modern family | vanessa delgado

Undeck the Halls

Author's Note

I tried to get this chapter up before Christmas and even New Years Eve, but that didn't happen as you can see. I had to rewatch this episode and I actually hated Jay a lot in this. I hope everyone enjoys the chapter! 😊

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Manny, Jay, and I are sitting on the couch together watching a very old, black and white movie called Miracle On 34th Street on Christmas Eve. I'm barely paying attention to it. Just because I'm excited to see Jay's reaction to our prank. The scene should be coming on soon for the monster to pop up.

While I'm watching the movie, and getting impatient, I feel Manny's elbow nudging me at my side. I look at him wondering what he wants and he nods his head, motioning for me to look at Jay. So I do, and to my amusement, I see Jay tearing up and trying not to cry at the scene.

Rarely have I have seen Jay Pritchett cry. Well, I don't think I've ever seen him cry before. But for him to cry over an old Christmas movie?

"Are you crying?" Manny asks in shock.

"What are you? A robot?" Jay snaps, holding back his tears. "It's a deeply emotional movie."

"Manny, Vanessa, mis amores, I need the both of you to help me in the kitchen." Mom says, approaching to us.

"We've got to finish this first, Gloria," Jay tells her, pausing the movie. "The kids never seen Miracle On 34th Street."

"That's because he always spends Christmas in Colombia with my family. And all we see there is 'Salazar and el Oso Save Christmas.'" Mom explains.

Manny and I happily nod.

"Sounds like a classic." Jay smirks. I'm sure he means that sarcastically.

"Mom, can we finish the movie?" Manny looks at her.

"Okay." Mom allows and Jay turns the movie back on.

He's very invested into the movie. Manny, Mom, and I are waiting for his reaction with bated breaths. And then...

The scream comes on with the weird freaky monster popping at the side of the screen. 

Jay freaked out at that and it's even better when he jumped. His face is priceless!

Mom, Manny, and I burst with laughter at his scared reaction.

"What the hell is that?! What the hell is that?!" Jay yells.

"Inocente!" Manny and I point and laugh at him.

"When you told me we were going to watch this movie, I got a joke copy from the internet," Manny giggles. "You are the inocente!"

"Well, maybe I'm a little confused right now. What is this inocente stuff?"

"In Colombia, practical jokes are a Christmas tradition." Mom explains.

"The one that is fooled is the inocente!" I continue, still giggling myself.

"We tell practical jokes on April Fool's Day," Jay says, making me roll my eyes. "Do not do that again."

"Maybe we will, maybe we won't." I tease, smirking.

I leave my mother and brother as we still laugh into the kitchen.

"That was a good prank you came up with, Manny," I praise him. "I didn't think anything can scare Jay."

"That one is always a classic. It can scare anybody." Manny grins.

"You should've gone with my idea and used the demon possessed girl from that scary movie." I say.