Lydia had texted, called emailed and generally harranged her kids into a Sunday family dinner. She, of course, had her foster kids to feed too as well as her bio kids and her long time foster son. Now the Alvin house was full of amazing home cooked smells. Lydia was an expert cook. She could cook anything. Her life as a foster parent had her exploring all different cultures of food, trying to help build rapport and give comfort to kids thrown into her care sometimes by tragedy. Food was comfort. She often had the kids make the food with her to stay connected to the good parts of what came before their time as fosters. With her kids, she had explored Ethiopian, Guatemalan, Chinese, Indian, French, English, Nigerian, Filipino, Vietnamese and even some Indigeous Canadian dishes.
But tonight was about her core family so she was cooking two big chickens in her huge roaster seasoned with lemon, garlic. Black pepper and butter. She was doing her roasted rosemary potatoes outside in another huge roaster on the barbeque. And on the stovetop in a giant frying pan she had brussels sprouts halved and sauteing in butter with salt and pepper and chopped pecans. She had sent the children out to pick veggies for a garden salad and tasked Dante to make it. Simon had offered to bring dessert as he loved to bake so tonight’s meal would be capped off by his famous blackberry cobbler and some nice vanilla ice cream. Simon said he asked Theo to bring the ice cream. Lydia asked Ziggy to bring some kind of bread or rolls, explaining what she was making. Gareth had offered to bring wine for those who drank it and some fun fruity sparkling waters for those who didn’t and the kids.
Ziggy was also bringing a date. But she hadn’t given Lydia a name so this mystery man was bringing himself and he better be worth feeding and romancing her girl. Lydia had told Dante he could invite Genevieve if he wanted but wasn’t sure on that answer yet. There was enough food for all anyway.
Lydia was dressed nicer than her usual track pants t-shirts and flip flops of crocs. She had put on a long flowing multicoloured pastel shades skirt with a fancy leather tie-up, a soft mint green tank top with a light cream coloured button up top open over it. Her headscarf was in the same pastel and light green hues with a little mauve flower pattern and her short fro was freshly washed and soft as it spilled around and through it. She had even put on a few specs of makeup, a matte powder, a swish of shimmery shadow, a few swipes of mascara and a light coating of mauve lipstick. She had on big hoop earrings in a brassy hue and matching bangles. She did what she always did when she made an effort. Lydia looked in her big dresser mirror and nodded and then down to her picture of Dave on the dresser which she picked up and kissed “Prettied up for the kids my love. Not that they’ll pay much mind.” She set him down and went back downstairs. It was almost time.
Dante had made his salad and was now back in the garage on the old couch texting Gen:
Hey Beautiful, did you ask if you can come for dinner? It’s a big Alvin deal tonight. Lydia got all dressed up even. Maybe I should wear a clean t-shirt? XD
Dante was in his usual semi trashed jeans and a punk rock shirt. Tonight’s black tshirt was a Green Day one. He walked into his room after and opened up his closet. He had one dress shirt in plain white. He had gotten it for a court date. Casually he switched from his Green Day tshirt into it and then traded his trashed jeans for a decent pair with no rips, still old, but no rips. Then he pulled a thin black tie from the closet he had worn to court and tried to figure out how to tie it. He was shit at ties. For that court date, he had actually gotten his social worker to do it for him the night before and leave it in a slip-on loop but of course, Dante had yanked it off when he got home and not kept the easy loop option. He sighed at himself in the mirror in disdain “You stupid useless fuck….” With a wince he texted Gen again:
You wouldn't happen to know how to tie a tie, would you? I’m trying a thing and apparently, I forgot I’m dumb as fuck. LOL
Simon Alvin had his cobbler cooled on the stovetop of his tiny apartment. As usual, Simon was in shorts and would be until it snowed. He had a pair of khaki beige cargo ones on today with a blue Doctor Who t-shirt featuring the tardis on it. Over top, he wore an open short-sleeved red white and blue plaid light button-up shirt. He pulled on his white and black sneakers over his little summer socks and tied them up. His hair was cut close to his head as an almost brushcut of tight curl fuzz. He had a long face and he was clean-shaven with deep brown eyes. He was 6’2 and mostly in good shape with a tiny bit of a belly from his love of his own baking and his lazy addiction to pizza delivery after busy workdays. Carbs were love. He walked down the streets with his rectangular baking pan covered by a clean tea towel and greeted some of the townsfolk as he passed, especially the ones with pets. He couldn’t pet all the dogs and keep hold of the dessert so he just chatted and moved along. He ended up being the first to arrive and greeted his mother with a kiss on the cheek “Dessert first?” She laughed and took it and then beckoned him in where he took off his shoes and sat himself down in the living room on one of the cushions of the huge brown sectional. There was the sectional, a window seat bench and two medium-sized armchairs around a simple round coffee table. The room also contained a TV, mounted up high and some shelving on the long wall that included varis books, board games and a collection of DVDs, mostly children’s cartoons. There was also always a puzzle in progress on the coffee table and Simon couldn’t resist picking out a few pieces and fitting them in. This one was a rocky beach scene with whales jumping out of the water in the distance.
