Title: A Summer of Happiness
Happy Birthday, MsSchneeheide! Thank you for being such an awesome beta and my fellow Salma Hayek/Flaritza/Blanciablo lover! Have an amazing day chica!
It's time the tale were told
Of how you took a child
And you made him old
It's time the tale were told
Of how you took a child
And you made him old
You made him old
Reel around the fountain
Slap me on the patio
I'll take it now
Oh
She loves her so much. Not just because Maritza had taken her to a Smiths concert for their fifth year anniversary, but that's definitely one of the current reasons. Never in a million years would she have guessed Maritza had this in mind for her. Flaca and Maritza jump up and down in the audience with Blanca. They all start cheering for Diablo, whose band is opening for The Smiths.
Flaca smiles down at her girl, who's wearing a red and black plaid skirt and black leather jacket, a white shirt with decorative tears in it and the words Pizza Is My Jam messily spray-painted in red on the front. Maritza also has on ripped black fishnet stockings and tall brown suede boots. Flaca has on an equally cute outfit, a plaid red and black dress paired with flatforms and a black leather jacket. Their heavy makeup and hoop earrings are pretty similar and they both have black nail polish on. A few strands in Flaca's hair are blue while Maritza has some purple streaks in her black locks.
"What?" Maritza asks loudly through a giggle.
Flaca's beam only gets bigger. "Babe, why'd you take me to a Smith's concert if you can't stand it? It ain't even my birthday o nada."
"Don't you know, mi amor? Porque I love to see tu sonrisa." Maritza links arms with Flaca and pulls her closer. "Plus, tu cumpleaños is coming up!"
your smile
"I'm always happy when I'm with you, chiquita! Like, no matter what we're doing..."
"Sí, pero I wanted to do somethin' real special for ya! You totally deserve it, just for being such an awesome girlfriend! Cinco años, that's one hell of a milestone!"
five years
"You even dressed Goth for me, with the blue eyeshadow and purple lipstick and everything!" Flaca presses her hand to her heart as she swoons. "Aww, te amo...and we got almost the same clothing on!"
Maritza continues grinning up at her. "Also got highlights! I wanted to fit in, too. Yo también te amo."
"Ay dios mío, you're missing la canción de mi novio," Blanca complains, jerking her head toward Diablo. "You corny kids!"
my boyfriend's song
Flaca wraps her arm around Maritza and leans down to kiss her mouth. She lifts her lady and sets Maritza on her shoulders. "Lo siento, Blanca, pero...we can still hear it! He's amazing!"
"I know, right?" Blanca squeals and jumps up and down. "Hola, baby!" she shouts while waving at him. He blows a kiss at her.
"I'm surrounded by the cutest couples!" some random person near them exclaims.
"You sure are!" Maritza says from high up above the screaming crowd.
"My man's the drummer!" Blanca announces, her voice filled with pride.
"Whoo-hoo!" Flaca and Maritza shout cheerfully in unison.
"We're so fuckin' drunk!" Maritza yells and then she and Flaca burst out cackling. "I got my girl a Long Island iced tea and I had champagne!"
Flaca squeals. "I'm lovin' it!"
"Diablo and I are gonna get our beers when The Smiths come out!" Blanca informs them, but keeps her eyes on Diablo playing the drums.
Fifteen minutes with you
Well, I wouldn't say no
Oh, people said that you were virtually dead
And they were so wrong
Fifteen minutes with you
Oh, well, I wouldn't say no
Oh, people said that you were easily led
And they were half-right
Oh, they, oh, they were half-right, oh
"Do you remember how we met, baby?"
Maritza rakes her fingers through her hair. "Of course I do. We were college roommates, duh!"
Flaca has set Maritza down now since her shoulders are truly tired, but there's a high ledge that her sweetheart can sit on and be able to see and swing her legs from side to side, but still stay safe. Diablo is back in the audience and has his arms around Blanca as he sways with her. Flaca squeezes Maritza's hand and helps her down all of a sudden. She beckons them to another part of the arena where there are way less people and Maritza will be able to watch the concert. She's been searching for a different area to go to all this time.
"Yeah...and we started a wonderful friendship by sharing magazines and giving each other fashion tips and makeovers!" Flaca recalls.
"Then there was that wild night of booze, kissing, and hooking up, and it began our relationship!" Maritza continues. "On Valentines' Day, too, how cheesy is that?"
"Oooh, pero I love queso!" Flaca insists, winking at Maritza.
