Page 6 of Summer, in Between
5
MATTY dumps his towelin front of the garage and flies straight up the stairs to the balcony.Directly above my head, Nonna’s delight at my brother’s appearance is as obvious as it is unbridled.It’s OTT, even for her standards.He’smy cherished boythis,my darling boythat, all in a rapid Italian staccato.After following Matty up the stairs I toss the foil to Mum, sitting at the outdoor table with Nonna, a bottle of bubbles between them.
‘Thank you, darling,’ she says.
‘How dare you let your brother walk through the streets like that?’Nonna says.
‘Happy New Year to you too, Nonna.’I pretend to take a sip from her glass of bubbles.
‘Don’t you dare.’She snatches it back, the liquid protesting its rough handling with a flurry of disturbed bubbles.‘Your mother and I are toasting in the new year.’
‘I love that colour on you, Nonna,’ nodding at her new scarf, a Christmas gift from Mum that I helped pick out.She runs her plump fingers over it and smiles.
‘Anything to eat?’Matty interjects.
‘Well, if that isn’t the most ridiculous question.’Here comes Exhibit A, Mum with a giant platter in her hands.She places it on the table and Matty and I pounce.On one side, there’s cold chicken, avocado, cheese, lettuce and tomato, on the other, sliced watermelon and pineapple.
‘Wait, I’ll grab the rolls.’Mum disappears inside.
‘Forget about it, Angela,’ says Nonna.‘They’re like a pair of animals.Anyone would think you haven’t eaten for weeks.’
‘Where’s Dad?’I bite into some watermelon, then spit the pip over the edge of the balcony.
‘Caterina!’my mother and Nonna say in unison.
‘What?’I ask.‘It’s for the garden.Anyway, where’s Dad?We need to have words.’
‘He’s downstairs,’ says Mum.‘Words about what?’Last night’s eyeliner sits smudged well below her eyelids and her hair rivals mine in the dishevelment stakes, twisted into a bun at the base of her neck.
Mum and Dad had friends over last night to watch the Batter’s Cove fireworks from the balcony.When Matty and I got home the party was in full swing.We managed to get Dad’s attention from the shadows and kissed him goodnight before we skedaddled to our beds to avoid being dragged into a room full of dancing fossils.Around one in the morning, Tommy climbed into bed with me, crying from over-tiredness.I drew on his back until he fell asleep, texting my friends and trying not to wake him by laughing.It was such a bad sleep, being woken every now and then by the sound of clinking bottles, a shriek or laugh, and then the farewell shouts as people left.I have no idea how any of them managed to make it down the stairs.Soon after, Dad’s snoring echoed through the house.I’d just drifted off when the sound of the vacuum started, and then ten minutes later I could hear my brothers fighting over the television remote control.Happy freakin’ New Year!
‘Words about the fact that I just had the king of the Neanderthals inform me that he now works for Dad.’
‘It’s a big job, Cat,’ Mum says.‘You think Dad can do it on his own?’
‘You know they call me a SUB, right?’I glance at Nonna who is rearranging the gaps in the platter left by Matty.I lower my voice.‘That’s Stuck-Up Bitch, you know.’
