DINNER OR DISASTER?

As soon as Antonio drove into the packing space of his parents house, he turned to see Mariano already waiting for him.

"I'm not in the mood Rian." He said, walking past him.

"Wait for me dickhead!" Mariano ran after him. He finally caught up to him, and blocked his path.

"What do you want?" He hissed.

"To tell you that Aunt Carrie, shit the whole family is around."

"What?" A grim expression suddenly fell on his face.

"You heard me. Everyone is around, and seated for dinner. Just wanted to give you a heads-up."

"Shit!" His mouth drew back, exposing teeth.

"I know."

"Your parents?" He saw Mariano tense, and understood.

They were an old fashioned couple that were still coming around to the fact their son, was gay.

"It's alright. We'll get through this dinner." He patted his back, until he visibly relaxed. Then they made their way, into the house.

They stepped into the dinning room, and everyone turned to look at them. Antonio did scan, and everyone was indeed present.

"Anto, you're here!" His mother who sat beside his father at the head of the table called.

"Praise God, we can eat now." His maternal grandma Eleanor, rolled her eyes. He could see she was still bitter, and mean. Some things never change.

"Yeah finally." His aunt Carrie who supported everything her mother did, especially when it was against her sister, snickered.

"Hello everyone." He said, ignoring the duo.

"Hello to you too. You just grow taller every time we see you, yeah?" Elizabeth, the daughter of his mother's only brother, said.

He sighed, relieved. The other sane siblings were present too.

"And you, even prettier". He threw her a wink, and she caught it, and giggled.

"Come both of you," Caroline, the youngest of his mother's siblings, and tbe quietest of them all, patted the empty chair beside her. "Sit with me."

They each took a seat, and sat down. Everyone sat in silence after, as Natalia served the food.

"Oh these look delicious Nat. You've outdone yourself." Seth, his uncle said.

"The cooks sure did!" She joked, and everyone laughed. Everyone except Eleanor, Carrie and her identical scrawny husband, Garrie. Also Mariano's father, who never actually smiled or laughed, ever.

"It even tastes better!" Caroline sighed, biting into her food.

Everyone dug into their food, ignoring the tension brewing.

"So what are you kids up to these days?" Elizabeth who was the same age with Antonio, but liked to behave older, asked.

"Being hounded by the press, I presume." Carrie snarked, and her husband bobbed his potato head in support.

Matteo froze. Antonio's head dropped, and Natalia's eyes widened.

"You're absolutely right babe. That's all I see in the news." Garrie with a mouth stuffed with chicken, acceded. He stretched out his dry fingers, and his wife passed him the salt box. He proceeded to sprinkle it excessively on the heap of pasta on his plate. Every pair of eye in the room was fixated on the scrawny who ate like a horse.

Matteo fought the urge to defend his family. His wives hands covering his under the table, stopped him. Antonio on the other hand, did not say a word. He knew Carrie was looking for a reaction from him. It's what she did best. Mariano was just glad, no one's attention was on him.

"You should probably watch the amount of salt you consume. I don't think we have the expenses to waste, neither do we want to add one more family scandal, when you inevitably kick the bucket, from hypertension." Elizabeth smiled like she had just said the nicest thing.

Carrie gasped.

"Mother, tell Seth to control his daughter."

"Or you could tell your husband to keep his nose out of family business." Mariano's sister, Kayla said.

Carrie scoffed, "And you consider yourself family? "Are you not the fag's sister?" Garrie exploded into a bray of laughter, as silence descended the room.

His laughter slowly disappeared when he noticed the look of horror on everyone's face. Even his wife knew she had crossed a line. Everyone waited in silence for what was to come. Carrie shifted closer to her mother, who despite her trembling hands, gave her a reassuring squeeze. As long as she was present, no one was going to hurt her Carrie.

Leonardo Lorenzo, the only surviving family of Matteo, whose presence was as a result of Matteo pleading nonstop with him for the past few days, dropped his fork. The sound of it landing. The sound reverberated round the quiet room, causing a shiver down everyone's spine.

"Matteo, vient con me por favour." He pushed his chair back, and walked away.

Matteo followed behind him.

Everyone finally let out the breath they were holding, when the two men were out of sight. Antonio patted Mariano's legs reassuringly under the table. He could feel him tremble.

"You need to eat more Antonio, you've lost a lot of weight." Caroline trying to break the tension, stacked both Antonio,and Mariano's plates with more food.

"Thanks aunt Caro" they both said in unison.

"Are we savages now?" Eleanor who had been quiet all along, suddenly banged the table.

"Mum!" Natalia's eyes widened.

"Do we now storm out of the dinning table like peasant savages? Where for the love of Christ have you dropped your ethics? I know you married into a family of dirty leeches, but have you also failed to turn these monstrosity into half decent humans Natalia?" Natalia's jaw dropped as she stared at her mother in utter disbelief.