"Me too! It only took us like, five months to figure out our feelings for each other!"
"Yes, girl!" Flaca hollers.
"I'm so happy with you..."
"I'm a lucky woman to have you as the other half of mi corazón!"
Maritza presses her hand to her heart. "Oh, Flaca, I feel just as blessed as you! When I stare lovingly into your eyes, what I can see are stars over a sea of chocolate pudding and us laying naked on a floating pile of whipped cream in the middle of it all. Not fucking or anything else dirty like that, but just...I dunno, kissing, cuddling, talking about what the future brings for us..."
"Aw, you're so romantic," Flaca gushes. "I feel the same way, like we're both in heaven, and dancing under the moonlight...caressing each other's bodies and the way I make you moan when I touch your favorite spot."
"Oh, sí..." Maritza breathes out, reaching up to stroke Flaca's cheek. "You're putting me in a real affectionate mood right now..."
"That's my intention, reina..." Flaca's voice grows softer as she leans down to mold her lips with Maritza.
It's time the tale were told
Of how you took a child
And you made him old
It's time that the tale were told
Of how you took a child
And you made him old
You made him old
Oh, reel around the fountain
Slap me on the patio
I'll take it now
Ah, oh
They only pull apart to gasp for air. They're still hugging, with fingers combing through each other's hair. "I love you," Maritza tells Flaca against her mouth.
Flaca's lips touch Maritza's once again. She gazes into her lover's dazed eyes and her heart bursts with passion. "Cásate conmigo. I wanna be in yours and Juliana's lives forever, and you know I think of Juliana like mi own hija..."
Marry me
Maritza draws back, her facial expression shocked. "¿Qué?"
"Lo siento, I just had this moment of...you're the best lady who ever came into my life and I never wanna lose you, I know we protect each other and stuff, but I thought it'd be cool if we had a fancy wedding, maybe post it on YouTube, like, from the getting ready shit all the way to us leaving for our honeymoon to Mexico...or Italy, si quieres ir allí, and it would also be dope if we grew old together..."
if you wanna go there instead
Unshed tears shine in Maritza's eyes and she beams through a giggle. "You don't gotta apologize for asking me to marry you. Me encantaría casarme contigo. La respuesta es sí. Y podemos ir a ambos lugares, lo que tu corazón desee."
I would love to marry you. The answer is yes. And we can go to both places, whatever your heart desires.
Flaca laughs. "Yay! So, should we get each other engagement rings or somethin'?"
"¡Sí, por supuesto!"
Yes, of course!
"¿Qué esta pasando?"
What's going on?
They'd been so wrapped up in their bubble that they'd forgotten for a second that their friends are with them. "She said yes! ¡Le pedí que se casara conmigo y ella dijo que sí!" Flaca answers Blanca's question.
I asked her to marry me and she said yes!
"¡Impresionante, bien hecho!" Diablo high-fives Flaca and then Maritza. Blanca does the same. "¡Felicidades!" the couple tells them in unison.
Awesome, way to go! Congratulations!
"¡Gracias!" Flaca and Maritza respond.
Fifteen minutes with you
Oh, I wouldn't say no
Oh, people see no worth in you
Oh, but I do.
Fifteen minutes with you
Oh, I wouldn't say no
Oh, people see no worth in you
I do
Oh, I, oh, I do
Oh
It's the big day. They'd been in separate dressing rooms with their moms getting them and the bridesmaids ready. They'd been given pep talks, even though neither woman is nervous.
"So, here's your something blue," Karla murmurs as she clips a royal blue butterfly barrette into Flaca's black tresses, creating a half-up style.
"Gracias, it matches my nails!" Flaca pats Shani's hand. "Thanks for the manicure, too, by the way!"
"You're welcome!" Shani tells her. Nicky gives them both a thumbs up.
"Aw, it was my pleasure, nena," Karla says.
"Y algo viejo," Theresa continues and loops one of her prettiest necklaces around Flaca's neck and fastening it when Nicky moves Flaca's hair to one side. They'd all instructed her not to touch her 'do, and being the wild fashionista that she is, she obeys them. "Me puse esto en mi quinces."
Something old. I wore this at my quinces.
"Gracias, Mamá..." Flaca blinks back her tears and rubs her lips together.
"¡De nada!"
"¡Y...estos son nuevos, los acabo de comprar para ti!" Gloria chimes in and presents Flaca with a pair of gorgeous, glimmery gold hoop earrings. Flaca beams while slipping them through her earlobes.
and these are new, I just got them for you!
