Little Wilder

I

"Good to see you, Nathan. Come in. I see you've changed" Mrs. Wilder said comically quickly.

"Well, of course he has, Lucia, we haven't seen him, in what? 10 years?" Mr. Wilder said once he came into the picture after he came down those long elegant stairs.

Even though the Wilder family was an extremely wealthy family, they were still a humble and nice one, probably the nicest I had ever meet, because in comparison to mine, they stick together, as they should, just like they promised when they got married. Families like that one made me feel that love was actually possible, but then again, maybe love was only found and let kept by people that actually deserve it, that is why I gave up on it since so long ago.

"Anyway, we are so glad you are hire, aren't we Gilbert?" she didn't wait for him to answer "I can't wait to introduce you to our daughters" she said, as if I didn't knew them. Yeah, I was a kid when I meet them, still, I had my memories.

Elisa was always bossing people around just because she found out she was born before her triplets. And every time someone did something incorrectly, she got so mad her face literally tuned red. It was funny though. Kept things interesting at dinner.

Olivia was the intelligent one, she was always carrying a book, wore big glasses, and had a crush on my brother, Noah. I always catch her staring at him at the table without him even noticing. I felt sorry for her, since I saw Noah didn't have a clue. I never told him, because I knew that even if I did, he wouldn't like her back, and that would have made the whole situation wired and awkward.

Sophia was sort of the sweet one. The one that made cupcakes and brownies, hugged everyone, smiled at everyone, and just make life easier for everyone, especially for adults, that is why they always kept her close, and that is why Elisa kind of hated her guts. Despite the fact that the three were triplets and looked the same, they didn't dress alike, nor think alike, seeing them was like looking at Barbie teacher, Barbie doctor, and Barbie baker.

Alicia, the youngest of both families. I called her little Wilder, due to I couldn't seem to pronounce her name correctly, I didn't want to embarrass myself trying, and no one seem to bother, so it stick. She was the wired one. All families have that one black sheep, and as surprising as it seems, the black sheep in the Wilder family wasn't Elisa. I recall her being quiet, slippery and kind of mysterious. At dinner time, she never talked, she only stared at her food as if it was some masterpiece, when she finished her meal she washed her dish and went outside without spoking a world or making a sound. She was there, and in a minute, she was not.

No one really cared what she was doing, usually everyone was minding their own business. My father and Mr. Wilder went to the T.V room to watch a football game, which neither Noah nor I could see because it was adult quality time. The ladies often stayed in the dining room, or went to the living room to have a girl talk, I couldn't go with them either, not because I couldn't but because I shouldn't. Noah either went to his room to pretend he was doing homework, or went back home and pretend he was doing homework. That excuse didn't work for me, since my parents knew I'd rather die before doing homework on time, or even doing it at all. So every single Wednesday, I got stuck with little Wilder, who would spend all the night watching the stars. I never had something better to do, so I grabbed a chair and stared at them too, but as far from little Wilder as possible. Back then I thought weirdness was contagious, and who could blame me? Elisa was too rigid, Sophia too nice, Olivia too smart, Alicia too mysterious, and their parents way too nice. Besides, the bigger I ever got was 9 years old, and my imagination at that age was floating. Still it has always impressed me how young she was when she started doing it, watching the stars, not more than 4 years old, and me not more than 6.

I think watching the stars every Wednesday was the first habit I ever developed, because when they left, I kept doing it unconsciously. At first I thought it was a bad thing, and that I should stop, but later I understand that stars comfort me and make me feel relieved, for some reason. When I realized that, I made up my own theory, in which I explained how maybe little Wilder wasn't wired at all, and that maybe she was just remarkably smart.

"Oh, Lucia. He knows them, dear. It's just been a long, long time" Mr. Wilder laughed and hugged her wife like if her nervousness was one of the reasons he loved her and, I don't know, maybe it was. But still, what was she nervous about? Then it hit me, she had always been that way. Everything had to be perfect, everything had to be likable, and if not... she panicked terribly. Sort of like Elise, but in a way much less harmful way.

I heard the door opening and voices speaking as soon as they got in. The voices became lauder and lauder until they reached the living room, and I was able to see the triplets. 10 years since the last time I saw them, and I was able recognize which one was who, even from a mile away.

The one with natural, long blonde hair, wearing a sweet pink dress, white shoes and bag had to be Sophia. I also knew because she was the first to run, as fast as she could, towards me and give me kisses in both cheeks and a hug.

Olivia looked smarter than before, but she didn't seemed to have changed a lot, she still had short hair and lenses. The only difference was that now she actually looked good with them.

Elisa was the one who had a ponytail and was dressed like a business woman, and also the one that even with a genuine smile on her face, seemed like she was killing you with her deep blue eyes, which were deeper than Olivia's and Sophie's.

They came to welcome me after Sophia, but they preferred to just shake hands with me, which I though was better.

We sat on the couches next to the chimney and started talking, or better yet, started asking questions about every single aspect of my life. Some things I could answer, some others I lied because I thought they were way too deep and personal to be answered. But fortunately, half an hour later the turkey was ready and we all had to go to the kitchen to eat it. In the mid time, no questions were asked. We just prayed, said thanks, and started eating voraciously.

"I'm so sorry Alicia isn't hire, as she was supposed to. Apparently, she had to finish a project and she is at the library finishing it" Lucia apologized to all, but specially me, after receiving a message, I supposed, that came from her.

"Bullshit" Elisa exclaimed angry.

"Okay. Let's just forget it. Yeah? Only for today" Sophia intervened nervously looking at Elisa.

"Yes, dear. We'll talk to her in the morning" Mr. Wilder intervened calmly before eating another piece of meat.

The rest of the evening went easy on the questions and the comments, we mainly just remembered some of the funny stuff that happened when we were neighbours. Like that one time my dog Hunter escaped, and there we were all both families looking for him, we even camped in the woods, just so that when we returned, we found Hunter sleeping in my house's front door. It was funny because even though we end up extremely tiered, it was sort of fun, and spontaneous. And it was good, because most of the time, we were ruled by the plan, the routine, and the schedule. It was like getting out of our comfort zone.

At almost 11 the triplets said they had to go to their respective houses, and they said goodbye. At 11 and a half Mr. And Mrs. Wilder pick up the dishes and left them in the dishwasher, so that the next day their employees could clean them. But not that day, not in thanksgiving.

Mr. Wilder guide me to my room and wished me a goodnight.

"Thanks, Sir." I said once he was ready to leave.

"Please, call me Gil, son. And you are more welcome" he reply gently and bit tired. After that, he yawned and left me.