History is not a burden on the memory...

“Beach is nice,” Lindy agreed as she backed away to get a better look at the wall. It was slowly coming together. Slowly, but surely. “Maybe I’ll do that. I just wasn’t sure since this is a coastal town, so that seems to be the theme for just about everything.” Crossing her arms, she turned towards Dominic. The man was basically like family – being that he was Diego’s best friend, Lindy had gotten to know him rather well. “Sorry, buddy, we’re hosting the thing, so I don’t have a box,” Lindy smirked. “I’ll try my best to put you with someone good, though.”

“Just with someone I already know please. It makes me nervous thinking I might have to take someone on a date who wouldn’t understand me.” He had always been told he was too picky when it came to dating people. It was a hard thing to hear when he knew that most people knew how badly he wanted a family. Surely he could have settled down a million times by now. Even when he and Diego had briefly dated he had never felt those kinds of feelings for the man. He wondered at times if something in him was broken. 

“I love looking at your art Lindy. You’re so talented. Diego did me such a favor when he married you. It’s a true delight to have you in my life.” She had taken him on with such openness he felt as if he truly had a family with them. 

who: @dominicsamuels when: founders’ week, date boxes

Founders’ Week was a flurry of activity. Between the duties of being Mr. Maywood, the baking competition, and judging the dance-a-thon Edgar hadn’t had a moment to breathe. He hadn’t wanted to participate in any of those activities, not really, but somehow had found himself involved. In the same way that he’d found himself involved in the date boxes. Edgar had breathed a sigh of relief when it’d been announced that he’d won Dominic’s box. It could’ve been so much worse, he knew, but it seemed as if there was someone somewhere who realized that all he needed was a break. He was grateful for it. “All right, pal,” he said, clapping Dominic on the back. “Let’s do this. Rock my world.”

Dominic had been pushed into submitting a date box for the festivities by a coworker and he had regretted it from the moment he had submitted it. He didn’t want end up with someone he didn’t care for and he found that most people didn’t interest him in a romantic way. As much as he wanted a family and a loving relationship he just couldn’t seem to find anyone that he looked at that way. He had been thankful when he saw that it was Edgar who had gotten him. He was a good friend and Dominic felt he could be himself around him. At his arrival he couldn’t resist smiling at the statement. “I got you flowers.” He held out the bouquet that was filled with yellows and blues with a small smile. “I’m happy that you got my box. I was scared that it would be someone I didn’t get along with.”

Diego: The guy that sometimes babysits is thinking of getting a ferret. You should talk to him

Diego: also, no. I don't know. Considering the only pet in my life is you...

Dominic: Maybe we can go look at ferrets together.

Dominic: Diego that was kind of hurtful.

who: open (but let’s limit this to about 5, please and thank you) @maywoodstarters​ where: outside the story book, cedar creek, maywood

Diego hadn’t realized that this would be so difficult. Usually when he took Ruben out, Lindy came along, but today he was struggling to balance the baby bag on one shoulder, the bag with the books he’d purchased in one hand, and the fussing infant that was strapped to his chest. “We’ll be home soon,” he attempted to reassure the infant bouncing on the balls of his heel in an attempt to soothe the baby. They’d both been out for too long and could do with a nap. Ruben could probably do with a bottle right about now. With his free hand, Diego attempted to grab the bottle from the baby bag while maintaining the bouncing motion, but in the rush of it all, the story book bag slipped from his hand. Standing there, all he could do was groan as he watched all the books strewn across the sidewalk and pray that someone would come along soon. 

Dominic had always enjoyed reading so he found that he spent a good amount of time looking through the shelves at the library and book store. He also couldn’t turn down a good walk and so he found himself walking towards the book store when he saw a whole mess of books tumbling to the ground. At first he didn’t realize who it was that had dropped them and he just automatically leaned down taking a few moments to pick them all up and slid them back in the bag. Upon standing he saw Ruben first and almost dropped the entire bag of books again in an attempt to greet the little baby. “Ruben! Look at you out and about for a walk. You’re absolutely adorable.” He held out the book of bags obviously expecting Diego to take it. “Come see uncle Dominic.” He continued speaking to the baby and held his hands out to him lifting him from the pack he was strapped into and planting a kiss on his cheek. “You’re my favorite. Was your daddy making you cranky?” He pulled the boy into a hug before settling him on his hip. “Oh also hi Diego. You’re looking adorable too of course. You carry those things and I’ll keep the baby. Deal?”