"Can't forget your garter!" Nicky exclaims and Flaca lifts her white lacy dress slightly so Nicky can put it on her. She chuckles because it tickles and Shani gives her a shoulder massage that ends with a hug from the Egyptian woman.
"Mmm, gracias..."
Cat gives Flaca's cheek a quick peck. "I wish you and Maritza all the happiness in the world!"
Flaca's heart squeezes and expands for the thousandth time today. "Thank you, how sweet of you to say that!"
Blanca runs in with some black and gold spiked bangles dangling from her fingers. "¡Ay...bien, estoy justo a tiempo! ¡Puedes tomarlos prestados de mis días de punk rock!"
Oh good, I'm just in time! You can borrow these from my punk rock days!
Flaca grins at Blanca while slipping them around her wrist. "Gracias, chica. ¡Muchas gracias, todas, amo todo esto!"
Thank you so much, everyone, I love all of this!
"No problem!"
"Ay, Blanca...you know what Mari's gifts were?"
"I ain't tellin' you, ¡es un secreto!"
"Damn, I tried," Flaca mumbles and they all giggle.
"You can find out later," Nicky says with a wink.
"Oh yes, because it might be too sexy to share!" Shani chimes in.
The slightly older women chuckle at their dirty, suggestive language and it's just Gloria and Karla who roll their eyes. Flaca can tell that Blanca totally gets it.
Flaca and Maritza are sharing Blanca and Diablo as their maid of honor and best man, so the pair has double the toasts to do, but it seems like they're having fun and not at all stressed out. Blanca had picked out the best nightclub and they laughed in the face of that tradition of not seeing the bride the night before tying the knot. They'd had a joint bachelorette party at the Sparrow Tavern, filled with dancing, eating, and drinking, and their only rule was that dudes couldn't show up, period. Pennsatucky and Boo were their bartenders and they made sure to keep it closed to any outsiders.
Diablo is doing a great job of taking care of the music and making sure it comes out of the speakers right and he's also met and talked with the minister. Additionally, he'd helped Blanca, Theresa, and Maria decorate the backyard of Maritza's huge mansion with flowers.
Flaca smiles at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair is combed and curled, her makeup is on point, and her dress is perfect. She knows that Maritza looks just as beautiful.
She's proven right as she goes out there, linking arms with Theresa. Maritza is right next to her, and on her other side is her birth mamí, Maria Ramos. The four of them trail after Blanca and Diablo and their ten other bridesmaids dressed in different shades of pink, five women for each bride-to-be. They exchange exhilarated smiles as they step past each row of white chairs filled with their excited guests. A romantic song by Salma Hayek plays as they glide along.
"Girl, you're breathtaking!" Maritza compliments her.
"Gracias, y eres fabulosa," Flaca praises her back. She's a true queen in her long, white, shimmery strapless gown. Flaca is wearing a flowy white dress with flowers and lace on the sleeves. The ends of both their dresses are trailing along the aisle.
"¡Gracias, bombón!"
Thanks, hottie!
Flaca blushes. "¡Tú también eres tan caliente!"
You're so hot, too!
As soon as their mothers give them away, they're standing together in the center of the altar before the crowd waiting in anticipation for them to wed. Diablo is adjacent to Flaca while Blanca is next to Maritza. Then, there's Cat, Nicky, Shani, Karla, and Gloria on Diablo's other side and Aleida stands close to Blanca. After her are Daisy, Elena and Ceci Mendoza, and Alex's younger sister Katie. Little Juliana is so cute as their flower girl. She's in pigtails and wearing a puffy light pink dress, white tights, and Mary Jane shoes.
They've written their own vows and Maritza goes first. She has a dreamy expression on her face as she locks eyes with Flaca.
"Today with much honor, and joy, I Maritza, take you, Flaca, to be my wife. You are my dream come true. The magic just came alive at this very second! I can't believe I'm standing here about to start a wonderful life with you...my best friend, my greatest miracle, my protector, and the person I love most in this world. Flaca, I love you and your warm smile, your contagious laugh, your strength and perseverance that you possess that carries you through difficult times in your life, and your ability to listen and to understand me like no one else ever can. Throughout the years, you and I have been through our ups, our downs, and everything in between, and through it all, our love for each other grew stronger as a result. I see your love, belief, and trust in me as treasures of immeasurable value. I promise to cherish you as your wife for the rest of my existence. I will always listen to your stuggles, be very supportive of you and your passions, let you listen to The Smiths'cause I ain't some over controlling douchebag, we'll work as a team, I will honor you and have faith in you, and I will always love your family. Of course, I care about you, too. I'm so blessed to have you, mi corazón!" Maritza says quickly in a shaky voice.
