"You get the feeling that we're outside of everything that goes on in this family?" Gianni posited at brunch with Giorgio, Maffeo, Mma and Danna.
They sat at the smallest round table that would comfortably fit them. The chairs, designed perfectly tailored to their bodies and engraved with their names, curve against their spines, supporting them in all the right ways.
"Yes/Yeah/We are/Yup!", a cacophony of agreement responded to him.
"I mean, it's a bunch of us and we are still people so, I guess we gravitate towards those of us with similar interests?" Giorgio justified, a hand to his chin as he stared into his glass of flat water.
"Or they're up to no-good and just being secretive about it?" Danna instigated, using the pink metal straw to swirl the two ice cubes in her glass.
"I second that motion," Mma agreed and pointed to Danna, halting her pouring water into her customized mug, she didn't like the "sweat" from a warming-drink.
"Don't say that, guys, we're family and it's a two-way street. We've never invited them to our brunch potlucks either," Maffeo put in his two cents, and took a sip of his water filled to the brim with ice cubes.
"All I'm saying is, there's more to it... but this is supposed to be our time. Let's see what everyone brought. I hope you guys live up to it. Theme is: 12-Course Meal: Igbo-Style!" Gianni circled, the thinly cut, heart-shaped lemons cushion the few ice cubes from clinking as he raises his glass in welcome.
Course One: Cheesy Yam Balls w/ Palm Wine
"I was on Hors D'Oeuvres duty," Danna raised her hand and went to her picnic basket, on the long rectangular table placed in the corner of the patio, to distribute her contribution to the brunch, Cheesy Yam Balls and homemade palm wine spritz with only 3.8% alcohol.
"The colour is beautiful," Gianni first-noted the wine as he held the flute up to the the sunlight that trickled in through the mesh of the patio.
After Danna was seated from serving, they bit into the food. The crunch was immaculate.
"The perfect crunch, met with the tender inside is everything..." Mma delighted in the taste.
"I love the hint of bitterness in the yam. It makes for a really interesting taste, coupled with the mellow sweetness of the cheese... and do I get a hint of andouille pudding in there?" Gianni savoured and discerned the taste with his eyes closed.
"Gigi, always perceptive," Danna praised.
"Mm. I'm not a fan of yam; it's always too bitter for me. No matter where I get it from, I always get a bitter piece," Gio complained, aggrieved. This time, it wasn't painful finishing up a small plate of food.
"It's okay, I would have preferred potato as the starch in this dish, and a garlic butter would take it to the next level, but I know you were bound by theme, Adannaya," Feo shared.
"I'll make it another brunch," Danna smiled courteously.
"Well, it's an overall 8.5 and, with this introductory wine, I toast to us, the Familiare, the Familiar, may we continue bond through our shared likes," Gio totalled the group assessment that the others individually pinged to him via smart watch.
They raised their glasses and clinked to the left and right of themselves.
* * * *
Course Two: Sweet and Savoury Charcuterie Board
In no time, their small dishes and glasses were empty and it was time for the Amuse-Bouche.
"Yup, here we go," Maffeo presented a mini-charcuterie board complete with: puff-puffs, chinchin, samosa and Agidi and beans-stuffed fried spring rolls.
YOU ARE READING
The Empire's Descent (First Draft)
FantasyExcerpt: "Luca, it's a male Vampyr in the Green Grotto!", she burst into his office to inform. Luca rolled his eyes and clutched the desk before him, where he gripped splintered under the force. "Does it still hurt that much? Ari said you'll be able...
