"Are we sure this is a good idea?" Ricardo asks, leaning down to pet Harley as she bounds around their feet, patting happily. "I mean, it's their first Thanksgiving together, with a young baby... maybe they'd prefer celebrating it alone..."
Alicia sighs in that exasperated, but cute, way of hers, leaning in to kiss him. "Look, I promise to tell them it'd be really lowkey and we'll handle the food between the four of us- they just have to be there, right? If Heath and Maryse want to spend it alone with Monroe, I'm fine with it. It's just an invitation."
"Alright," he says softly. The weather's been cold lately, winter taking over Texas, and he's been feeling it. His knee and ankles are one big, constant throb, and he kind of wants to lay down and cry when it's really bad sometimes, but he forces on- plays soccer, trains newer wrestlers at Hybrid, even is booked to wrestle the day after Thanksgiving. Alicia is booked for Starrcade on Saturday, but for the most part, they're going to have a quiet week at home, with whichever of their friends feel like spending the day with them, and... Ricardo thinks htis may be one of the best holidays he's had in quite awhile.
Heath and Maryse agree to come with limited begging on account of Alicia, so the four of them pile up into Ricardo's car and make their way over to Alberto's house, Monroe sleeping the entire way. Ricardo grins, hugging Sofia warmly and inclining his head towards Alberto. "Hola, mi familia," he says quietly, Alicia stepping forward to hug Sofia as well.
"Hello," she greets them, Heath and Maryse achoing the greeting from where they're standing behind her.
"Hola," Alberto greets her. "Please make yourselves at home."
They do, slowly, Ricardo and Alicia helping Heth and Maryse with the baby- which is made a lot easier as soon as Sofia gets a good look at her, cooing and touching the baby with her fingers, offering to bring them blankets or anything else they mgiht need to keep her comfortable. "Do I get a blanket too?" Ricardo jokes, Alicia swatting at him as everyone else laughs.
"Whatever you want, mi hijo," Sofia plays along, grinning at him as he smirks.
The group continues sitting around, playing with the baby and catching up, Alberto a bit quieter than the rest as he sits back and watches, a small smile on his face. Ricardo eventually motions to him, quickly excuses them, and stands up, walking outside. These grounds are a bit smaller than the Florida house, but there are still a couple of garages visible from ehre and Ricardo wonders which ones Alberto brought with him, almost eager to move on from what he wants to say and look inside, but he plants his feet and waits, turning slowly as Alberto joins him. "Mi amigo?"
Ricardo inclines his head, examining Alberto quietly. "I know it's been a hard few years for us," he says slowly. Before Alberto can interrupt, he lifts a hand. "But I wanted to let you know, despite how it hurt me, I feel grateful for you putting me on this path. And today is about gratitude, so perhaps you will let me explain without interruption." He rocks back and forth on his feet, staring wistfully over the grounds. "I was drowning in Florida. Professionally, personally. I had a great girlfriend, I lived in a beautiful mansion, but it wasn't me, you know? Paige and I, we would've never been happy together long term, I see it now. She needed something I can't provide. The mansion, well, clearly, that was all yours. Even when I moved into my apartment, so much of my existence was still tied in to yours." He exhales, and shakes his head. "I know it's funny that I act like my big show of independence was to move to Texas, when you ended up moving here too, but it's different. We still work together spmetimes, but I've made a name for myself here between Hybrid and managing Sabotage. I'm married to Alicia. A lot has changed. So I want to thank you, thank you for opening my eyes to what my life could and should be like."
Alberto swallows, looking away from Ricardo for a long, painful moment, before glancing back at him. "I will never be able to apologize enough for hurting you so severely. In 2013, and when I... when Paige and I cheated." Paige, cheating on the life she was building on Ricardo, Alberto, cheating on the brotherhood that had meant so much to him over the years. "So I am most thankful that you have forgiven me, that you will spend your holidays with me, that you will still work with me on some projects. It seriously is more than I will ever deserve, mi hermano."
Ricardo smiles at him. "I'm not sure what you're talking about, I'm simply here for Sofia's sweet potato casserole." Awkward silence passes for a long, tense moment, and then Ricardo laughs, patting him on the arm genially. "I'm joking, El Patron. Relax. Hmm?"
Alberto exhales so hard that it almost looks painful, laughing weakly. "Ay!" They're still standing there, staring out at the grounds, lost in thought and just happy to be able to stand here together, with no drama or ill-will towards the other, when Sofia comes and gets them because the meal is ready.
Ricardo walks towards the table, cataloguing the different plates and everything that he wants to sample, when he stops short and just stares. "Tamales?" he asks in awe, blinking hard. "They look like..."
Sofia eases behind him, wrapping an arm around his waist and smiling up at him. "If they look like your madre's, that's because they are. I called her and requested her recipe, and made these following her recommendations exactly. I hope they taste like you remember, mi hijo."
Tears fill his eyes and he leans in, pressing a kiss to the top of Sofia's head. "Muchas gracias, no se que decir," he confeses voice trembling.
She tsks and cups his face, smiling up at him. "Tu gratitud es más que suficiente. Now let's eat, hmm?"
"Si," he agrees, beaming down at her.
Everything on the table is great, but the tamales are the best thing Ricardo's ate in a very long time.