New Flowers

3 | Family dinners & midsummer

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Mom parks the truck right outside Lydia and Peters house. They live far away from everything on a little farm. They grow their food by themselves and they also have our flower fields. Elsie and Winny comes sprinting towards the car. We get out of the car and mom takes the cake from the backseats."Hi girls!" mom says excited."Hi auntie!" they say loudly at the same time."Kate! Come we will show you something" Elsie says and grabs my hand."We decorated the tent outside" Winny says excited and grabs my other hand. They drag me to the backyard where a big open tent is standing. There's a long table and chairs all around it. The table is decorated with flowers and a lilac cloth."Isn't it pretty?" Elsie says hopeful."It's so pretty" i get down to hug them both."Kate! What a beautiful cake you made" Lydia says and goes in for a hug."Thank you! and this look so nice" i compliments."Cake?" Winny whispers."A big cake with whipped cream" i whisper back. A big smile is forming on the twins faces."I see another car. Why don't you run out there!" Lydia says and claps their backs. They run."So much energy" Lydia.

5.40 pm

The kitchen is smelling great. Outside Peter and Tim is talking about the grill while making some good barbecue chicken."Uhm Lydia? where is Jamie?" i ask while chopping some tomatoes for the salad."He should be home any minute actually. Practice" she says in her breath and checks the time. Jamie is playing for the schools football team. He actually plays with Levi, Jay, Jason and all the boys in friends with. I haven't thought about that.
I chop the rest of the vegetables and put them in a bowl. I mix it together and we start serving the food."Come sit everyone there's food!" Lydia says out loud."Oh Kate could you bring the lemon water? it's in the fridge" nonna asks and points inside."Sure".
I get inside and open the fridge."I'm home mom!" a husky voice sounds."Close enough" i smile and turn around. Jamie is entering the kitchen."Oh hey Kate. Could you just tell my mom i'm skipping dinner. I needa shower" he says while scratching the back of his head."Oh yeah sure" I close the fridge and leave as he is on his way downstairs. He has the whole basement to him self. It's pretty cool.

The dinner goes normally. Peter and Tim talking about cars and business. Brooke and Max eating quickly and leaving to go text and snap their friends of how boring it is. Silvia talking about her new glamorous purses and dresses she shows off on her instagram with thousands of followers until nonna stops her. Then we talk about the flowershop and then the million questions adults always ask teenagers. What about boys? Are you partying? How about school?. I usually just try to take care of Winny and Elsie.

I help putting the dishes away after everyone finished eating. Jamie comes downstairs while rubbing a white towel on his wet hair. He has sweatpants on and only that. We're really close actually. We've been together all the time since we were babies."What took you so long? Jamie?! Get over here and help Kate with the dishes. Or actually Kate take a break. You! Jamie do the dishes" she commands. He puts his hands in the air showing he lost.

I go around the kitchen island and sit on one of the barstools."Do the dishes or i'll go get your mom outside" i joke."Funny huh" he smiles and throws the towel over his shoulder."How was practice?" i ask."Meh fine i guess. You know the Cheer team is actually having try outs soon. You should definitely go for it" he advised."Nah i would just break my leg" i admit."No i don't think so. You could just dance you don't have to be a flyer. And you would hang out with the football team all the time too. Plus get a good privilege" he mentions."I guess.." i hesitate. I mean he's right."Isn't Abby a cheerleader? She could help you get on the team" he suggests."She is. I will think about it" i say.

"Wow Jamie? Wait did you get help from Kate" Lydia says suspicious after seeing the clean kitchen."He did it all by himself Lydia" i say."Impressive" Peter adds."Who is ready to go flower picking" my mom says excitedly."Me!" Elsie and Winny says at the same time."Me and Kate are coming too" Jamie smirks. It's kinda his thing. He smirks a lot."I was hoping so. You two could take Elsie and Winny with you" Lydia suggest but it's definitely non negotiable."Max, Brooke? shouldn't you come too?" Silvia says with a deep stare."I'm good" Brooke snapped."Me too" Max adds."Come on" Tim says resigned. They both give a quick smile as a 'we're not going' and looked back down at their phones."Young kids now days" Nonna says under her breath while shaking her head.