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Chapter 10

Steph's POV

I was marrying Batman! I can't explain how happy I am! I was lost in my fiancé's embrace until he pulled away and set a tray of food on my lap. I scooted up to the headboard and dug into my breakfast of French toast with what I guess was low fat syrup. Carlos did the same. I moaned with every bite and finished it off with a steaming cup of coffee. Carlos sure did know how to make my day.

I looked up when I was finished and saw a look of utter happiness on Carlos' face. "What are you staring at Batman?" I asked smiling.

He grabbed me and pulled me into his lap and kissed my forehead. "I was staring at my gorgeous fiancée."

I giggled and smiled. It was so surreal to hear him call me his fiancé. I snuggled into his side and sighed. "We will have to go downstairs sometime today and face your family. Once they see the ring they will be attacking us. You know that right?"

I heard and felt a low chuckle come out of him and I attempted to give him one eyebrow. He looked down at me and gave me the eyebrow in return. "I can handle the family babe. It's gonna be your family that we're gonna have problems with."

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. Not once did I think about my family! They were probably going nuts since they couldn't get ahold of me. Where was my phone anyway? I looked at Carlos with a frown. "Where is my phone? I'm pretty sure my mother is filling my inbox with insults."

Carlos' face changed. "I locked your phone away in my desk back home so we would have an uninterrupted vacation." I smiled and kissed him on the cheek. I didn't want to have to deal with my mother's opinion. Now that my phone is not here I won't have to deal with her until we get home.

Carlos picked me up in his arms, had me hold the tray and we left our bedroom. I was laughing as he kissed me on our way down the hall. When we made it down stairs Carlos' mother, father and siblings were staring at his public display of affection.

I was set onto my feet adjusted my clothing and walked into the kitchen with the dirty dishes. I was a little embarrassed by all the eyes on me. I don't like to be the center of attention. As I started to wash the dishes I heard someone enter the kitchen.

"Why are you hiding out away from the rest of the family?" I recognized the voice as Celia's. "I hope you know we all like you very much and hope that Carlos will keep you around. It's been forever since I have seen him smile."

I sighed and turned to her. "I love your family already. You all are so welcoming and that's a comfort to me." I smiled and so did Celia. "It was hard to break Ranger but in three years I finally managed to."

"I hope you become a member of the family. I know for a fact Mama is going to badger Carlos secretly until he does. Not to mention the push for children." She giggled and sighed. "She was mad because I waited a year to have my first child with my husband."

Geez. Would she do that to Carlos and me? "We haven't even discussed children really. I'm not sure if we will have children."

Celia's eyes widened and she raised an eyebrow. "Come on Stephanie. By the way you two sounded last night upstairs from us I'm pretty sure I will have a niece or nephew sometime ."

I was shocked. They heard us last night? Oh my god! That's so embarrassing! I hope his parents didn't hear us too! Celia laughed. ESP must run in the family. "Yes they did hear and Mama is very excited for her new grandbaby."

I snorted. If only she knew. I have my period. Ha! Wait, she has ESP! I heard laughter and Celia was laughing hard. "Mama sure is in for a surprise then isn't she?" I shook my head and dried my hands on a kitchen towel. When I went to place the towel back on its holder Celia grabbed my left hand. "Is that an engagement ring I see?"

Oh boy here we go. "Yes, Carlos proposed this morning and I said yes." I was engulfed in a huge hug. Celia then grabbed my hand and tugged me into the living room to be with the rest of the family.

Carlos' POV

While my babe was in the kitchen I joined my family on the couch to watch a football game, Pittsburg Stealers versus New York Giants. I watched Celia leave the group and head to the kitchen where my babe was, to question her, no doubt. Celia was always the nosey one. I knew my babe was feeling a bit embarrassed when I carried her downstairs this morning and knew that I should give her some space.

The game went to commercial before anyone said a word. "So when are you going to pop the question?" Raphael asked nudging me with his elbow.

I didn't want to give away the secret without Stephanie so I did the only thing I am good at, evasion. "When I feel the time is right I will ask. Until then we have an unspoken eternal relationship." I hoped that would hold them at bay but of course it didn't.

"And when will the time be right?" Andrea asked. "If you two are already going to be together forever and know that why not propose and get the wedding planning on a roll?"

I looked down when my mother's eyes met mine. I could never get away with anything with her. She knew how to read my blank face just like my babe and Abuela. "Ricardo Carlos Manoso the third what are you keeping from your mother?"

My eyes widened and I was about to speak when Celia dragged babe into the room. I saw the look of pure terror on her face and knew the feeling. We were found out fast.

"Carlos and Stephanie are engaged!" Celia yelled out. Mama grabbed babe's hand and made her sit next to her to examine the ring. The ring was a pear shaped diamond, plain and simple, nothing too big and flashy.

Mama examined the ring for a while and looked at us with hard eyes. "Well, all I ask is for you two to not run off and have a Vegas wedding like my other son. I at least want to see my baby boy married to the love of his life." I smiled and nodded.

"If I had a Vegas wedding I would be disowned from my family." Stephanie said looking into my mother's eyes. "The only thing I request is if you and my mother plan to conspire against me and plan our wedding please consult me before making final choices. I gave my mother free reign last marriage and it looked like it was a wedding in the eighteen hundreds."

Everyone laughed. "I'm honored that you would allow me to help. Of course I would consult you first it is your wedding after all." Two of my favorite women shared a hug and smiled at one another.

I was given congratulatory hugs from my family and so was Stephanie before we all settled down to watch the rest of the game. When the second quarter was over we all gathered in the kitchen to make lunch and lounged around. We were all heading back to New Jersey in a few hours and we were also returning to our busy schedules.

I was not looking forward to the gossip that always seemed to be about in that small neighborhood called the Burg.

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