Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Zorro Productions. This is not intended to infringe upon any rights by Goodman/ Rosen Productions/ New world Television, Zorro Productions, the estate of John McCullay or anyone else. It is just to entertain other fans.
Thanks to my good American friend Nancy and Sandy from Alaska for editing and giving feed back on my story, I started writing years ago. I hope you will enjoy it as much as you did with my other story.

~Z~

Part 1

Don Alejandro had locked himself up in his office at the hacienda, where there was no room for interference. He had received several letters today and he was anxious to see what these messages contained. It didn't last long for him to see what all the letters were about, whereas the writers came straight to the point. All letters held the reactions on the invitations for his fiftieth birthday he had sent several months ago and witch that knowledge content smile grew on face, when he read the fifth positive reaction and that the writer of the letter had accepted the invitation. Don Alejandro was really looking forward to having so many people at his hacienda.

"Si, this will be a day to remember." With a very large smile he added another family to the guest list. Now ten families from outside California were already on their way to stay at the hacienda or in the neighbourhood to make sure they would be present at his birthday.

Meanwhile Diego was chatting with Victoria about the same subject.
"I understood my father is expecting a lot of guests. He has been corresponding over a year by now, to make sure everybody will be able to make it."
"Why Diego, it is a special day for your father," Victoria's voice was like music to his ears.

Diego smiled brightly. He really thought his father deserved such a big party, but there was something bothering him.
"This really is a big day, but … eh … Victoria," Diego sounded a bit concerned now, "If I am counting correctly, that is, if everybody who is invited really comes over to us, I think our house will be too small."

"Too small?" Victoria repeated with a raised eyebrow. "How could that be?" She smiled sweetly at him, making his heart melt right away.

"Uh well, I am afraid we won't have enough rooms in the guest quarters for the overnight guests." With a wry grin he added jokingly, "I am thinking about sleeping in Felipe's room or even the stables, if necessary."

Victoria couldn't hide a smile, she even bubbled over from laughter, "I am sure it won't be that bad."

Diego just took a sip from his juice, while he hung on her bar, causing Victoria turning into a serious mood by Diego's silence. "Do you think that all those people really come?"
Diego nodded earnestly.

"How many?"

"As far as I know, five families from Europe are coming, but I am not sure if their children will come along and if so, how many children there are in each family. Further many other people may come along. I am not certain which number that might be, but they have friends in or near Los Angeles. It is possible that five of the families that are coming don't have relatives. And of them I don't know if they will bring their children either."

"That is not nothing," Victoria agreed, now sharing Diego's concern.

"No," Diego confirmed soberly.

"Hey," Victoria had an idea, "This isn't my busiest time of the year, so they can stay here if they don't mind."

"Really Victoria," Diego started protesting, "I can't ask you to take care after them. You will be too occupied. I know father already asked you to help Maria with cooking and serving the guests."

Victoria felt flattered by his obvious concern for her. "I may find some more help then." She didn't worry too much about a problem that didn't exist. "Let them stay here, Diego. When exactly will they arrive and for how long?"

"I don't really know. Father said that some may stay a few weeks or perhaps a month."

"When will you know?" Victoria asked interestedly. She knew that don Alejandro's birthday would be good for her business, though she didn't want to abuse their friends for it.

"I will ask father this afternoon," Diego promised.

"That's alright," Victoria replied and decided to refill Diego's glass. Then he took her gently by her wrist, startling her by his rapid gesture, but his hold on her was so steady that she didn't drop the pitcher.
"Victoria, promise me to tell me when it is too busy for you. I don't want you to overdo yourself."

Victoria got warm by his concern. He had always been so protective on her, but this time it felt different.
"I will," she barely whispered.

Diego smiled warmly at her in approval while he took the pitcher out of her hands to put it on the bar. Then he brought her wrist to his lips and kissed her palm.
"I must go now," he whispered, intensively gazing in her brown eyes, melting her heart. "See you tonight."

~Z~

During dinnertime the De la Vegas entered the taberna. Victoria served them and decided to take a break, herself. So she took another plate for herself with the order for her friends and joined them with dinner.
"So, how are things with the celebration, don Alejandro?"

A big smile appeared on the elder De la Vega's face showing how much he enjoyed the prospect of having such a celebration. "I am almost finished arranging everything," the old man replied satisfied. "Next month everybody will be present."

"Diego told me a few guests may stay in Los Angeles for a while," Victoria mentioned, hoping to find out whether she needed to reserve rooms.
With a smile she glanced into Diego's direction.

"That is right," don Alejandro was beaming even more now. "He told me about your offer to have some guests here. And I think it is an excellent thought, however, I don't wish to burden you with my guests," don Alejandro said slightly frowning.

"I told your son that is no trouble at all, didn't I, Diego?" Victoria turned to her friend again, who already felt somewhat shut out.

"Yes, you did," Diego confirmed and added quickly, "...and you also promised to ask me for help when it is too much for you."

With bright brown eyes she nodded, "True," before turning to the elder de la Vega, "You know don Alejandro," she glanced sideways at Diego, "Your son can be so sweet, when he wants to. Sometimes I cannot understand why no lovely señorita has ever been able to capture him and keep him at her side forever by marriage."
At her comment Diego couldn't help blushing in front of her and looked aside shyly, but when she continued about marriage, he recovered, looking at her with an expression saying "You should know" on his face.

