Beyond Reality - Watty winner in Spanish

Chapter VI

The food is wonderful. I think it's a kind of lentils stew with other vegetables...with the most amazing sauce prepared by Esther.

Esther is a robust and loving woman who works here since I can remember. She used to work at my grandmother's house back in France. She has always been one of those very close nannys, but she is a bit more gossipy than my parents are. If I ask her not to arrange my clothes, she does it anyway; if I aske her how she is doing, she tells me everything from how she came from Lyon to Paris and then from Paris to Kentucky. She asks me about everything. I remember when she met James, she told me he was the most gorgeous man she had ever met.

"Alexandra." George says in order to get my attention.

His tone is pretty serious just like the look on his face.

It's nighttime already and we are having dinner in the living-room. We always have dinner here though we only occupy a very small space in the huge table. The last or the first seats in either of the ends. George is always on the head and mom and I one in front of the other one on his sides.

"What?" I answer back to George after swallowing some water, expecting some kind of serious talk.

"Your mother and I have been talking." he explains. He looks at mi mom and then back to me. "And we've decided we want you to be very careful with your timing. This is your last year, Alexandra and we want you to experience it as it is. You'll have your whole life to continue with your painting and reading which we think it is perfect and we love you just the way you are. However, you should have fun... Go out with your friends, go shopping or dancing. And well, you should also, well..."

"What your father is trying to say..." My mom interrupts him taking his hand. "Is that it'd be nice if you could organize your activities better and please, do not skip any phase. That's all."

They both look at me like waiting for and answer -like there should be one. I drop my spoon and I sigh deeply.

"This is about James, right?"

They look at me again, starting to get nervous. Lecturing is not their best quality. It has never been their virtue.

"No, kiddo, it's not that... it's not about James. Well, in fact he is part of it." George says.

"James is a great guy and we know what you both have is really strong." My mom says.

I'm expecting a 'but' there...

"But..."

I knew it.

"Just think about it... You are only nineteen years old. You have your whole life ahead and you've been together for... What? One and a half months?"

"Two months." I whisper and I cross my arms.

"Two months, Alex. You said it yourself. Two months. And you seem to be married for long ten years! You're going too fast!"

"Mom, please. Could you try not to be a drama queen for once in your life?" I say to her losing my patience. I know she is not exaggerating that much, but I'm just bothered by the way she said it.

George observes us and I know he is thinking about vanishing. He hates this kind of conversation as much or even more than I do. On the other hand, my mom loves them... I think of all the things she must have said to George for him to speak first. Under pressure, of course, but he was the one who brought this topic up. George wants to vanish and so do I.

"I know you cannot understand it, mom. We've talked about it a thousand times and I've told you the same every time. Do you think that after some weeks I'd changed my mind? That I'd realize James wasn't for me or something like that? If that is what you thought, you were wrong. Because I'd never leave him." I say without breathing in between words and releasing every thought in my mind. "Besides, you know I have no friends and I will never have. I don't rely on that kind of friendship with people my age and I have nothing in common with them. I'm not interested in going dancing, buying clothes together with friends, not even gossip around all the time. You should be thankful because I have a best friend which happens to be my boyfriend. I'm not asking you to understand me, I never did. I'm asking for your respect." I drop my napkin and I leave the room. Mom and George do not try to stop me...because they know how much I hate that.