All That Glitters

TWO YEARS LATER

"Just call her over for the evening, tell her it'll be loads of fun, Nick is tons of fun," I told my wife, watching her speak to her sister on the phone. She smiled at me, still struggling to convince Nadia that Nick was worth her time this evening. I was busy prepping the food myself, I promised my brother I would help him and help him I shall.

"Well, what conditions Nadia? It's a date, not a commitment." Naomi spoke harshly to her sister, irritated at the fact that she hasn't said yes yet. I did promise Nick but it was not a guarantee. I've seen the youngest Kirca squash men over the last few years, all of them showing up to an important family gathering and being shunned by her phone one holiday later. I watched her, just like I was told to and saw the many reasons her sister had to talk about her. Nadia wasn't understanding of anybody else's feelings so when Nick told me he wanted her, I was a little reluctant to help him.

"You don't even know her!" I cried, a smile playing on my face as I took the dishes from the table and walked into the kitchen, setting them in the sink.

"Yeah, I know," Nick said, jogging after me, his dog tags jangling with him. "But I can get to know her." He finished, leaning over the counter, a subtle smile pressing on his face. I peered at my brother through my glasses as I hosed down the china in the sink. I watched his face normally stern turn soft at the talk of his new crush.

"Listen Nick," I said, turning off the water. "Nadia is not what she seems to be-"

"I get that Joe, I know, this is why people date, to get to know each other."

"I'm not joking Nicolas, Nadia is some piece of work," I leaned on the counter, folding my arms, attempting rest in this arguement.

"Please Joe?" He asked, pleading lightly. I pushed my glasses up, uncrossing my arms and looking back at the sink and then back at Nick who was still clasping his hands together looking at me with pleading eyes.

"Okay,"

"Okay?" He asked excitedly.

"Okay, I promise I will try to get this to happen, but I'm guaranteeing anything, okay? I warned you and you get what you get okay?"

I was swiftly attacked by Nick engulfing me in his thin arms, repeating his thank yous over and over again before leaving the kitchen and meeting my parents in the living room. I sighed internally, looking up at the ceiling.

"Babe?" I yelled out for Naomi before walking over to the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water.

"So you'll do it?" Naomi squealed over the phone, jumping up for joy, beeming a bright smile at me. "Yeah, tonight at 7, Joe's making the dinner. Huh? Wait-no, Nadia, Joe is a great cook! He's making cacciatore," She spoke, convincing her sister not to get off of the phone. My eyes widened at the extreme accusation, knowing I could prepare a meal like that and quickly pried her delicate fingers off of the phone.

"I hate cacciatore," Nadia spoke haughtily.

"Well that's good, because that's not what I'm making," I replied, getting swatted by Naomi and having to run away to keep the phone.

"Well, I'm not coming unless it's something that I wanna eat." She spoke into the phone, the sound of a keyboard clacking in the background the only evidence that she had something else to do besides be so high-maintenance.

"What do you suggest?"

I heard the sound of a intake of air kiss her teeth before she moved her tongue to speak again.

"How about...I come over and help you cook."

I looked at my wife and gave her a wink.

"Sounds perfect."