Morituro

Fate And A Shove From Nonna

When I was a child I dreamt of having a family. The stereotypical type. Mom, dad, me and a ton of siblings to make sure I'm never bored - or have privacy.

I never did get that family. I always thought I asked for too much or that I didn't deserve it but that's not possible right? Life's a lottery and it has nothing to do with fairness.

But even now staring at the group of people filling the rather large living room, my heart still yearns for what they have. The green eyed monster perching on my shoulder and putting painful thoughts into my already pained mind.

The Dellucci's are really close and powerful family. Even their distant family members are here, in their home in Tuscany. They do live in the Bahamas but occasionally they return to their origins— why they would ever leave, I have no idea.

It's like a paradise here. A paradise of family, good food and vineyards as far as the eye can see.

We all sit in the rustic living room. Small children scampering about and grand parents sitting at the table, discussing the good and the bad times- which judging by the rising voices currently, the bad.

I allow my eyes to wander the room. I don't know why but my eyes land on the person I always look for in the crowd. He looks so happy but when I'm around that never seems to last for long. Juliano wraps his arms around an old lady and in return she gives him a slobbery kiss on the cheek. He chuckles but doesn't wipe it off. He turns his head and looks me dead in eyes. If his eyes are a gun I am the target. His smile falters but he doesn't glare at me, not this time. His attention turns back to the short old lady. I am guessing she's his nonna—
I almost get knocked over when a petite, doe eye, little girl runs into my shins.

"Shit." I say under my breath grabbing at a book shelf to my right. Suddenly the doe eyed girl bawls frantically as a pearly white tooth the size of a green pea rests in her pint sized hand. All eyes are on us.

"Double shit." I breathe out. My hand covering my mouth in shock. I have no idea what to do in these kinds of situations I don't even know what to do with a baby tooth. Where I come from the tooth fairies are thugs so you put the money and the tooth under your pillow and when you wake up in the morning- poof it's gone. My mother really did me in.

"What the hell did you do to her, Kei?" Hisses Angelo- well there's the glare I've been expecting. "you have this tendacy to always ruin things." He seethes .

I huff and roll my eyes, "I know your right I do- but you definetly can't blame me for ruining that personality of yours. You did that all of your own." my voice is seemingly sweet but he knows that there's nothing but resentment behind it. He knows I'm incapable of sweetness.

He mock laughs at me." haha, very funny. Can you please just grow up. This is not the time to be insulting me. My sister is crying." This shuts me up fast. He is right.

"The least you can do is make her feel better." Juliano snaps at me . He lowers his head again down to his sister. He leans closer to me and whispers to me, "actually your breath smells like fish and crap. You should rather go and do something about that."

I gasp and whack him on the side of his head earning a few laughs from the old men in the corner playing a game of chess.

"Don't dare touch me." he spits his facing inching dangerously close to mine.

"Or what?" I challenge my lips quirking at the edges. Does he really think he can stand in eye of the hurricane and come out still intact.

Just before any more vicious and belittling words can escape his lips his delicate but stern mother has his ear in between her two finger immediately causing a pained expression to his face.