Life as We Know it

Chapter 1

"Lily!" I heard an alarmed scream come from the bottom of the stairway. "Come down! We have to go see Nonna! She needs our help!" "Coming!" I shouted by the door.
My mom and I had to go and help my sick grandmother again. We have been going back and forth every couple of days or so to visit her. Luckily, she doesn't live far away - about ten or fifteen minutes without traffic. It's hard to see her with Pancreatic Cancer. She was always this happy, go-lucky women whose health was impeccable.
Before racing through the wooden door, I glanced over to my closet mirror admiring my outfit. I wanted her to love this. I am dressed in my grandmother's favorite t-shirt. A collage of all the fabulous pictures we have taken over the past years. Mom made it for us for Christmas before it would be too late.
     I turned away slowly from the glass and I glided towards the tall block of wood that would lead me out of my cozy bedroom.  I clutched the glossy door knob and I walked out of the door.  I took my time going down each step, capturing each moment.  As I strolled down, I could spot my mom over the banister of darkened wood and carpeted steps.  "Took you long enough," she said with a light smile.  Ignoring her sarcastic comment, I replied with, "How does it look?"  Pointing at the clothes stuck to my skin.  "It looks fabulous.  It really shows your love for Nonna."
     Since we're an Italian family, I call my grandmother, Nonna.  Normally, when I talk about her around other people than my family, I call her "my grandma" or "my grandmother".  It's literally a tradition that almost all Italians share.
     The drive over to her house wasn't too long.  After about ten minutes, we pulled onto the blacktop driveway.  Her house is mid-size, a tan color, and it's three stories.  A basement that's always cold, a second floor with your main ingredients, and upstairs.  Even though the basement is always freezing, it's where I've had the most heart-warming memories.
     Once, when I was around six-years-old my Nonno (my grandfather who's now deceased) and Nonna and I took a trip to the basement to do some cooking.  As we sauntered down the hard, half-carpeted stairs, my grandparents had a shrine of Jesus, Joseph, Mary, and many more Catholic (religious) characters.  My grandparents have always been very religious - Catholic, to be specific.  Every time we went downstairs, Nonna always told me to send a prayer to Jesus and God.  Yes, it did get on my nerves and it still does, but I'm extremely Catholic too and it does help. 
     When making a left, my Nonno's computer was sitting on his desk.  He has pictures of where he used to work (GMC), bills and bills, confusing paperwork, and just plain old junk.  Above his desk is an overhead lamp/light that can be moved up and down and left to right.
My most favorite thing about his desk - even though it was disordered and almost difunctional - I adored his black lumpy chair. I would go down there and just plop onto the spinning furniture and I would daydream of the perfect life.
Across from my Nonno's desk was a dirty, long carpet with annoying, beige fringes at the ends and they always got stuck in between my small toes. Thank the Lord that Nonna and Nonno came to a compromise to snip them off. On top of the carpet was a comfy couch that I normally bounced on for fun. Now, we have boxes of even more junk in that area and our carpet that once was a beautiful, burgundy color with creative designs, is now covered in dust and white specks.
     Next to the couch and carpet, was a huge tube television.  It was dusty and it sat on a sturdy, metal stand painted black.  It had  gigantic gray rims and the screen was pitch black when turned off.  When you stood in front of it, you could see the reflection of your own body and the glare of the bright overhead ceiling lights, plus everything else behind you.
     Across from the cubed electrical box, were the table and chairs.  Growing up, we had six chairs going around the worn table, and there was a sink and refrigerator to the right.  Every night, we would have dinner down there, but now we eat dinner upstairs in the kitchen.  Behind the table we have hangers and clothes hanging on a string that went across the white and black ceiling.  Right next to the sink was an old platinum white oven where my Nonno and I used to make delicious and amazing desserts.
In the back part of our basement when you turn right from the staircase, there is a back room where we have thousands of food cans/items, old clothes, and I'm pretty sure that most of it can be called an 'utter clutter'. Then, going through a doorframe, you'll see an alabaster white refrigerator. It's filled with extra long, cylindrical bolsters or pillows. The worst part is that most of them are stuffed in the freezer. Shifting your head or making a few ocular movements when turning your upper body parts a smidge to the right, you will spot a beige basket.  It has three shelves that are not as strong as they look, but it's in perfect shape to hold vegetables.  Normally, each shelf is holding up brown potatoes, silky translucent onions and orange, brown speckled carrots that are so long they could be considered swords.
If you move a few steps to your right, you will start walking ahead and to your left you will see the air conditioner, and a boxed sized heater. Around them, you will notice long pipes up along the aged wall plastered with wallpaper. As you continue to walk, you will notice a washer and dryer set placed next to one another to the left. To the right is an old sink with mildew and mold hanging out by the drain that was once a shiny new appliance. I just like to say that it's been loved.
Above it, you have your typical fifties/sixties oversized, one-sink mirror. It has bulky brown edges going along the sides. I don't know why, but every time that I look or even take one side-glance at the mirror, it makes me giggle a little and I end up with a wide grin. It was like one of those small inside jokes you have inside your brain that creates some of the best moments for your own well being. I guess that maybe just the thought that my Nonno was once a beautiful, handsome young man that could make Elvis shake his hips by the looks of him.
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Hey friends!  I know this is not my best work, but I tried.  Tell me what you think and what you would like to see.  If you have any questions just type it in the comments and I'll be sure to give it a look and answer it!😋😉  To say ahead of time: Since I'm still in school it's hard to write and post chapters a lot.  Whether you are in school or not, you probably understand when everything can get busy sometimes.  Life does become a lot at times and I just wanted to let you know that I'm always writing at least a couple times a week.  It does take a lot of time to get a chapter done because I have to think of what to write next and editing through it can be a pain and of course, writing to you guys after the chapter like I'm doing now.  Thanks for reading everyone and have a great week/day!!😘👋🏼