There was always you

14 | Food, family and jimmy choos

Springing towards me she wraps her arms around me tight, "Il mio bambino!" Stepping back she scans me as she does each time we see each other.

"Are you going to be like this every time I see you?" She shrugs.

"Maybe if you came home more often I wouldn't have to! You and Porter leave your poor mother alone?" Two arms wrap around her and Lydia rolls her eyes.

"Jennie we love you! We just have lives to live?" My mother huffs at her words and Lydia mouths a 'hello' to me, "I also think I burnt the stuffing" As she grimaces my mother immediately rushes to the kitchen.

"It's not even dinner and you're already fucking up the meal?" Nodding she gives me a high five and I pull her into a hug, "Where's my brother?"

"Fighting with your dad" Sounded just about right. Lydia was the little sister I never had, she knew all about Adira. She'd met her at a few lacrosse games my senior year and instantly knew.

She pushed her boundaries by budging me about it only being a few months in with Porter. But she saw it from a mile away and chirped me for standing by and letting her go.

I just wanted Adira to be happy.

"Would it be Thanksgiving if we weren't all fighting?"

"Mmm the Greeks and the Italians together on holiday, I wouldn't expect anything less?" Excusing herself she heads to find my distraught mother fixing whatever mess Lydia made.

I'm greeted by aunts and uncles as I enter the den. Being swarmed with questions was expected as I came home. Though it was only a two-hour drive from the city, it seemed as if I lived across the country.

But the worst was the questions about my love life, or when my future endeavors in it would begin. My father planned my life out before I was even born, but yet I seemed to weave my way out slowly. Choosing my own college, friends, and career and yet he still supported my decisions.

"Have you and your father been to Corfu yet to begin your training?" My Aunt Julia was one to be nosey, but she mostly just cared. She was my father's sister she escaped his life by being a woman. Which I deem sexist and unfair, she never wanted it though.

"I haven't."

With those two words, heads turned my way. I have avoided every single responsibility so far with being a Hawking. Slowly waiting for my father to turn his head to Porter. He had Lydia and he was set up for the job.

I wouldn't be the next Don. That was a job built for Porter, "What do you mean you haven't, you're twenty-six are you not?" Aunt Julie badgers me again.

"Twenty-seven" I speak and this time my throat is cleared.

"Dinner is ready!" My mother announces and with that, a jab is felt in my side.

"Save by the bell" I turned to see Porter chuckling as I looked at him annoyed.

"Not by you, you haven't convinced Dad to take you to Corfu?"

"I'm twenty-four, I have to be twenty-five for the chance. It's a waiting game, you've been doing a good job keeping him out of your hair. Because he didn't mention you once in our fight."