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Purely Business (Goody and Mysterious)

Diego felt Joyce's arm go around his waist and he couldn't help but return the gesture. Furthermore, he just liked how the term 'beloved' rolled off of his tongue when he was referring to her. He of course held her seat to enter like a gentleman before sitting down and his dad did the same with his mom, showing off where Diego learned being a gentleman from.

There were you basic questions like about career, likes and dislikes, how to describe oneself and all the other things parents ask about. Then came a big one:

"What are your thoughts on having kids?" Diego's mom asked carefully. English was not her strongsuit at times, both Diego's parents were mroe adept at speaking Spanish.
 
Joyce had wondered when they were going to ask about children. They had asked her everything else, but all moms always asked the question. Unlike her own parents they only had two sources for grandchildren, and if Diego's brother was as flighty as she pictured him, he wasn't having kids anytime soon.

"While I can not wait to have children, I come from a big family, I want to enjoy our time being married before the kids start to pop out. Maybe two or three years. We're both reaching a peak in our careers, and I think we both can agree we don't want nannies raising our children, either. Besides we haven't lived together that long. I want everything to be right with us before we add children," Joyce had a lot to say on the subject.
 
Diego's parents nodded in understanding. Diego's dad mentioned how his older brother married when he was 19 and they were together for a few years before they divorced, with his brother retaining custody. A bit later, Diego's uncle met his second wife and they've been together since. "Yeah, my oldest cousins had their children before I graduated elementary school," Diego noted in it.

Alberto also talked about how it was raising Diego, much to Diego's embarassment. The two parents moved to the Untied States due to his dad getting transfered from the Latin American division of HP to the US one. It was harder for Diego's mom, as she knew little outside the basics, but managed to make it work through determination.

More basic questions, like how did they meet and about brothers and sisters and so on. "Sebastian will find his own way, Mom. He always has," Diego said, defending his brother from his mother's well-intentioned, but innocently insensitive criticisms. Diego's dad then asked Joyce what she saw in Diego that ended up wanting to be with him. He had a curious and almost analytical look on his face.
 
Joyce soaked in all the stories they told her with a smile on her face. Diego had told her things, but obviously the stories his parents were telling were more personal. She would keep them to herself till later on tonight when they couldn't sleep, then she would tease him about it all.

The look on his face was surprising, for the most part it had been inviting and open, she knew something about them must be troubling. She knew that they looked like and awkward looking couple, but when people saw them and the way they treat each other, people always think that they are a couple with some time under their belt. Truth is, they just get along well.

"I see nothing but good in Diego," she reached out for his closest hand. "He's so intellegent, he always let's me bounce off ideas. He's patient, if you met my family you would understand. He just brightens up everything around here, especially with that smile of his. And he treats me like no other guy ever has. I can't imagine going back to way things were before he came into my life," they had almost been together a month and Diego had turned her life completely around.

She was allowing herself to have more fun. She worked, but she didn't let it stress her out any more. If she did, she would come home to Diego and they would talk it out. The up tight Joyce was almost gone.
 
Diego saw Joyce's teasing smile and he knew he would be in for a long night, but he couldn't keep the smile on his face. After hearing her answer, Diego's dad stood there quietly before he gave a kind smile. "Thank you. When Diego was growing up as a child, alot of people took advantage of his kind nature while also leaving him in the background. As such, he always tries so hard to make people happy and safe, because he knows what it's like to feel lonely. He has been through a lot of pain and we're happy he again found someone who loves him for who he is," Diego's father said.

Diego picked up on what his dad said and twitched, old memories coming back, but he tried to keep a lid on it.

"Yes, we're very happy he found someone he could love. You are so very nice and you don't live that far away," Diego's mom said, doing her best to talk, speaking on how happy she was in someone being her son. Diego began to twitch some more.

"It's interesting how you met because Diego always used to spend so much time on the internet. But that's where he met all of his friends..." Diego's mom began saying, before Diego pressed his arm down on accident. A torrid mix of emotions were on his face before he quickly excused himself and left for his and Joyce's room. He made it into the room before leaning on a wall and putting his head in his arms, shaking while gazing at something he had in his wallet.

Diego's parents began talking in Spanish, realizing they had opened an old wound without meaning to...
 
Again? Internet? Diego had always seemed like a guy who didn't have a lot of friends, though she never understood why. Many people had fallen love before finding the person that was right for them, but the way his parents talked about it didn't sit right with Joyce. She could see it was quickly making him comfortable. Diego wasn't the most confident guy, but she had never seen him this low, and she wasn't sure that she would know how to handle him.

