- Chapter 43 – Pasquale looked over the dinner table at Francesca. It had been months since the last time the two had been alone for dinner. “So what are the kids up to tonight?” Pasquale asked, slurping a spoon of lenticchia from his bowl. “Antonio’s studying for his final English exam at Stu’s. He said he’d be back around 9.” “That boy studies hard. I can’t believe he’s almost finished year 12. And Lucia?” “At the movies with Mireya. Mireya’s father said he’d drop her back here by 8:30.” “And Mum?” Pasquale’s mind began to tick. “Bingo with Signora Parlipiano. They’ve got the big jackpot tonight. I’ve got to pick her up at 10:00.” Pasquale smiled broadly to Francesca. “So you mean to tell me, that we have this place to ourselves for the next few hours?” “...Yes” Francesca giggled. Francesca dipped her spoon into her bowl of lenttichia, filling it to the brim. She guided the spoon up to her mouth, deliberately missing and spilling it down her open buttoned blouse. “Oh dear...I seemed to have spilled some on me.” Pasquale tore a piece of chipatta bread and reached over to her. “Mogghia me...” Francesca whispered. Pasquale placed the bread on her chest but Francesca stopped him, taking the bread from his hand. “Not with that...con tua lingua.” Pasquale launched across the table and began sucking at Francesca’s chest, spooning more lenticchia onto her with each wildly passionate kiss. After almost a bowl’s worth of lenticchia, Francesca took the spoon from Pasquale and guided his hands down her soaked blouse and onto her waist. She bit down on his neck and began to nibble up towards his cheek, the overwhelming smell of Pino reminding her of her first time with Pasquale. Pasquale, infused with passion, tore his shirt off and threw it across the room as the front door burst open. “Mum, Dad, I’m back. We caught an earlier movie.” Francesca panicked and tried to button her lenticchia drenched blouse as Pasquale frantically looked for his shirt. Lucia walked into the kitchen and stared at her two parents on the floor. “Um...your mother spilt lenticchia on herself...and I took my shirt off to help clean it up.” Pasquale gave an awkward smile knowing Lucia didn’t buy it. “Seriously? You guys are gross.” Lucia rolled her eyes and gave a disgusted look. Francesca giggled to herself as Pasquale fumbled with his buttons. Lucia grabbed an apple from the fruit-bowl. “I’m going to my room to bleach my eyeballs.” Lucia disappeared into her room, followed shortly by loud music. Pasquale looked at Francesca. “This was much easier when we were just dodging my Mum.” The next day at school, Antonio sat nervously at his desk as the exam papers were given out. The sound of his teacher’s high heel boots clonking across the hard wooden floor replicated his heartbeat as he tried to remember all the topics he had studied over the course of the year. Year 12 had been a trying year for Antonio. Antonio found a passion for writing, winning several short story competitions in his local area. He was applying for a Bachelor of Journalism course at Monash University, one which was notorious for its competitive entry score. It all boiled down to the exam that sat before him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small cloth pouch. Inside the pouch was a good luck charm his Nonna had given him, the relic of Padre Pio. He removed the small piece of tunic and placed it on his desk. He took his S.Antonio medallion from his neck and placed it on the relic. Nonna had insisted he ask all the saints to be with him. He always found the idea of saints odd. He couldn’t understand why his Mum and Nonna would pray to God’s middle-men instead of asking God himself for help. Arguing this point with Mamma was pointless. She would always respond by saying ‘why just h’ask yu Nonna to cook for yu dinner when yu can h’ask for yu Mamma to cook as well.” Mamma would often place herself as God in her metaphors. As strange as he felt about the saints now on his desk, he felt the comfort of his Nonna’s presence in them. His teacher dropped the exam onto his desk and smiled at Antonio. She mouthed the words ‘good luck’ as Antonio flipped open the first page. Exiting the exam, Antonio took in a breath of fresh air knowing his high school years were now over. He was feeling happy with his effort, confident he had done well in the exam. He met up with Stu outside the school and began to walk home. Stu was nervously chatting about the various questions and trying to estimate how he went when Anthony rode between them on his BMX bike, almost knocking Antonio to the ground. “What’s up losers?” he snarled. Anthony had a strenuous time at high school over the past few years. Having failed year 8 and 9 consecutively, Sebastiana refused to have him repeat, continually insisting that ‘he was due to mature up any day now.’ Half way through year 10, Anthony started skipping school and spent most of his time down at the local arcades dropping countless coins into various pinball and video game machines. Anthony left school half way through year 11 and started an apprenticeship at the butcher shop with Giovanni and Pasquale. “You dorks just finish your exams?” Anthony chuckled, his many chins grinning in unison with his smile. “Aren’t you supposed to be at the shop?” “Your dad sent me home; he reckons I’ve learnt all I can for this week.” “But it’s only Tuesday,” Stu replied, smirking at Antonio. “Unlike you losers, I can learn a week’s worth in just a couple of days. Mum says I’ve got a brain like a sponge.” Anthony pulled out a Mars bar from his pocket and devoured it in three quick bites. Stu had a real hatred for Anthony. Anthony would often get him and Antonio into trouble, blaming various antics he perpetrated on them. Anthony once wrote Stu’s name in black texta all over a train on a school excursion and planted the texta in Stu’s bag before accusing him of vandalism to the teacher. Stu looked on at Anthony’s now obese carriage balancing precariously on an undersized bike. “Isn’t that bike a little...small for you Anthony? The wheels are warping.” “Mum gave me this bike for finishing Year 8, she says she got it imported from Germany especially for me.” “But you didn’t pass year 8...” Stu replied, laughing to himself. “You’re just jealous because you have to go to school and I’m earning big bucks down at the butcher shop.” “Actually we just finished school...” Antonio began to say but was interrupted by Anthony letting out a tremendous burp. “You guys wanna go do something?” Anthony asked, chewing on some food that had resurfaced from his stomach after such a powerful burp. As much as he was jealous of Antonio, Anthony had no real friends and was often bored as a single child at home. “Nah I’ve got to get back home, I’m taking Nonna and my parents out to dinner.” “Can I come too? Where are you going?” “I’m going to surprise them and take them to an Indian restaurant in the city. I’m trying to get them to try new things.” Anthony laughed. “Screw that! Later losers.” Anthony kicked up some gravel as he attempted to speed off on his bike. He circled around and attempted to pull up the front wheel, lifting it barely from pavement. “Sick wheelie!” Stu yelled, laughing at him. Anthony stuck his finger up at Stu and tried to speed off, stacking his bike instead. Anthony, holding back tears, slumped back onto his bike and took off down the street. Stu turned to Antonio. “Is it just me, or is Anthony’s flesh not synchronised with his skeleton when he moves?” That night, the Testaduras arrived at the Indian restaurant. Mamma Testadura, clutching her bag tightly, looked around at the various elephants decorating the room. She whispered to Antonio “Cosa mangiano gli elefanti?” Antonio giggled. “No Nonna, these are Indian Gods.” Mamma’s eyes opened and she reached for her bag, removing a vial of holy water. Antonio reached for her hand. “No Nonna, it’s OK. You don’t need to bless them.” “This not for them, this for me.” Nonna said, dabbing some water on her neck. After a few minutes, the group was finally seated by a young Indian man wearing traditional Indian clothing. “Welcome to Dheli Delight, my name is Minkhia and I will be your waiter this evening.” Mamma Testadura looked at Antonio again. Antonio shook his head at her, indicating to her not to say anything. “Please let me know if you have any questions. I will give you a few minutes to look at the menu.” Minkhia politely backed away from the table as the Testaduras wrestled with the menu. “I don’t know what any of this stuff is,” Lucia