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Daniel was at a lunch meeting with a potential staff photographer and Betty was starving when she noticed Henry's voicemail the next day. It'd be fun to catch up with her friend, she thought. She wondered why he had sounded so nervous on the phone, though. Hopefully it wasn't anything serious.
"Henry! It's so good to see you!" Betty greeted her ex with a hug as she met him at a new Japanese steakhouse.
"You, too!" he said.
"So how have you been? I bet Nate's getting really big, now," she assumed, sitting down.
"He is. He's almost five," Henry answered, showing her a picture. "Charlie and I can't believe it."
"This is Scarlett," Betty said, pulling out a picture from her bag. "She's a little over two months."
"She looks just like you," he smiled.
"She has Daniel's blue eyes . . . and his nose," she smiled.
"Daniel. Right. I heard you got married to him – in Paris. Did you know that the top of the Eiffel Tour is six inches shorter in winter? I-It's just something I know," he replied.
"Wow, I didn't know that," Betty smiled. Henry was always full of interesting facts. "I notice you've got a ring on your finger. Did you and Charlie get married?"
"Oh, no. No, we're just friends. She's actually married to someone else. Walter Limpinsky. I think you dated him at one time," he answered.
"Oh my god! Walter?! I thought he moved to Maryland to manage a ProBuy there? Wow. Well that's great that they found each other," she commented.
"Small world," Henry remarked. "Yeah, I guess he moved back not too long before Charlie met him. He manages the one downtown now."
Betty shook her head in disbelief. Walter with Charlie? She wished him luck with her neurotic, insanely possessive behavior. Although, she figured anyone could have changed by now.
"So you never told me who you married?" Betty questioned, curiously.
"Her name is Stacy Diaz. She works as a paralegal at my firm – well, technically my former firm. That's actually why I wanted to talk to you," Henry admitted.
"Oh, no. Did something happen?" she asked, concerned.
"Um. Yes. Y-Yes something did," he nervously stuttered. "I-I got laid off due to financial issues within the firm."
"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" she told him. "But why?"
"I had a disagreement with the way that they wanted me to handle their books. It turns out that past CFOs would illegally write certain things off and transfer money to different accounts and juggle the numbers in order to avoid paying more during tax season. I wasn't willing to do that. So they fired me," he explained.
"Oh, Henry. That's terrible!" she exclaimed. "Have you tried to do something about it? Like talking to a lawyer with another firm?"
"No. They gave me a very nice severance package. It's been enough for now, but I could really use a new job. Stacy's been looking for another one, too, considering what happened. But she can't afford to quit until she does. Charlie and I would really like to transfer Nate to a private school next year. The kids at the public preschool have been bullying him," he responded. "T-That's why I called you. I saw you were still looking for a CFO for your new magazine. I-I was wondering if you would consider letting me interview for it?"
"Of course! You were a great accountant for MODE! I'd have to talk it over with Daniel first, but as far as I'm concerned you've got the job!" Betty told him.
"Great! Daniel . . . Something tells me I won't get the job," he commented, disappointedly.
"Henry, relax. Don't worry about Daniel. That's all in the past. I'm sure he'll be fine with it," she assured him.
"He doesn't like me very much, does he?" Henry cringed.
"He likes you a lot from a professional standpoint," Betty replied, carefully.
"I think I need to keep applying to some other positions just in case," Henry commented.
"Well, I will let you know. And I'm sure it won't be a problem," she told him cheerfully. "So what's good on the menu? I've never been to this restaurant before."
"I've heard their sushi is pretty good," he joked.
Betty giggled, remembering their sort-of first date. It was nice hanging out with Henry now that things weren't awkward between them. No tension or residual romantic feelings – just friends.
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Daniel got off the elevator, returning from his meeting with the photographer. He was burning up. He never understood why men were forced to wear suits to meetings in warm weather. He stopped outside the doors to take off his jacket and ended up elbowing someone.
