𝙎𝙒𝙀𝙀𝙏 𝙎𝙒𝙀𝙀𝙏 𝙇𝙊𝙑𝙀, 𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩

𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘯

you looked at the beautiful italian restaurant in front of you. it reminded you so much of your nonno's house. it was a high roofed building, with multiple white table-clothed tables, and dark wooden chairs. multiple candles and assortments of flowers were scattered amongst the surfaces. the entire restaurant smelt of coffee and bread. you smiled at the smell, remembering all the times you woke up the house smelling of coffee with your nonno.

"a table for two, please." debbie said to the hostess. the restaurant wasn't particularly crowded. there was an old couple, then small group of friends, a small game of poker between older men, and an older woman sitting in the back table, sipping her coffee with an extended pinky. you happily followed debbie and the hostess as she led you towards a table near a wall. a painting of a vineyard hung on the wall directly next to the table.

"your server will be with you shortly," she said. a light italian accent ringing through your ears. she placed two menus down next to the candle in the center of the table.

you watched as the hostess walked away before whipping your head back to debbie. "this is so exciting!" you exclaimed, beaming a smile.

debbie smirked at you, admiring your cheerful curiosity. and she picked up a menu. you copied her action and began to read the lists of food. the selection for breakfast was a lot smaller than the selection for evening foods. you hummed to yourself as you read some of the items, your mouth watering at the thought. tammy's meal last night was the first real meal you had in forever, and it just made you long for more. "anything sounding good?" debbie asked, her brown eyes peering at you from above the menu.

"so much," you said, putting your menu down on the table. "do you have any recommendations?"

debbie thinks to herself for a moment. "how old are you again?"

"i'm sixteen," you respond, reading over the menu once more.

"i usually always get coffee here. it's authentic and not the watered down shit."

you happily nod with a small humorous smile. "i think i'll definitely be getting some of that." you read over the menu once more, deciding on the spinach frittata for breakfast, along with some potatoes and a piece of sourdough toast. debbie decided on getting an italian sausage scramble with a buttered croissant. you both also order a hot cup of freshly brewed coffee.

"so, kid. what's your story?" debbie asks, taking a sip of the coffee which she sweetened with a splash of milk.

you let out a little laugh. "what do you mean?" you inquire, copying debbie's action, taking a sip of your own coffee sweetened with vanilla creamer.

"you know," she says scooting closer. "your life! your friends, your crushes.. all the fun nitty gritty."

you were slightly shocked that debbie was asking about your life, it didn't seem like her. but then you realized that debbie was now going to be your caregiver and she was also your aunt. she missed out on a big portion of your life. "well, i used to have a best friend. she lived three houses down, but then her and her family moved abruptly. so i guess my best friend was.." you paused. "well, i guess, my nonno."

debbie had her cup of coffee to her lips as she watched you explain. she quickly moved the cup of coffee away from her lips, resting it an inch away. "you don't have a phone or anything to reach out to your old friend?"

"yeah, but a landline can only do so much."

debbie almost dropped the glass mug on the floor. "landline?" she asked.

you nod, taking another sip of coffee. "it's difficult to always be calling and asking and when they change numbers you don't know.. then writing letters.."

debbie couldn't focus on a word you were saying. you didn't have a phone. the little devices that every teenager is obsessed with -- and you didn't have one. she pulled her phone out her pocket and showed it to you. "you don't have a phone like this?"

"no, nonno was scared that it'd get tracked or bugged. we just stuck with the landline."

debbie lifted her eyebrows even higher than they already were, which you thought impossible. "nonno didn't have a phone either?" you shook your head. "how did you entertain yourself?"

"we had a television," you remarked, spotting the waitress behind debbie. you were practically jumping in anticipation.

debbie was baffled. she knew exactly where she was taking you after you ate. she noticed your wide eyes and turned to see what you were looking at. she grimaced. this was a good decision. the waitress sat down the food and you immediately thanked her. debbie internally noted how polite you were. she watched as you cut a piece of the frittata with a knife and swiftly moved it into your mouth.

your eyes fluttered close, with a low hum of satisfaction emitting from your lips. "this is so good," you said while savoring the flavors.

debbie smiled and took a bite of her food. "i'm glad you think so, kiddo." she watched as you cut more pieces from the frittata, slowly eating it to savor each bite. "don't worry, this certainly won't be the last restaurant we go to."

~•~

debbie thought the breakfast food at the restaurant was subpar, but she loved the reaction she earned from you. she noticed that your demeanor had changed completely. when you first met debbie, you seemed cold and distant, but now you seemed loving and thoughtful. either way, debbie loved having you around. you both were now walking and talking down the promenade. you were pointing out mannequins in fashion stores and the different types of plants in the nature boxes which were scattered around. debbie had learned that you were into fashion, hence your reaction to rose, and the presents she gifted you. she wondered how you would react to what was about to happen to you.

"this promenade is beautiful," you dreamily said. you felt like you were in a trance by all this new york culture. suddenly a person wearing a beige trench coat and a plaid bucket hat swiftly came up to you and debbie. you took a step back with wide eyes, fearing that what your nonno had warned you about was true after all.

"daphne!" debbie practically exclaimed. debbie too had backed up and had wide eyes, her hand wrapped around the pocket knife in her jackets pocket.

you raised an eyebrow, looking at the person closer. her brown hair was in thick waves and a pair of black sunglasses rested on her well shaped nose.

"shh," she said raising a finger to her lips. you glanced behind her, noticing a man with a camera wandering about. he spotted the woman and began to come closer.

you forced a laugh and playfully hit her shoulder. "that's hilarious auntie laurie!" you said a bit louder than necessary. "you should most definitely think about getting a career in comedy!" the man shook his head and turned around down the street, continuing his doomed search.

the brunette took a deep breath and then let it all out. "fucking paparazzi," she hissed. "they never leave me alone." she took off her sunglasses and ran her fingers through her hair. she suddenly caught glance of you and did a double take. she definitely had more than a couple inches on you. "who are you?" she inquires.

you felt your heart drop. it was daphne kluger. your aunt debbie, who you hadn't seen in five plus years, knew not one but two famous people. debbie must've noticed your starstruckedness because she filled in for you. "this is my niece, (y/n.)," she smiles at daphne. "i think she already knows who you are."