Author's notes:
AusllyTraceObsessed98 - Your canon is now my canon. Chuck is out, Jace is in, and the universe is better for it. Thank you again for your kind words and support.
Lo siento, Mi español no es muy bueno. I am terribly sorry for any related mistakes.
Finally, I have shamelessly stolen the "big tree" reference from the amazing author Fishelle, whose "And it Smeels Like Coffee" A&A fic is nearly without equal.
I own nothing, reviews are always loved and welcome, and I appreciate all of you!
"Wow."
Ally's breath caught momentarily, a small gasp escaping her lips as she took in the ornate, almost origami-like double trees that branched throughout the private dining room. The soft glow of fairy lights adorned each branch, floating above multiple stems of golden and purple orchids proudly set in the center of tables marked by white linens. Had it not been for the light smell of the salt air and the beautiful view of the Miami river, Ally could have almost imagined herself in a snow-dusted meadow.
"You have completely outdone yourself Trish," she said in soft awe, gaping at her best friend. Trish smiled and gave her a wink, gesturing toward the long center table where their friends and family members were starting to rise. "This looks…amazing."
"I'm going to remind you how impressed you were three hours from now," Trish whispered, her same smile still hanging in the air. "Which is how long it should take to get through all the baby "advice" you're about to receive." As if on cue, Mrs. De La Rosa nearly elbowed past two people, ensuring her place in the front of the greeting line. Ally snickered, watching Trish shake her head slightly out of the corner of her eye.
"Mi Chiqui! We are all so, so happy for you!" she said, wrapping Ally in the tightest of hugs. "You look beautiful!" Stepping back for a moment, she gave Trish a broad smile as well. "The restaurant is amazing, mija. It would be the perfect place to have an engagement party, ¿no? Jace is coming today too?"
"MOM," Trish half-yelled, her eyes going wide. Ally couldn't contain a laugh despite her best efforts, earning her own sideways glance from Trish as she continued. "This day is for Ally, and can you please spend one gathering NOT trying to scare off my boyfriend?"
"Ay mija, por favor…I am sure tú hermana wouldn't mind another reason to celebrate on this wonderful day," Mrs. De La Rosa beamed. Trish rolled her eyes in exaggerated fashion, looking pleadingly at Ally, who only continued to giggle in response. "I love you girls," Mrs. De La Rosa breathed, now wrapping them both into a wide hug. "And we are all going to love this little one just as much," she continued as she smiled down at Ally's baby bump. "¡Hola niña bonita! Soy yo, tú tita," she cooed as she bent down towards Ally's stomach.
Ally's heart swelled. If love was what made people a family, there was no room for debate; somewhere between the day in kindergarten when she had gone over to Trish's house for their first play date and the fifth grade afternoon when Mr. De La Rosa and JJ had simultaneously demanded to know where Ricky Tavers lived after he had pushed Ally off her bike, she had become as much a part of the De La Rosa family as any prima or tía. Happy tears started to form at the corner of Ally's eyes as Mrs. De La Rosa's smile grew even more, her gaze lifting to meet Ally's.
Trish hadn't been wrong of course; as the greeting line progressed, Ally was nearly overcome with expressions of joy, love…and just as many words of wisdom, ranging from cures for back pain to which brands of diapers and rash cream were truly best. Her own mother and father were the final ones to approach her, Ally's mother already dabbing at her eyes with a tissue.
"You look beautiful, sweetheart," her mother beamed, gently squeezing Ally's hand. "How are you feeling?"
"A little overwhelmed- and also like I should be taking notes," Ally laughed. I'm so glad you could get back in time for the shower."
"I couldn't miss it," Penny smiled. "Trish, this place looks so incredible- you are an angel for setting all of this up."
"Thank you, Mrs. Dawson," Trish said with the slightest of blush of her own.
"Trish, please call me Penny," the older woman laughed. "It's only a few months before I turn into Grandma or "Gammy" or "Mee-Maw" forever, after all. Is Jace here by the way? It would be lovely to finally meet him after all the wonderful things I have heard."