"Oww!" they exclaimed.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't see you there!" he apologized, picking up his glasses for him.
"T-That's okay. I might need some ice, but I'll be fine," the man said, looking up at Daniel, covering his wounded eye.
"Henry?!" Daniel exclaimed, trying to hold back his hatred for the man. "What brings you here?"
"B-Betty left her sunglasses at the restaurant. I was just returning them," he handed Daniel Betty's Michael Kors aviator shades.
"Thanks – I'll see that she gets them," he begrudgingly took them. "Let me get you some ice. I think Betty has some in her office."
"Great," Henry replied nervously as they walked down the hallway to Betty's office.
"Hey, baby. Guess who I ran into," Daniel announced as he and Henry entered her office, clearly upset with his wife.
"Daniel, how could you?!" Betty exclaimed, noticing Henry's eye.
"It was an accident – unlike you not telling me that you had lunch with him!" Daniel defended.
"It really was an accident, Betty," Henry agreed.
"Only maybe it shouldn't have been an accident, seeing how you're sneaking around with him behind my back. Did you sleep with him?!" Daniel angrily accused.
"Daniel! How could you possibly think that -" Betty responded.
Henry socked him in the eye before she could finish and the two men started a full-blown fight. Betty rushed over to break them up and unintentionally ended up getting punched in the eye herself.
"Owww! Damn it!" she exclaimed.
"Baby, are you okay?" Daniel asked.
"Betty?" Henry said, concerned.
"Get the hell away from me - both of you! I'm taking Scarlett and I'm going to Papi's," she pushed both men away from her. "Daniel, let me know when you're ready to stop acting like a freakin' five-year-old!"
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In retrospect, Daniel realized the last thing he should have done was accuse his wife of cheating on him. He knew one of Betty's biggest pet peeves was his impulsiveness – never waiting to think things through or obtain all of the facts before he reacted. But what was he supposed to think when he found out from that little bastard that he'd had lunch with her? Henry was her ex-boyfriend, her first love. What was there to say that they wouldn't still have feelings for each other?
It took Betty a long time to get over that guy – an entire burial service with so many mementos he'd fallen asleep halfway through it. What did she see in him? Henry had broken her heart so many times and yet every time he showed up she'd come running back to him. Daniel had thought they'd gotten past all of that and moved on. But maybe that was just his wishful thinking. Maybe Henry really was the one true love of Betty's life and he was just lucky enough to have been with her for as little time as he had.
He went home to an empty apartment. It was so quiet you could only hear the occasional siren down the street. Betty's suitcase and half her clothes were gone. So were a lot of Scarlett's things. That's when he knew he was in deep shit. But why the hell should he be blamed when Betty was the one who didn't tell him about seeing Henry? Didn't he have a right to be pissed? A right to feel hurt and betrayed? She was his wife – not some random girl he occasionally screwed. He loved her with every fiber of his being. She was his everything. After almost losing her twice with the accident and the birth of their child, and then dealing with her amnesia, he thought they'd gotten through enough drama for a lifetime. Could regaining her memory have triggered her past feelings for Henry? She didn't say anything to him the past day about it. She was happy with him, back to the way things had been before the crash.
He changed into his sweats and took off his watch. As he laid it down on his night stand, he noticed Betty's blue butterfly earrings. He stared at them for a while. It was a reminder of how great things had been.
It had been their first Thanksgiving dinner together as a married couple. Everyone from Betty's family and his had gathered around his mother's dining room table. They had all helped her dad fix the meal – well, tried to anyway. Betty and Amanda had dropped egg shells into the cornbread stuffing batter, Alexis and DJ ended up accidentally putting salt instead of sugar in the cranberry sauce, and the second Justin got flour from the pie crust on his designer shirt he ran to salvage it. Hilda had burned the pumpkin pie, Bobby wouldn't stop eating things before they were done, and he, himself, had managed to drop the raw turkey onto the kitchen floor. Tyler had been the only one not to screw up. Apparently he hadn't inherited the family gene. Eventually, Ignacio threw all of them out of the kitchen except for his mom, Elena, and Tyler. Allowing his mother to stay was more of a courtesy than anything else. She couldn't cook if her life depended on it, but Ignacio insisted she give her chef the day off and let him make the meal.