"I know, Victoria, I feel the same," don Alejandro admitted in the same teasing way.

"Son, I hope that tomorrow, you will be as sweet as you are now, since several pretty senoritas will arrive with our guests. Be a gentleman, Diego!" A warning tone in his father's excited voice alerted Diego.

Sensing the old fox was up to something new, Diego sighed deeply, "Father, as far as I know, I have always acted like one to your guests."

"Yes, I know son, but I would love to hear you announcing your wedding one of these days," don Alejandro says bluntly.

Diego's eyes grew large, while Victoria held her fork a few inches from her mouth which was already open to receive her delicious dinner. Frozen, she watched Diego and noticed his friendly indolent smile turn into a hard stare at his father.
"You're not going to arrange my marriage, are you?" he asked moodily.

"No son, you will have a month to find a lovely señorita. I am sure you will find a nice wife among them."
Don Alejandro still sounded patient, but his eyes were telling a different story.

"Father," Diego started protesting.

"No son," don Alejandro warned in a stern, but low voice, "I want you to be married before I die."

Diego stared betrayed at his father, thinking of a way out of this. At the same time, he felt like having been kicked in his ego. How could father talk to me like this in front of Victoria?
He dared to glance in Victoria's direction. Not for support but to see how she reacted to his father's new idea.

Victoria felt embarrassed this conversation, since it was a very personal matter being displayed so publicly.
She sensed her other customers were hardly aware of what was being discussed at her table between the most important men of the pueblo. She behaved like she didn't hear it, hoping that she wouldn't be asked for her opinion. Despite of this slight fear she remained seated. After all, this was not the first disagreement between father and son she was faced with.

Innocently, though a bit embarrassed she glanced through her lashes at Diego, who looked at her at the same time.
"What are his eyes saying? This is Not a cry for support." She figured he acted too nervous for that. Somehow she thought she read something of an apology shining from his eyes.

Then he stood up.
"Victoria, my apologies, I just remembered that I have urgent business at the office. I will talk to you later about the party."
Then he turned to his father. "Father I would love to discuss this subject with you," he said quite confident, "but not here and not now."

Victoria didn't get a chance to say something to Diego, as don Alejandro cut in, irritated, "si, Diego walk away."

Angrier he continued while Diego stepped from behind the bench still facing his father with tempered anger, "Don't trouble yourself with my anniversary, I will inform Victoria."

Outraged don Alejandro stared at his son and warned him sternly, "Make sure you are home within an hour. We will discuss this subject TONIGHT."

Diego closed his eyes and sighted almost invisible. With a steady glare he met his father's raging, stormy eyes. "I will," he stated as if he was in for a fight. Victoria remembered her friend's behaviour when sir Thackery had terrorized the pueblo and had insulted her. Before that day, she had never seen Diego being so angry.

"Buenos noches, Victoria," Diego said as warm as possible.
She sent him an understanding smile and a look like she was saying "Good luck," as she wished him a good night too.

Don Alejandro sighed deeply when he watched Diego leaving the taberna, "Oh what am I to do with him?"

Victoria avoided eye-contact and focused on her last few bites in vain. "Victoria, what have I done wrong? Why can't he give me the pleasure of seeing grandchildren grow up?"
Victoria laid down her silver ware and raised her head, while thinking about his question and feelings, but of Diego's as well.
Thoughtful she faced her old friend. "I think you are a good father, don Alejandro."

"Thank you, Victoria," this compliment obviously calmed his nerves.

Victoria thought quickly about his friend's behaviour and shared her thoughts with his father, "I don't think he acts like this, because you do him wrong… No, that is not like Diego. He is proud of you."

"But why doesn't he want to marry?"

"He acts like he doesn't want to marry, but I doubt that," Victoria disagreed trying to find the real reason. She was sure of it. She had seen Diego's behaviour after his father announced Diego had to choose a girl from his guests and get married, which obviously showed his disapproval of an arranged marriage. There must have been a reason for that!

"I … eh…," she tried to capture her thoughts. "What if ….No, what would he do, don Alejandro, if you gave him the condition that he only had to be married on paper and that you told him that you wouldn't care about how he gets his heir, even if it wasn't by blood?" She raised her eyebrow to underline her statement, "What do you think he would say to that?"

Don Alejandro was shocked over her suggestion and with large eyes he inspected her face, "Tell me you are joking!"

"How will your son react to that? Would he agree, if you suggested that? Victoria insisted, ignoring how improper she must have acted in front of her old friend right now.
With a deep frown on his forehead, don Alejandro tried to imagine what his son would do. He had to admit it to himself, that he just didn't know. Expectantly, Victoria watched the thoughts of the caballero running over his features.

"What do you think?" the man reversed the question.

Victoria shrugged her shoulders, whereas she still didn't want to get too much involved with this delicate subject, but these men had helped her so many times in the past, that she hardly couldn't turn them down when they asked her for help. "Ask him."
She faced the man right in his eyes, to let it all sink in and added, "After all, he promised to talk about the subject tonight."
At this last remark Victoria stood up to return to her work.
"Good night Felipe," she greeted the silent, almost grown up boy with a smile, "make sure I will see both of them at my taberna tomorrow."

With a faint smile he wished her a good evening as well and said that he couldn't make such a promise. With a worried look he stared after her as she disappeared in her kitchen.
Don Alejandro interrupted his thought as he suddenly laid his two hands upon the table and stood up to go home.

~Z~