Gareth was back to both work his usual grooming routine. He was wearing his perfectly cut blue-black jeans, black bar boots and a retro black and red style bowling shirt. He carried a bag towards the Alvin house that had two wine bottles and a bunch of canned drinks. Now he knocked on the door and was greeted by a big hug from his foster mom who took the drinks from him and bade him to come on in. The house smelled divine and Lydia looked lovely. Gareth complimented her “Lydia...you look gorgeous. Are we meeting a man or something?”
Lydia gave him a little shove “Jesus Gareth….can’t I look nice for my family? And no man of mine...but Ziggy’s bringing a mystery date.”
Gareth blinked “Ziggy has a boyfriend? And he’s meeting the family?”
Simon got up from the sectional “Ziggy has a date?!” He walked over and gave Gareth a hug with lots of back clapping “Hey man. Were we supposed to have dates?”
Gareth snorted “Hey Simon. If the answer is yes, you can’t just bring a dog.”
“Get outta my head Gar…..shit. Ziggy’s got a date.” Simon sighed.
Stone would bounce on the trampoline with the other kids until he was called to come in for dinner. He was wearing hand me down too big red sweat shorts and a yellow soccer shirt with a giant stain on it from an earlier consumed popsicle. His feet were bare and beyond filthy. He had been painfully interrupted to pick vegetables with Dante and now he needed to make the time up. He saw Lydia prepping for a big dinner and she told them all her grown kids were coming over. Those were a lot of grown-ups talking and kids being quiet.
Angel was attending a dinner at the Alvin house but meeting Ziggy there. He was walking over from….well next door. He had managed to evade his family about where he was off to. He suspected they knew he had someone special but he wanted to meet her family properly before bringing her home to his. Ziggy was everything he wanted in a woman; beautiful and voluptuous, creative, smart and oh so sexy. Angel wore black cotton dress casual pants with a black leather belt and a turquoise silky dress shirt tucked in. He had on simple black polished dress shoes. His ponytail was tidy and he carried a bouquet of flowers up to the Alvin house, hovering on the porch and texting Ziggy to try and coordinate their arrival:
I am here my love. How far away are you?
Theo walked up to his mother’s front porch with two bags. One contained two gallons of ice cream. Theo wasn’t much of a cook. Mac and cheese ... frozen pizza .. microwaves meals. But he could buy the best and he had. The other bag held two boxes of a breath freshening dog biscuit. He struggled a bit at the door but came in. “I bring frozen and non frozen treats, family!” he announced himself. He was wearing black slacks and a button down shirt. He passed on the tie, but the shirt was a hunter green. On his feet were the same loafers he tended to wear at work for professionalism. His left hand as without bandages no. He wore a couple of light band-aids over the healing wound.
Genevieve got both of Dante’s text messages. The first one she was already replying to when she got the second, and she giggled.
I asked Dad and he said yes. I’ll be over in about 2 minutes. Yes, I can tie a tie. I’ll come in the back by your room and no you’re not dumb. Love you!
She sent the text and looked at herself in the mirror. Usually a jeans and tshirt girl, tonight she was in a black shirt and light pink blouse. Her hair was down and freshly brushed. She thought she looked alright. She ran downstairs and grabbed her black leather flats from the pile at the front door and walked to the back door. Her mother was cooking and her father was reading on his tablet. They weren’t talking to each other .. still … “Dad, I’m on my way to the Alvins. I’ll be back sometime after it’s over.” she slipped into her shoes and was out the door, barely hearing her father tell her to have fun. She walked quickly through the trees between the two houses and knocked on the back door of the garage.
Elle was dressed in a shirt sleeved tshirt dress. She hoped that her brother would behave. She couldn’t ever remember a dinner this big, like ever.
Ziggy looked at her phone as she approached Angel from behind. “I’m right behind you.” she called. She was wearing brown leggings and s dashiki whose prominent color was turquoise. She carried a bag with three large loaves of french bread. “You look fantastic as usual, baby.”
Angel turned around and beamed at Ziggy and walked to her and slide an arm around her back “Not as fantastic as you but thank you.” He leaned in and kissed her passionately and then reluctantly pulled back “I love you. Are you ready to do this with your family. Mine’s next…” He says with a little laugh. He holds up his bouquet “For your mother.”
Dante met Gen at the back door and opened it with the untied tie just slung around his neck. He took in what she was wearing and her loose hair and looked her up and down like he was drinking her in. He let out a big happy sigh “Fuck you’re beautiful.” He couldn’t help but kiss her “I love you so much…” Then he held up both ends of the tie helplessly at her and looked sheepish “I’ve only worn this once...to court.” He admits with a gulp. His white shirt is untucked from his jeans but for Dante this is practically a tuxedo.
Gareth now hugged Theo as he came in “Theo! Frozen treats…” He looked in the bag “And dog treats…..oooh we’ll all have such shiny coats….” He pretended to pet Simon’s head.