They were all a family – a real family. It felt good to have that for once. Sure, there were disagreements and nobody was perfect, but no one rejected you for not living up to their expectations or got so drunk they knocked over the Christmas tree. His family had changed and grown past that and Betty's family was already a wonderful example of what a true family should be. He was really lucky to have all of them – even Tyler.
That night, they all had gone out to the stores for the early Black Friday madness. His family of course had never needed to spend their time waiting in the cold in a long line for half-priced electronics, toys, and clothes. So this was a new experience for them. The Suarez's, however, were veterans to the ritual. And Amanda, Tyler, and Elena had been a few times themselves.
They'd all split up, with lists for different stores, and would meet at Macy's when they were done. Betty and Daniel had the job of getting items at Target. Tyler, DJ, and Bobby were to go to Best Buy. Ignacio and Elena went to Crate & Barrel. Alexis and Hilda hit Bloomingdale's. Justin met up with Austin and went to Saks Off 5th. And Claire and Amanda got BabiesRUs.
"Daniel, I'm cold," Betty whined, bouncing up and down and rubbing her hands together. "I'm beginning to regret giving away my blue puffy coat."
"I told you you should've taken your dad's old coat," Daniel told his pregnant wife.
"But it was too big," she explained. "I'm not a house, yet, Daniel – am I?"
"Of course not, B. But it was warmer than the one you've got on," he pointed out, pulling her close to him, trying to warm her up. "Text Alexis and Hilda to look for you a new winter coat while they're at Bloomingdale's."
"When we get inside, you hit Starbucks, and I'll get started on the list. Here's a copy of the map. I'll head for the new Green Day gaming set for DJ and grab anything else I can find along the way. You can just get the coffee and meet me in the section with the video games," Betty instructed. "Justin's going to be so excited! He's been wanting the new dance game ever since it came out."
"You've really got this all planned out, don't you?" he marveled.
"Yeah, I've been doing this for years. It's the only way our family was able to afford some really cool items," she explained.
"You know we have money, right?" Daniel reminded her.
"I know, but that doesn't mean we have to waste it. It's worth it to stand in the cold for a little bit if we can save some," she told him.
"Remember that when our baby's a frozen popsicle," he joked.
"Daniel . . ." she craned her head up to glare at him.
"What?! I feel like I'm holding a bag of ice you're so cold," he argued.
"So now I'm a bag?" Betty objected.
"Baby, you know what I meant. You're still my beautiful Butterfly Queen," he told her, giving her an upside-down kiss. "You still haven't told me what you want for Christmas?"
"I have everything I want. You . . . our baby . . . spending time with our families . . ." she replied.
"Come on, Betty. There has to be something," Daniel insisted.
"I do need a new book light for my Kindle," she answered.
"Betty, be serious. I'm not just going to get you a book light. You're my wife - not my Great Aunt Edna," he told her.
"Well, then start getting creative, because I've racked my brain for something I want this year and I've come up with nothing so far except maternity clothes and stuff for the baby," she said.
"All of that's basically for the baby and not you, though," Daniel pointed out.
"Oooh! We're moving! We're finally moving! Yay!" Betty squealed, briefly jumping up and down before quickly going ahead in the line and into the store.
"Just be careful, Betty. Don't let anyone push you around. I've heard horror stories about stores during Black Friday," Daniel warned as she sped past him to get a cart before they were gone.
"I promise. Love you," she called before separating.
When Daniel found Betty again, she was in an argument with a woman he vaguely recognized. He stayed back, knowing Betty preferred to fight her own battles.
