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"Gabi." My mom flows into the house and wraps her arms around me. "What a beautiful street and the houses along here are just magnificent." I hug her tightly then one of my brothers wraps his arm around my neck and pulls me into a necklock hug. This is why I do not spend hours doing my hair because I grew up with my brothers.
"Carlos, stop," I say, laughing - but feeling claustrophobic already.
Then Rafael walks in and pulls me into a big hug. He is the oldest brother and the gentlest. I guess he grew up thinking he had to look after all of us.
Then Daniel rushes in and lifts me off my feet swinging me around while my mother yells at him to stop because he is going to send everything and everyone flying. He laughs, dropping me to my feet.
Carlos and Raf have girlfriends who come inside and each gives me a warm hug. I know them both as they have been dating my brothers for a while now.
Finally, my dad comes in carrying some bags of food and mom's homemade tomato-based sauce and some drinks and - just too many things.
"Carlos, Rafael, Daniel - go and get the rest of the things out of the car," Dad says and he puts everything he was carrying onto the kitchen counter and then gives me a long hug. "Your home is really beautiful, Le Nina." He kisses my cheek and goes to find himself a cold beer. "In the fridge, Papi. I bought your favorite ones." I say.
My mom is already in the kitchen unpacking all of the groceries for the tacos.
"Mom, I will make the tacos - you can relax."
"Oh nonsense, sweetheart. You know I love cooking and look at this kitchen; it is enormous." She gets to work, and I don't argue - I know it would be pointless. "You do need to take a look around though, Mom. Can I give you a tour of the house?"
"Let's get the food going first so your brothers don't starve - you know how they are."
So, I just dived in and started helping her. Rafael puts some music on, and my brothers and their girlfriends are looking around the house making lots of noise.
I should be loving this. I usually do. This family night is chaos. But tonight, I am distracted and flustered thinking about Alex and why he would have been so rude. I am angry with him for being a dick and now I am even more angry with him for kind of ruining my entire day including my dinner with my family.
I am standing at the kitchen sink staring out of the living room window towards the house across the street, Alex's house. I sigh again. Stop thinking about him and let it go. Why would it matter so much to me? I just need to let it go.
"Are you ok, Gab?" My mom touches my arm lightly. "Yes, Mom, just had a busy day at work so I need to unwind a bit. I will be fine. Will you pass me those? I'll get them on the stove." She hands me a bowl and I get to work. I do not want the rest of my family to notice I am distracted. I guess mothers see more than most.
Especially my mom - she has eagle eyes.
"Gabi, there is a little girl at the door and she is asking for you," Daniel shouts from the front door.
What in the world? I go through to see what is going on.
"Isabella?" I say when I see her smiling face. "What are you doing here, honey?"
"Gabi." She says happily.
My brother, Carlos, sticks his head around the corner from the dining room. "That's a nice shiner." He says to Bella.
"What's a shiner?" She asks Carlos.
"Your black eye. What did the other guy look like?"
Bella laughs shyly. "Oh um - I didn't get to defend myself yet, but I'm taking Gabi's classes now so next time he won't be fast enough to do this." She points at her eye, and I smile, because her whole attitude seems to have changed towards the situation after just one class.
"Gabi, Dad didn't book my next class so I just wanted to come over and ask you when the next one is so that we can come at the right time and the right day?" Bella laughs. "Who are all these people?" She asks.
"The class is tomorrow at four o'clock. I would love for you to be there." I smile stepping aside "Come in for a bit? This is my family."
"Really? Wow - you have such a big family."
She steps into the house. I point out my brothers one at a time "That's Rafael - he's the oldest. Daniel is four years older than me, and Carlos is three years older than me. Everyone, this is Bella. She is my neighbor."
There is a wild chorus of "Hi, Bella - Hello, Bella - Nice to meet you, Bella" and Bella smiles a huge grin that spreads across her face.
She goes over to Rafael. "I love this song." She says, standing next to him and listening to the music he is selecting. Carlos and his girlfriend are sitting in the living room as well and Bella starts introducing herself to everyone individually.
