Fleeting

Sweet Home Alabama

27th February 2021

I lifted my hand to knock but paused, knowing that as soon as I opened the door that would be the end of my peace.

Nothing to it. I knocked rapidly.

"Sam!" There was a chorus of shouts as the door opened and my sister pulled me into a soft hug.

"It's good to see you hermanito." My sister, Zoe, pushed my hair out of my eyes. "You need a haircut."

I smiled as she fussed over me. As the oldest, she was usually the one left to babysit me. It's a trait she's never really grown out of, never mind how old I get.

I rubbed her protruding belly. "How's my baby niece cooking up?"

Zoe looked down at her stomach with great affection. "She's coming along nicely, though all her kicking is driving me loco."

"Sammy!" Two tornadoes in the shape of small boys collided with my legs. "Play with us." Zoe's oldest child yelled at me whilst his two-year-old brother smiled at me toothily.

"Andrés, Ramón." They ran behind me as Zoe scolded them. "Go play with Daddy and leave Sam to settle in a bit."

With her hands on her hips, my sister could be an intimidating sight, so it was no surprise that the two boys went hurtling into the living room, Teddy along with them.

"I remember that look." I smoothed over her frown with my finger, and she chuckled.

"And you better believe that it still works." She winked at me. "Come on, food isn't ready yet."

I followed her into the front room, seeing my two brothers sat together on one settee and my Dad in the recliner, Teddy's head rested on his knees. Diego was holding his three-month year old daughter, though his eyes were fixed on the TV, some sports programme that all three of them seemed to love. Zoe's husband was sat on the floor, now a human jungle gym for his two sons.

"What's up, Calaca?" My brother smirked at me, using the nickname that always set my teeth on edge.

It wasn't just that I was the youngest, but that I was also the shortest of all my siblings. Taking after my Dad rather than my Mom. But whilst my Dad was a heavyset man, I had inherited my mother's slim build. Hence my hated nickname, Calaca - skeleton.

"Nothing much, Chato." I smiled inwardly as he gritted his teeth at the name.

"Dios mio, can you two go five seconds without insulting each other?" My father glared at us before getting up and hugging most of the life out of me. "Glad you came. They work you too hard at that place. You should come home more, your Mom misses you."

Which always translated as they'd both missed me, though my Dad would never openly admit it. Instead, there was an unspoken code, but it didn't matter because I knew what he meant by looking in his eyes. They never failed to be happy to see me.

"I know, I know. But once this job is done, I can take some time off."

"Don't work yourself to death." He patted my shoulder and sank back into his chair.

It was ironic coming from a man that had worked every hour of the day to pay his way through college and get his degree in electrical engineering.

I followed the sound of excited chatter through to the dining room where all the women had gathered, Teddy happy to trot in front of me. My Mom's face brightened when I walked in and she rushed over to hug me.

"How come she doesn't have that reaction when I walk into the room?" My other sister teased me.

"Because you're not the bebé." Zoe quibbled back.