Beauty and the beast

39

We walked downstairs and he was right. Five minutes later, cars started rolling into the driveway.

I stood with Isabel and seven other women in our age range. Two of them were Mateo's cousins but the other five were married into the family.

I remember the two cousins from Luisa's baby shower. Mari is the taller and more sociable brunette while Gina is more introverted. Both lovely women regardless.

Luisa is here with the kids as well. She and Sebastian have three beautiful kids. All girls. Apparently, female kids have been running the Hernandez family for the last generation because I can count the number of boys on a single hand.

"Dinner's ready. Come to the backyard," Marcello shouted and everyone shuffled to the backyard.

The backyard had been decorated and now looked fit for outdoor Gala dinner. The patio was cleared and a buffet-style setup was there with a variety of food on display. The actual backyard had many white linen-covered tables put close together.  The main colours were white and gold. The chairs, cutlery and dishes had gold accents to them.

I stood next to Isabel in the front of the half moon we formed facing Marcello.

He called forward one of the grandmothers to say grace and after that, the buffet was opened.

The mom's served the kids before everyone else took their food and set down.

I decided on two pieces of lasagna, garlic bread and stuffed olive salad on the side.

"Aren't you going to take more food? You last ate during breakfast," a voice asked in my ear making me jump.

"Geez Mateo. For someone so big you're quiet. You nearly gave me a heart attack," I scolded and he just smiled sheepishly.

"And no, I'm okay with what's on my plate,"

"Hmm, okay. Let's go sit down," he took my plate from my hands and started walking to the table.

Seeing as my food was in his hands, I had no choice but to follow. He stopped at the end of the table next to his parents and siblings along with his siblings' partners.

I met them earlier today so I greeted and sat down in between Mateo and Isabel. Opposite me were Sebastian and Luisa. Next to each of them were the kids. The youngest sat on Luisa's lap, babbling about something in baby language.

The table was filled with chatter, conversation and laughter and I couldn't help but miss my own family.

Every Thanksgiving my mom would let me spice the turkey and make dessert. Cassandra would do the salads because of her luck in the kitchen. The tradition carried on even after our parents passed. We'd set the table with a place for everyone. Two empty chairs and plates for my parents. This year, however, I'd have three empty spaces at the table. It would just be me. Grace would of course be there but it would actually just be me. I'm the last of my direct family that I know of and it kills me. I don't have the privilege of hosting a Thanksgiving with a turnout of this number. I only had myself left.

"Are you okay?" Mateo whispered to me and rubbed the hand on my lap.

I nodded and looked back up to my food.

Before he could question me further, the sudden silence of the backyard made both of us look around for the cause.

"Ciao Famiglia, did you miss me?" a man who strongly resembled Mateo asked through the silence with a proud smirk.

(Translation: hello family)

My eyes bulged out of my head as I turned to Mateo to make sure it wasn't him standing there and this wasn't a glitch in the matrix.