For Better, or for Worse.

Chapter 7

I parked the car in front of the medium sized, brick house and turned the car off. I still love coming here to moms house because of all the beautiful memories I have here. although Gabrielle and I grew up with only one parent, mom always filled us up with a lot of love. She taught us to be always the best that we can be. I guess maybe that's why I'm still not ready to tell her about my marriage yet. I don't want it to seem as if I've failed at being a good women for her.

I got out of the car and left my luggage there seeing as it's only four in the afternoon and I'll be able to get them later. I go up the doorsteps to the front porch and look around the wide, wooden porch that wraps around the whole house. I look down at the concrete floor and see Gabrielle's and my hand prints with our initials, including my mothers. To the right, the small patio swing is still rusting and swinging with the gentle November breeze.

Before I knock on the door, it opens revealing Gabrielle. She was always commented on how she was basically a spitting image of my mother. With her long black hair, her tall slim figure, her dark brown eyes.

She looks me up and down and leans against the doorframe. No emotion at all comes from her.

"Hello Gabrielle." I say, pronouncing her name in Spanish. She simple smiles.

At that moment I hear my mother scream. She runs over to me and crashes into me, with her arms wrapped around my waist.

"You're home!!! I can believe it!!! I missed you so much mi corazon! Has de estar bien cansada por el manejo! Cuanto tiempo te quedaras mi vida?" My mother rambles. Saying I must have been tired from the drive and asks how long I would be staying for.

Before I can answer, I get interrupted.

"It looks as if she's staying for a while mama." Gabrielle says emotionless. She straightens up and walks away from the front door towards the living room to the left. But before she leaves, her brown eyes lingers on my black eye.

I look at my mother wrapped around my waist and I gently hug her back. When she leans back she puts her hands on my cheeks and she checks me for any sort of sign, either it be from exhaustion, or pain. Then she notices the black eye. She cringes and opens her mouth to say something.

"What?-"

"The corner of my cabinet." I said quickly, "it caught a good punch at my eye ."

She just sadly looked at me. She leads me into the house and shuts the door.

And at that moment Mario decides to make an appearance.

"MY TURN" he yells, mom steps back enough, only for him to come running and taking me down onto the carpet. He embraces me into one of his famous bear hugs and I giggle at his act of love.

Mario is my younger brother, he was also a lot like my mother, he's loving and kind and sweet. Yet his physical features are the opposite of my mothers. He's tall, and has blonde, slick hair, with grey eyes. Mom says it's because our father had blonde and grey eyes. He came in from a college out-of-state to visit us.

"Man Mario, College Football is really working out for ya huh?" I laughed and ruffled his messy hair.

He stands up, only to put his hands up to flex the muscle in his arms. "Just a lil bit." He winks at me and laughs.

He stretches his hand and helps me up. I wrap my arm around his waist and he wraps his arm around my neck, leading me in towards the dining table, in front of the kitchen. I sniff in the wonderful smell of freshly baked pumpkin muffins mom made and I smile. I really missed home.

Mother turns to see us and smiles. Mario turns to me and holds me at arms length. "Look at her mama! She's so big now! How's Kevin? Are- wait... What the hell! What happened to you? How could I miss this!" He gently and softly touches my eye and I cringe at the pain that I felt.

I turn from his eyes and walk towards the kitchen. I make myself at home and pour myself some coffee in a mug and have a drink at the coffee . "I'm fine Mario I... I just turned around when Kevin startled me and I hit my eye right at the corner of the kitchen cabinet." I say not making any eye contact.

Gabrielle now stands at the entrance of the kitchen and stares.

Mario hugs me and comments "Liz! You're too damn clumsy." I just smile towards Mario. He has always called me clumsy.

"Lo se, I know." I say smiling, looking at him.

"Well, now that you are here lets get started on the dinner! Mario and Gabrielle can start setting the table, while you help me serve the chicken with rice and salad I've prepared." Right on cue, Mario and Gabi turn around and groan. They go to turn off the tv. Before I came in they were seated, watching Friends again. I swear they are addicted.

After the table is set and I am setting down the salad in the middle of the rounded table with seven chairs surrounding it, I hear a knock at the door. I hear my mother go towards the door and I stop as she opens it. My heart is thumping wildly and my hands start to clamp up. I don't even have to turn around to know who's at the door. 

"Kevin dear!"

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"-what are your plans for thanksgiving Kevin? Are you two going to make your own party again in New York? Or coming over here for thanksgiving?" Mother asks Kevin.

"Well Ms. Martinez, I have told Elizabeth to do whatever she pleased about two days ago and she suggested at our house again this year." Kevin says to my mother but looking at me with a grip on my thigh.

Mother looks disappointedly at me and I sigh. "Mother every year there is a fight between two or more people this holiday season. I'm only trying to make it easier." I look at Kevin and he smiles at me.

He hates coming here for thanksgiving, or any holiday for that matter. He hates this holiday season and I always make excuses to avoid them for him. And we end up staying home alone, him on the computer or doing papers for a case and me on the couch with endless coffee, books, and Full House on the television.

Gabrielle scoffs at us and goes back to picking at her food, she doesn't know it, but I've been watching her since I got here and she hasn't eaten and denied any sort of drink unless it's water.

Mario on the other hand is on his fourth plate, the football player and his boyish ways. I look over at him and he sadly looks between Kevin and I. I hate disappointing them, but... Well, there is no good excuse to why I am a disappointment.

I go back to eating the salad on my plate and for a second time today, the bell rings. I look over at my mother, "Did you invite someone I'm not aware of mother?"

"Actually! It's an old friend and fan of mine. This person has been one of my executive promoters and called asking if they could come by to say hello! Mind you get the door please Liz?"

I nod and rise from my chair. I walk over to the front door and when I open it I regret it immediately. I can feel Kevin's stare burning on the back of my head.

"Damn you." I whisper at the stranger, glaring at him.

"That's how you greet your mothers company Bee?"

Yeah, luck is definitely on my side lately.

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Edited