Flaca sniffles, trying not to cry. "Mari, when I was eighteen, just fresh into college, I saw this lively lady, so pumped up to be meeting her dorm buddy for the first time. I never imagined we'd be future wives. You introduced me to all your friends and took me to the totally awesome parties...you convinced me to go, even though I was a little shy at the time...it was like I was a flower bud and you got me to open up. We've been through some trauma, we've talked through the night, later had some laughs, and I feel so safe with you. In these past five years, we've had our good moments and our bad moments. We struggled and we succeeded. We lost and we gained. We've also became stronger as people with the love we have for each other. Life is an adventure and you are my greatest adventure. Today and forevermore, as your wife, I promise to love you unconditionally, to listen to you, to laugh with you in the good times, and to grow and move forward through the rough and ugly parts in life. I promise to align my goals and dreams around you. I promise to look for ways to constantly improve myself every single day so I can be the best wifey, and friend to you as humanly possible. I can't wait to experience this new chapter of our lives together, mi amor, my best friend, and my world. ¡Te amo, chiquita!" Flaca wipes a tear away and Maritza does the same.
"Te amo," she whispers back and squeezes Flaca's hands.
"I now introduce you as Mrs. Marisol and Maritza Gonzales! Brides, you may now kiss!"
So they do. It's long and passionate, they're seeing rainbows and sparkles, and their happy day can't get any better than this. Sparks had flown between them when they were in their flirty friends stage and when they'd had their first kiss, but the candle burning between them is still there, igniting light and heat in both of their bodies. They wrap their arms around each other and moan quietly as they deepen their make-out session while swooning and everyone cheers.
Afterwards, they run back down the aisle and the guests throw rice at them. They have their first dance to Siente Mi Amor and then it's a party with enchiladas, rice, beans, cheese, and hot sauce.
Blanca stands up and taps on her champagne glass to get everyone's attention. Diablo is right behind her, holding his own drink and he hands her the microphone that he was previously singing in, as his band was playing during the reception. The audience starts to get quiet.
"Oooh, they're gonna give their toasts!" Maritza whispers excitedly.
Flaca squeals under her breath. "I know!"
"So I've known Maritza since she was my neighbor in grade school and I was just one year away from being of legal drinking age. She's like my kid sister, she's called me Mamí accidentally at one time or another..." The crowd laughs and Maritza blushes and covers her eyes, but Flaca takes her hands off her face. "Hey, I was pretty proud of myself that I could keep her in line...no, just kidding, Diablo and I are actually the coolest adults she's ever had in her vida. We're like her second set of parents. She tells us that herself. She comes to me about everything and sometimes mi Diablo. I'm gonna spare y'all with the bullshit of threatening Flaca not to hurt her, 'cause I know she won't! Flaca is a totally chill chica, and I completely trust her...and once I met her, we became tight, right off the bat! We talk and giggle all the time like high schoolers. She's like my hermanita, too, and I'm real glad you two goofballs have found each other and stuck together all these years!" Flaca and Maritza trade smiles. "Congrats, Flaritza!" She raises her glass and so does everyone else. "I know you'll have so much fun on your honeymoons! Even in those hotel rooms, things can get pretty hot and heavy!"
"She's right!" Diablo points to Blanca while smirking.
"Fuck yeah, bisexuals!" Boo shouts, fist pumping.
"Whoooo!" Nicky and Shani holler together while clapping and then the others join in. Alex wolf-whistles. Tricia and Mercy exchange a high-five while laughing.
"Mm-hm, you bitches gonna bang all night!" Aleida calls out.
Gloria rolls her eyes but snickers anyway. "Alright, this is a wedding, ¡basta!"
Red raises her hand slightly. "I second that!"
Flaca and Maritza are cracking up through all of this craziness from their friends. Their moms just shake their heads and share looks of astonishment.
"So that was sentimental until it turned dirty, lo siento, I'm drunk, but isn't everyone here?" Blanca asks rhetorically. "Actually, I shouldn't apologize for who I am." She rests her hand on Diablo's shoulder and glances at him, beaming. "Your turn, mi amor!"
