be anyone more important than me. After that everything changed and yet nothing changed at all except Dad and Papa kissed – all the time. Papa didn’t sleep on the couch anymore. I didn’t realize they weren’t happy until suddenly I saw how happy they were once they officially got together.” Chris explained.
“Everyone deserves to be that happy!” Ana stated as she smiled at Christopher.
“They got married the next year and not long after that they started talking about giving me a baby brother or sister. Dad always teases Papa about being an overachiever because when Melanie, their surrogate, got pregnant – we soon found out it was twins!” Chris smiled at the memory.
Ana laughed softly. “You must love being a big brother – the twins are adorable, Evie and Daniel, they’re adorable!”
“They are and I do. Even though they are so much younger, I didn’t realize how lonely being an only child was until they came along!” Chris told her proudly.
“Did you all take your Papa’s last name then?” Ana asked suddenly.
Chris studied her for a moment. “How do you mean?”
“Right before I bumped into you I heard Carlos – Uncle Carlos refer to Daniel as Daniel Buckley.” Ana explained to him,
“Oh.” Chris hesitated and then continued. “Buckley is his middle name. Danny is named after Papa’s older brother who died when he was nine years old – Daniel Buckley – Daniel Buckley Diaz. Evie is named after mom.”
Ana licked her lips and followed Chris’ gaze which was across the ballroom again. He was watching Buck who had little Evie on his shoulders. She laughed while he bounced her on his shoulders as he talked to Carlos who was laughing at them. She couldn’t help but smile at the picture before her.
“Evie is her middle name – Shannon Evianna Diaz. It was Papa’s idea because he said mom’s memory should live on in our family.” Chris breathed and then chuckled. “Boy did dad sob like a baby when Papa suggested that!”
Ana wiped a lone tear as it streaked down her cheek silently before looking back to Christopher. “It seems like your father’s built a beautiful life together!”
“What about you, Ana?” Chris wondered wistfully. “Did you ever find your happily ever after?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Not yet, but maybe someday.”
“Christopher!” Eddie’s voice carried across the room as he waved his eldest over.
Ana turned slightly as the smile from Eddie’s face faltered and he adjusted the little boy on his hip. Recognition dawned on his face before his smile recovered and he nodded simply. She returned his smile.
The clicks of Christopher’s crutches pulled her from the moment as he took a few steps past her and then turned back to her momentarily. “It was really nice to see you, Ana. I hope you find your Buck or your Eddie.”
She nodded and smiled at him. “Me too, Christopher. Me too!”
She watched him cross the room before her eyes flicked back to Eddie who was now settling Danny into a chair. He sat down next to him and Buck walked up with little Evie in his arms. He settled her down on the other chair next to Eddie before moving behind Eddie and softly massaging Eddie’s shoulders. Eddie looked up at his husband with a small smile. Christopher approached and Buck turned his attention to his eldest son. He slung an arm over his shoulder as he told him something with a cat eating grin. Christopher shook his head in amusement before taking a seat next to his little sister. She watched Buck laugh again before he sauntered over and placed a kiss to the top of Daniel’s blonde curls before sitting down next to him at the table. She smiled absentmindedly before sauntering over to the seat she’d vacated earlier next to her tía.
“I see you met Christopher!” Andrea smiled as she sat down.
Ana smiled in response. “Not really – Christopher and I go way back!”
“Oh?” Andrea questioned.
Ana chuckled. “It’s a really long story, tía, maybe for breakfast tomorrow morning!”
“Excuse me” Buck’s voice called out over the room as everyone settled. “I was asked to use my big mouth as TK’s best man to let you all know if you could please take your seats, dinner will be served shortly!”
A soft laughter erupted from the room filled with people. Buck blushed as he sat back down in his previously vacated seat. She watched Eddie very clearly tease him as they laughed – the rest of their table laughing along with them.
Ana reached out for the water glass in front of her. She still couldn’t quite believe the turn her evening had taken. She sure hoped she’d someday find the joy that Eddie and Buck found together and a life like the one that they’d built. Suddenly her cousins words rung out in her head. Mami and dad were kind enough to let TK’s best man and his family stay there. They have 3 kids, so we couldn’t quite put everyone up in our house.
The universe sure had a funny sense of humor.