I do not own.

"Stop laughing!" Rex scowled at Noah.

Noah, who was laughing so hard, had dropped his suitcases. "Underwear on your head? Oh man, that's priceless."

"Shut up! I was little like 3 or 4." Rex retorted.

"Actually, you were 8." Caesar corrected.

Noah laughed even harder. Rex glared at his older brother. "Bro, not helping."

"It was all in fun." Federico explained.

"Yeah! You tell him Federico." Rex said to his friend.

"But Rex wore his mother's." Federico said remembering. "It was the only pair that was red."

At this point Noah doubled over laughing.

Rex turned his death glare at Federico. "Well, I don't remember any of that! So it never happened."

"Are… Are there any photos?" Noah wheezed.

"No, unfortunately, there were none." Caesar lamented.

"See? Never happened." Rex placed his suitcases on the floor. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get some comida." He turned around to leave but knocked over a purple suitcase. The latch opened on the extremely over packed case and clothes spewed out. A pair of woman's underwear fell on Rex's head.

Noah tried to grab his cell phone but Rex was quicker. He yanked it off his head. "Whose case is this?" He asked in consternation.

Annie poked her head in. "Oh! What happened to my bag?"

"It figures." Rex groaned. "Even when she's not here, her things try to kill me."

"Don't be... how do you say... a drama queen." Federico admonished. "It was your own fault." He scooped up an armful of clothes and pushed it back into the case. He was joined by Annie who also tried to cram her clothes back in. Rex handed the pair of offending lingerie to Federico who blushingly pushed it into the case.

Annie managed to push close the lid. "Phew, thanks, Federico."

"You're welcome." Federico said shyly.

"Come on, I came to see what was holding you guys up. Abuela made soooo much food." Annie pulled on Federico's arm.

They both happily walked to the kitchen.

"Why does nothing happen to him?" Rex groused.

Caesar shrugged.

"He's rubber and you're glue. Her bad luck bounces off him and sticks to you." Noah said as his laughter subsided.

"Sure it does." Rex answered sarcastically. He turned to follow the pair... until he fell. Looking at his foot he found women's tights wrapped around his ankles. "What the…"

Noah started laughing again.

0o0

"Are more people coming?" Circe asked eyeing the seemingly never-ending table of goodies.

"Oh no, this is just a snack for growing children." Abuela laughed. "Por favor, sientate*." She offered a chair to Circe, who hesitantly sat down. Beverly sat next to her.

"Oh, I'll go see what's keeping the guys." Annie left the room.

"Would you mind if I used the bathroom? It's been a long trip." Claire asked Abuela.

"Down the hall to your left." Abuela pointed the way.

"Thank you. I'll be right back." Claire quickly left.

Abuela was left with her grandsons' friends. "Please start eating." She waved at the food.

"Oh, we'll wait." Beverly answered politely.

"Everything looks delicious." Circe added. "You must have cooked all day."

"Oh no, it was nothing." Abuela said demurely. But the girls knew better, especially Beverly who tried to make tamales before.

"I was wondering if you could teach me how to make some of these? Caesar's always talking about missing your cooking." Beverly said.

Abuela's eyes lit up. "You are interested in traditional Mexican cooking, mi quierda?"

"Yes." Beverly nodded.

"For Caesar?" She continued.

"Some of it." Beverly shrugged trying to sound indifferent.

"Gracias a Dios, César finalmente tiene a alguien que cuidará de él." Abuela raised her eyes and her hands to the sky.

"Oh, uh, okay." Beverly said nervously.

"Of course, my quierda. It would be my pleasure to show you." Abuela smiled. She turned to Circe. "Do you want to learn too?"

Circe looked startled but before she could answer, Claire came back and sat down.

"Oh, I thought Annie would have brought the boys back by now." She looked around. Just then Annie and Federico entered the room followed by Caesar and Rex. Noah trailed after them still chuckling.

"What's so funny?" Claire asked.

"Cabeza de trapo." Noah answered.

Abuela laughed appreciatively. Rex was not amused.

"It never happened." Rex insisted.

"Please, eat." Abuela gestured to the food in front of them. The gang sat down and began to devour the feast.

"This is as good as I remember it." Rex sighed as he polished off his third pork tamale. He saw Noah looking at him. "You know from the last time I was here." Rex explained.

"I've never had tamales before. They are good." Noah commented

"You've never lived if you've never had a tamale." Caesar said emphatically. "That and riding a subatomic wave into the future."

"Yeah, I'll stick to the tamales." Noah said as he took another one.

"Save room for my special dessert tamales." Abuela reminded them.

"Oh yes, the Christmas tamales." Claire said. "We heard about them."

"Federico says you make the best." Annie added.

"I am going to teach Senoritas Beverly and Circe how to make them. Would you like to learn as well?" Abuela asked.

"Oh yes, please." Annie said excitedly.

Abuela looked at Claire.

"Oh no thanks. Cooking is not my thing." Claire said.

"Can I try?" Noah asked.

Abuela looked surprised. "You?"

"Sure. I love making things." Noah said.

"Then you will join us tomorrow morning. I can use a strong set of shoulders." Abuela said approvingly.

Circe was surprised at the inclusion of her name. She had never answered affirmatively and didn't appreciate the assumption that she was going to.

"Really, Circ? You gonna learn how to make a tamale?" Rex batted his eyes at her. "I always thought you were a hot tamale." He grinned.

Circe almost choked on her bite. She punched him in the arm. "Don't do that." She coughed.

"Do what?" Rex asked innocently.

"Your stupid pick up lines." She couldn't help but chuckle a little.

"I made you laugh." Rex smiled.

"You also almost made me choke." Circe downed a glass of water to stop the coughing.

Abuela observed the two before getting up. She returned with the special tamales.

"Buen provecho*." She said as she laid out the tray.

A chorus of Thanks you's and Gracias echoed around the table. Abuela sat back in her chair and looked curiously at her grandson's friends.

Hmmm, I hope Circe and Beverly are making a good impression on Abuela. She's one tough cookie.

Por favor sientate= Please sit.

Gracias a Dios, César finalmente tiene a alguien que cuidará de él.= Thank God, Caesar finally has someone who will take care of him.

Buen provecho= literally means good eating or Spanish version of Bon Appetite