Skipping Heartbeats

Dinner with Johnnie and his family plus one, was extremely amusing. They said grace before serving themselves to the fried chicken and mashed potatoes. Green beans were gone before the second serving and water refills from the pitcher emptied it out. Anthony proved to be up to date with American ways, even though grace wasn’t something he was comfortable with.

“So, what does your family do?” Jim asked while sitting back, obviously stuffed to the seams.

Anthony bit his lip before answering, “My father used to own an orchard in the states, I have forgotten which one, and he still runs it from home.”

He stopped talking, “What about your mother? Is she a housewife?” Johnnie asked, being kicked underneath the table by his mother.

Anthony chuckled and shook his head, “She is anything but a housewife. I will admit our family is more wealthy than most. She works at a hotel. Actually, she owns it.”

“Is it a branch that runs here?” Abigail wondered.

“No, it isn’t here. There have been discussions on it, but she hasn’t decided yet. It is called Hotel of Love.”

A chorus of ‘ah’s’ went around the table followed by, “Is that where mommy’s and daddy’s meet each other?”

Anthony smiled at Susie,” Sometimes. Mostly they just met new friends there.”

The family was impressed with how he handled her young mind and when she declared it time to feed the bugs in her room, Anthony looked flabbergasted.

“Bugs in your room?” he scrapped his plate in the bucket like everyone else. Mary had explained it was for the pigs.

“Yeah! I has bunches! You hafta come see,” she dragged his arm into the hallway where they disappeared.

“Well, she has taken to him fast,” Abigail noted.

“Hasn’t she? Must be the accent,” Mary joked while kissing Jim lightly before walking to the laundry room.

“Abby, come on lets go play Mario!” Johnnie shouted before running to his bedroom.

Abigail followed instantly demanding she get to play Mario herself only to be stuck it Luigi. They beat two levels before Anthony joined them. Johnnie and he were sharing a room. Abigail sat up from the second bed that recently appeared and motioned for him to place his stuff there. “This is your bed,” she muttered before frantically pressing buttons as she fell off her Yoshi and into a pit. Her last life.

Turning to him, she smiled. “How do you like America so far?”

Johnnie cursed at the screen as he almost missed the box across the sky. “It is,” he paused looking around. “Different.”

Abigail smiled at him. They shared a few moments of silence until Johnnie shouted that she was back. Turning quickly, she began popping her bubble and joining in the final stretch.

Anthony watched as her face lite up and suddenly wanted to be closer to her. She was so full of life. When she almost fell off cliffs, she would bite her tongue and motion with her controller, as if it would give her a boost onto the ledge. He inched closer to her, before stopping. What was he doing?



When the game finally ended, Abigail had died more times than normal. She blamed an audience on her performance issues. Looking outside she sighed loudly, “Gotta go, Dad’s probably freaking out,” she muttered tossing the controller at Anthony.

He stared at the controller before looking back up. She talked animatedly to Johnnie who teased her about some old man and a drooling Chuckles. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say they were crazy. Actually, he didn’t know better.

A tightening feeling ached in his chest as she smiled before exiting the room. He heard the front door slam after she hollered to the rest of the family. “So, has Abby got you?” Johnnie teased lightly.

“Got me?” he was confused.

“Never mind,” Johnnie rolled his eyes while stripping to his boxers. “Well, we have work tomorrow, so get some sleep.”

“Work?” Johnnie shut off the light and climbed into his bed.

“You’ll see tomorrow,” he muttered.

Anthony stared at him for a few minutes before stripping down to his boxers as well. Climbing into the bed, he sighed. America was a strange place.