For the Famiglia: Intertwined fate

Taking care

Things were tense, to say the least, the past few weeks my work had ceased for a while due to the issues between New York and New Orleans, it had gotten ugly. When news broke of what Montrel had done all hell broke lose any of us previously from New Orleans were looked at with scepticism except for those like Catarina no one would have dared with her marriage to Santos lucky for her unfortunately for me however my father was one of the people who sided with Montrel, no doubt setting himself up for an awful fate. I had no idea where he was now and no doubt he was buried somewhere, somewhere I would never know. I don't know if I could grieve a man who was barely in my life and treated me coldly when he was about but my sentimental side argued he was still my father. Either way amongst it all I found myself ignoring and hiding out at Catarina’s she needed help anyway too much adrenaline in the situation before they had realised she had a broken wrist.

“Why can't I cook like you” she groaned as she scooped some of the soup up into her mouth.

“Cause anytime you try to cook you almost burn down the kitchen” I laughed sitting beside her at the dining table. I always liked the old hardwood the thing looked like it belonged in a farmhouse more than it did in a luxury apartment.

“Aunt Patrizia always cooked for me” she replied continuing to eat “have you heard from my sister?” she questioned Catarina had never been close to her sister after all and with everything with Torre had only made it worse I knew she missed her though and her nieces.

“A little she said she got a job in a bakery. She will come around don’t worry” I attempted to support but it was obvious she had doubts.

“What about you? With uncle and all” she turned to me. We had always been close after all we had been the youngest of all our cousins Catarina was unplanned after Bel and Don and my mother had had a hard time until I came as a ‘miracle baby’ so it left the two of us as the babies of the family. Catarina was always being bullheaded however her new life seemed to have changed her similarly to how mine had changed me I suppose.

“My grandfather is trying to save face since it was only my father who sided with Montrel... The rest of the family have basically acted like his name is mud” I shrugged what could I do my father had caused this himself, unfortunately, he was undoubtedly dead in the crossfire and misses the consequences of what the rest will face.

“Do they still want you back?” Catarina questioned.

“my mother is living with my grandparents and they want me to join... My grandfather is a lot more dictatorial than my parents” which was true if it were up to him and people from New Orleans were allowed in New York he would have shown up packed my things and dragged me back.

“Screw them” Catarina grumbled as she continued to eat. The pair of us fell into silence.

:::

“She’s going to get to used to this treatment” Santos teased after entering the apartment. Catarina and I are now in the lounge with coffee and cake. She smirked as she drank from the mug. Santos seemed amused as he stepped closer to the lounge room.

“Someone should cook nicely for me. You won’t” she shot back. He lightly chuckled before stealing some cake from her plate which she tutted over. Their relationship wasn’t at all how it seemed usually Santos was quiet and seemed cold but some days he seemed to not be able to help himself and let a softer side appear it was hard not to notice in the amount of time I had been spending there. I was happy for my cousin though I wasn’t sure I believed Catarina when she said things were okay between them but she had been truthful the care was obvious and frankly enough to envy.

“You could it’s not my fault everything you touch in the kitchen turns to charcoal or ash” he continued.

“I didn’t say me cooking, Santy” she rolled her eyes.

“My grandmother cooks for you” he defended “she’s doing a whole party for us in a few weeks.”

“Oh yes” she seemed enthused over the matter “Fia...” she suddenly turned to me “you should come it’s going to be at Santos’s family home nothing too big.”

“I don’t know—“

“It’s our first anniversary. I would really like you to be there” she leaned closer whispering “most are Santos’s family I need someone on my side.”

“I heard that” he scoffed.

“I meant you too” she smirked. I tried not to laugh at their banter to anyone else they frankly seemed like a cute couple no one would assume they were an arranged marriage or the world we live in “Loretta’s cooking and you haven’t tried her food it’s amazing.”

“As good as aunt Patrizia?” granted she wasn’t my aunt but I had spent enough time around them to know how good her food is.

“Don’t make me choose” Catarina complained “will you come? You don’t need to get a present and I would be stuck there with all those bitchy wives.”

“They aren’t that bad—“ Santos began but Catarina let out a ‘HA’ as soon as the words came out. She was right most of the other wives especially the older ones were the worst so many lunches I had to put up with them carrying on as some say too much money and not enough sense.

“Yes they are” she countered “it will be a good night though so you should come.”

Thinking it over what else was I doing right now my job was still on hold from the drama the only thing getting me out of my apartment was coming to see Catarina anyway with a sigh of defeat “Okay, yes I will come.”