Don't Own Them- Don't Sue!

Family Fun at the Breakfast Feast

Today's the day. It's finally here, March 3rd. All week long Dom's been threatening to sneak into my bedroom sometime after midnight to help me 'celebrate.' Tempting, but we both knew the thin walls in my house made that particular present out of reach.

What Dom did instead was pretty damn memorable. Both he and Tony had been teaching me how to drive over the three weeks between Dom's birthday and my own. Luckily it came naturally to me, so by my birthday I was eager to take the road test and get my license; I wasn't sure how I was going to make it thru the entire day at school. Thankfully I didn't have to. Dom had somehow managed to convince Mama to let me skip!

When I woke up at 5:30 to get my run in, I found Dom sitting on my desk. "I love watching you sleep mija," he said softly as he watched me stretch. "You're so damn beautiful, it makes my heart hurt."

"Dom, what are you doing here?" It's still dark so he can't see the blush his words elicit. I push the covers back slowly and step out of bed and toward him. Giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek, I smile into the nape of his neck as he scratches my back slowly. "Not that I'm complaining."

Dom stole a kiss on the lips before pushing me toward the bathroom. "I just wanted to see you is all. Get ready for our run, we're on a tight schedule today."

"What, so I can hurry up and wait all day till 2:30? No thank you. Let's skip the run and go to the garage Papi." I flipped the light on in my bathroom. Turning on the faucet, I splashed water on my face, and took a swig of Listerine.

"We'll get to the nookie later, don't worry. But I don't want to wear you out just yet. We's be skipping school today mira." Dom leaned against the door, still speaking quietly so as not to wake the house. "Got official permission from the Mamasita."

Surprise made me spray the mouthwash out into the sink. "You're shitting me."

"I'm for real dawg. Now hurry up so we can get our run on, we got a lot of shit to do today. Abuela said we have to be ready for breakfast and in our seats by 7 or she's going to put a curse on us," Dom drawled as he walked behind me and wrapped his arms around me while I brushed my teeth.

Since we got together I've started to sleep in old pairs of his boxers and his undershirts because I like being able to smell him when I'm drifting off to sleep. In the dim morning light, dressed as I was, it looked like we'd spent the night together. Finishing up, I spit and rinsed before I turned in his arms and laid a big one on him. "I love you Dominic," I purred.

Dom was careful not to get carried away; I guess he was serious about being on a schedule. "I love you more. Have I told you how incredible you are recently?"

"Everyday since your birthday Papi," I tease, stroking his cheek. He's clean shaven right now, but I know he's been thinking about growing a goatee of some sort. The only reason he's hesitant to do it though is because he thinks it'll make him look older. Ordinarily 20 year old guys are down with that, but when you've got a girlfriend who's a sophomore in high school…

"I put the picture up in my locker at work," Dom says, kissing my nose. "It makes me work hard so I can save up the stash for you to draw my next graduation picture. You inspire me. I want to make you proud of me."

"I'm already proud of you Dominic. You're like… gravity. Everybody is drawn to you. That's not something you can learn Dom. You're so much better with people than I am. You're the one who inspires me." I squeeze him tight and lay my head against his chest.

"How 'bout we say the feeling's mutual and go for that run now? Shit, if we don't get a move on it I'm gunna wanna get a move on it." Dom gave me a sly grin and wiggled his eye brows as his hands slid down to my ass, copping a feel.

We did four miles that morning before coming back to mi casa for abuela's famous five course breakfast. My abuelo used to work the swing shift and get home from work at seven in the morning so abuela would cook a little breakfast food for the kids and dinner for him at the same time. When we walked in the door we were greeted by the sound of sizzling sausage and bacon, a huge plate of Spanish rice, and the sight of abuela putting the finishing touches on her famous "left overs" omelet which had a little bit of every thing she could find in the fridge that tasted good with salsa. My mother had sliced up at least seven kinds of fruit and was tossing it in a bowl while my Tia Maria was making fried potato hash.

"Somebody tell me you all are teaching my girl how to cook for her birthday, right?" Dom said rubbing his hands together expectantly as we took our shoes off.

"Buenos dias to you too Dominic," Maria said archly as she put a finished plate on the table. "You know that traditionally it was the men in our family who did the cooking on their woman's birthday. I still remember when Eduardo made you French toast the year Letty was born Sonja. That was a disaster!"

"What happened?" I asked, kissing each of the women on the cheek before grabbing myself that tall O.J. on ice. I glanced at Dom to see if he wanted one too. He shook his head no and winked at me as he stole part of some hash off the plate.

