Come A Little Closer

“Marc honey, can you come down here?”

My mother calls from the kitchen. It’s been a good few days since the last explosion from her and we’ve kept our distance from one another. From what Jared told me, she felt bad that she did that because she was stressed about Jared and Sydneys issue, my contract extension, me telling Gina about the contract extension, and Tanya maybe pregnant again. So in a way, my mother was stressed for all of us.

I march down stairs to find her taking cookies out of the oven. “Mom, do you want me to help you?” I ask but she ignores the question while closing the oven. I go to take a cookie but she slaps my hand. “I’m not ten anymore,” I smile.

“In my eyes you are.”
“Who are the cookies for?” I ask, trying to make conversation with my mom.
“Some are for Syd, Gina, and Lindsy, the rest are for Tanya. She really hasn’t been feeling good lately,” my mother tells me.
“Oh…what’s wrong with her?”
“She said she’s been having stomach issues, she’s not sure really.”

I nodded my head and sighed. Things were kind of getting awkward with my mom now that she was pissed that I was engaged for the second time in a three-month time span. I mean, everyone saw this coming, so why couldn’t she? It’s not like Gina was a bad person, if anything, she was a good person who didn’t deserve half the shit she went through. “I’m sorry about my outbursts,” my mom finally says.

“Mom, look—“
“Marc, I shouldn’t have overreacted like that. Gina is a great girl.”
“I know she is.”
“She didn’t deserve half the things she’s gone through…or any of them for that matter.”
“It’s like you read my mind.”
“I remember when her dad passed…”

My mom had to bring that one up, didn’t she? Her dad had drunk herself to death when she was ten. It hit Lindsy and Gina, but Gina more than Lindsy. They both ended up having their fair share of problems. At the time, Gina got into an amazing ballet school, but the pressure of trying to look like all the girls was had on her, especially with her dad dying shortly after. She was in and out of eating disorder clinics, going to therapists, stuff that a ten year old shouldn’t be going through.

Then her mom met Rick two years later and that took its toll. It was like she lashed out on everyone. Eric let her vent to him, but he was even scared for her. That’s when he taught her how to fight mentally. I was there when he did it the one summer he came home. “Gina listen to me, I’m doing this because I’m worried for you and your well being. When those demons inside want to rage, you need to control them, not let them all out.”

“I know mom.”
“She turned out to be a lovely girl, really Marc. I don’t know why you weren’t with her before.”
“She and I made stupid mistakes.”
“The fallout was bad, lets just be honest.”
“The fallout is done and over with mom,” I say.
“I know honey. Her dad would’ve been so thrilled to have you as his son and law. I’m sure Rick is too, but her father…oh Sergio would’ve been excited.”
“Sergio was awesome,” I smile at the thought of her dad.

Gina and her dad were really close. He always left work early to catch the last half hour of Gina’s dance practices, dress rehersals, and even took off work for shows and competitions. He always told me I was his favorite Staal. “Someday Marc,” he once told me in his thick Italian accent, “Someday….I want you to marry my daughter.”

“Well…it depends on which daughter.”
“Gina, I want you to marry Gina.”
“Girls have cooties,” I told him.
“I know you want to marry my daughter…”
“No…”
“Don’t lie to me Marc.”
“Maybe.”
“Marc, you can marry my daughter.”

Man did I miss that man.

“Marc, I will do whatever it takes for you two to have the dream wedding.”
“Mom, that’s not nessecary, Mrs. Pisani already said she’d pay for the banquet hall and caterer.”
“Well…let me atleast get the dress and tuxedos.”
“Mom don’t—“
“Marc, she’s family and you’re marrying her…it’s the least I can do.”

My mom was stubborn; hence that’s where I got it. I brought my mom into a quick hug and told her I loved her, which she told me the same. We heard the door open and close. “Oh my God, do I smell Mrs. Staals chocolate chip cookies?” It was Gina and the biggest grin formed on to my face.

“That was the grin you had when you went to her prom pictures when you saw her in that pink dress before kicking her then boyfriends ass.”
“We’re in the kitchen!” I yelled before turning to look at my mom. “I love her mom.”
“Oh trust me Marc, we know.”

Gina came in and snuck her arm around my waist after giving my mom a hug. She then proceeded to take a cookie and the biggest grin came on her face as she took a bite out of it. “Oh my god…these are as good as I remember,” she said as she grabbed another cookie.

“Gina, I want to pay for your wedding dress.”

Gina then dropped the cookie when she heard my mom say those words. She placed her hands on her hips and shook her head, though my mom nodded her head. “Mrs. Staal, do not, I’ve been saving every penny since high school for my dress.”

“Save it for something else, like a vacation for you and Marc.”
“Mrs. Staal—“
“It’s a done deal Gina, I’m paying for your dress.”
“My mother is going to kill you.”
“Oh your mother is the sister I never had. I’ll be back.”

Gina took a cookie and shoved it in my mouth as soon as my mother left the kitchen. I then look batter and threw it in her face. “Oh bring it Staal,” she smiled as I laughed. It was the little things like kitchen fights that I was looking forward to with her. And I couldn’t think of anyone else I’d rather have a kitchen fight with than Gina.