Joyce hated when people thought she couldn't understand what they were saying, just because they switched to Spanish. "You're forgetting you're in southern California, I do understand what you're saying," she said before walking out of the dinning room to find Diego.

"Baby, where are you," she climbed the stairs to their bedroom. She rubbed his back till his breathing calmed down again. "I'm all ears, you can tell me, anything. Nothing you can say will change how I feel about you, because what I said down there was real. I want you to know I'm here."
 
Diego felt Joyce's hands on his body. He felt her presence and it calmed him down. His breathing went down to normal and he raised his head to face her. They were wet and he looked like he was about to cry. He took severe deep breaths before he showed the something to Joyce.

It was a film strip, the kind where coupes go to photo booths and take four silly pictures before they get a copy for each of them. It showed a younger Diego with a nerdy girl. She wasn't attractive in the conventional way. She was still pretty cute, but some would say that in terms of coventiom attraction, Joyce we sexier. The goofy smiles and affection displays immortalized in the film strip reflected an earlier point in his life.

"Janet... Her name was Janet," Diego managed to say. He found Joyce's hand and squeezed. And so he told her the story of his first love. The first woman he loved. They met while he was in college, over the Internet. He comforted her after she was dumped. They became friends and later a couple. They were happy. It was s long distance relationship with her in Canada, but they made it work, even if they could see each other only every few months or so. However, tragedy struck in an icy road and for the final time, Diego went to Canada to say goodbye.

He told her about how she braved through anxieties and severs surgeries due to poor health, yet she endured them and she was much better. He told her about how sensitive she was and how much she wanted to make people happy. About the future they discussed that would never come to be. When he finished, he was breathing s bit deeper.

"I would never cry in front of her. She always cried easily... So I tried to be strong and supportive for her, to not worry her..." He said before he faced her. He hugged her tight and for the first time in years, Diego wept unashamedly for the loss and for the loneliness both he and Janet endured. He wept for the lonely childhood and the lack of friends he had for most of his life. And finally, he wept because he felt it was okay to cry now.
 
While Joyce understood love lost, she never had known what it felt like to loose someone who you had invested your all in. Janet was probably the one that Diego should have been with now. She was the one he pictured as the mother of his children, yet he was with her now.

Joyce worried whether or not she was enough for Diego, it was selfish of her to think of it at this moment, but she couldn't help it. She wanted to comfort him, but she also needed to comfort her own ego. Never had she thought of the possibility he was still in love with another woman, not that she was completely sure if she loved Diego, yet. The moment just made her think about their future and how uncertain it all still was, even after they say I do.

Diego cried, and Joyce let him. She moved them over to the bed and wrapped her arms around him. There were no words she could say to help him heal, but she could be there for him.
 
Diego held onto his fiancee tight as he cried. Eventually, the tears ran dry. He looked up and he saw she was still there. She was here. She is here. Diego sat up, still holding her. Multiple emotions ran through his face, namely shock, revelation and hope. For the first time, it was okay to cry. Joyce is strong. Diego let out a deep breath. Part of him will always love Janet, yet he knew the dangers of their relationship. They were too much alike at times, her having amplified versions of his faults. However, it was different with Joyce.

He stood up and looked at the film strip and for the first time, there was no heartache. No pain. Just the fond memories. He faced Joyce and gave her a tender hug and kiss, showing her as much gratitude and joy he could. He took the film strip and put it away in the drawer. He then faced Joyce with a small smile. A smile of hope. A smile of determination. A smile of gratitude.

"I don't need it anymore. Part of me will always love Janet. But I cannot be stuck in the past. My love for her will be looking back at the fond memories with her. But in the end, they will just be memories. She is not my future nor si she my present. My present is being here with you. I could never thank you enough for putting up with me and I feel comfortable being able to be open around you," Diego told her in all honesty.

"She is just now a happy memory in my heart, but a memory to look back at fondness while I grow old with you Joyce. That's what I want. To start a family with you. To grow old with you," Diego said as he tenderly grabbed her hand and stared at her with pure unadulterated love. "Let's tell my folks about the wedding," he said with a bigger smile.
 
Even though he put the pictures in the bedside drawer instead of his wallet, Joyce was having a little bit of a hard time dealing with the fact Janet even held a piece of his heart. All this time she had no clue about the pictures in his wallet. When she accepted Diego's deal, she hadn't thought about any of the problems they could have possibly faced in the process, such as exes and their family. She doubted that she had a chance of making him feel anything, until he quelled all her own fears.

Though Joyce was the "strong" one she occasionally needed her role to be validated by the people around her. Diego's validation was enough for her to feel confident in her position. She a kissed Diego backed, thoroughly arms around his neck their body close.