Simon smacked at Gareth’s hand and then took the bags from Theo “Hey Theo. Thanks for picking this up. I made the blackberry cobbler.” He headed to the kitchen to stick the ice cream in the freezer.
Then Lydia steered Gareth out of her way and hugged Theo “So glad everyone’s coming…..how are you doing Theo? I like that shirt. Is that the one I gave you for Christmas?” She straightens his collar and smooths the left arm a bit “Simon never wears any I buy him…” She mutters. Looking down the left arm to Theo’s left hand she gets concerned “Honey what did you do to yourself? You’re all bandaged up…”
“I heard that!” Simon calls from the kitchen. He knew about the bite. He notices the salad and putters around his childhood home, looking out the back at the trampoline and the two dogs lying in the warm sun on the back porch.
Stone flops onto the trampoline and just lies there looking up at the canopy of trees.
Ziggy smiled at Angel. "I love you, too. And yes. I'm ready. They already adore you, so they should be happy you decided you wanted me." she grins. "I want to tell them, Angel." she suddenly tells him. "That you're moving in. We're adults and can do as we please."
Gen smiled at Dante. "Thank you, but look at you." she shrugs. "Now you can wear it to a dinner party. And I love you, too." she takes the tie and does it up as she speaks. "I help Sasha when he has to war a tie for church." and by the time she is done with the sentence, it's done. She straightens it and runs her hands down his sides. "Tuck in your shirt." she whispers and kisses his cheek. "And you'll be beyond perfect."
Theo laughs at his family and hugs his mother. "The dog biscuits are actually for Bean, but you can have a couple, too." he smirks at Simon. He looks at his arm. "Oh, after we left here we stopped to see Henry. And he bit me. I should have thought to give him a tranquilizer but .. nope. Why think when you can bleed, right? One of the EMT's fixed me right up." he bites his lip. That EMT had been on his mind hard ever since.
Elle moves into the kitchen. "Can I help?" she asks. It was very important to her to help and earn her keep.
Angel takes her hand and starts to walk up the stairs and to the door “I’m the lucky one that you wanted me Ziggy. And yes, let’s do it. Let’s tell them.” He raises his hand and knocks.
Since Gareth gor steered back when Lydia hugged Ziggy he was closer to the door now when there was a knock. He moves to it but replies to Theo “Oh hey you got one of our new team. Did you meet Roberts or Munroe? Both pretty cool in my books. And Henry? Geez he only wakes long enough to bite vets and screw the police pooch…..what a guy…” He opens the door to Ziggy holding hands with a Spanish looking guy in a nice shirt with a ponytail “Well good evening Ziggy...and friend. I’m Gareth…” He steps back so they can pass. Ziggy’s on the side closest to him so as they do he’ll lean in and whisper to her “Well he’s hot.”
Simon was the adult in the kitchen wehn Elle asked so he answered “Oh hey Elle...want to set the tables?” He sees the door open and Ziggy standing there holding hands with a guy he’d seen around but hadn't met. One of the Puerto Riccan family he’d been hearing about who were neighbours in the white house next door.
Dante melts a bit at Gen’s touch and doesn’t try to hide the effect she’s having on him but he does grin and tuck in his shirt and then take her hand and if she takes his he’ll lead her through the garage and up into the house that way to what seem to be some conversations already in progress.
Lydia frowned at the bite story “Yikes, bad dog!” She overheard Simon and confirmed “Yes Elle table setting please and thank you.” Then she looked through the now open door and saw Ziggy holding hands with Angel Negron “Hi Ziggy. Hi Angel…..so you’re the boyfriend then?” Her gaze between them was a mixture of bemused and scrutiny.
Ziggy smiles, nods, takes Angel's hand and walks with him. Gareth opens the door and she catches his whisper. Her smile remains, but she speaks through it. "He's mine. Touch him and you become my sister." then she hugs him tight and kisses his cheek. She waves to Simon and her mother. “Yes, he is.” she inhales. “Wow Mom, you outdid yourself!” she looks around the room and spots Dante. “Well look at you! Did Mom make you dress up for a family dinner?” she looks at her mother as if she thought she’d do exactly that.
Gen takes Dante's hand and walks with him. She knows the people who live here, of course but the others .. the biological kids, she didn't know so well.
Theo sighs when he says "Munroe." and he mentally kicks himself. “They’re very professional.” he covered.
Elle nods. "Okay." she takes the dishes and carefully moves them to the table and begins to lay them out. Then she goes back for silverware.
Gareth had hugged Ziggy back with a mock little frightened yelp at her threat. He was about to shake Angel's hand but the guy made a beeline for Lydia so he would wait. Meanwhile he commented back to Theo “Yeah they are. We’re pals and all but Munroe’s kinda cute. It’s the freckles.”
Angel lets go of Ziggy’s hand just long enough to start his evening off by respectfully greeting her mother and offering the bouquet of flowers “Lydia.” Because of their mother’s friendship that was already what he called her. “Please accept these as a thank you for inviting me into your home for a meal. You look lovely and it smells wonderful in here.” He leans in and plants a little kiss on Lydia’s cheek.
