章節 15: Fourteen
I just got in the water. With all of my clothes on. When I walked inside to go to my room, Demi was near the staircase and she was holding back her amusement with a tight smile.
My mom was nowhere to be seen. As I neared my room however, I passed my parents room. The door was open so I could see clearly that mom was already fast asleep.
I recall the memories of when I was a kid clearer now. How my mom always seemed to have a drink in her hand during family functions. Then she started drinking during every weekend. Weekends turned into weekdays. Weekdays turned into everyday. When my dad told me before Kat and I helped Hernando with his homework that my mom wasn't feeling well, I understood what the culprit was. Those various colorful liquids she always took a shine to.
My mom doesn't think she has a problem. I remember in middle school dad told me he and Mom were going to go to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. I woke up when they came back because I heard them shouting. I especially heard my mom's voice ring out as she said, "I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM RICHARD!"
She only calls my dad by his first name when she's really pissed. They didn't know I heard them as I pretended to still be asleep.
I guess I shouldn't be so upset that Kat doesn't want me visiting her home. Even though she didn't flat out say so, I could tell by her nonverbal cues.
Maybe she has a mom who likes to drink too.
I switch out my Converse sneakers for my Skecher sneakers. Then I head back downstairs to the library. Where Hernando and Kat were eating pudding cups. Dad was at his desk in the corner eating some too as he was starting to review his paperwork.
"I'm back," I reply as I sit near Kat and Hernando. "I want pudding too!" I tell my dad.
"You know where the pudding is, son," is his answer. "Have fun playing out there kids," is his reply to all of us.
I go to the library door as I say, "You heard the man. Let's get another round of pudding cups before we go!"
We dash out of the library and I lead the way to the kitchen. When I enter our kitchen, Chef Felix is there, cutting vegetables and putting them in Tupperware containers. I ask why he did this once and he said a good Chef is always preparing for the next meal.
"Chef Felix, I'd like to introduce you to my best friend Kat, and her cousin Nando." Kat's eyes grow softer and calmer than usual as I call her cousin by his nickname. Now that I know her expression can look like that I want to see how many times I can repeat the phenomenon. Out of curiosity and because it makes me feel something I can't put my finger on.
"Earth to Kit," says Hernando as he waves his hand in front of my face.
Felix has an amused look on his face. "I was asking you what brought you and your friends into the kitchen, ragazzo." I found out two years ago that ragazzo is Italian for boy. Not a fan of being called boy even if it's in a different language.
"We wanted to know if there was any pudding left?" I ask him. "Or, is there anything you need taste tested?"
"Well, I made some Canolis. The best ones in the United States." Felix pulls out a plastic wrapped platter from the fridge filled with Canolis. "But they're not for you. They're for the board members."
"If they're for the board members, then why tell us about it?"
"I was showing your lady friend an example of my work. After all, food is the way to most people's hearts." Chef Felix winks at Kat and she nervously smiles. Felix has that effect on people...the accent from Italy helps.
Kat asks, "Is there anything to taste test? Dessert is not a common occurrence for us." She gestures to her and her cousin as she says it.
Felix looks appalled as he takes a little cake that's about a foot tall out if the fridge. "How tragic! You have to try some of this then. It's my seven layer chocolate cake. I got the inspiration from the seven layer dips that people make and put pictures on Instagram of."
Kat asks, "What are the names of the seven layers?" As Felix lists off the types of chocolate he put in his experiment, I look at Kat. I try and openly look at people when they're otherwise engaged so I don't come off as creepy. I'm just always interested in what makes people tick.
I glance away before Kat turns to look at me. Felix hands each of us a fork and says, "Dig in!"
Hernando is all smiles as he tells me with a nudge, "I love your life, Cabron!"
"Um, thank you?"
"Don't be such a spaz, Nando," replies Kat with a frown.
All of us silently eat Felix's masterpiece as he goes back to cutting the last of his vegetables. He's glancing at us now and again, measuring our reactions to his food as Felix likes to do. For some people, silence is deafening.
"What do you think?" Felix finally asks as he puts the Tupperware containers of various vegetables in the fridge.
"It's amazing!" replies Kat.
"It's dope," replies Hernando.
"Meh," is my reply. Kat and Hernando swing their heads to look at me. "It's not your best, Felix."
"Ragazzo, ragazzo," says Felix as he shakes his head. "You've become spoiled by the sensations my desserts have already given you." Then Felix shrugs before he says, "Eh, but it is a test run."
He puts his cutting board away and cleans his knife in the sink. "I'll be leaving shortly. I have my own family to make a meal for."
Kat is still chewing when she says, "It's been nice to meet you, Chef Felix."
"Nice to meet you too Bella Signora," he says as he takes off his apron and leaves the kitchen. I sigh in relief that he didn't say... "Later ragazzo."
"Later," I reply cooly.
Hernando belches as he says, "Oomph! I feel good."
"Great!" I reply with a smile. "Want to play Tennis next?" Kat looks at me with suspicion at my casual demeanor. She's been around me long enough to read me like a book.
"Um, sure... best out of three?"
"That's not really how Tennis works. One set of tennis is six games...but we can just do three games if you want. We're not professionals or anything." By 'we' I mean him. I have some trophies and medals that show a different story for me. Hernando doesn't have to know that though right?
Kat looks at me and Hernando as she says, "You're not doing another bet, are you?"
I'm about to tell her no when Hernando says, "HELL YEAH! There's no point in playing any game unless something's on the line."
"Okay, what were you thinking, Nando?"
Hernando wickedly smiles as he says, "Whoever loses, has to shave his head."
"Really? I have a crew cut, Nando...I'm basically halfway there," I reply. "That's kid stuff. I got one better. Whoever loses has to walk around Tucson International Airport tomorrow with a sign that says, 'I love hugs'."
Hernando looks so terrified, I bite back my laughter. "I'm gonna feel so esmaculated, man."
Kat sidles up to her cousin as she says, "Oh Nando, that's not a problem." She then gives him a tight hug as she says, "I have it on good authority that you love hugs already." Hernando squirms out of Kat's embrace as he gives me a look.
"I'm not going to lose. You are."
"That's the spirit! Let's go to the Tennis court. Do you know how to play?"
"Of course I do. My mom loves watching all sorts of television so I've become an expert in everything. You want to serve first or shall I?"
"Oh, you can serve," I reply nonchalantly. As Hernando has his back to Kat and I as he goes on his side of the court, I give Kat a wink. She smirks and covers her mouth with her hand to hide it.
Hernando has a good serving hand I'll give him that. His hand eye coordination is better in basketball. I on the other hand, am in my element. My mom had a racket in my hand since I was four years old.
Why do we have a basketball course? Hmm, my dad likes basketball and has friends from college who visit him once in a while to play.
Kat yells out, "Kit wins!"
I jump up and down while Hernando yells, "NOOOO!"
I point my racket at him as I say, "Hey, what did I say earlier?! There's no sore losers in the house of Adair. I'm pretty sure my mom's got some poster paper and markers in the solarium so you can start making your poster nice and pretty."
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