One Life To Live

I took a seat next to Lance, and set my plate down on the large, crystalline table centered in the middle of the patio. Gorgeous tulips and white roses decorated the backyard, as well as a percolating marble fountain. Lance leaned in close to me and while gripping a fork to take his first bite of mostacolli. I followed suit, and was amazed with the delicious mingling of ricotta cheese with the smooth, robust spaghetti sauce that seemed to have incorporated many different flavors. Spicy as well as succulent.

“This is delicious.” I commented, swallowing the portion I had consumed.

Elodie smiled, dimples appearing on her outer cheek. “Why thank you, dear. Yes, this recipe has been in the family for decades.”

“Wow,” I responded, my eye brows rising with surprised intrigue. I made eye contact with her, nonverbally insisting her to continue. The tension between the Capra family and me hadn’t lessened since the introductions so I was depending on Elodie to open up and get the others involved so I wasn’t doing all the talking. One could hope.

“My great grandmother Carlotta, before she came over to the United States on Ellis Island, was famous for making it in Sicily.”

I nodded, listening while I chewed aimlessly on noodles as she explained the routine of an Italian family, and when they all conversed for dinner. Elodie glanced over at Xavier – her movements seemed unconsciously habitual as she looked upon him with what seemed like no purpose, until she spoke a moment later. “I’m sure you’re family came before mine?”

Then there was Xavier, who reciprocated an intent, almost protective gaze on her figure as she talked to him. “1910.” He declared in a husky voice. “Though, they rejected my family the first time in 1908.”

I didn’t know why – but I had to ask about it. “Why?”

He turned his looming gaze at me, “Malaria outbreak. My great uncle came down with the disease, and they denied him.”

“Great uncle Valentino?” Meg inquired, tucking her gleaming brown hair behind her ear, and sitting upright while crossing her incredibly long, slim legs. Her elegant, curved hands came down to rest lightly on her knee.

They delved into an intimate conversation about the old days of Sicily – the villages, remembering families they’ve known, the annual festivals and harvests their family were a part of. As I leaned back, soaking in the engaged, animated expressions, the hearty laughter as a joke was told, or the tragic remembrance of a sudden death, it held an unfamiliar pleasure. I’ve watched many movies; witnessed dinners in which families proceeded to “share about their day”, but the normalcy of it all in person was a foreign idea to me. Being around a big group of people who enjoyed being in each other’s presence, the way they all became immersed in the conversation – you could tell they were very close, and loved each other. I sat back in my chair, watching with a remote ache in my heart as I felt like a third party observer who couldn’t relate.

Lance peered over at me, and touched his hand to mine. I lifted my gaze to meet his, noticing Lance’s acutely aware eyes examining my detached expression. His eyebrows furrowed together in concern, but I brushed it off with a hopefully reassuring side smile, and gently squeezed his hand. His thumb brushed soothingly against my skin. I hadn’t prepared for having such an emotional reaction to such a homely setting, but it happened. The reality of this being splashed in my face was an overwhelming, unsettling feeling because I had never had this kind of relationship with my family. My mom was the only person I had gotten extremely close to, and she was the one who had to pass on.

I sighed, and immersed myself into the conversation at hand. It was Paulie that was speaking this time. “Just like when Lance used to sleep walk in the middle of the night and come into my room like a possessed-”

“That was only a few times, Paul,” Lance shook his head, a mischievous grin appearing from the contours of his face. “Plus, it always cracked me up when Meg would tell me how you’d be scared shitless the whole time – throwing pillows at me.”

“I don’t remember that at all.” Paulie waved his hand dismissively. “Meg is just biased ‘cause I pulled that sweet prank on her in the bathroom that one time.”

“And that,” Meg interrupted, her voice clearly frazzled and annoyed, “is the end of that. That was just cruel.”

Paulie laughed, his deep, throaty voice ringing purely. “Got you back, didn’t I?”

Elodie shook her head, an amused smile forming at their banter. She gazed back my way with a pleasant smile. “Do you have any siblings, Melanie?”

They paused and turned their attention to me, which was the last thing I wanted at the moment. However, I mustered up only the few good memory of me and my brother Devin’s relationship. “I only have one brother, Devin, who is a couple years younger than I am.”

“Oh,” surprise colored Elodie’s voice, “so you’re the oldest, then. Do your parents live around here?”

“Oh, no.” I responded quickly. “My dad and brother live back in Minnesota. I came here to go to school at NYU – and well, my mom died of cancer a couple years ago before that.”I tucked a tendril of hair behind my ear.

Lance’s jaw hung in astonishment, his eyebrows pinching together. I had forgotten – I never really did tell him about my mother dying. I suppose that was supposed to be included in the first date “interrogation” as I had used to call it. However, we didn’t really cover all the basics as I had just realized.

“Oh my goodness.” Elodie responded, her eyes and facial expression openly sympathetic. “I’m so sorry, my dear. It’s a shame how cancer is taking so many lives nowadays.”

I nodded, trying not to appear as sullen and depressed as I felt talking about my mother. “I’ve had a lot of time to get over the loss, but it’s always the hardest to lose your biggest supporter, y’know?” A small smile formed on my lips.

“Absolutely,” she said fervently. “You’ve done fantastic for yourself however. Gotten through a couple years of college…and I’m sure all the bills you need to pay.”

“I work a part-time job on the weekdays, but that never seems to be enough.” I sighed. “But that’s the story with most college students.” I smiled. I needed to get the spotlight off of me – I didn’t want to have a pity party right here in front of these people. I finished my last bite or so of mostacolli, and my attention went back to Elodie.

“Elodie, can I help you with dishes?” I made a gesture to my plate as it was empty just like almost everyone else’s, and Elodie stood up almost immediately.

“Oh no,” she disagreed, “I can do the dishes, Melanie.”

“I can certainly help with putting things away,” I insisted, “You have quite a few plates.” I smiled jokingly.

She smiled genuinely back at me. “Oh dear. I’ve had to put up with these five for how long? But if you insist, Melanie…”

“Of course,” I smiled. She and I gathered everyone’s plate, and when I went to take Lance’s he shot me a look of heavy empathy and hurt. I sighed, and subtly shrugged my shoulders at him, mouthing a 'sorry' for not telling him about my mom. I knew what it was like to be withheld of important information.

Elodie and I went through the patio screen doors, I set the plates next to the sink. She handed me a towel with a sweet smile, and rolled her sleeves up. "Now the work begins, my dear."