Lydia beams at Ziggy “Thank you hun. I’m glad to have you both here.” She takes the flowers and then laughs at the cheek kissing “Oh that Puerto Riccan charm. Thank you Angel.” It dawns on ehr introductions are in order when she hears Ziggy talk to Dante and she begins pointing around “Everyone this is Angel Negron.” She then does an overhead point at Ziggy “Ziggy’s boyfriend.” She gestures to her own sons “This is Theo….and over there Simon...and the odd blonde one Gareth but we love him too. And in case anyone doesn’t know Dante…..and Dante’s girlfriend Genevive….she goes by Gen…..and then the ever so helpful Elle here...you can thank her for the place settings. And Stone and Mina are around….they’ll appear with supper time”
Angel now steps out of his hoes and leaves them by the door and then very politely and with tons of charm walks around and shakes everyone’s hand, beginning with Gareth who he buzzed past to greet Lydia. Gareth shakes his hand back.
Simon gives a little wave when his name is mentioned in introductions and then when Angel makes the rounds and shakes his hand he shakes it firmly “Nice to meet you Angel.” He gives an extra wave over at Dante and Gen “Hi Gen, nice yo meet you as well.”
Dante shakes Angel’s hand and smiles at him but then notices he looks pointedly at the words on his fingers and bread the handshake early looking self conscious. But he answers Ziggy “No Lydia didn’t make me...I just saw how nice she looked and decided not to be such a bum.”
Ziggy watches how Angel handles her mother, and she is pleased. It really helped that their mothers had become such fast friends. Relaxing, she slips out of her shoes. She can't ever help herself and sings out "SImon TheAdore. Do, do, dodododo. Do, Do, dodododo." she sings most of the Chipmunk theme song. She sees Dante's knuckles and how self-conscious he looks after shaking Angel's hand and moves to him. "Nice ink!" she exclaims and looks at them. "Poke and stick, right? Did you do that yourself?" she is an artist and believes the body can make a great canvas. "Because if you did, it's even better, especially on the knuckles like that."
Gen hears all of the introductions and squeeses Dante's hand to be introduced as his girlfriend. She'd slipped her shoes off just outside of Dante's bedroom door. She smiles at Ziggy’s compliment.
Theo was smiling and waving until Ziggy started singing. "Keep it up!" he points at her. Clearly it is a sibling threat. He shakes Angel's hand firmly, however. "Good to meet you." Gareth speaks and Theo nods, his skin feeling warm. "Yea ... I ... yea. She is."
Elle giggles when she is introduced and tries to curtsy.
Lydia moves to take out the chickens and looks very happy about the banter all around. Her big happy family. “Simon take those oven mitts and go get the roasted potatoes off the barbeque. They should be done by now.” She sets the chickens down on the stove and stirs the brussels sprouts “These are perfect…” She begins to delegate more and hears the Chipmunk song and gets distracted singing along.
Simon groans and puts the oven mitts over his ears as he heads to the back door and then out.
Gareth claps Theo on the shoulder and then starts to laugh at the song before offering “What can I do Lydia? You’ve got that handing out jobs look about you?”
Lydia recovers after the song and grins at Ziggy “Love you my girl…..ok yes jobs...Gareth brussels sprouts into a serving dish with a big spoon. I need someone who can carve the chickens….”
Angel pipes up “I can carve the chickens, Lydia.” He had been cracking up at the Chipmunk song but now recovered himself.
Lydia looks impressed and then gets out a big plate and carving knife “Have at it Angel. Theo, get everyone some drinks? Gareth brought stuff….booze and not booze…” Then she looks at Dante and Gen “You two, can you round up the other fosters and get their behinds into chairs at the kid’s table. And no you don’t have to sit at it...come join the big kids tonight.”
Dante nods. He didn’t know the song, just the new version of the Chipmunks which he always thought sucked. He did appreciate that the Alvins were having some fun. He couldn’t help but grin at Ziggy about the tattoo compliment “Yeah I did them...thanks…” Then he tugs Gen along and pops his head outside, stepping back in and holding the food for Simon with the rosemary potatoes before he does it again “Stone? Mina?” He yells. “Supper!”
Ziggy looks over at her mother. “I love you too, Mama!” she looks around the open first floor. In a way, she missed this busy house. But now she was glad she had a place of her own ... she and Angel. She cleared her throat and decided it was better to get it out of the way early. “Mama … Angel’s moving in with me.” she announces loud enough for her mother, brothers and everyone else to hear.
Gen goes with Dante and giggles. She hardly needed him to yell for the younger kids. He just wanted her with him and she adored it.
Theo groans as his mother sings along. Then he snaps to when she starts assigning tasks. He helps Elle with the glasses. When Ziggy makes the announcement that she and Angel are going to live together, he looks at her sharply. Slowly his face relaxes, and he flexes his hand. Looking at the area of the bite, he then looks at his sister. She’d fallen fast. And hard. Freckles flashed across his mind, and he just gives his sister a nod and continues to help Elle. “Congratulations.”
