Me and my baby strutted into the restaurant like we owned the place. We looked so good, I’m surprised no one hit on us, tee hee. I love how confident Lessi is in her own skin. She reminds me so much of myself at her age. I didn’t care about clothes and makeup, to Mommy’s dismay. But I was pretty, and I knew it. She knows it too and is perfectly content with letting her natural beauty shine, and I love that.
She asked if she could order a drink. A drink drink.
I chuckled at the memories of my parents letting me drink with them but admonishing me not to tell the other.
“Sure, babe. But don’t tell Luca.”
She grinned so hard. I think it’s cute how she is attached to her brother but loves having this separate, secret life from him.
“What’s wrong, Mom?”
I didn’t realize my smile had faded.
“Nothing, babe. I was just thinking about my mom. We used to hang out like this a lot. I still miss her so much.”
She nodded slowly, like something I said intrigued her.
“What was she like?”
My smile returned as I remembered how bored she was at the cemetery that day. That’s when it hit me. She’s not apathetic toward everything like I thought. She just needs to see them in the right context to understand their importance. Besides, she was just a child then. How could I expect someone so young and energetic to enjoy a history lesson in a cemetery, of all places?
“She was…fierce. Like, you know how we got dressed up to come here? Mommy would have already been dressed. She stayed dressed. She was a big deal in the fashion industry. Heh, I bet she could turn a garbage bag into the next trend. She exuded confidence like I’ve never seen before. She was the best mom. Super protective. I never had to worry about anything. Even as an adult. I named you after her, you know.”
“My middle name.”
“She loved you guys so much. I could barely spend time with you when you were an infant. She always had you.”
“I wish I could remember her.”
“I wish you could too, babe. I wish you could too.”
“I think you’re fierce too,” she said.
I almost broke into tears.
“You do?”
“Yeah! I mean, you always look great, and you’re not afraid of anything.”
That warmed my heart so much.
“That’s not true, but it means a lot to me that you’d think so.”
She smiled.
“This is fun,” she said. “We should do it again.”
“I would love to.”