said. “Antonio, wu-ne a pasta?” Mamma asked. “They don’t serve pasta here Nonna.” Mamma’s fungia began to develop. “Nonna, no fungia tonight, trust me you’ll love this food.” Mamma reversed her fungia and smiled at Antonio. She nodded and handed over the menu to him. “Yu chose for mi what tu eat. I no spik cinese.” Francesca, forever the optimist, looked over Antonio. “This all looks so good. I have no idea what to choose.” she asked. “Perhaps something you can spill over yourself?” Lucia replied, smirking at Francesca and Pasquale. Mamma caught the smirk and knew exactly what Lucia was talking about. Minkhia returned to the table with a tray of glasses filled with water. “Are you ready for me to take your order?” Antonio, looking around at the confused faces around the table, took the initiative and began to order for everyone. “I’ll have a Shadjhani Korma with saffron rice, my Nonna will have Tandoori Chicken with plain rice. My sister will have a Chicken Makhani. Mum will have the Gosht Buna Masala and my dad will have Machi Masaldar.” “Very good sir,” Minkhia replied. “Would you like some appetisers? “A serve of Vegetable Samosas. And can we get a round of Lassi’s to drink please.” “Excellent sir.” Minkhia turned to Pasquale. “And how spicy would you like your Machi Masaldar?” “Oh make it spicy, I love a good chilli.” Pasquale replied, boasting to the table. “Dad, maybe you should consider a mild, these dishes can be pretty spicy.” “Relax Antonio, I’ve been eating chillis since I was a kid. Spice it up Minchia!” As the night progressed, the Testaduras grew impatient with the slow service. After almost half an hour, the appetisers arrived. Mamma picked up a samosa. “Ma chi suno chisti? Arancini?” “No Nonna, it’s a samosa. It’s pastry filled with vegetables and curry. It’s really nice.” Mamma nibbled the edge and placed it on the table. “No, I no like this one.” “Nonna, you didn’t even break through to the centre, just try it.” Pasquale, who was by this time starving, scooped it up from Mamma’s plate and stuffed it in his mouth. “Yeah not bad,” he declared to the table, wiping his mouth on the table cloth. After another half hour wait, the main course finally arrived. Mamma looked at the bright orange chicken in front of her and held her fork hesitantly. She was well and truly out of her comfort zone but knew it meant a lot to Antonio. She stabbed a piece of chicken with her fork and looked over to him, smiling. She placed the chicken in her mouth and was pleasantly surprised. “Chisto pollo e veramente bono!”Nonna proclaimed, stabbing another. “Yeah Ant, this chicken rocks!” Lucia added. “This lamb is quite tender,” Francesca added. Antonio was happy that his family had embraced this experience. He looked over to his dad to gage his review of the food. Pasquale was visibly sweating. “Dad, how is your fish?” “It’s...good...” Pasquale struggled to talk. “A little spicy.” “Here Dad, drink some of your lassi, it will help.” Mamma looked at the glass in front of her. “E sta dringa come si chiame?” Mamma asked. “Lassi.” Mamma grabbed the glass from Pasquale’s hand. “Pasquale, yu no drink that. It latte di cane!” Pasquale spat out the drink from his mouth. “Nonna! It’s not Lassie the dog. It’s lassi, an Indian yogurt drink!” Antonio exclaimed. Lucia burst out laughing. Francesca clinked her glass to bring order back to the table. “This has been a wonderful night. We would like to congratulate you Antonio on finishing high school with this.” Francesca handed over a small box. Antonio excitedly opened the box and revealed a car key with a FIAT key chain. “No way!” Antonio yelled. “You got me a car!” “Actually, Nonna did.” Francesca replied. Antonio leapt from his chair and embraced Nonna. Antonio sat back down in his chair and stared at the keychain. Francesca continued. “I think you are in for a very bright future Antonio, we look forward to the years ahead.” Francesca smiled at Antonio and looked around. For just a moment, she caught a glimpse of Mamma struggling to catch her breath. Before Francesca could say anything, Mamma put on a brave face and smiled at her. Francesca smiled back, trying desperately to ignore Mamma’s pale complexion.
Posted on: Mon, 30 Sep 2013 06:22:29 +0000
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