"He burned down your grandmother Leticia's kitchen is what happened. He forgot to turn the gas burner off and somehow something caught on fire. It was more than a little embarrassing, especially since I wasn't exactly dressed for church when the fire department arrived," my mom laughed as she wiped her hands on her apron.

"Oh man, too much information," I groaned. Noticing that there were only four seats at the table, I decided to politely make sure that the rest of my family had a place to sit and took a seat on Dom's lap.

"Mmm. Good thing I already know how to cook pancakes, huh mija?" Dom whispered in my ear. He took a sip of my juice and winced. "How can you drink it so cold?"

"Wimp," I teased, playing with the ends of his sweaty hair at the nape of his neck. "What are we doing today? I wanna know why we're on such a tight schedule."

Stroking my leg, Dom placed a series of small kisses on my neck before answering. "Well, we have breakfast with these fine ladies. Then after a quick shower-"

"Quick SEPARATE showers," Mama interjected. "Dominic at his house and you upstairs in your shower."

"When did you turn into such a prude?" Maria laughed as she brought over plate full of food. Maria gave us a bemused look that let us know she knew we were up to no good and cleared her throat. "Dominic, be a gentleman and help set the table please."

Blushing like a kid who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar, Dom nodded and slid out from under me. "Sit down Mrs. Coronado, Abuela Lopez, I'll take care of the rest."

"While you tell me about the schedule," I reminded him gently. It was kind of nice having a busy kitchen filled with so many people I loved. "Speaking of which Tia, this is a nice birthday surprise. What brings you to L.A.?"

Maria was my mom's baby sister and not only did she have that amazing fashion sense, she was also the only one of the five Lopez children to go to college. She got a ROTC scholarship when she graduated from high school and has been in the Army since then. She didn't get to spend that much time with us, so I was always happy to see her.

"Can't I stop in for breakfast with my favorite niece on her birthday?" Maria smiled as she sat down next to me and squeezed my hand.

"Quit front'n. What's the story. Did you bring Bobby with you?" I asked.

"Bobby's still in San Diego with the boys." With a smile playing on her lips, Maria looked over at my mother who along with my grandmother was taking their places at the table as Dom set plates and utensils down around us. "Actually I came to ask your Mama if she'd like to be my Matron of honor."

My mom and I let out shrieks of surprise at the same time. "You're getting married?!"

Abuela started to thank every saint and the Virgin Mary up and down, all in Spanish of course. "Finally! I was beginning to worry about you Maria!"

"Beginning? Sure thing Mama. I'm sure you were beginning to worry about me," Maria sassed as she pulled the ring that Bobby had given her out from around her neck and slipped it on for us to see. "Is that why every Mother's Day, birthday and Christmas you ask for more grandchildren when I ask you what you want?"

"So when's the wedding?" Dom asked as he made me a huge plate. "You're going to make Letty wear a dress right? Maybe like the one she wore to my graduation?" If he didn't look so cute when he made that hopeful face I would probably have given him the cold shoulder when he pulled me back into his lap. Damn he's fine.

"We're thinking sometime in July. Since she's going to be one of my bride's maids, I can guaranty she's going to wear a dress, and yes, it'll probably be like the one she wore to your graduation. You cough liked that one Dom?" Maria replied, trying not to laugh.

"Letty may be an artist, but in a dress like that, I think she looks better than any model that I've ever seen." Dom was so reverent and sincere in his observation that I couldn't help but give him a tender kiss while my family 'awwed.'

"I told you this one was a good boy," Abuela said, pinching Dom's cheek. "But he needs to eat more!"

"I'm doing my best!" Dom laughed as my grandmother started heaping more food onto his plate. "It's not my fault if my girl won't stop kissing me long enough for me to get a decent meal in."

"So the two of you are official as of today, yes?" my mother asked as she brushed some hair out of my face. I guess I'll always be her little girl, I thought to myself as she smiled at me.

Dom picked out the grapes from his fruit salad and put them on my plate because he knows I love them. "Yeah. I talked to Pops about it last week when I asked him for the day off. He was pretty cool with it, finally. He said he knew all along that I hadn't stopped caring about Letty and that it was written all over my face whenever she walked in to the room. He did give me the same speech you did though."

"What did you say to him that day Mama?" I ask, my curiosity peeked.