"Yep," she could now truly wear a smile on her face and enjoy it."Let's tell them. I'm a little anxious to see how they'll react. I just want us to tell everyone who matters so we could move on to doing everythingelse," she wiped his tear stained face before grabbing his hand and heading for the dining room. They had been gone over thirty minutes.
 
Diego held her hand as they walked back to where his parents were talking. They were still talking amongst themselves when they saw the happy couple return. Diego's mother apologized before Diego cleared his throat. "Mom, dad. don't worry about it. I'm better about it. Which is why I am here to tell you something. The reason that we invited you is announce that Joyce and I are engaged. We're going to get married," Diego announced to them

Diego's parents looked stunned for a moment before they bursted into big smiles as they went to hug them both, with his mom crying in joy. Congratulations and big joy was all around. Diego's dad smiled and thanked Joyce for makign Diego and that both of them knew that Diego would be happy with her when they saw her go off to comfort and support him. The fact that she helped healed the hole in his heart.

They then continued to enjoy the breakfast, with Diego being even more affectionate with Joyce. His parents helped clean the dishes and putting away the leftovers. Diego's mom requested the number of Joyce's mom so they can go and plan the engagement. Numbers were exchanged and plans were being made. All the while, Diego would look at Joyce with unparalled love.
 
Joyce held her breath as Diego spread the news to his parents. Especially after the scene before she didn't know how they would react, but she was able realease her breath. As they hugged and congratulated the couple, Joyce felt a feeling of relief surge through her body. She hugged them both back. The atmosphere made a whole 360, everyone was completely happy with smiles all the way around. Their stay wasn't going to be too bad.


Soon they were all done and her parents were offering to come and shoe them around the city, and to finalize the engagement party. Her mother wanted to Diego's mother to have just as much of an opinion about it as she did. It would also give Diego and Joy some time alone after the traumatic event earlier during breakfast.
 
Diego's parents were enjoying the sites of the city as the group of four were walking around. However, he was greeted to a surprise that Joyce's parents came over and they met Diego's parents arrived. The two mothers began planning the engagement party of their children, much to the chagrin of said children. While the gossipy hens of their mothers go off in their own little world of glee while their husbands went to try and balance out their fantasties to be bound in reality, this left the happy couple.

"So, what do you wanna do now, dear?" Diego said to Joyce as he was holding her hand while walking behind their parents. It was early afternoon.
 
"How coordinated are you," she asked as she led him down a few blocks. The smile on her face was huge. There was a place she used to go to as a kid, that was still open. Best rollerskating ring in town, with a fat burger across the street. When there wasn't a Friday night football game, her friends were there jamming out to their favorite tunes before gorging out on french fries and milkshakes.

"Would you want to? Its too early for a lot of people to be here, we would have the whole rink to ourselves. It would be so much fun."
 
"Well, I'm not very coordinated," Diego pointed out before he realized that she took him to a skating rink. There was one back in his old hometown, but he never really got the hang of skating. He wasn' coordinated nor balanced; he was actually pretty clumsy. However, seeing the hgue smile on her face made the answer easy.

"Of course! It looks like this place means alot to you," Diego told her with a smile before entering. It remidned him a bit of his though with less arcade games and less colorful lights. He glanced at a 70s night poster and he found that idea fun.

And so began his attempting at learning how to rollerskating. He would keep falling and flailing, but he got back up. He was determined to make sure Joyce would have fun and he didn't want to ruin it. He didn't hate skating, he just lamented that his lack of coordination meant that he would become familiar with the pain of falling repeatedly. Well, whenever he wasn't able to grab onto a wall.

"Having fun?" Diego asked her with an earnest smile as he was trying to maintain his balance.
 
Joyce hot them both some rollerskates, then made sure that Diego's were tries up good enough that he would have the support he needed to help him stand. She walked with him on the wall for a bit, trying to get him used to it. "Honey, the best way to do it, is to glide. You are a graceful butterfly," she kept walking with him and she had to keep herself from falling with him while helping him back up.

Joyce wasn't that coordinated of a person, but she could skate pretty well. Seeing Diego balance decently, Joyce started to run circles around the ring. Fast, backwards, whatever the music made her feel like doing. " I really am starting to feel scared for my feet during our dancing leson, she came up next to him.

She made sure he noticed she was there before reaching his hand, she didn't want to be the reason he ended up on his butt.
 
"I'm trying, but I keep shaking and wobbling about," Diego explained as Joyce once more helped him from falling onto his butt. He watched her go around and was admittingly all right by watching her have fun. "What do you mean? What bothers you about the dancing?" Diego asks her as he takes her hand and is skating a bit better.

