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ELIAS ACCIARDI watched his mother tend to the garden in their backyard. There wasn't much out there but some flowers and maybe a couple seeds of vegetables. They didn't have much money and the people around didn't like them so getting anything was hard for them. It was hard to grow out here though. But it made it enough for them to eat. Even if it was the same thing over and over again. It was enough for Elias. Especially when his mother made the food. Well his mother always did. But it was enough.
"Elias." His mother softly called. He perked up and looked at his mother. He was outside with her not wanting to be inside with his father, who was drinking on the couch off in lala land probably dreaming about a different life. She didn't turn to look at him and instead waited for him to come over to her. Elias got up, dusted himself off and slowly walked over to her with a small smile. It wasn't really a smile but it was something.
"Yes, Mom?" He asked. She turned to look at him holding a basket of some vegetables on her hip, with a small smile on her lips. She always looked gorgeous, her skin was pretty tan from always being outside. It was like her safe space. She wore a worn down skirt that was dirty, but it was her 'outside' skirt, the one she wears outside. It reached to her ankles, you could see her boots peaking out. Then her shirt was a plain light blue long sleeve one. She had the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Then her hair was pulled back with a brown head scarf that was keeping her hair out of her face. Her hair was wavy and a pretty brown color. It was more of a dark brown, like Elias's hair. He was always glad to be told that he looked like his mother. She was a pretty woman, always smiling, happy. Acciardi felt himself smile a little wider waiting for a response from his mother.
"Can you bring these inside and wash them for me?" She asked softly. That was another thing. Her voice was always so soft, so pleasing to listen to because she never yelled. Acciardi wondered if that was the reason her voice was so soft. She never yells— not even at his father. That irritated him the most. She never yelled at his father who deserves to be yelled at all the time. Maybe if she did yell his father would snap out whatever planet he is on and start doing something, making money for them or anything to be useful. At last Elias nodded and grabbed the basket of vegetables without even complaining. He loved helping his mother anyway, Acciardi knew it helped her huge amount.
"Yes, I can do that." Elias affirmed.
Acciardi left and made his way into the kitchen, making sure not to bother his father who was still on the couch, drink in hand. To be honest, Elias has no idea how his father manages to get alcohol. They barely had any money to their name so paying for it doesn't even come into Elias's mind. He thought that maybe he steals it or had someone close that could get him alcohol. Even that didn't sound possible because no one liked them or their family for that matter. Elias grabbed a metal bowl and filled it with water. Not much because they can't waste what little water they have. He set the basket down and started washing the three vegetables they had. Dipping them in the water over and over and over again, until they looked clean enough to him. His mother could clean them again if she felt they weren't fully clean. Once he had done that he left the bowl of water and vegetables on the counter, making sure the vegetables were on top of a clean rag so they would dry better. Then he grabbed the basket again heading back over to his mother.
