Family reunion
What is a family? What does it mean to have one? For one people family means everything, while others never had the chance to be part of it. Some say it's blood, heritage, while others will tell you it's the bond you have with the closest people you know.
My polish best friend has told me that in her country they say; "With a family, you look good only in the picture" and honestly I couldn't agree more.
I try to keep a distance from my family. Not because I don't love them, I do very much. I just don't want to have anything to do with what they do and gosh ... they do a lot.
"Gia! For god's sake, it's your sister's wedding and you show up now!?" - Mom frowns at me right at the entrance, while dad passes her by and places a soft kiss on my forehead.
Matteo's family was well known in New York. My grandparents came here, shortly after the war has ended and from a small restaurant business managed to build an empire. But it's not even about the money. Italians stay together and family comes always first.
"Hi mom, I've missed you too" - I try to be ironic, but next to the discontent, she gets a thin wrinkle on her forehead. I want to point this out, but let's leave the hell where it belongs.
"Elena let her rest. She must be tired after all those hours at university" - my dad pulls me inside the hall, while the security guard takes my luggage. I was lucky and stubborn one to leave my parent's house and study medicine at Columbia University. It wasn't easy to convince them. Actually it was a whole year of fights, threats, and tears. My parent's vision was to marry me to another Italian family, just like my sister, and make sure that I will pop out at least two kids. The thing is, I wanted to be different and live differently. I wasn't stupid. Since I was a kid I knew what my dad was doing and from where we were getting so much money. We were bad and we were doing bad things to others. Running and staying away was the only reasonable thing to do.
"Thanks, dad. Where is she?" - I gently ignored my mom to go upstairs to see my sister. The CEO of this whole mess.
"She's in her room. Panicking a bit. Talk to her" - Mom shouted behind my back.
Elena Matteo always knew what she wanted. She knew what way to take to lead the family to success. I used to think that my dad was in charge, but if you look closely, you'll see my mom pulling the right strings. It's not like I don't love her. I do a lot! I just don't like what she does. She likes to control everything and everyone. She will be the one telling you what to do and how you should do it. If you'll say something or do it differently she'll start shouting and showing off the drama.
"I am doing it all for your good! All my life I worked hard to give you everything I never had. You should be grateful and do as I say" - literally something like that. Obviously, since the day she married my father, she didn't have to work. She always cared about power and reputation. There were times when she was just our mother. We cooked together, we danced together. She read us bedtime stories and sang lullabies. All fell apart the day I've decided to leave home and go to University. She had other plans, which I literally have ruined. We haven't spoken for a while and only dad and my sister Chiara tried to bring us together a bit. Now I can say we tolerate each other, but I know she is still plotting to plan my wedding and my life.
Where in all of this is my dad? In the middle. He loves my mom and he loves me, so he tries to not interfere but still keeps us all close. While at home he is the sheep, at work he is the wolf. People fear Stefano Matteo. They respect him but at the same time are terrified of him. Legally he owns a restaurant chain and a couple of factories, but he is known for running a family. The one which sells weapons and drugs. They torture, bribe, and kill. Funny thing about it? Everyone knows but keep quiet. This is why I want to stay the hell away from them.
I knock on the door of my sister's room and push the door slightly.
"Hey, sis are you alright?" - I smile at her when she notices me.
"Thank god, you're here! Another day with mom and I would run away!" - I take a seat next to her and hug her immediately.
"Is it that bad? You know we can run away..." - I wink at her. She wipes her tears and punches me in my arm.
"I love Michelle, I won't run away, but that woman drives me crazy. Everything has to be her way." - she stood up and start to walk one way and another.
"She knows how I fucking hate white roses, but she ordered two vans of them! I wanted a saxophonist, but instead, she got me a string quartet. It's my fucking wedding Gia, not hers! Good, she hasn't chosen my wedding lingerie as well."
Poor Chiara. That was our mom. She always had to do everything her way. I take a deep breath and hug my sister.
"Hey, let her have those flowers and music. Who cares!? You love Michelle, right? Soon you'll have your own family, your own house and without a call, mom won't be able to visit you. Just make it through these two days."