"We have a bit of time so we should probably get something to eat before we meet up back with our folks before going back home. We have to get ready for work and stuff, but I'm having alot of fun and seeing you being happy makes me happy," Diego tells her with a smile.
 
" Well, if you can't skate, I was wondering how often are you going to step on my feet," she joked with a broad smile across her face. They would have plenty of time to practice before the big day, they would also take a class or two to help them look more graceful, together. Because Diego looked like he night need some extra help.

They returned their skates, Joyce saying good bye to the owner. He was the son I figure the man who ran the rink when she was a kid. "Got some cardio in, now it's time g or milkshakes, she walked him across the street to the burger joint.

"I like strawberry. What flavor do you like?"
 
Diego couldn't help but smile. "I can dance. Dancing is an inborn Hispanics. Our blood boils with passion, our heart bears like earthquakes and our veins are as if flooded with magma. The rhythm of life is for us to dance," Diego said in a grandoise manner with an exaggerated Spanish accent. Diego held Joyce's hand as they headed to the burger joint across the street.

"I love chocolate. Loved it ever since I was a kid. It's delicious," Diego said, teasing the last part before he kissed Joyce, hoping she would understand his attempt at flirting. "After this, we better get going and prepare our moms' crazy plans. I'm really looking forward to introducing you to my friends," Diego said to her with a big smile.
 
Diego was a joy to be around, he made her smile so effortlessly. She didn't picture them fighting anytime soon about anything, because they were so happy. Joyce couldn't help but wonder where he had been all her life."You better love chocolate, " she smiled as she leaned in to return his kiss. It was completely corny, but she ate it up.

"In less than a week we will be announcing to everyone who matters to us that we are engaged. I mean technically they jnow, and they're celebrating it with us, but still. We have to face both our families and friends. It's all happening so fast," it was a whirlwind romance. Definitely unexpected by both sides.
 
"You know I do," Diego teased back, feeling very happy to be with her. "Don't worry, whatever happens, both of us will be able to handle it together," Diego reassured her as he held her hand tight. Eventually, time seemed to fly by for both of them. Before the lovely couple knew it, it was time for the engagement party.

"Well, the party isn't bad," Diego said to Joyce during the engagement party as he saw his family, some extended family and his friends there too.
 
The week had been really busy between work, planning the party, cleaning for the party, and dealing with his parents. Meaning, they hadn't spent much time together. Now that they had made their announcement, toasted, and did some mingling they were finally able to spend some time alone and talk. "My friends really seemed to like you. Like my family they don't like the guys I date. You must be better than I thought,"she halfway joked though it was the truth. She apparently had really bad taste, with Diego she got it right.

"So how much longer do we have to entertain everyone?"
 
"I'm not sure. I think only for a few minutes. Then we can go and spend some quiet time and maybe even get to sample some of the drinks everyone brought," Diego said. He wasn't in a tux, but instead wearing a suit with a red dress shirt and black tie. The suit jacket was currently off though. Diego introduced her to the gentle giant and kind-hearted Harry as well as the manic and cool Nate. Diego saw Nate was getting a bit too drunk and Harry decided to take him up along with Nate's own wife helping Harry. Following Harry was an old friend of Diego's Val. Despite her reluctance, she eventually went on a date with Harry and found they clicked.

"Remind me to show what I did for Nate's wedding. He still couldn't believe it," Diego joked before he offered his arm for his fiancee to take. The party was winding down and some people were already heading back to the hotel. They were currently sitting on their table, Diego savoring his second slice of key lime pie.
 
"We should try some of the drink," she smiled. Playing hostess you couldn't really drink, or at least not to get crazy. You had to be sober enough to make sure everyone else was okay catching cabs and that stuff. Now that most people were leaving they could relax and let their hair down, or at least Joyce let her hair down from her high bun. She had wore make up tonight, a red lip that matched Diego's dress shirt, and eye makeup including some faux lashes that made hers look thicker and longer. Her dress was a black, slinky, halter top, that was tight at the top and flared out. And she painted her nails red too.

Joy had barely ate that night, her stomach had been in a twist till she realized everyone was doing fine and enjoying themselves. When they sat on the table, she took off her heels and looked at the collection of goods they had procured. She poured them both a glass of dessert wine as he ate cake. It looked really good. Leaning over ," can I have a bite," she asked.
 
"Sure," Diego said to her with a smile as he offered her the slice of key lime pie. Key lime pie was one of his favorite desserts all time. "Hey, I don't know if you like wearing make-up or not, but you look fine without it, so if you wanna go and remove it, I'm alright and wait here for ya," Diego stated to her. He also couldn't help but stare at how nice and attractive in her black slinky dress.

"What other desserts do you qant?" Diego offered to get for her.
 
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