Book 1: Valentina

Chapter 19

"Happy Birthday, bro!" Tony said handing me a wrapped box and ruffling my hair.

I took the box from his hands and gave him a playful shove as a way of saying thank you. Today was my 18th birthday and against my wishes my dad and brothers had thrown me a dinner party, I didnt want everyone at my house, that part they got right. It had been a small party only Danny, Tony, my dad, and Naomi.

Naomi is my girlfriend, we've been together for about  month and she's good for me, she's making me better. Her arrival was right after Artura's departure, Naomi had transferred from Georgia, like Artura, and she was black, like Artura, but she wasn't Artura. It took me months to get over everything that had happened that night and realize that Artura didn't want me the same way that I had wanted her, so I moved on.

I loved Naomi and everything that she had done for me as far as today, because I knew that the whole party was her idea, my dad and brothers weren't this.... festive. There were gold banners and streamers everywhere and there was a cake, and  ur table was set of for dinner, we never had dinner together. I walked into the dining area, looking around at all the fancy stuff set up on the table, then into the kitchen where Danny and Naomi stood putting food onto platters.

"There he is!" Danny yelled dropping the fork he had, walking over to me with opened arms.

I embraced him and pat his back, when I let him go he ulled a small box from behind his back and placed it in my hand. I looked up at him, confused and then pulled him by his suit to close the space.

"You're ok today?" I ask concerned.

"Don't worry about me, today is your day, enjoy it." He shrugged and walked into the dining area.

I slid the box into my pocket and walked over to Naomi, she giggled like she always does when I wrap my arms around her waist, she dropped the food she was putting on the platter and turned around throwing her arms around my shoulder and smiled.

"How do you feel, birthday boy?" she asked.

"I feel great, I mean my girlfriend is here, along with my dad, miraculously, and my brothers." I replied rubbing her arms.

"You sure? You've been a little out of it lately and I just want to make sure nothing goes wrong today or next Friday." She said.

By next Friday, she meant the Spring formal, een though she wasfairly new, she knew about everything that was going on at that school and was involved too, everyone had gotten pretty used to her and everyone loved her, well not everyone.

"Yeah, it's great. Thanks for going through all of this trouble for me." I said.

"Oh, it was no trouble at all, you know my mom's a party planner and my dad has a catering business, I didn't have to lift a finger." She said fixing my tie and turning back to setting up the food.

When everything was done everyone met at the table, Danny and Tony sat next to each other and Naomi and I did too, with my dad sitting at the head of the table, we looked great. My dad stood with his glass held high.

"I'd like to give a toast to my first born, Marco, you've been  a pain my ass for the last 18 years, but 've enjoyed. You're not as bad as you put on, remember I'm your father, I know everything like when you were 13 and you and Danny decided t climb that tree in the back yard after I told you not to and you got stuck and cried. You were scared of heights until you were 16. I might not have been here for everything, because of work but, I feel as though I've been here for the important stuff, like tonight. Thank you Noami for this wonderful dinner and Happy Birthday Marco." He said  raising his glass higher and then bringing it down to his mouth.