Closed Steal My Sunshine

[Ignacio Morales]

The height of the summer warmth began to settle as January ticked into February, and even further as valentine’s day passed and February began to fade into March, but it was still warm enough for a family barbecue as far as Ignacio was concerned. A sunny day in late February was as good a day as any for food and wine and quality time with the people he cared for most and thus Ignacio and Ruby had organized a get together on a lazy Sunday afternoon, inviting their families and their respective partners to their house for some much needed time together. Christmas was never time enough to chat to all of his siblings between gift giving and eating, and a barbecue a few months after the holiday was the perfect follow up. Ignacio couldn’t contain his excitement as he helped Ruby decorate their backyard and set up their outside table with plates, cutlery and napkins, and later when he began to fire up the grill to ready themselves as they whipped up a feast for the family. Ignacio smiled as he saw the face of Pablo through the glass sliding door, wishing the feline could join them for their meal but knowing she would need to stay put indoors. Luckily the members of their families were due to arrive any minute, and the cat could beg them for attention instead of watch the gathering from afar. Ignacio nodded to Pablo, commenting on this as Ruby was occupied by placing glasses around the table. “We are being watched.” He joked, smiling at the sight of Pablo staring them down and waving her tail slowly.​

 

[Ruby Morales]

As important as family was to Ruby, she had never had much of one before. Ruby, Mum, and Vivian, that was that. The three of them against the world. It was somewhere between intimidating and overwhelming, becoming part of a family as big as the Morales', though it was undeniable that Ruby had been welcomed in with open arms. Over time she was growing more and more fond of each of Ignacio's siblings as she got to know them, feeling more and more like part of the Morales family herself. It felt wonderful, and she found herself adding the family to the seemingly infinite list of reasons she was looking forward to their wedding. She would be joining such a big, kind family, and Ruby couldn't wait. Everything felt new and bright and good, a fresh start. And celebrating with the Morales family was a perfect way to welcome in that fresh start. She looked up when Ignacio spoke, taking a moment to spot Pablo where she was watching over them. Ruby chuckled softly, brushing her shirt down softly. "She's watching over us." She commented, setting down the last glass and crossing to her fiancee, kissing his cheek quickly. "I'm excited about today."

 

[Vivian Brackenstall]

It had been months now, and the fact that his mother was engaged still shocked Vivian every time he thought about it. He didn't think he could remember any time she had so much as gone on a date, and now... meeting Ignacio had completely turned her around, in ways Vivian sometimes didn't even recognise as his own mother. And yet... she was happy. Happier than he had ever seen her, and that was unsettling. He was so used to his mother being... distant. Providing him with food and clothes and shelter, but never her time, rarely her smiles. Now she seemed to be smiling every time he saw her, and that... ached to think about. His mother had never been happy before, not really, and this was a version of her who hade just been... absent, his entire youth. He wondered what he would have been like had Ignacio come along ten, fifteen years earlier. It hurt to think about.

Vivian didn't know what he would have been like with Ignacio in his life growing up either. He had gotten used to his stepfather being around, but the concept still felt strange in his mind. Would Ignacio have been a good father? He supposed as much, and now... well, Vivian was still coming to terms with how his family was changing, and it was too hard to dwell on for long. His family had expanded by quite a lot of... step-aunts and uncles as well, who Vivian still found it quite awkward to be around. Pia seemed fun, and he didn't think he had ever heard more than two words out of Valentina's mouth, but Marcos was younger than him, and that felt very strange. And Flavio... well, there were layers upon layers of strangenesses there that hurt to think about. All in all, he felt like a stranger in his own family these days. That didn't stop him wanting to be a part of that family, as unfamiliar as it all felt, though, and so Vivian had showed up for the family barbecue, disappointed to find he had arrived a little early. He greeted his mother and stepfather with a small smile, and set about helping to lay some things out in the mean time while they waited for the rest of the family to arrive.