Trish exhaled heavily, rolling her eyes and looking up to the ceiling as if appealing to some higher power for support. Finding none, her gaze returned to a thoroughly amused Dawson family.
"He's coming with Dez and Austin after lunch and before we start some of the games," Trish sighed. "Although I probably still have enough time to text them a different address across town."
"Don't you dare," Penny said, smiling as she gave Trish a reassuring hug. "I promise to be on my best behavior."
They were interrupted by the sounds of waiters starting to make their way into the room, one of Trish's uncles loudly declaring "Jamar!", as he gestured like a conductor for people to take their seats.
Ally gave her best friend a reassuring smile, carefully making their way to the center of the long table as the lunch service began.
"I'm telling you, there's no way she'll believe a meeting got changed like that." Jace sighed, stepping out of the car as he looked towards Dez. Dez turned to look at Austin, who shrugged, tilting his head slightly.
"Hey, you're the one who's the love whisperer," Austin said towards Dez in exaggerated fashion before cracking a smile.
"It's simple," Dez continued, rolling his eyes and talking more quickly as the trio walked. "Dinner meetings with label execs and talent management happen all the time. You said that your first "real" date with Trish in Miami was along the waterfront a block down from the place, right? Austin pulls some strings and makes her think she has a dinner meeting, I hide across the street with the camera, and she'll park in the city lot near Bayfront Park since it's just down from restaurant. Ally already has an excuse to not be there in person, but she'll be waiting in the restaurant anyway along with Carrie. Trish walks down, you jump out from behind the strategically placed ice cream cart that was there on your very first "Miami" date to pop the question, I capture all the magic for posterity, and we all celebrate at dinner right after!"
"And what do we do when she says no and calls me an idiot?" Jace huffed, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Dude, she isn't going to say no," Austin said, putting a comforting hand on Jace's shoulder. "I've seen you guys together! You moved out here for her! You are literally the only guy she has ever wanted to or been able to live with, and you both get the same stupid look on your faces every time you see each other…."
"Trust him, he's an expert in that department," Dez laughed. "Honestly both of you are like high schoolers. Thank goodness Carrie and I are around to set mature examples for everyone."
Austin and Jace both laughed, ignoring a friendly glare from Dez as they continued down the riverway.
"You are both paying for my therapy bills when this blows up in my face," Jace said, shaking his head side to side as they saw the restaurant come into view.
"Looks like the boys are here ladies…and on time no less!"
Ally and her friends looked up at the sound of Mimi's voice, watching the tight hug she gave her son as he stepped through the doors. Austin searched the room, smiling as his eyes found Ally. He slowly made his way through the packed tables, shaking hands and stopping for additional hugs along the way.
"They actually clean up pretty nicely," Trish mused while smiling, rolling her eyes at Ally and Carrie after receiving the same sly look from both of them.
"Hey you," Austin said, bending down to give his wife a peck on the cheek as he took a seat next to her. "Are we too early? Too Late?"
"Just right," Ally smiled, her hand slipping onto his as their fingers intertwined. "We just finished lunch, and we're supposed to start the games next."
"Should I be worried?" Austin said, raising an eyebrow as he surveyed the room.
"Probably, but I think one of us needs to try and stay composed, and we both know that won't be me," Ally laughed, watching as Trish stood up, Dez handing her a microphone from a nearby table.
"Hello everyone," Trish said, her gaze briefly flicking to her boyfriend as she continued. "Thank you all so much for coming to the shower today. For anyone who doesn't know me, I am Trish De La Rosa, Ally's best friend, and professional babysitter for her husband, Austin." The crowd broke into light laughter, with Austin smiling as he nodded in agreement. "And for those of you who do know me, you probably also know that I have had a lot of different, uh, roles in my life…but I can say with complete certainty that one of the best ones is going to be Tía to the newest member of this wonderful family." Trish paused for a beat, watching as Ally started to tear up, Austin gently passing his wife a nearby napkin. Trish continued, giving Jace an appreciative nod as he deftly slipped a glass of champagne into her free hand.