Elle smiles as Theo helps her. "Thank you, Dr Alvin." she says politely.
Simon walks in just as Ziggy announces she and Angel are moving in together and for a second almost fumbles the whole pan of potatoes. He stares between them and then watches for their mother’s reaction.
Lydia was still holding the knife out to Angel as he lifted the first chicken onto the plate to carve. As Ziggy made her announcement it almost looked like she was pointing the knife at Angel as she gripped it a bit “Baby that’s a bit fast….are you sure about this?” Now she suddenly stares at Angel, knife still pointed and face tensing “Are you pregnant?”
Angel smiles lovingly at Ziggy and then at Theo’s reaction. But Simon’s reaction makes him gulp a bit and Lydia’s knife pointing and pregnancy question make him gingerly set down the chicken and step back with his hands up defensively “No….no she is not pregnant. But if she was I would marry her. Lydia I love your daughter. Yes it’s fast but it just is….please believe my intentions are true. She is everything to me.”
Gareth heard it all while he spooned the brussels spouts into their dish. He turned and grinned at Ziggy and then saw Lydia gripping a knife and Angel backing up and professing his love. He reached over Lydia and took the knife from her, casually setting it down on the other side of the chicken plate “Congratulations you two.” He gave Angel a reassuring smile.
Dante managed to herd the younger fosters inside with Gen just before the pregnancy question “Hands...wash em….with soap, Stone. Maybe the feet too and then the hands again ya filthy hobbit.”
Stone raced for the bathroom ignoring the grown up scene in progress.
Dante froze just in the back door and watched, taking Gen’s hand again. He silently chuckled as Gareth took the knife from Lydia’s hand but also let out a little sigh of relief.
Lydia stood in what looked like stunned silence for a minute or two and then nodded at Angel’s words “Ok. I’ll believe you.” She slowly let out a breath and then hugged Angel “But if you break my baby I will find you. Even if you are Maria’s boy.”
Angel’s hands were covered in chicken juice so he hugged Lydia back with his elbows and smiled nervously “I know. And she’d probably help you kill me.” When they let go he gave Ziggy a look of love and went to his task of carving chickens.
At that Lydia laughed and then went to hug Ziggy “I am happy for you, and I do like him.” She sighed and let go and then saw the bouquet still wrapped “I’m gonna put those in water and on our table tonight.”
Ziggy sighed deeply, then rolled her eyes. “Mom! No I’m not pregnant. Put don the knife … please?” she assures them, but especially her mother. “And … fast is a relative thing, Mom. It’s … it’s just right is all. Since the day I met him … it’s … powerful.” she sighs. “Please don’t gld him, Mom. I’m not a lesbian.”
Theo watched his mother and older brother. His mother has a knife pointed at him. “Mom … really?” Listening to Ziggy he nods his head at her words. “They’re fine.” he states. “Sometimes love hits you like a truck.” he looks at Angel. “Hold on. Don’t let her get away.” he realizes when he says it that his family may think he is talking about Sarah, but he isn’t.
Gen watches this family drama unfold and blinks, her heart nearly stopping at seeing the knife. Gareth disarms Lydia and she blows out a breath in relief. Then she looks at Dante. She smiles and squeezes Dante’s hand.
Elle’s eyes go wide as she listens, sees the knife and decides … now is a good time to pick another chore. She moves to her brother. “Come on, mud monster.” she’ll chase after her brother and help him wash hands and feet. If allowed.
The food is laid out finally and Lydia directs everyone who doesn’t know where to sit to a place. At the big long table that is ancient and has fed the Alvins and fosters many beautiful meals there is a short bench at each end and long benches on each side. Lydia takes one head of the table that has a view out the backyard. At the other end she designates Simon, her oldest. Her husband Dave used to occupy that seat many years ago as the older boys would well remember. Then on the side facing the kitchen she directs Mina, Stone, Gen and Dante. Dante is beside Lydia tonight but if Stone misbehaves he’ll be instructed to pick up his plate and trade places so she can watch Stone. After letting his sister help him wash up, Stone is behaving so far. Theo takes the spot on the bench with his back to the kitchen beside Simon. Heading down the table towards Lydia sits Gareth and then Angel with Ziggy seated beside her mother.
Food starts getting passed and loaded up on plates. Drinks are poured and the conversation strikes up again.
Lydia looks towards Angel ready to ask him a few questions but his head is briefly bowed and then he looks up “Oh….you family does grace don’t they? We don’t usually but if you wanted to say one...we can.” She looks towards Gen as well after realizing they had two Catholics at the table as well as Dante who was somewhat raised Catholic before his mother died.
Angel shakes his head and drops a napkin to his lap “I believe what I believe, but I don’t believe in imposing it. I am very grateful for this wonderful meal and company. And for the love of your most amazing and beautiful daughter. So that’s my grace I guess…” He laughs and then winks at Ziggy beside him.
Lydia chuckles “Amen? And fair enough. Angel I was going to ask how the garden centre work treats you. Your mother said you’re applying for other jobs...at the school?”
