Love You Forever Baby Girl

watch your language

The air in our kitchen is thick with tension as Victor and Sabrina square off. It's a typical Saturday afternoon, and I thought we might enjoy a family dinner together, but instead, we're in the middle of what feels like a live reenactment of World War III.

"Victor, stop it!" I say, trying to keep my voice steady. "You're being ridiculous!"

"Ridiculous? She's the one who's being a total brat!" Vic shoots back, not even bothering to look at me. His dark hair, like Luke's, tumbles over his forehead as he glares at his sister. "Sabrina, what the hell is your problem? You're such a—"

"Victor Luke Castellan!" I interrupt, raising my eyebrows at him. "Watch your mouth. This is not how we talk to each other in this family."

He rolls his eyes dramatically, a move I've seen too many times before. "You're just on her side because she's your favorite," he retorts, crossing his arms defiantly.

Luke, standing by the stove, glances over his shoulder, concern etching deeper lines into his forehead. "Hey, buddy, how about we all just take a deep breath and—"

"I don't want to breathe!" Vic yells, his voice rising in pitch. "I want pizza, not this disgusting ramen crap! I hate it!"

I can feel my frustration boiling beneath the surface. "You asked for ramen, Victor," I remind him gently, pacing toward the back of the kitchen where the chaos is starting to spread. "It was your suggestion last night!"

Sabrina jumps in, her voice bursting with indignation. "Yeah! And it's disgusting! I didn't even want it. You just had to suggest it to ruin dinner." Her cheeks are flushed with anger. "You are such a brat, Vic!"

"Talk about a brat!" Vic snaps back, now pointing at his twin sister. "You're the mistress of misery over here! Can't you just lighten up for once?"

"Hey! Enough!" Luke's voice cuts through the noise like a knife. He's now facing both kids with arms crossed over his chest, his stance firm and protective. "You two need to settle down. This is ridiculous. We're a family, and we don't treat each other like this."

"You're always taking her side, Dad!" Vic retorts. I can see the defiance in his eyes, but underneath it all, I know he's trying to grab our attention. "I'm just saying what everyone is thinking."

Sabrina shoots him a look that could curdle milk. "And everyone is thinking you're insufferable. You know what? I don't care if you wanted ramen; I'm not sharing my sushi with you."

"Um, excuse me, but if I remember right, you bought that with my fucking money!" Vic barks, stepping closer to her. I can see the tension coiling between them, and my heart races.

"Victor, quit cussing! Seriously!" I plead. "Stop using that language; it's uncalled for!"

He laughs, the sound harsh and mocking as he throws his hands up. "What're you gonna do about it, mom? Ground me for saying 'fuck'? You're ridiculous!" The sass drips off his words, his tone laden with defiance. It's like he's aiming to push every button I have, and I can feel every one of them getting pressed one after the other.

"Victor!" I say again, my patience thinning. "Don't make me say your full name again! We don't act like this. You're fourteen, not four. You're old enough to know better."

Luke finally steps in closer, placing a hand on Vic's shoulder, trying to push down the fierce energy in the room. "Listen, how about we figure this out? Just because dinner isn't to your liking doesn't mean we can't still have a nice time together. What do both of you want to eat? No more fighting. Just... talk it out."

"I want pizza, like I said!" Vic shoots back promptly, his voice steady as if he's just recited the answer to an easy question. "And I want it now. Ramen was such a stupid idea! Who even likes that?"

"I like it!" I exclaim, bewildered. The absurdity of his complaints catches me off guard. "You asked for it, and you loved it last week!"

"You're the only one who likes it!" he fires back. "Besides, we had it three days ago. Why so obsessed with ramen? Like, imagine an entire week of ramen! I'd literally rather starve! You know what? Last week I had more ramen than I want to remember."

Sabrina adds in, trying to find her upper hand. "See? Even Mom admits it's disgusting! You're such a picky eater, it's insane!"

"Stop fighting about food!" grows Luke's frustration, fair yet edged with authority. "This isn't just about eating—this is about being family! Respecting each other!"

"We wouldn't be fighting if Victor stopped being such a little monster!" Sabrina accuses, then turns back to him. "You're a total jerk!"

Victor pushes back, shoving his hands into his pockets, his voice lowering just a fraction as he mutters, "Yeah, well at least I'm not a know-it-all."

"Okay, time out!" I interject, feeling entirely too overwhelmed. "Let's take a breather. Everyone, go to your rooms, and we'll regroup in ten minutes, alright?"

The twins share looks that could pierce steel, but I can't afford to let this escalate further. "Now, go," I insist. They both stare at me, eyes narrowing, but I maintain my unwavering gaze. "Please."

One-by-one, they stomp out of the kitchen, Sabrina shoving past Vic, who calls after her. "At least check your attitude before you come back down!"

"Shut up, Vic!" she yells back, disappearing down the hall.

As the quiet after the storm settles in, I let out a huge breath. Luke gently rests his hand on my shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You did good, Taylor. It's hard trying to referee them. They're only testing boundaries."

"I know, but I can't believe how rude he was being. I just..." I shake my head. "What happened? Wasn't it supposed to be a nice family dinner?"

Luke sighs, ruffling his hair in frustration, and turns back toward the stove. "How about we get that pizza after all? Helps keep the peace, right?"

"Perfect." I smile a little, grateful to lighten the mood. "I just hope they'll figure it out on their own. I'd love five minutes of silence without a battle."

"Pizza it is, my love," Luke chuckles lightly, grabbing his phone to place an order.

Just then, the sound of victorious screams erupts from the living room as I hear their bickering resume in the distance, both kids clearly still blazing with energy.

"Or maybe we need a little more than pizza?" I laugh, shaking my head. "It's going to be a long night."