Always Okay | (Adopted By Elizabeth Olsen)

Chapter 29

Word Count: 3665

Lizzie's POV

We pulled up to Il Buco in style as we all funneled into the restaurant quickly. Alexis held on to Ashley as if her life depended on it. I caught her not-so-subtle glance towards me, but it quickly turned into a glare when I tried to send her a reassuring smile in return. I swear this kid is gonna be the death of me.

We were seated in a small back room quickly after our arrival. The staff knows we religious come here on my birthday and with Alexis and Rose here I wanted to have some more privacy.

I somehow managed to get Alexis to sit next to me with Scarlett on her other side and Boyd on my right-hand side. She didn't look overly amused by the restaurant but so far I've heard no complaints. I had brought her backpack just in case she decided that now was also not a suitable time to eat.  It had some snacks and juice and some weird protein drink MK picked up for me. I just really hope she eats something.

With all ten of us nicely dressed up, we couldn't help but take some pictures and I even got Alexis to smile in a few. She was not in the mood to deal with us so it took a lot of coaxing. I couldn't help but laugh a little at the glares she sent Rose every so often. I made sure not to hold Rose for too long so that Alexis wouldn't start anything, but it seemed like the war had already started.

"Hey, what do you want to eat?" I asked turning my attention towards Alexis before skimming the menu for something that'd be a bit familiar for her.

"I don't know, I don't know any of these words," she said with a puzzled look as her eyes fluttered across the dreaded menu. Well, at least it's not the I'm not hungry excuse. And the menu does have mostly Mediterranean dishes, so it's understandable that she wouldn't get it. It's not like Josh was trying to teach her a second language.

"Do you want some pasta, pizzas, or something else?" I ask taking note that that this place is too fancy for a kids menu. What the heck did we get her when she was little?

"If there's a lot of vegetables, I'm not eating it," she informed me quickly. Well, almost every pasta and pizza in here is packed with vegetables.

"Ok so something else," I clarified not wanting to start a fight over vegetables if she's willing to eat.

"I guess," she said in a quieter voice.

"Is there anything in particular that you want to eat? I can try to find something like it on the menu for you," I asked hoping maybe that would help.

"Um, what kind of foods are there?" She asked looking over at me expectantly.

"It's mainly Mediterranean and Italian so pasta, pizza, lots of meats, oh wait this pasta just has pepper and a few seasonings on it, what do your think about that?" I said pointing it out on her menu.

"Nothing else?" She asked raising an eyebrow at me.

"Nothing else, I promise," I told her, "just cheese and I think butter of some kind."

"Ok I'll have that, how do you say this?" She said pointing to the name.

"Bucatini Cacio e Pepe," I told her slowly.

"Huh?" She looked over at me.

"Bu-ca-ti-ni," I said slowly.

"Bucotini," she tried.

"That was very close," I gushed, "try it again, bucatini."

"Buckatini," she repeated.

"Almost, bu-ca-ti-ni," I sounded out for her.