𝙰𝙿𝙷𝚁𝙾𝙳𝙸𝚃𝙴'𝚂 𝙱𝙾𝙳𝚈𝙶𝚄𝙰𝚁𝙳

Fourty-Two

"How many, Mama?" I asked as I rummaged the drawers for a cutting board and knife.

"Not many- you can make more when dinner is close to being done. This is just a snack for you two." Mama explained.

"For me.." Valerie mumbled.

"Domi is cooking it for you, bonita- so he gets to eat some Tostones too. It is not like he gets to keep all the Cecina for himself." Mama sighed as she poured the rice into the rice cooker.

"Then I'll do it," Valerie suggested as she set down her 3DS on the marble counter. "Domi makes them too salty!"

"Cálmate, Valerie." Mama muttered.

"Then come over here, Val- you need your step-stool?" I taunted her.

She frowned, "Your Tostones are nothing like Mami's.."

"Obviously," I scoffed. ".. no one compares to her- and your Tostones feel like rubber."

"Domi.." Mama warned- yeah, I would rather not hear her whine and cry.

I then apologized, "Lo siento, Valerie.. no quise decir eso."

She waited a moment before she grumbled, ".. No necesitas cocinar, serás CEO algún día. Entonces puedes contratar a un chef," Valerie paused and hopped down from her seat. ".. you're so lucky, Domi. You need to wake up and realize it.."

My Father didn't show his face until dinner was ready- his footsteps were heavy compared to my Mama's.

Valerie was the one who ran to tell him, while I helped Mama set the table- simple tasks like that would fufill me in ways they shouldn't have.
Valerie was right- I should've been studying business and observing Father; not cooking and joking around for hours.

That wasn't my life- it was supposed to be hers.

"Hola, mi Dami," Mama greeted Father with a kiss on the cheek as he took a seat at the table. ".. what would you like to drink, papá?"

"Just," He massaged his forehead with a long sigh before he looked at the food spread out on the table. ".. just some tea- y'know the kind I like, Aury." He muttered under his breath.

Valerie quickly took a seat om the opposite side and I did the same- leaving me across from father.

"What about you two?" Mama asked from the kitchen while she prepared Father some tea.

"Grape juice, please." Valerie told her.

"Sprite is fine, Mama." I murmured.

"I heard you invited your friends over yesterday, Dominic." Father brought up.

"Yeah just Terrence and Mac," I replied- he did get home late yesterday though. ".. we play video games for a while, hungout in the pool, then they left."

Mama returned with drinks for Valerie and I while Father's tea water still boiled. "You three can start eating," She said simply. ".. there's enough to last us until tomorrow, maybe the next day."