DISCLAIMER: "Ugly Betty" is copyrighted to ABC Studios. I retain rights to the plot, but not the characters. This story is meant for enjoyment purposes only. No infringement is intended.

AUTHOR: Beatrice Benedick

SYNOPSIS: A little something to continue the celebration of the Getty birthdays of May.

BELATED BIRTHDAY

Gio was trying a new sandwich recipe when suddenly, he felt something hit his head. The thing rolled in the floor and he saw it was a brown crumpled paper bag, like those he used to deliver his sandwiches.

“Hey!”

He turned back to face the culprit: a pouting Betty Suarez was standing in all her colorful presence, right across the counter.

“It hurts!” Gio said running his finger through his short spiky hair. Betty had obviously forgotten to take out the ketchup sachets and the plastic cutlery from the bag.

“Well, if you grew back your long hair, it would have hurt less.”

Betty took a seat in front of the counter, visibly annoyed.

“Well, I kind of like it this way” He said, disposing the bag on the nearest bin. “But what the heck was that for?”

She crossed her arms.

“You forgot my birthday.”

Gio wrinkled his nose at the sizzling smell of burning cheese. He cursed and quickly cleaned the mess. Betty was definitely distracting him.

“Excuse me. What? I forgot what?”

“My birthday!!!”

“Wasn’t that about month ago?” He was certain her birthday was on April.

“Exactly. I never heard from you. You never called... just… nothing!”

“You have some guts, Suarez” he sadly chuckled and turned his back on her with the excuse of preparing her a quick Saturday brunch.

“As expected from you… you forgot what you promised!”

He opened a bag and noticed he was running out on bread. Gio was growing exasperated. “Forgotten… what?! Betty, I really have little time to play games.”

“The promise!”

He looked puzzled at her. Betty paused and continued. “Last year you promised you would make it up this year with another carriage ride around the city, dinner and real fireworks.”

Gio looked at her in amazement. Not only he was surprised she remembered that promise he did as she was resting in his shoulders more than a year ago; but, after all they’ve been through, after all she’d done to him… he couldn’t believe she was protesting about that. She really had some guts.

“Don’t you have a boyfriend that takes care of you?” He found a stool and sat opposite to her in the counter to finish preparing the sandwich. “I’ve heard the news, Suarez. A rich kid… expensive restaurants dinners” he added extra sundried tomatoes “…parties, off-country getaways… I didn’t even expect you to be in town for your birthday”. He paused for a moment admiring his creation, it was perfect. Just the way she liked her sandwiches. “Well, I’ve heard you’ve been so happy with this guy. I didn’t even though you would be interested in hearing my…”

He had said too much. Gio finally dared to look at her again. And he stopped talking at once. He saw her face become pale and he saw her quickly turn to one side to avoid his stare.

That face… something had happened. He knew her too well.

Betty quickly whipped out the tears from her eyes. She didn’t even know why she was there. Out of habit, and with a lame excuse of anger, her feet walked their way to her best friend’s Deli but, maybe she wasn’t ready to talk about all the things that have been going on through her life.

Betty stood from her chair, not knowing where to walk or do. She said, with a fake smile: “Did you know I finally got a promotion?”

Gio saw her grow nervous, fully knowing that she was about to break at any moment. He walked to her, placed the sandwich in front of her and, silencing whatever uncomfortable words she hadn’t yet spoken, he shouted:

“Happy birthday!”

Tears fell down her face at her friend’s attempts to comfort her.

He hugged her and her head instinctively fell to his shoulders.

“It’s okay. We will work this out. You’ll see.”

There he was, exposing himself to her, again. He heard her sigh in relief, so close to him he could feel her tense and hurt. Suddenly, nothing else mattered but her.

“You know?” he continued, gently stroking her hair. “I spoke to my cousin and he has told me that Snowflakes has been missing you an awfully lot, lately.”

“Really?” She finally smiled behind her teary face and closed her eyes, abandoning herself to Gio’s caressing hands. “Me, too. I’ve been missing him so much.”

THE END

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