Summer Interlude

La Familia

"YAYA! VAMOS YA SON LAS 8 DE LA MAÑANA!!" This lady always feels like yelling like we don't live in the same damn house.

"OKAY MAMA!! YA ESTABA DESPIERTA" I lied to her. I know if I didn't go help her set up the food for the cook out fast she was going to be tight, and I don't need no damn yelling at 7:45 am.

Today was my little brothers birthday which in our Mexican household meant we would be cooking all morning and drinking all night long, and as the only other female living under this roof it was my job to help my mom, unfortunately. My whole family would be coming over to our house which was located in East los Angeeeelesss.

You see, I come from a very tight knight family. Even thought my mama and papa were not together we are all close with both of them and their families. My dad lives in Arizona but we try to go every summer and spend time with him and our grandma. She is a sweet lady with a no bullshit kind of attitude, much like my abuelita.

My siblings and I are also very close, being the only girl out of the four I had been spoiled and over protected my whole life. There is Angel who's my eldest brother at twenty-six years old, Luz who is 18, and lil Zion who is 15 turning 16.

Angel and I were the closets out of all my brothers, since I was a little girl I had called him my guardian Angel. Whenever I got picked on he was there, when I got too drunk or high at a party he was there, when my first boyfriend put his hands on me he was there. I would go to hell and back for my brother and I know he would do the same! and that was on FAMILIA!

Unfortunately, Angel had gotten involved with a gang when he was 14, I remember because I was being a little chismosa snooping around his room when I found a gun in his drawer. I remember being so scared, I could feel the tears spilling down my cheeks and onto the cheap carpet in the room he shared with Luz. I wanted to tell my mom SO SO bad but I knew if I told her she'd make him leave and he was my Angel, I had to protect him how he protected me.

When he got home from his friends house I was laying down on his bed, staring blankly at the door, waiting for him to walk through it . My mom thought I had a stomach bug and I just played along, I didn't want her finding out what  was really wrong with me, it would only lead to more questions.

*flashback*

" I found your gun" I whispered as soon as he stepped through the door, I remember the air leaving the room, he was frozen mid step, it was as if time itself had completely stopped, I stared into his brown eyes with tears in mine.

"Why?" I whispered, I was scared of Luz or mom hearing us. He walked closer to the bed, sitting beside me. He never broke eye contact with me as he reached for my hand, he held it so firmly  and even though I was so young I knew whatever would come out of his mouth was important.

"Yaya, I gotta take care of us hermana. Mom can barely pay the bills as it is and you haven't noticed but she cries almost everything night, we gotten so many eviction notices and dad ain't no help, I know you love him but I gotta be the man of the house sissy." 

"Okay Ángel, I won't tell mama but promise me nothing bad will happen to you, please" I was crying harder now, the thought of something happening to one of my brothers was the biggest fear I ever had. They were all a part of me.

"I promise yaya, I'll never leave you or moms side".

*end of flashback*

I got ready in my room, putting on a one piece jumpsuit, I just wanted to be comfortable while helping my mom, plus it was hot as hell today, my coochie was even sweating. I tied my big curly hair into a messy bun and made sure to moisturize my body with some Shea butter, I wasn't trying to be ashy around my whole damn family now.

I walked into the kitchen immediately seeing my moms beautiful face. Beatriz Jimenez was a beautiful Hispanic woman who had moved to the United States to live in the American dream. My mom met my dad when she was 19, but unfortunately their relationship didn't work. I remember my mom worked her ass off to make sure we all grew up to be our best selves.
She'd worked day and night tirelessly while raising four kids by herself. I remember when she decided to become a nurse it was the happiest I'd ever seen her. She worked, went to school while raising us and graduated at the top of her class. She was everything I ever wanted to be.

"Mama, what you want me to help with?" Her kitchen her rules baby, I ain't trynna get smacked by a wooden spoon.

"There's potatoes in the big pot, turn the stove off and make some mashed potatoes, yours is better than mines anyway", Now if there is one thing I can make it sure is some damn mashed potatoes.

I walked to the stove doing as she instructed, there was some Luis Miguel quietly playing in the background, my mom hummed along while I started the process of making the mashed potatoes.

"Where's Luz and Zion?" The house was too quiet, and one thing my brothers were NOT was quiet.

"They still sleeping baby, you know they won't be up until eleven and I rather do this in peace than with them all over the place complaining they hungry" she chuckled and so did I.

Both of my brothers were going through puberty and they asses were hungry 25/8, ong.

I kept humming to Juan Gabriel, my moms favourite artist as we got the food ready for today. It was going to be a big one, being that it was going to be the first cook out of the summer as my lil brothers birthday fell in June 3rd.

We had carne asada, elote, potato salad, mashed potatoes, 5 different salads, arroz con pollo, tamales and so much more, my moms was definitely showing the fuck out tonight!

I finally checked the time and it was 11:50 we had been cooking all damn morning and my ass was ready for a nap.

Luz walked into the kitchen as he rubbed his tummy, his eyes popped as soon as he saw the feast my mom and I had made. Of course his ass would show up right AFTER we were done.

"DAMN YALL WENT OFF LIKE THAT??? Shit I'm finna eat EAT tonight baby!!" I rolled my eyes as he rubbed his hands like bird man.

His ass so damn goofy.

"Aye watch your language mijo! Unless you want a chancletazo!!" My mom yelled at him. I laughed at the dumb ass face he made, he knows dang well mama don't play.

I walked out of the kitchen and to my room as I heard my mom lecturing my brother about his language. I was finna take this nap and have the time of my life tonight.

Hi, this is my first story. Some feedback would be great!!