Taking a sip of her coffee before speaking, my mother smiled calmly before answering. "Basically that you're my only daughter and that I have some reservations about you dating someone so much older than you while you're in high school, but since it was Dominic, I'd trust him to be careful with you. And that I'd hunt him down like a dog and cut his cajones off and hand them to his father if he fucked up."

All of us cracked up laughing, including my grandmother. My mother never used language like that, but somehow I could just picture her giving Dom the lecture. I turned to Dominic and gave him a little squeeze. "I can see now why you spilled about the scholarship."

"No kidding. I had to promise her I'd get you home by curfew every night and that I'd refrain from all illegal activities in your presence. I think I got off lightly. I thought she was going to call Maria and get me forcibly enlisted." It was easy for Dom to joke now, but knowing him like I did, I could tell that he really had been worried in the moment.

"Was I worth it?" I asked, feeding him the last of my bacon.

Using the back of his hand, Dom's fingers stroked my cheek. "Por supeusto."

"They really are a cute couple, aren't they?" my aunt sighed, watching us.

Mama tsked her and rolled her eyes. "You make like you and Roberto aren't afectuoso. It's every five minutes with the two of you. It's about time he made an honest woman out of you. What is this, the eighth time he's asked you?"

"Uncle Bobby asked you to marry him before this?" I asked, surprised by this new piece of information.

"A couple of times. But the first time doesn't count because we were still in high school." My aunt brushed off my mother's comments, but for some reason I was still fascinated.

"Girl, he's been after you to marry him for over 10 years now!" Mama ragged.

"Why didn't you say yes before?" Dom said before I had a chance to ask.

"Well, I honestly didn't feel ready to get married yet. I mean I'm only 29!" Maria stabbed a piece of kiwi with her fork and waved it in the air. "I'm hardly an old maid."

"In this family you are! You've known Bobby since you were four, and you've been together since you were the same ages as these two," Abuela scolded Maria while pointing to Dom and I. "Don't you two wait that long! I'm an old lady, I need more grandbabies ahora!" she continued lecturing me in Spanish.

"Mama!" my mother cried. "She's just a little girl! My baby can't be having babies any time soon. I was twenty two when I got married and twenty five when I had Letty, and it was hard enough then. Now that Maria and Roberto are getting married, they can be the ones who give you more grandchildren. As if you need any more! Don't you think seven is enough?"

"Not when I had five children!" my grandmother fired back. "Besides Miguel's three are so gringo that they don't even speak Spanish!" Lifting her hands toward the sky she continued dramatically, "Why did God burden me with such grandchildren?! I just thank the Virgin Pedro doesn't have children! That boy!"

"What about Jaime's kids?" Maria asked playfully, steering the subject away from my crack head uncle Pedro. "They speak Spanish almost as well as Letty does, probably better than I do at this point." Spooning more food onto Dom's plate, she leaned toward him conspiratorially, "I heard them when they flew in for Eduardo's funeral, they were checking you out mijo. Letty you better watch your man."

"That's not funny." I glared at her, and frowned. "You're just trying to change the subject. I think we were talking about why you haven't already married Uncle Bobby."

"Damn girl, that's cold." Maria sighed. "Besides, it doesn't matter why we didn't get married already, because we're getting married now."

"While that answer doesn't cut it, my little sister is off the hook because you and Dom have to get a move on it. It's almost eight now and you have to be down at the DMV by nine so go take a shower now. I bet if you ask nicely your Tia will do your make up for you so you'll look good for your license."

"So you're serious? This no school to day thing is for real?" I ask, wanting to make sure.

"Yes I'm serious. Didn't Dom tell you this already?" From the grin on my mother's face, I know she and Dom have cooked up some secret surprise that I'm not expecting.

"He did, but he didn't tell me why we're in such a rush." Standing up from Dom's lap, I take my plate and his to the sink.

"I'm impressed. I wasn't sure you'd be able to keep it from her this long," Mama said, still grinning.

Dom snorted and crossed his arms across his chest, trying to look big and manly. "I'm not totally incompetent."

"Don't lie. We've seen the way you look at her. She's got you wrapped around her little finger," Maria laughed.

"Pot calling kettle little sister?" Mama said dryly.

Still laughing, Maria stuck out her tongue. "Oh like you and Eduardo were any different." Sometimes it's pretty easy to tell that she's twelve years younger than Mama.

Exasperated, I put my hands on my hips and stare at them all like they've lost their minds. "Enough already! What's this big surprise?"

"Sorry kiddo, we ain't telling just yet."