Don't Trip || Sturniolo Triplets

3

** pic girls are talking about is attached here :) **

3

I held my hand out, introducing myself to the two strangers in front of me.

"Heather," I smiled. "Nice to meet you both. And this is my friend Maddie." I took a step back, Maddie taking a step forward and shaking their hands.

"I assume you guys are the family that moved in next door?" Maddie asked.

"Yes! We just bought the place in the fall last year. We've been coming up for the last few months just fixing some stuff up." Jimmy explained. "Have you girls met our sons yet?"

The sons that Dan's niece turned herself inside out about? Now I must meet them.

"No, we haven't. I assume they're joining us for dinner tonight"

Mary-Lou laughed, "No, unfortunately not. They forgot their phone chargers and our son Nicolas forgot his camera, he loves photography. They may be back later tonight or be back tomorrow."

I nodded. Well shit. I was looking forward to meeting these guys.

My mom asked Maddie and I to start helping her prepare everything for dinner. My dad insisted on making his own homemade burgers, which I know he'll be dying to go on about to Jimmy over dinner. Mary-Lou came inside with a tall bag in her hand, giving it to me and asking me to put it in the fridge for dinner.

"What's that?" My dad asked, peeking in the bag. I peeked in after and my body instantly went cold. My dad didn't say a word and neither did I.

Whiskey. A big bottle of whiskey.

"I'll put this in the fridge I guess." I mumbled under my breath. So much for my dad's sober summer.

He didn't say anything. He just nodded and went outside with my mom and the Sturniolo's.

I took the bottle out of the bag and opened the fridge, placing it near the back and hoping just maybe my dad would forget it was there. I knew he wouldn't.

This was the one summer I was praying would be different than all the other ones. I was hoping this would be the summer of change and growth. He hasn't drank in about a month and I know it's been hard for him. I'm scared this will be his breaking point and then I'll have to worry about leaving my mom alone with him when I move for school. I'm terrified that he'll go back his old ways when I leave, and my mom won't have anyone there to defend her. I couldn't defend her when I was younger so when I got older, I wanted to defend her as much as I could.

I've been trying my hardest to make amends with him too. I just can't fully forgive him; not yet. I know this process would be easier for him if my mom and I could fully forgive him but from the bottom of my heart, I can't. Not fully. So much of my childhood and teen years were completely ruined by him. Things happened to me I feel like I will never be able to heal from, I still have nightmares sometimes.

I can't help but be a bit upset with Jimmy and Mary-Lou. I know they don't know of my dad's issues and they were just being kind but there's a small part of me that wishes they brought a pie or some shit. Does nobody bring pies to new neighbours anymore?

I was snapped out of my thoughts by Maddie running in the house with the biggest smile on her face.

"What's gotten into you?"

"Bro." Maddie said, gripping the kitchen island with both hands. "Mary-Lou is trying to set me up with one of her cute ass sons- and I'm liking it."

I raised my eyebrows, giggling at her excitement. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and showed me the picture that Mary-Lou showed her from her Facebook. She shoved her camera in my face and I was met with the familiar faces of Mary-Lou and Jimmy, and 3 unfamiliar but cute faces.