AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Cara, I didn’t know you were here,” her dad says.
“I arrived with Tony an hour ago.”
“Hmm, shouldn’t you be in the kitchen assisting Maria and Rosa with the cooking? I’m sure they’d appreciate the help.”
She snorts. “Sorry you lost me at cooking, Daddy.”
He simply sighs. His children are real pieces of work. Ignoring Elena, I take a step toward the stairs, and the Legans follow me to the dining room. Sure enough, there’s a spread of food fit for twenty people on the table. I take in the scenery as we walk in. My mothers already seated, and I study her for a second. She looks much better than she did this morning.
There’s color in her cheeks and a soft expression on her face. Her brown hair is in a messy bun on her head and her blue eyes are clearer. She looks regal, put together. I’m glad for it. I offer her a small smile as I take my seat at the head of the table opposite her, my chest tightening as I lower onto the seat. My father used to sit here.
“Mother, are we expecting guests?” I question once the Legans are seated as well.
Surely she doesn’t expect seven of us to finish all this food. She purses her lips, the movement causing the lines around her face to deepen.
“I might have gone a little overboard. I wanted us to have a good meal. It’s our first one together since your father passed.”
At the mention of him, my chest tightens again. Seriously, why is everyone intent on constantly bringing him up?
“Alright. Thank you, Mother.”
“Thank you, Maria,” Salvador says with a smile.
Michael and Rosa walk in and after they’re seated, we dig into our food. I’m cutting into my steak when my mother breaks the silence.
“Elena, dear,” she calls.
She immediately stiffens, turning to our mother with a forced smile.
“Yes, Maria?”
“How are you doing? I haven’t been able to speak to you since you arrived. How are things in Boston? Your job?”
“My job is fine, Maria. Thanks for asking,” Elena replies, voice airy and light.
“What do you do for work again?”
Almost immediately, the tension in the room goes up a few degrees. My mom and Elena have never really had the best relationship.
“I work in finance. I’m a general manager at my company. We take care of corporate investments.” She’s bragging. I can hear it in her tone.
It’s actually impressive what she’s been able to achieve in such a short time. My mom believes that an Italian woman’s only work should be by her husband’s side, supporting him. It’s pretty antiquated but she’s rigid when it comes to her ideologies.
She frowns, “Well, that’s nice, but you’ll probably have to quit soon.”
“I’m sorry?” Elena asks. Her dark brows pull together as she sits up taller.
“At your age, you have to consider getting married. You're not getting any younger.”
I watch, amused, as the fork in Elena’s hand clatters to her plate. She turns to her father with a desperate expression, and Salvador clears his throat, shooting my mother an annoyed look.
“We were all actually discussing this a few weeks ago, and you know how you come and go. We just wanted to discuss the matter with you, princess. Before you take off to Boston again.”
“And why is this a necessary discussion in the first place?” Elena asks through gritted teeth. “It’s my life, after all.”
I don’t know why she’s acting so surprised. She didn’t think they’d just leave her alone in Boston to do God knows what? She has duties to fulfill.
“You have to get married eventually,” her brother speaks up, adding his two cents.