"Alright, bueno, like Blanca said, Maritza's been in our lives a long time, she was five when she moved in next door to us. She made the apartment complex a lot less dreary, we used to live in a shitty place. I remember teaching her how to sing." At this, Flaca squeezes Maritza's hand, earning a tearful smile from her wife. "So that was a lot of fun...she'd bang on the drums and...she enjoyed that! I'd give her piggyback rides, so would Blanca...hell, we still do! Spoil her silly with ice cream and cake...and whenever she visited, we'd have pizza ready, fresh out of the oven. Like mi Blanca said, she was the closest thing to a daughter we've ever had, y una hermanita. She's familia, and Flaca is, too! She's the best woman we could've ever hoped for to stroll into Maritza's life, and she's become part of our group, starting five years ago. They're a perfect couple and Blanca and I wish them many, many years of happiness! Also, you two, enjoy yourselves, and try not to wake the other people sound asleep in the hotel! Cheers!" He touches his glass to Blanca's and everyone applauds.
Karla tsks, but giggles anyway. "You too, Diablo? Why am I not surprised? Oh well, you both are my best friends, so what do I care? It's just how y'all talk! Very sweet speeches!"
"They certainly were!" Flaca agrees emotionally.
Maritza sniffles. "¡Sí, gracias!"
"Gracias, y de nada!" Blanca and Diablo say in unison.
The day had been overflowing with so much love and joy and both Flaca and Maritza can't be more grateful.
Especially because it's all on film. They can watch their own celebration of their marriage over and over again, and there's tons of photos and selfies, too.
It'll definitely be a special moment in their lives to remember.
I dreamt about you last night
And I fell out of bed twice
You can pin and mount me like a butterfly
But take me to the haven of your bed
Was something that you never said
Two lumps, please
You're the bee's knees
But so am I
Oh, meet me at the fountain
Shove me on the patio
I'll take it slowly
Oh
Fifteen minutes with you
Oh, I wouldn't say no
Oh, people see no worth in you
Oh, but I do
Fifteen minutes with you
Oh, no, I wouldn't say no
Oh, people see no worth in you
I do
Oh, I, I do
Oh, I do
Oh, I do
Oh, I do
They take off to Mexico first, enjoy piña coladas in the hot sun by the pool, eat delicious food, see Frida Kahlo everywhere they look, are proud to translate for any other tourists who are having trouble speaking to locals who don't know English, and their hotel is quite lovely, it looks out over the sparkling sea and they're in paradise. Their next destination is Italy, and they check out the shops there, too, and explore old churches and admire the statues and enjoy walks along the cobblestone sidewalks. They eat pizza, too, lots of it, because of course they do. It's the land of pizza and pasta galore.
Their two honeymoons have been so nice and relaxing, and on their last night in Italy, they're wearing bright summer dresses and sipping wine with their dinner of cheese and sausage pizza with fettuccine.
"Yo, we gotta make a toast," Flaca announces. She grins. "Like, I pray that we have a long, happy, and adventurous life together."
Maritza nods and smiles. "Sí...y no importan las dificultades que nuestra vida might throw at us, let our love overcome those hardships."
no matter what hardships our life
"¡Para nosotras!" Flaca clinks her glass with Maritza's and they take a gulp each.
to us
Flaca is seriously wanting to adopt Juliana and Maritza is more than thrilled about the idea. "I'll warm her up to calling you Mamí numero dos! Instead of Señorita Flaca all the time?"
"Oh, no, she don't gotta," Flaca insists, but inside, she would love it if Juliana referred to her as her second mamí. Flaca's treated Juliana as her own daughter for the past half a decade and she'll never stop.
"Yo lo sé, pero creo que ya se siente cómoda contigo," Maritza responds. "Maybe we could ask her if she wants to?"
I think she's comfortable with you by now.
"¡Sí!" Flaca agrees. "Pero, how about Mamí Alta?"
"Sure!"
Flaca props her chin up on her fist and just beams at Maritza and her other hand rests on the table. She chews on her lip.
"What?" Maritza wonders aloud.
"Lo siento, just admiring your beauty..."
Maritza traces her finger over Flaca's knuckles and touches her ring softly. She bends down to kiss it and looks back up at Flaca with a broader smile than before. "Do not lo siento me about that, mi amor! You can stare at me all you want...I can't stop looking at your pretty face either!"
"I'm thinking about your ass, too."
They both snicker. "Yeah, we gotta get laid," Maritza says. "I got some brand new light blue lingerie..."
They giggle again and then just start conversing about more future plans. They've had so much fun these last five years, and they can't wait for what lies ahead.