One day in Brooklyn

Chapter 11

I wake up to a deafening beeping noise. I grab my ears waiting for it to stop and when I look into the kitchen my Mother is looking back guiltily as she pulls some food from the oven. I scowl and close my eyes again, wanting to get some peace. Today is Sunday, so Mother doesn't have to work. She is spending the day with Adrian and I. Speaking of which. I peek open my eyes and see Adrian sleeping like a baby on the couch. She is on her side and is all scrunched up. Every now and then she will twitch or scoot around. I look at her again and see her breathing is even, she isn’t fake sleeping like she used to when she was too lazy to get out of bed in the mornings. 

Finally I decide to get up and see what my Mom is eating. I walk in there and she is still wearing her work clothes. She smells of sweat and grime. She is eating some spaghetti. That is my favorite, especially the way she makes it with chicken and beef and a bunch of peppers and Italian spices. My Father used to make it that way, his Father taught him. Grandpa Jake is from Italy himself. He is getting older and we don't see him often. Thinking of the good childhood memories I sigh in contentment. 

I look again at mother as she reads the newspaper and scoops fork full of the delectable food into her mouth. She notices me staring and laughs. Then she looks back at the newspaper. She is taunting me and I know it. But, I was taught long ago to ask for food others prepared rather than just taking it. I sit down in the chair opposite of her and my stomach growls loudly, itching for the food. Mother laughs much louder this time and points to the stove. "There in the dish is a bunch more; Adrian and you can eat that for lunch." She says and I don’t hesitate to grab a plate and heap some of the entre onto it. I grab a fork and hop to the table scarfing down the sauce with a slight bite and the squirmy noodles. 

Then I think back to what Mom said. What time is it? If she said we could have this for lunch, it must be later than I wanted to wake up. I look at the clock and see it is two thirty. Oh my god, I only have two more hours before I have to be at rehearsal. 

"So, what is making Adrian sleep so long?" Mom asks. I remember last night.

"Crying will wear you out." I say casually.

"Why was she crying?" My mom asks with motherly concern

"Well we went to that roof top garden we built so we could just hang out and talk," I say

"Yeah, okay, what made her cry? Quit stalling Vito." She snaps and cringes at her voices tone

"Someone destroyed it. Every last flower stomped to oblivion and the tarps were vandalized with that new spray paint stuff." I say regretfully. Mom puts her hand to her mouth in shock.

"That was a terrible invention, I tell you TERRIBLE." My Mom says shaking her head, “I’m sorry Vito I know you two spent forever working on that place." She says apologetically.

"It's okay, I guess." I say finishing my food and rinsing off the plate in the sink. Then it occurs to me. I just ate a whole plate of food without gagging, coughing, choking, or vomiting! The radiation must be working! 

"Vito," Mom says looking at me

"What?" I ask

"Did you eat that whole plate?" She asks a rebelling smile spreading across her lips. 

"YES!" I yell happily but regret it because I woke Adrian up.

"Good morning, Vito and Mom." She says stretching and yawning.

"Hey," I say 

"Morning, sweetie," Momma says

"Why are you two so happy?" Adrian says sauntering into the kitchen and propping herself on the counter