little santiago (shadowhunters) - SLOW UPDATES

chapter twelve

c h a p t e r t w e l v e ; family dinner

Elizabeth sat at the dinner table, her mother across from her, her father and brother across from each other. Elizabeth mindlessly twirled her spaghetti around her fork, staring at a random spot on the table.

"— can you believe that?" Manuel complained. Normally, Elizabeth would make a comment of his constant complaining, but that day felt longer than normal. But she kept focusing on that spot of spaghetti sauce in front of her brother's plate.

"Do you think we all can visit your abuela this weekend?" Her father questioned. "Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth finally looked up, her fork was in the middle of all her pasta. "Manny, why do you eat like a literal child? You have sauce everywhere," Elizabeth spoke up, emphasizing on the last word.

"Everything okay, mija?" Her mother asked.

"Yes, everything is great," Elizabeth lied. She was tired. She woke up early enough to finish her homework before she got ready for the day, she was talking to Raphael the night before and forgot about her assignments. She had finished it before she left home that morning, and she was almost late to school.

After school, she went to the Jade Wolf and went to talk to Simon who was currently living in a boathouse nearby. She lost track of time and missed her study group. But she had made it home in time to help her mother with dinner.

"You look exhausted," Manuel stated. "Like bags under your eyes exhausted." Elizabeth glared at her brother.

"You've been going in and out this past week," her mother added. "If you feel tired, you can take a break. You're young and you don't need to be overworking yourself, mija."

"I'm not overworking myself, ma," Elizabeth said. "I've done everything I do before and for the past three years, I can do it this year, too. I'm just not sleeping well, I think it's my bed."

"Are you sure?" Her father questioned, looking at Elizabeth who nodded in response.

"Clary and Simon haven't been around lately, is everything okay?" Her mother asked. Elizabeth nodded, again.

"Usually they're here intruding on our family dinner," Manuel stated.

"They're just busy," Elizabeth said. "Dad, abuela's birthday's this weekend, are we going to visit her?" Elizabeth changed the subject.

The Santiago's finished dinner, and both Manuel and Elizabeth offered to clear the table and the dishes. As Elizabeth put the leftovers in the Tupperware, Manuel started washing the dishes.

After a while, Manuel spoke up, "Y'know, if you ever want to talk about anything, you can talk to me." Elizabeth looked at her brother. "You've been in and out a lot more, and coming back later than usual. Is everything okay?"

Elizabeth nodded, but focused on putting the lid on the plastic bowl.

"I'm not mami and papi, Lizzie. They don't like pushing you into telling them," Manuel said. "Whatever is happening with you, you don't have to deal with it alone, ¿sabes?"

Elizabeth handed the empty and dirty bowl to Manuel, before putting the leftovers to the side. "Gracias, Manny."

Elizabeth turned to leave the kitchen, she saw her parents sitting in the living room watching a detective show. She stopped and turned back to her brother. In one breath, she said, "I met abuela Rosa's brother."

"What?"

Elizabeth took a deep breath, and walked closer to her brother. "I met our abuela's brother."