A New Kind of Love

I Could Be There For You

 I Could Be There for You

     When Adalyne and I arrived home, we were shocked at the surprise my mother had for us. Well, the two surprises. She had gotten the job she interviewed for, and our Nonno Vittorio was visiting. My mother's father was an Italian from Naples. Nonno was a loving man, very kind and sweet. He was by far my favorite living grandparent. My mother's mother, Abuela Alta, had died when I was six. She was an Afro-Cuban from a little village in Cuba, and had moved to Florida when she was ten. Nonno was often lonely, and would come stay with us when it became too much to bare. When we walked in, Nonno and my mother were in the kitchen making chicken cacciatore. 

     Adalyne spotted him first, and when she screamed his name, he turned around, and a big smile stretched across his soft face. "I miei bambini! Mi sei mancato! Come stai?" he asked in Italian. My sister and I had been around Italians and Cubans for as long as we could remember. We picked up on the languages soon enough, though we were nowhere near fluent. "Ciao Nonno. Mi trovo molto bene. È tu?" I replied. 

     "I am much better now that you both are here," he said, hugging Adalyne and I tightly. "Alessia and Mariella, my two favorite granddaughters," he said, laughing huskily. My Nonno preferred to call us by our middle names, which were Italian. For some reason, he just liked it better. I thought it was because it reminded him of home. 

     "We're your only granddaughters, Nonno," I replied, smirking. 

     "I know," he nodded, chuckling. He let us go, and Adalyne and I went to sit at the island. My mother walked over to us, and kissed us both on the forehead. "How was school?"

     "Vittoria!" Nonno called. "They just came home from school, do you think they want to talk about it?" he asked. Mom laughed, and went back to the food. "Mmm, il cibo un profumo delizioso. This food smells so good," Nonno said. "Vittoria, is there any wine here?"

     "Papà, naturalmente. Ma non si ha realmente bisogno di vino? Do you really need wine?" my mother asked. 

     "Ah, you worry too much Vittoria. Have you talked with your sister? Alessandrina asked me about you," Nonno asked. He looked worried. I could tell that he still worried about Mom. After she found out about Dad, she completely shut down. When Nonno came to stay with us in New York, he couldn't really handle seeing her that way. My mother had never been weak, never been fragile. He had to watch as she slowly fractured, until she finally broke, making it that much harder for her to build herself back up again. After that, he never liked my father and would never forgive him, even going so far as to curse him. I wasn't sure if my Dad's penis had fallen off, but I could still hope, couldn't I? 

     "Alessandrina worries too much, Papà. But, if it makes you happy I will call her tonight."

     Nonno smiled, and went back to cooking. We were all silent for a while, sitting around enjoying each other's company. When Nonno came everything was better. He made simple moments some of the best of your life. Sometimes I wished he was around all the time. Mom would be much happier, more free. I would be ecstatic, and Adalyne would be, too. "So, Addy. Tell me. Why have you been ignoring your father?"

     Nonno froze, as did I. Adalyne seemed to be at a loss for words. She didn't know what to say, and I could tell she felt betrayed. Then she looked over at me, accusation in her eyes. I put my hands up in front of me, and my eyes went wide. My mother jumped in just in time. "Ainsley didn't say anything, Addy. Listen, I know you're mad. I know you both are, but Jamison is still your father. And he cares a lot about you both."

     Addy's eyes seemed to turn red instantly. "Mom, are you freaking crazy? He royally fucked up all of our lives! He screwed with yours! He hurt you, and you want me to talk to him?" Addy erupted. She was suddenly furious, tears on the edge of escaping her dark grey eyes. My Nonno turned around in a flash. His soft face was red, and he looked confused. He had never taken disrespect from my mom, or her siblings. So I understood his surprise when Addy cursed at my mother. I was shocked, too. But, instead of anger, my mother's eyes were filled with understanding, and compassion.