"Give it back, Gina. It was in my cart!" Betty snapped.
"You have two of 'em, and I got none. How is that fair?" the woman argued.
"It's fair, because I found them first and I'm under the limit per person," Betty explained.
"But my kid has been wantin' this for forevah!" Gina shouted.
"So has my nephew," Betty countered. "And you don't have a kid."
"I could have a kid . . ." Gina defended herself. "And since when did you have a nephew that was into that stuff? Don't tell me that skanky sista of yours popped another one out?"
"No, my married sister did not have another child who's that old. She's pregnant, now. But I don't think the baby will be playing Wii any time soon. However my nephew by marriage is old enough for it," Betty retorted, tightening her grip on the box.
"You got married?" Gina laughed. "Well, ya don't look roadkill anymore so I guess I can believe it. I bet he's rich and paid for your plastic surgery, huh?"
"I'm going to let that slide because I realize anytime you insult me it's to make up for your own insecurities. How's your marriage going, Gina?" Betty smirked.
"Ya know what, Suarez, it's people like you that give Christmas a bad name. Now lemmie have one of 'em you selfish little bitch!" Gina yanked the gaming set out of Betty's hands so hard that she lost her balance.
"Give it back, Gambaro!" Betty insisted, still tugging at it while she was down on the floor.
"Hey! Guys, be careful! Betty, are you okay? Is the baby okay?" Daniel asked, putting the coffee holder down and helping his wife up.
"This guy is your husband?! Daniel Meade?!" Gina dropped the box in shock. "Well, now I know how you trapped him, 'cuz having his baby is the only way you'd evah get a guy as sexy as he is. And he must've been totally wasted to screw your ugly ass in the first place."
"You little bitch! No wonder your husband left you!" Betty retorted.
Daniel wanted to say something himself, but decided to let it go and get Betty away from this woman before she and/or the baby physically got hurt.
"Hey! That's enough – both of you! Now cut it out or we're all getting out of here without anything!" Daniel ordered. "It's Christmas. Now apologize to each other. I'm sure we can work something out."
"Yeah, like you hand it ovah, Betty! What are you guys doin' here anyways? You're freakin' loaded!" Gina snapped.
"Some of us respect the value of money and would like to save as much of it as we can," Betty snapped back.
"Here take it, and this," Daniel said, handing Gina both gaming sets and $500.
"Hey – I am nobody's freakin' charity case!" Gina rejected his offer.
"It's a gift. Take it," Daniel insisted. "Merry Christmas."
"Daniel! What the hell are you doing?!" Betty protested as he guided her and the cart away from Gina Gambaro.
"Relax, Betty. It's fine," he assured her.
"Fine? Fine?! Daniel, you just gave away two of the hottest items this season – one we needed for DJ . . . The other I was getting for you. Not to mention you handed out $500! And to Gina Gambaro of all people!" she complained, furious.
"Betty, we don't need it. I already purchased everything for $20 cheaper each online," he explained. "Besides, haven't you always told me that Christmas is about the spirit of giving?"
"Yeah," she reluctantly admitted. "But did it have to be to Gina Gambaro?"
"I know. But look at her – what else does she have in her life, if she's willing to fight that hard for a stupid gaming set?" he reasoned.
"I love you," Betty smiled, staring into his eyes, and hugged him tight. "I still hate Gina Gambaro, but I love you."
"I love you, too," Daniel told her and marveled at her determination. "You can really put up a fight when you want to."
"I'm from Queens – it comes with the territory . . . You're going to make an amazing dad, by the way. You're a natural at handling fights," she smiled, searching for dance and singing games for Justin.
"Well, Alex and I get into them all the time so I guess I'm expert at them," he joked.
"I'm serious, Daniel. I can't wait to see you with our kids," Betty told him.
"Kids? As in multiple? Really?" Daniel asked, intrigued.
