Tempting

Two

My parents loved Thai food because they'd spent a summer in Thailand back when I was sixteen. So they insisted on treating my brother and I to Thai food whenever we were all together. Andrew, my eighteen year old brother, sat quietly stirring his red curry sauce all around the bowl. He wasn't sad or bothered in any way, he just could care less for the food in front of him.

"So Portugal! That should be exciting." My mother said, wiping the corners of her mouth with a napkin.

"It is but it sucks that I'll be gone for two weeks. I hate asking you guys for favors." I'd asked my parents to watch my year old French bulldog named Honey while I was gone. I'd only moved out of their home a couple of years ago but since then I never asked for their assistance in any way.

"Oh sweetie, babysitting a dog is hardly a favor. Plus, you know we're always here to help." My father said with a reassuring smile.

"You better not feed her your disgusting snacks Andrew." I pointed a finger in his direction. He chuckled. "I'm not joking. No human food at all or I'm throwing all your stupid video games out the window."

"Relax Anna, I know the rules." He touched my shoulder and I rolled my eyes.

"Anyway, are you going to see the Da Silva's when you get there?"

"I believe so. I heard Noela has kept within the fashion industry." Noela and I had done an internship at Metallic together when I was eighteen and she was nineteen. Her surname was well known, even by my family who had spent some time in Portugal. I didn't know much about Noela's family but I knew that they lived quite a royal life in Sintra.

"She was such a sweet girl. Her parents sent us a gift basket last Easter. Do you remember that?" My mother asked. I shook my head, finishing my mojito and putting a mint leaf in my mouth. My parents received almost thirty gift baskets a year from various individuals, families, and companies so there was no way that I could remember one specific basket.

"Alright, I'm done. Can we head out? I really want to see this performance." Andrew said eagerly. I nodded in agreement which caused my father to wave over the waiter for the check.