Chapter 47: En Garde
Two weeks after the fundraiser event, it was already November, and the family gathered for Manny's fencing competition.
"Bravo, Manny!" Gloria cheered while clapping her hands. "Bravo!"
As the referee blew the whistle, Manny, dressed in a white fencing outfit and helmet, dashed forward with his foil, parrying every attack before striking his opponent on the shoulder. A sharp beep echoed through the room, confirming his victory.
"Bravo! Bravo!" Gloria exclaimed again, still clapping, as we joined in.
"Did you know that fencing dates back to the 12th century?" Alex noted while watching the next bout.
I nodded. It's true.
"Do you know what's even nerdier than fencing?" Haley countered. "Knowing when it began."
"I don't think you're a nerd," Luke said innocently.
Alex sighed and pushed him away. "Shut up, dork."
"You really conquered me, huh, Pritchett," Summer murmured beside me. "I'm watching fencing on a Saturday morning."
Haley laughed while I wrapped an arm around Summer's waist and kissed the side of her head.
I went to the restroom and came back to see Haley rubbing something on her hair - it looked like a battery.
Summer, noticing it too, exclaimed, "Eww, Haley, do you have lice?"
"No! Ew," Haley protested indignantly.
"Then why are you rubbing a battery on your head?" I asked.
"Alex told me it helps recharge the battery," she explained.
"And you believed that?" Summer made a face.
"Alex!" Haley snapped, as Alex burst out laughing - the prank was obvious now.
"Ugh, you're such a brat!" Haley started complaining, but I stepped in.
"Sit down next to Summer," I told Haley, already positioning myself between her and Alex.
"At least I don't have a bald spot in my hair!" Alex shouted back, making Haley widen her eyes and scream, "Mom!"
"Haley, stop being such an easy target," I said, gently pulling her hand away from her hair.
"Bravo!" Gloria cheered for the umpteenth time.
Taking off his helmet, Manny turned to look at us and ran over, giving each of us a high-five.
"How about a nice round of applause for our winner, Manny Delgado!" the referee remarked, gesturing toward Manny, who had returned to the center.
We began cheering for him.
"Manny now moves on to the championship, where he'll be competing against John Markum. We'll be back in two hours, at 11:45," the referee finally announced.
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We went back home for a quick stop since there were only two hours before the next match. Manny rested on the couch.
Summer went back to her house and would return for the final with Marissa. I told them to pack clothes for two days in the car because I had reserved a great place for us to go afterward (and I still hadn't told my whole family about it).
"So, Gloria, have you and Jay already packed your clothes in the car?" I checked.
"Sí, only Manny hasn't," Gloria replied.
"I'll tell him after the match. I managed to get this vineyard reservation today, last minute," I mentioned.
I already had another one for December, but since another opportunity came up, I decided we'd go today as well.
"Our little Zoro will win - that'll be my present," I grinned
Gloria beamed. "It's in his blood. His father was a master swordsman. He was an artist with his sword."
I frowned. I hoped she was talking about fencing.
Then Jay appeared with a cardboard box, opened it, and revealed a white T-shirt with the phrase:
"Who da Manny," I read out loud, laughing, and immediately told him to throw one to me.
"I love it when you're so proud of Manny," Gloria said, her eyes gleaming with joy.
"You know, I'm not gonna lie, seeing him out there slicing those kids to pieces-it gets to you," Jay admitted with rare pride, earning a warm hug from Gloria.
"Okay, lovebirds, you can save it for the vineyard," I cut in. "Manny, let's go," I called him to ride in my car.
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Once again, we were all gathered to watch Manny in the final.
"Where are we going?" Marissa wondered curiously. She was also wearing a 'Who da Manny' T-shirt (Jay always makes extras).
I cheered for Manny then replied, "It's a surprise, but I think everyone will love it."
"Where are you going?" Haley overheard us talking and jumped into the conversation, asking almost the same question.
"It's a place I reserved for the whole family for today and tomorrow," I revealed. "Hope everyone can come."
"Can I bring Dylan?" Haley asked, already sounding like she'd decided to go.
"You need to ask your mom, not me. I'm fine with him coming - there's room for one more," I replied, already knowing what Claire's answer would be
"He didn't even tell me where it is," Summer pouted lightly.
"Wanna bet everyone's gonna love it?" I challenged.
"Deal!" she agreed, shaking my hand, already knowing someone in my family would find a reason to complain.
We turned our attention back to Manny, and as usual, we knew when he landed a hit thanks to Gloria's loud cheering.
Finally, he scored another point, becoming the champion. We all cheered in unison.
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We were all outside, Manny wearing a wide grin and holding a huge trophy
"Okay, everyone, I have an announcement," I called everyone's attention. "To celebrate Manny's victory, I reserved the Malibu Rocky Oaks Estate Vineyards for today and tomorrow."
"It's basically a vineyard in Malibu, less than an hour and a half away. It's a beautiful place," I explained, since no one had heard of it - it had only been built a few months ago and was extremely exclusive and expensive.
"Come on, Jake paid for everything out of his own pocket," Gloria encouraged.
"We'll go!" Phil said excitedly, while Claire looked thoughtful but remained silent.
Cam let out a delighted shout. "It's a family trip!"
"Are you sure it's okay for me to go?" Marissa asked a little shyly.
"Of course," I replied promptly. "I'm already counting on using your Jeep Grand Cherokee, since mine would struggle to get there."
"O...kay," she murmured with a mix of emotions in her face
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