Carrie smiled enjoying every bit of the slander. She knew her mother was always going to come through for her.

"Mother, please not now" Natalia whispered, tears shimmering in her eyes.

Her mothers words stung. Eleanor had never accepted Matteo. She tried everything she could think of to make her mother see what an honourable man he was, and why she loved him so much, but she never succeeded. She had always maintained that he was a vagabond that fled his country, because he murdered someone. Sadly her hatred for her husband, also extended to her grandson.

"Seriously? That's all you have to say? The audacity to tell mum when to comment on the insulting attitude displayed by your husband, and his brother. Shame on you Natalia!".

"Enough Carrie! You do not come to a persons house and insult them this way. It is absolutely disgraceful of you, and I am ashamed. You will both apologies to Natalia immediately." Seth said.

"I will do no such thing!" Carrie stood up, and faced him. "If there's anyone that should be apologizing, it should be your terrible sister that has brought nothing but shame and disgrace to this family. Haven't you seen what the blogs are saying? If they had stopped at this shameless piglet and her family, I wouldn't be this angry, but everyone of us has caught the heat. And you want me to apologize? It will be a cold day in hell before I utter a word of apology to this selfish, arrogant...

"Enough!" Antony banged the table. Everywhere instantly grew silent as they all turned to look at him. His anger came as a surprise to everyone. Antonio never really lost it, like this. He was always the picture of grace and poise, but even a man had his limits. He had watched time and time again his mother get disrespected and he was done taking it.

"Come with me mum." he said, and stormed out of the room, with her hands in his.

"Do you see how he behaves? They're all wild animals mother. How do you marry into such a disgraceful family? Dad would absolutely be turning in his grave now." Carrie said to her mum, who nodded in agreement.

"You know one of these days aunt Carrie, you're going to bite more than you can chew, and I promise to be at the forefront when it all goes down." Elizabeth stood up. "Dad?" She called, and her father followed behind her.

One after the other, they all left the dinning, leaving Eleanor, Carrie and Garrie behind.

"Mum, you can't let them talk to you like that." Antonio said to his mother, who he had dragged to her room.

"It's fine son. Really, I'm used to it." Natalia sniffed, and forced a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"I'm sorry mum." Antonio whispered silently.

"For what?" Natalia's brow raised.

"If I wasn't part of this horrible scandal, your family won't terrorize you." He said.

Natalia let the tears fall down her eyes this time. Not only did she hate that she made her son question himself, she hated that she could not even stand up for him.

"Come here," she pulled him into a tight hug. "Don't you ever think you are a burden to me. You are the most important person in my life. You, and your father. You are my whole life, and when you hurt, I hurt the most. I should be the one apologizing for not standing up for you. It won't happen again " she cried into his arms.

"Stop crying mum. It'll all be fine. You know it breaks my heart seeing you this way." He stroked her hair.

Still, she needed to let it all out. She needed her son to know that there was absolutely nothing in the world that could make her question him. She believed in the boy she had raised. She believed the man he was now. Her family could use their present predicament to troll her all they like. What did she care? She had her boy in her arms, and by her side. There was nothing else she could possibly ever need.

Matteo stepped into the room, and immediately guessed what had happened after he left. His son raised up his face, and their eyes locked. An understanding passed between.

"Dads here" he whispered into her ears, and pulled her away carefully.

His father patted him on his shoulder, as he walked past him out of the room. Matteo sprawled across the bed, and dragged Natalia to rest on his chest.

"I hate to see you cry." he wiped the tears off her face.

"And I'm glad you've never given me a reason to. Can't say the same for my family though." She forced a dry laugh through her tears.

"I only respect them because you insist. They are too hard on you and I'm afraid I won't be able to control myself one day." he said kissed her forehead.

"You know my mum was going on about how I have failed in turning you into a decent human when you left. If only she knew my charms and magic touch is the only reason you've been a good boy." She smiled, and this time, it was genuine.

"Oh so you're saying I was bad," he kissed her forehead. "And a barbarian, and a stinky savage." He kissed her all over, and she giggled.

"You are absolutely correct." she said.

"Now I'm genuinely hurt." he placed his hands on his chest, and pouted.

"Such a baby." she laughed, tickling him all over, until he jumped out of the bed.

"Stop it darling." he said running around, as she chased him. She caught up to him, and tickled him some more. They both fell to the ground giggling, and laughing. She rolled towards him, and kissed his forehead.

"I love you and no one can ever change that." she whispered.

"I didn't quite catch that." he said rolling on top of her.

"I said I love you." she said a little louder.

"More passion." he pressed a kiss on her cheeks.

She giggled like a school girl, and said slightly louder, "I love you Matteo Lorenzo. You are the man of my dreams. My now and forever. You're the only one for me, and I will love you forever!"

"Now that's my girl." he claimed her mouth passionately.