Angel nods “I have an education degree and a music degree. I haven’t been called in yet for an interview but yes I applied for a position to teach math at the academy. Math was my major in education. Music and math use the same part of the brain actually.”
Simon eats and observes giving Ziggy a little impressed nod about Angel now “I hope you get the job Angel.” He looks at Theo and Gareth “God Mr. Reese….Gareth lived in his detentions. That man was a fossil even when we were in school. He finally retired.”
Gareth shudders now “I still have nightmares about that guy. His dentures never fit right and it was just this incessant…” He uses his tongue to make some truly uncomfortable sucking and smacking noises. “He used to toss me in detention for doing it back to him. I just couldn’t help it.”
Dante cracks up now “Hi still did that….right up to last year. So gross man...so gross.” He looks at Angel and then Gen “My mother was Catholic. She used to say grace too. But it was really half Catholic. She was also very connected to our Mayan heritage….so she thanked Jesus and was big on the virgin Mary, yes, but also Hun Hunahpu...the corn god...it was all connected to time of year. Many deities at our supper table.” He shrugged a little and ate, revealing more about his childhood than he had before. Things were opening up in him, emerging in fits and starts.
Stone was stuffing his face now but tuned in briefly at Dante’s story “There’s a god for corn? I love corn. That’s my god now...unless there’s one for ice cream!”
Ziggy smiles a bit at Angel's words. Dropping her hand under the table, she touches his hip, to let him know she is there and agrees. She gives her family a 'see he's not stupid' look and laughs, remembering her school days.
Theo considers the idea of grace. It had never been a part of their family, as her mother took in as many different religions as cultures. He remembered that Simon made a mean challah. His brows lift when he realizes that this man is far from stupid. "Best of luck, brother." he nods and then both wines laughs, remembering Mr. Reese.
Gen had her own head bowed before she heard Lydia and realized that Angel must be Catholic too. After her offer and Angels words, she speaks to the first of it with. "Amen." she had, like her brother, been trying to sneakily back away from her mother's faith. She shudders when Gareth remembers the old math teacher. "I'm gonna be glad in advance that he's gone." She looks at Dante and can't help herself. "I love it when you show that big, beautiful brain of yours."
Elle eats, keeping half an eye on her brother. He speaks, and she can't help but laugh at him. "Or dirt." she scoffs, then concentrates on her food.
At Elle’s encouragement Stone shrinks down and then rises up, raising his arms to the sky “I AM THE GOD OF DIRT!” He bellows like a holy command. Then he hops up to a squat and stands up on the bench. “I am mud and sand and gravel!” His antics make the bench on that side start to wobble.
Lydia inhales sharply and points at Stone “You can practice your religion with your butt on that bench or you can move your plate and come sit by me.” She gives him the mom eye and Lydia is a master at it.
Dante blushes at Gen’s words about his brain and then backs up Lydia at Stone’s acting up “Aw man sit down. Don’t you dare tip us again.” He said it like Stone had a habit of doing so.
Gareth now engages as a former foster kid “You know Stone. I used to tip the bench. And then one time Lydia made me sit in an old baby high chair, strapped me right in. I was a skinny kid so I fit….but I bet you would too.” He mock threatens.
Simon snorts “You got the creative peaceful parenting solutions, we just got the spoon.” He looks between Ziggy and Theo knowingly.
Angel caresses Ziggy’s hand that’s on him under the table and then laughs “My mother has a spoon. But her secret weapon has always been the ear pinch.” He rubs at his ear like it hurts just thinking about it.
Lydia caps off the topic by simply stating “I still have the highchair and the spoon.” And then she smiles sweetly around and just happily eats as Stone quietly sits down and behaves again.
Ziggy giggles at it all. She'd been too young to remember, but it was a family story. She waits until things have settled and looks over at Dante. "You should think about talking to Siobhan." she suggests. "She and her Dad are looking to reopen. She could use an apprentice, I bet. I know she has a BIG tattoo job in the works."
Theo shakes his head. "God, I remember that time." he shakes his head. "Good times."
Gen marvels at the stories. "We never had anything like that." she watches Stone settle down.
Elle face palms hen Stone starts up. She sees the mom eye, and she hears Dante and watches Stone settle down. It was hard to say what had done it. Lydia or Dante .. or one of the adults.
Dante perks up at the tattoo suggestion “Really? I’d love to work there…” He sees looks to his the words on his fingers come from various folks around the table “These happened in a dark place in my life. Not my best work…” He pulls up his shirt sleeve. The lettering and heart are really quite intricate for a poke tattoo “My mother’s name. People keep asking me if it’s an ex. It’s not.” Then he smiles a little shyly and moves his tie aside, unbuttoning some of his shirt. The birds flying across his left pec are actually incredibly beautiful “These took awhile, and hurt like hell….but they’re the most recent, and better..” He shrugs.
