Marriage Merger

Chapter 24 (Parte Uno)

On the morning of her birthday, Ximena was woken up unceremoniously by her family who all but shouted HAPPY BIRTHDAY in her face. Her eyes snapped open in shock, as her upper body shot up. She was greeted by her mother, sister and brother all still clad in their nightwear and the first two with weird grins on their faces. Salvador actually looked like he'd rather be anywhere else but there and Ximena returned the sentiment.

Dolores came forward and gave her eldest daughter a bone crushing embrace which Ximena couldn't quite return because that's how strong it was."Feliz cumpleaños, mi amor!" she cooed as she continued her vice like hug.

"C-cant...b-breathe," Ximena wheezed and her mother let her go, chuckling. Next, Andrea descended on her with all her weight in a assault of affection, it that's what you can call it. They both fell back onto Ximena's bed with a creak, both in a fit of giggles.

"Happy birthday, hermana!" she yelled in an eardrum bursting pitch, causing everyone to cringe.

Ximena rose once again into a sitting position, brushing her unruly black hair black. She had recently dyed it back to its original color and it had grown past her shoulders over the past few weeks. "You know, for someone as slim as you are...you weigh a ton!" she laughed, and Andrea graced her with a glare. Salvador snorted, making everyone remember he was still in their midst.

Dolores gave him a pointed look, one that was urging him to at least say happy birthday. Salvador complied grudgingly and shuffled forward to his sister's bed side, one hand behind his back.

"Happy birthday Ximena," he croaked awkwardly and gave her a small navy-blue box. Ximena took it slowly, stunned that he had even bothered to get her anything. Other presents he'd given her were not so pleasant so she wasn't quite sure what to expect. Imagine her bewildered expression when she opened it and found a pair of diamond earrings sitting in it.

Tears sprang to the corners of her eyes. Setting the small box down, she wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him by his side towards her in a hug. "Thank you, Chava," she voiced with a slight tremble. Hesitantly he returned the gesture, well as best as he could given their different angles of elevation.

"You're welcome," he whispered and she let him go. Her eyes still brimmed with unshed tears she looked up at him. Surprisingly, his face wasn't it's usual stoic expression, but a slight quirk was at the corner of his lips. A smile perhaps or was his mouth have a seizure? With that, he twisted around and left the room without a single word.

"Me next!" Andrea cried and leapt out of the bed. She pulled a large box with the words Louis Vuitton on it from the foot of the bed. She dropped it on her sister's lap. "Open it!" she urged, a crazed glint in her eyes. Ximena followed suit and found a pair of golden six-inch strappy stilettos shimmering in the morning light. Her eyes bulged.

"Wow," was all she could say. They were so dazzling. "These are beautiful!" she managed to say next and then gave her sister a hug.

"They will go perfectly with this," Dolores said returning from Ximena's walk-in closet with a long golden dress which she had never seen before in there. When had it...?

Ximena threw the comforter from her body after setting aside the shiny shoes and made her way over to her mother. This was no ordinary piece of fabric, no, it was a dress which clearly fit for a goddess. Looking at it made her eyes hurt. Could she pull it off?

She eyed it warily. "That's for me?" she asked her voice coming out breathless. Everybody was intent on giving her such expensive and glittery gifts.

Dolores sidled in front of her and placed her before her body. "Si. Why not? It's your birthday today and also your engagement party. We want you to stand out in the crowd, turn a few heads and impress a certain hombre," she replied, winking at her daughter whose face immediately rouged. "Which reminds me," she went on and pulled a set of keys from her sleeve miraculously. "Your father wishes you a happy birthday but unfortunately he had to run off to work earlier than usual in order to leave early for the festivities," she finished off and then handed the keys.