……………………The next day The Anna’s and I were waiting in our schools car park waiting for Indira to come pick us up, she called the school this morning telling them to give me a message that she would pick the kids up first and then she will come pick us up. Before she left last night we decided not to tell the rest until we were all together what she came up with, but I had to tell someone or couldn’t sleep that night. So after she had left I called Nicky telling her everything that Indira had told me and tell her that I won’t be going to work today because we had to go meet our new family. Of course, it was easier to talk to her now seeing that I decided to use Ms Jacksons room and leave the room I shared with the Anna’s for them. When I told her she was a little excited about the news but also a little sad that I won’t be joining her today saying that it will be a really boring day today at the shop. I just laughed and told her she’ll pull through, and that maybe when she gets home she will have me to talk to and tell me everything that happened.
The three of us were standing in the empty car park waiting for Indira, I could feel that Marianna and Anna were really nervous about this whole thing, when we came outside to wait for Indira they bombarded me with question but I didn’t give anything away, I thought it would be best if Indira told them the whole story, because I only knew some part of it. And she did tell me that she thought it would be better like that too, therefore we are going to have lunch together before we go meet the family so she can explain everything to the kids and the Anna’s. And because of this they were killing me with their fidgeting and pacing up and down when we were waiting.
“Could you guys stand still for one minute, I'm about to go crazy with your pacing.” I yelled making them jump.
“We’re sorry Caith, but we are really nervous for what is going to happen today…didn’t she tell you why we were meeting her all together for lunch?” Anna asked.
“Oh no! Not the 21 question game again, I'm not going to answer any question anymore” I said standing up from where I was seated, and suddenly a black car caught my eyes following by a piercing honk.
“Ah saved by the bell.” I said. “Let’s go they are here.” I said motioning to the black car standing right outside of the school gates.
“Finally, I was about to go back inside and -…” she stopped midsentence and her eyes went wide when she finally noticed the car. Well the SVU standing right there, it was a black Hyundai Santa Fe SVU, with black windows almost like those FBI cars.
I wasn’t that shocked because I already seen it when she came to school that day to save us from being expelled after the fight. She lowered the passenger side window and I saw that she was laughing and I could hear the other kids laughing too, I was confused. And I think it showed on my face too when she could have said something she pointed a finger telling me to look back, when I did I was encountered with the most hilarious face I had ever seen. The Anna’s were standing behind me holding their hands, mouth wide open and eyes about to bulge out of their sockets. I have to admit it really was funny so I started laughing too.
“Finally, that made you guys shut up…you were almost asking my head off out there. Now you want to stay there and eat flies or you want to get in the car and let’s have a decent meal?” I asked them after I could breathe again. The snapped out of their daze and darted for the car door to get in. I just shook my head and walked to the passenger.
Once I was inside it was my time to gawk and their time to laugh at me. The inside was a combination of black leather and Mahoney wood on the dashboard, all the seats were black leather and the lights of the radio station and the meters were bleu. It was just amazing and I couldn’t keep myself from touching them. I was just like a small kid touching everything to be sure it’s real. When Indira was done laughing at me she started the car – which I didn’t notice because it didn’t even give a sound away – and we were gliding away to the restaurant to have lunch………………
……………... the ride to the restaurant was quiet, all the kids including the Anna’s were engorge with the movie Indira put for them on the backseat monitors, and I was still in a daze to talk to anyone.
“So I take you like the car?” Indira asked after a while snapping me out of my daze. I just nodded, because I didn’t trust my voice to say anything. “Well maybe someday you can drive it. Would you like that...” she said with a smirk on her lips.
My eyes went wide, “Really, would you let me drive your car…” I asked jumping up and down in my seat, she nodded. “I would love that” I said. But then something hit me, I can’t drive…I never stayed in a foster home enough for someone to teach me how to drive, so I don’t have a drivers license and I can’t drive. Indira saw the sudden change in my mood in her face turned into worry too.
“What's wrong Caith?” She asked me.
“Well I can’t drive, no one taught me how to drive.” I told her, and she just laughed.
“Don’t worry about that, I'm sure your new mom will teach you and once she does and you have your driver’s license you can call me and I’ll pick you up so you can drive this car.” She said patting my knee. And then suddenly the car stopped and she turned to the kids and the back seat and said “We’re here”.
We were standing in front of Luigi’s Pizza Palace right on the corner of the busy downtown. I knew Luigi’s because its three buildings away from the music store, and Nicky and I always came here for lunch before we had to work. When we walked in Gino the owner and the chef was standing at the counter talking to some guy – the guy looked really familiar I have to say – but I just waved at Gino and motioned him that we were going to sit on my usual spot. He just nodded and showed me one finger indicating he’ll come around in one second.
Once he was done with the guy and the guy had left Gino came to our table, when I saw him coming towards us I stood up from the table awaiting his way to greet me. When he was close he caught me at my hips and hoisted me as high as he could and crushed me into his arms, when I gave him the release pat on the shoulder he put me down and gave me one fat kiss on the cheek, like he always did. Gino is an fat Italian blubber, but he has the most beautiful hazel eyes that I had ever seen – well except for the ones of my boss’s nephew – and he’s semi bald, that’s why hes always wearing that chef hat on his head.
“Wow, and here I was thinking how my day is going to suck if I couldn’t give my favorite customer her favorite hug.” Gino said looking at me.
“Oh shut it, you know I cant stay away from this place.” I said hugging him again.
“Well, when I saw that crazy friend of yours walk inside this building an hour ago alone I was thinking something bad happened and you got food poisoning from all my pizza’s. But when she told me you had some important meeting with a new family I got more worried because I thought I was going to lose you.” He said hugging me less hard back.
“I would never leave this place G, you know that. I cant survive without your delicious pizza.” I said while pulling away to look at him with a sly smile.
“Oh so you only come here for my pizza’s, huh??” he said and started to tickle me making me shriek. When we heard someone clear their throat he stopped tickling me and he turned to look at my table. “Oh, I'm sorry…I love this girl so much I forgot that she entered this place with other people…” Gino said looking at everyone of my sibling’s one at the time and then settled his eyes on Indira’s face. There he stayed for a while and I saw a blush creeping up his neck, when he realized he was staring at her. “Indi, is that you?” he asked Indira, and she nodded. “And who are these cute little bambino’s” He asked in his thick Italian accent.
“These are my brothers and sisters, well adopted brother and sisters, but we are as family as any blood related sibling.” I said looking at them with a smile on my face. I came closer to Gino and started introducing my siblings. “These are Alicia and Alex they are 5 years old and twins” I said pointing at them “we are almost 6” Alicia said holding out six finger to Gino. He laughed and I continue, “This is Calvin and he's eight, and he's my personal bodyguard” I said hugging Calvin making him uncomfortable, he waved at Gino. “And these are Marianna and Anna-Maria, they are 16 and they are also a set of twins.” I said and they said their hey’s and hi’s. “And I bet you already know Indira, she's our social worker” he blushed again.
“Well nice to meet you all and welcome to Luigi’s, where every pizza is homemade and are the only pizza’s from a real Italian recipe and of course from a real Italian.” He said spreading his hand out and almost yelling at the end of his speech. “Now tell me, what can I get you?” he asked.
“Why don’t you make something nice for us that you know for sure we’ll like?” Indira asked and he smiled back at her.
“Ah! A surprise pizza it is…a large one?” he asked and we all nodded. “A large surprise pizza coming up!” he said and turned and leave for the kitchen yelling at his sous-chef in Italian……………………
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