Gareth looks really into the tattoos. “Nice work Dante. Especially the birds. Well you can ink me sometime. Still lots of space on my body canvas.” He unbuttons his shirt and shows off the tiger on his chest “Lenny….I love tigers, what can I say.” Then he stands up for a moment and pulls up his pant leg and turns so they can see the back of his leg where there’s a beautiful koi fish with flowers and water “Siobahn….I think she’s better than her Dad if I’m being honest.” He pulls up the bottom of his shirt and reveals a Japanese character just above his belly button “Sadly trendy and impulsive. It means moon but I got it on a well a sort of date. There’s a woman I never spoke to after that night who has the sun on her belly living somewhere in Ottawa I think….tattoos are for life kids...don’t drink and tat.” He gestures at his back “Got a whole circus scene on my back but I’ll spare you all my strip show antics. The Alvins have seen enough of that for one lifetime I’m sure. Also Siobahn and I’ll show you another time if you want to scope out her work.” For those who know Gareth better it’s an upside down trapeze artist between the shoulder blades and at the top of each ip there is a circus bear on the left and an elephant on the right.
Simon rolls his eyes “Oh take off your shirt Gar, we all know you want to.” He laughs “and that is nice work Dante.”
Lydia snorts “Don’t encourage him Simon. I don’t want to scare off Gen and Angel from their first dinner with us.” She shoots a look down at Stone “But you keep your clothes on and your butt on that bench.” She looks at all the kids “When you’re finished eating you can clear your plates and go play.”
Stone is finished and he makes a bit of a production of picking up his plate and licking it before Lydia shoots him another look “Oh you mean take it to the kitchen?” He gets up and says to Gareth “I want to see the circus tattoos.”
Angel just smiles “I don’t scare easily. I like your work Dante. And I have no art on my body to display so go ahead Gareth.” He’s actually seen a glimpse of what Gareth has in a few paintings of Ziggy’s and he’s beginning to understand why she was able to get so many of him undressed as he seems to be very comfortable with stripping for the family.
Gareth grins “Well since you asked, only.” He unbuttons his shirt the rest of the way and takes it off, turning so everyone can see his back. Then he sits down and modestly puts the shirt back on and buttons it back up again.
Ziggy admires the work Dante's done on himself. "Seriously ... show Lenny and Siobhan. You'll be working there the second you're old enough." she looks at Gareth's ink. "But we don't have the accompanying music." she argues. She has seen the work on Gareth's back. "I'm designing a piece." she announces. "White ink. My first."
Theo nods at the work and laughs at Gareth's striptease. "Very good work." he looks at Ziggy with arched brows. "Not a chipmunk. Please not a chipmunk ... or worse ... a rat." he looks at Angel. "She was a confused child." he explains.
Gen has seen Dante's ink, but she loves it. Gareth is another story and she admires it. "Maybe I could get a tattoo." she murmurs in the direction of Dante.
Elle stares at Gareth hen he strips and blinks rapidly "Oh ...." she squeaks when Gareth takes his shirt off and shows his back. Then, hurriedly, she takes her plate to the sink.
Gareth gives a little not so humble bow about the striptease comments and then cracks up, and even more so when Theo talks about Ziggy and rodents. “Oh god the mice, and rats…..Ziggy hadn’t learned all her animals yet.” He teases her “God job your brothers became vets.” He looks totally into her tattoo idea though “White ink on black skin...that’s going to look freakin hot on you….don’t worry Angel she is my sister.”
Simon chimes in, explaining to Angel who’s looking between them all now “Ziggy wanted to be a chipmunk.” He looks at Theo “Like us….so like a bad cat she brought Mom all kinds of rodents, a few chipmunks, a squirrel maybe and then mice, rats….the dogs went nuts chasing them. Most of them were alive….most of them…”
Lydia shudders “My rat baby….god she tried to drop one into my bath one day….wasn’t squeamish at all about picking up any kinda rodent. I was…..almost ran naked into the road soaking wet. Thank god for you boys….” She shrugs about the tattoos “Anything goes on the body right? I remember having to beg my father just to let me pierce my ears.”
Dante leans in towards Ziggy at both her encouragement and the idea of white tattoos. “Fuck yeah!” He lets slip in his excitement and then looks apologetic to Lydia about swearing in front of the younger kids “Sorry.” Then he laughs a bit and looks amused and shocked by the tales of rodents in bathtubs.
Stone was already out the door and on the trampoline before he even noticed the f-bomb from Dante. He had laughed about the rodents while he rinsed and stacked his plate though but then he got bored and took off with Mina right behind him.
Angel gives Ziggy a curious look about her tattoo design comment “I’ll be curious to see what you come up with.” Then he laughs and laughs about the rodent stories and ends with “Well that’s perfect. Because I have a chinchilla and Ziggy will be fine with him. Don’t out him in the bath though...he wouldn’t like that.” He looks between the vet brothers “I’ve actually been meaning to make an appointment for Fieval. I worry he’s not getting enough hard things to chew for his teeth. They just keep growing.”
Theo laughs, remembering his little sister. "I tried to tell her it's not always what its cracked up to be. But yea .... we were nursing small animals long before veterinary school." then Angel speaks, and he lifts his brows. "A Chinchilla?" he blows out a breath and looks at Simon. "Yea ... um .. we can ... probably take are of him ..."