"Yeah, kids. Look, I know that I wasn't exactly thrilled at first with the little surprise we got. I'm not used to big changes like that – I like to plan," she admitted. "But I love you, and I think about you and me and this baby . . . and maybe a little brother or sister someday."
"Betty, that's great," Daniel grinned and kissed her lovingly. "So what else is on the list, 'cause it looks like there's a pretty long line for the checkout?"
"D, that's not the end of the line – that is," she pointed in the correct direction.
"Jesus, Betty! Are you sure we need these and all the rest of those items? I bet I can find them online, too," Daniel asked, incredulously looking at the insane line.
Betty sighed.
"Find them online, and we'll go," she caved, disappointedly.
"What? B, what is it?" Daniel asked. "I thought you'd be happy not to be on your feet so much."
"It's nothing . . . just, I wanted you to have this really fun experience with me and everything is screwed up. I got into a fight, and you want to buy all our stuff online and leave . . . Some of the best times I had with my family were here – in stores like these – trying to find the best bargains and spending the time we had waiting in lines talking and playing stupid games we made up," Betty confessed.
Daniel took one look at the disappointed look on his wife's face and melted.
"Wait here!" he told her and was back within a few minutes with two pillows.
"What are those for?" she asked.
"You'll see," he said, taking out the items from the cart, placing the pillows in the bottom and back of the cart and then lifting her into it.
"Daniel . . ." Betty squealed, giggling the whole time.
"There. Now, you'll have your feet up while we wait," he explained, handing her the video games for Justin and the electric razor he'd gotten for her dad's stocking. He raced them through the store to find the rest of their items, both of them laughing and joking the entire way.
As they passed by the jewelry section on their way to the back of the line, Daniel saw Betty's eyes light up.
"What – which ones are you looking at?" he asked.
"No, we need to get in line before we're here 'til 2AM," Betty brushed it off. "Besides, you'll think they're tacky and I'm stupid for wanting them."
"It's the butterfly earrings – the silver studs with the multi-colored blue diamonds in them?" he assumed looking at the assortment of jewelry.
"Yeah," she guilty admitted.
"I'm getting them for you," he told her. "And just because they're butterflies doesn't mean they're tacky. They're beautiful – just like my wife, the Butterfly Queen."
"Daniel, it's okay. I'm sure I'll see something later when we go to Macy's. Let's just get in line," Betty told him.
"Then I'll get you whatever you see there, too," he insisted, giving her a firm kiss on the lips. "Meantime, I'm gonna go and find somebody."
Fifteen minutes later he was back with a salesperson. And when he saw the look on Betty's face when she viewed them up close, he knew those earrings were the perfect present for her. Obviously, he'd get her plenty of other gifts, too. But those he knew she truly loved. And as they stood in line for at least an hour and a half, they had one of the best times of their lives.
Betty had worn those earrings every day she had on blue. Only she'd left them. Was it accidentally or did it mean something? At least she hadn't left her wedding rings. He was so tired of trying to figure out what was going on with them, why she hadn't told him about Henry. He flipped on a movie and tried to go to sleep.
But sleeping wasn't an option – not without her beside him. Her delicate arms around him, her leg lazily resting between his, the smell of the vanilla shower gel on her skin, the sound of her breathing soft and steady, her occasional mumbling – it was missing. He tossed and turned all night and when he finally got to sleep, the sound of her alarm went off, Salsa music blaring in his ear. It was usually when he'd tease her about it being a dig on his horrible dancing skills and they'd happily wrestle in bed until the last possible minute before getting ready for work. Well, until Scarlett came along. Then things were even better – he had a family of his own. Scarlett would have her breakfast, Daniel would bring Betty theirs, and they would all snuggle in bed until time to get ready. Now he was faced with an empty bed, no child, no wife, and an awkward day at work. Damn that asshole, Grubstick, for ruining their lives.