Breakfast and dinner were probably the only times the family got together anymore. Padre always insisted on us being at the table before food was served. When we were little kids, we run down the double stairs, giggling and pushing each other to get to the bottom first. Padre would come out of his office then, a smile on his face, and he would follow us to the dining room. Dinner used to be my favorite time of the day back then...
The table was big, covering the space from one corner to the other. On the head of the table sat my father and on his right hand sat my mother. We all had our assigned places. Dante, as the oldest, sat on our father's left side, and next to him sat Filippo. Next to our mother were Bastiano and Caterina, and when Bianca and I were born, I sat next to Fillpo and Bianca next to our sister. Once everyone was seated, Padre said a prayer and we all ate speaking about our days.
Nowadays, since Dante got married and became a father, Rosalyn was beside him and little Aurelio stood on her lap. He loved his mother too much to part from her. These days we didn't speak as much. Mainly because of Filippo's rivalry with our Father. No one knew what had occurred between them, but they quarreled all the time whenever they were in the same place. One night we all went to sleep as a family, and the next day we woke as a military base.
My mother, the ever-loyal wife she was, always supported her husband and Filippo hated that with a passion, just as much as our mother hated dispute. So, she never spoke up during their arguments anymore, afraid of making a mistake that would lead to a new quarrel between them.
Before everything changed, Padre used to speak about his business. He didn't disclose every detail, he didn't want us girls, or our mother involved. He spoke with our brothers and usually asked us what we thought about the simple things he had to deal with. Now, since Rosalyn was with us, they refrained to speak of such matters. We all knew Dante told her everything when they were alone, but Father preferred to keep his head low. And as little Aurelio sat with us, we didn't want to say anything, even though Dante insisted he would get into the business sooner or later, as his heir. That it was better if, as he got older, we started to talk more openly about our line of life.
Even after this peculiar change in the family dynamic, we loved each other. We were a family above all, and loyalty was only reserved for each other. Before, it was just us. Now, Rosalyn and Aurelio were added to our home. Soon, both of my brothers would get married, bringing in their wives and children, and we girls would start our own lives, leaving the acquaintance of home. Maybe, dinners as a Family were a thing of the past after all...
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As I got out of the shower, I went to the closet and picked out a dress. It is baby blue and has small white margaritas on it. Very casual since I don't have anywhere to go.
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I stood in front of the mirror and let my hair fall from its messy bun and braided them. They smell like vanilla and caramel, as they've always smelled. Since I was a kid, my mother bathed me with this particular shampoo, and I've never been able to change it. I love the smell too much, and it brings to mind memories from my childhood.