"Austin- you are a kind, loving, and truly joyful person. I knew from the first day I saw you try to play a trumpet through another trumpet that you would also be great with kids, and nothing over the course of our friendship has ever swayed me from that belief," Trish said, watching Austin give her a heartfelt grin. "You are the most unfailingly positive person I know, and you are going to be an incredible father; I am so happy to watch you start this journey surrounded by so much love and support." Seeing Austin start to rise unexpectedly, Trish paused for another moment, watching as he attempted to slowly maneuver around chairs and tables. "Oh, get over here you big tree," she half-sighed, stepping towards him as he wrapped her in a tight hug. Trish smiled sheepishly as applause started from those gathered, trying to regain her composure as Austin returned to his seat.
"This is why he needs a manager, people!" she joked as Austin finally got back to his seat. "He's always jumping his entrance cues." Amid another light wave of laughter from everyone, Trish's gaze focused on Ally.
"Ally," she started, trying to hold herself together at the sight of Ally's tearful smile. "You are my partner in crime, my best friend, and forever my sister. But you are also so much more than that- you are endlessly thoughtful, patient, brilliant and caring. We all know you have magic in your words, and an entire cabinet full of awards to prove it…but everyone here knows that all that talent flows out of your amazing heart. The love you give to everyone around you is how I know you will be an amazing mother, and I speak for everyone when I say that this baby is truly blessed. I love you Ally, and I am so, so happy for you and Austin. Everyone, please raise your glasses for Austin and Ally!"
"To Austin and Ally!"
"That was…that was just…" Ally started, no longer trying to hold back her joyful tears as she draped her arms around Trish in a tight embrace. "Perfect." she finished, stepping back as she saw a tear slide down the side of Trish's cheek. Austin and Jace appeared just behind them, gesturing towards the side of the room; the friends watched as a bawling Dez was offered a handkerchief by one of Trish's uncles, grabbing the blue cloth and loudly blowing his nose into it, much to the chagrin of its giver.
Once everyone had returned to their tables a small series of games began, with the De La Rosa, Dawson, and Moon parents unsurprisingly winning the "guess their age" event using a montage of Austin and Ally photos through the years. The "baby bottle drinking contest" had been much more competitive, with the collected grandparents somehow pulling out a last-minute victory over JJ's table. Jace had personally come through in the last game, proving shockingly adept at "blindfolded baby doll changing" resulting in an approving nod from Mrs. De La Rosa that turned Trish a shade of crimson that Ally hadn't thought was possible in a human being.
"I wish I could just freeze things in place sometimes…you know?" Ally's voice was wistful, a small sigh escaping into her lips as she felt her husband's arms drape softly around her from behind. The warm Miami sun hung high in the sky, Austin setting his chin gently on top of his wife's head as they both looked from the terrace into the dining room. Dez appeared to be holding court in from of Mr. De La Rosa and Jace, animatedly gesturing with one of the dolls from the earlier game as the two men nodded in clear confusion at his antics. Carrie, Trish, and Mrs. De La Rosa were huddled in the opposite corner, Trish's mother now bending down to place a gentle hand on Carrie's baby bump. Austin and Ally's parents were engrossed in conversation with each other, Lester giving them a sly wink as he caught their gaze.
"I know exactly what you mean," Austin said with his own sigh. "That was an awesome baby shower…huh, things I never imagined myself saying," he mused, smiling at himself. "Trish really is incredible."
"You got up to hug her during the speech because you were going to start crying if you didn't, hm?" Ally said matter-of-factly.
"I still almost lost it on the way over to her!" Austin exclaimed.
Ally gave him a small laugh, turning towards her husband and giving him a quick kiss before leaning into his side.
"At least Dez took a lot of pictures," Austin said, his own voice turning wistful as well.
"Well, someone very smart once told me the most important memories are here," Ally said, gently placing a kiss on Austin's forehead, "and here," she finished, putting a hand on his chest, just over his heart.
"Sounds like someone incredibly brilliant. You should probably marry whoever said that…oh, right," Austin joked, earning a playful tap on the arm from his wife.
"Let's get back inside- I'm not ready for this to be over yet," Ally said, taking Austin's hand as she gestured towards the dining room.
"Right there with you, Mrs. Moon," Austin smiled, following Ally back towards their loved ones.