Oliver couldn’t help the blush that spread up his neck and across his cheeks. “Thanks,” he replied awkwardly. “I know a few people that would disagree with you, though.” He rubbed his hands together and shrugged. “Oh no. I’m no good at making them. Only eating them. But I do know how to follow a recipe, so hopefully my partner appreciates that.”

“Well they’re wrong and you can tell them I said so.” Dominic spoke with a small grin as he almost rolled his eyes at his own statement. It wasn’t likely that anyone would change their opinion about something just because he said they were wrong. “I’m no good at it either I’m afraid. Even with a recipe I just feel like it doesn’t turn out as well as it should. I hope my partner is good at baking so I can just be pretty and hand them things.”

Antony liked to bake. Occasionally he’d even bake a pie or something for the school fundraisers or the local carnivals. Just something to do really. He was thankful to be pair up with Dom, not that he cared about winning, Dom was fun to talk to. Making his way up to their station he pulled out the ingredients and set the oven to preheat. As Dominic joined him he smiled to the man. “So any idea what you want to bake? Cookies, cakes, flan?” 

@dominicsamuels​

Dominic had never been any good at baking, He was a decent cook but there was something about baking that he just didn’t understand. No matter how simple of a recipe he followed there was just something not quite right about his creations. He was happy to see that Antony was his partner for the baking contest though. The man would be good company and not care too much if Dom was truly awful. “I’m not sure. I have to confess to you that baking is something I’ve never been good at so I’m going to completely follow your lead.”

Oliver cringed, a frown tugging at him lips. “That’s the one event that I’m not looking forward to,” he replied. “I think I have a grand total of one suit and it’s definitely not ball quality.” It was the one part of this entire event that always stressed him out. “Everything else, I’m looking forward to. Especially the desserts.”

“You’ll look wonderful regardless of what you wear. You’re too pretty to ever look anything but spectacular.” Dominic spoke with confidence a smile forming on his lips. “The desserts? You mean the baking? Oliver if you can bake then you can expect me to visit your booth. I’m not very good at it so I hope whoever I get paired with for it is”

Edgar was not happy. Not by any stretch of the imagination. But the fact that he wasn’t suffering alone helped a bit. “People always notice. When you walk around with a face like that, people notice,”  he replied, as if it was the most obvious thing. “I’d suggest we boycott but Sofie would probably kill me if I left her to parade around alone.”

“Well then we know why you won. Your face is way prettier than mine.” He smirked sighing softly as he thought of how many parades they would have to be in. “Have you seen Diego and Antony though? They’re prettier than I am and somehow I still have to wear this crown all week. It might be fun to see you get in trouble with Sofie though. I will encourage you to boycott just one of the parades so I can see you get in trouble.”

Diego: ouch, the guilt card.

Diego: sorry. I love you. Ruben loves you. You’re uncle of the year.

Diego: tell me about this pet you’re considering.

Dominic: Thank you. You're pretty and I love you.

Dominic: I was thinking a cat or a dog but maybe a ferret.

Weekly dinners were a family tradition. When Diego had been young, it had been the one constant in his life. Regardless of how many hours his parents worked, or how difficult it was to fit in to an entirely new culture, he could always count on that. His parents, his sister, and him crowded around a small wooden table telling each another about their respective days and making new memories in their new homeland. It had kept him grounded.

So, he had insisted on it when he’d bought his own home. Even when he was living alone. For tradition’s sake. Diego never missed a scheduled family dinner night, regardless of what was happening in his world, which was why he was seated, legs outstretched. His head rested against the back of the couch and his eyes were closed. He could feel a headache building in his temples. “You’re late,” he deadpanned when he heard Dominic’s entrance though his eyes remained closed. “You have to stop doing that or I’ll come home one day to a note that I’ve lost another wife to someone else.”

Dominic sighed as he moved into the kitchen to get a vase to put the flowers in. Diego was quite moody. “I’m sorry but you know that I’m always late so why do you always point it out.” He set the vase of flowers on the counter and pulled one of the prettier ones out. He didn’t know the name of it but it was pretty and it made him feel warm. 

Moving into the living room he held the flower out to Diego before leaning down to hug him. “You’re pretty too. Stop getting grumpy about my flirting with Lindy you know that I love you both. I would never do anything so horrible to you and it offends me that you think I would. How long have we been friends Diego? Really try to find some humor and just enjoy that I adore your wife and that we get along. It could be other way around and you would have to put up with us hating each other.”

Diego: the truth hurts

Diego: acceptance is the first step to bettering yourself

Dominic: Sorry had to look and see if I was actually texting my best friend.