Ziggy turns slightly darker. "Oh ..." she catches herself before swearing too bad. "Go to hell, all of you." she smiles at Dante and then winks at Angel. "I'll show you later ... you'll probably want me to modest it all up." she teases, suggesting it has something to do with him. Then she looks at Theo curiously. "We'd appreciate that. The appointment."
Gen looks fascinated at the idea of a white tattoo on dark skin. She had very little experiences of any kind with tattoos. She looks between Ziggy and Theo, catching tension.
Elle follows Stone outside and plays with him.
Angel looks really curious at Ziggy now “Modest it up?” He gulps. He’d seen all her nude portraits. Was he to be a permanent one? He nods to the vets “Yes I’ll call. Fievel’s a good boy.”
Simon exchanges the look with Theo “Seriously, you have a chinchilla?” He’s struggling to be polite about it. “How old?” He’s asking like he already hopes it’s old. “They’re a high maintenance pet Angel…” He looks apologetically at Ziggy for scrutinizing Angel’s choice of pet “I mean yeah we’ll do what we can for sure.”
Gareth leans in now and looks curious “OK I’m clearly new to planet earth. What the hell is a chinchilla? I’m getting the vibe that it’s a rodent….rodent of unusual size?”
Lydia just rolls her eyes and starts to clear her own plate “No more rat babies.” she mutters at everyone and anyone. “You kids gonna give me babies one day they better be the real kind.” It’s directed at all her kids but clearly Ziggy is the only one romantically partnered.
Dante starts laughing at the whole conversation and pulls out his phone to google image search Chinchillas. He shows it to Gen and then holds it out to Gareth “They’re cute. Rat like with big ears.”
Ziggy lifts her brows as her brothers sho concern for Fievel as a pet. Then she looks at her mother, hoping to lighten things a bit at least. "After we get married." she assures her. "The sooner, the better."
Theo is also hoping that Fievel is old. He also looks at Ziggy. “No .. they’re just … difficult pets….” Then hos mother mentions babies and Ziggy mentions marriage BEFORE babies and is completely distracted from the subject.
Gen looks at the picture Dante shows her. "Oh, they ARE cute." then she blows out a breath. "They are not ...." she argues, but then looks again. "On second thought ..."
Lydia shoots Ziggy a look and then just laughs “My girl. Careful Angel she knows what she wants. Simon, come sort out your cobbler. We’ll let the little kids have theirs on the porch. Easier that way, as sometimes I just have to hose down Stone after ice cream. His sister is so tidy...how does that work?”
Gareth takes the phone “Holy shit they’re adorable...the tails are a little chipmunky Zig. I think you found yours.” He looks over at Angel and then Ziggy clearly meaning she found hers in him, not his weird pet.
Angel takes Ziggy’s hand and kisses it, looking at her like there’s no one else in the room “I want the same, the sooner the better.”
Simon gets up and his mouth forms an O at Angel and Ziggy and then he exhales into a laugh “Gar call your firefighter pals…..geez you two.” He walks to deal with the dessert, getting out bowls and dishing up cobbler and then ice cream and handing them around at the table. He pops his head out the back with three bowls after and three eager hands grab them and take them.
Dante takes his phone back from Gareth and then his bowl of cobbler and ice cream when it’s offered “Thank Simon.” He looks at Ziggy and Angel and gives them a little smile and then looks at Gen. He was younger than them, but oddly he got it, completely.
Theo turns in his seat and points to the front door. "You know there's a priest in town ..."
Ziggy beams at Gareth and then looks at Angel and just nods. What were they waiting for? Oh .... cobbler.
Gen looks between Angel and Ziggy, then she looks at Dante and he's looking at her. She blinks and just nods at him. She gets it, too.
Lydia dug into her dessert at her old family table. This table had known all the love, rage and sorrow they could pour into it over the years. Now it was an old and new round of it. She looked to her girl Ziggy beside her, so in love with her man, she could barely see anything else. Lydia knew that kind of love. She’d had it with her children’s father. They came from that love and she always hoped they’d come back to it in their own lives. Angel was a good man. She knew it in her heart. She looked down one spot to Gareth. Gareth had suffered so much but he was more him now than he’d ever been in the time she’d known him. He didn’t come from the love her kids did but he came to it and he would find it someday too. Theo, her fat chipmunk. Her baby faced boy even though he was a man. She knew his heart had been broken and watched him struggling with something today and held hope in her heart he’d find his way, like Ziggy. Simon was so quick to joke and dismiss, so quick to deflect and evade. She couldn’t get a read on him. She knew there was a quiet storm there. Lydia could only hope the worst of it was weathered. The fosters out on the trampoline she sent love to. Still young and still a lot of work in some ways, but blossoming like little flowers in her garden. Dante was a taller plant but his flower opened towards the sun shining from Genevieve. She was unexpected, but just what her current most difficult foster needed. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sweetness of the desert and the full feeling in her heart for this ever-changing and always growing family of hers.
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