“Yeah,” Tessa replied, slipping on a smile once more. “I’m gonna head outside and greet the others.”
“Okay,” Andrea spoke slowly, her blue eyes still scanning Tessa’s face.
Tessa turned and left. It was hard keeping this secret from the family, but she had to respect her mother’s wishes. She was glad she had her siblings to reach out to.
The smell of the barbecue that hijacked the air hit her squarely in the face. Her nose tickled with the sweet aroma, and her mouth began to water in anticipation as she stepped onto the back porch. She spotted her father’s tall frame by the charcoal barrel grill laughing at whatever Charles had said to him. His hand moved skillfully, turning the slabs of meat on the iron rods, the heat pulling their succulent juices to the surface.
Her attention turned to her cousin Ben and his fiancée, Marg, holding hands as they talked closely with his sister Rhonda, and Cora’s fiancé, Jamie, out on the lawn. She spotted a few of the younger generation seated on lawn chairs by their normal post at the water’s edge. Aunt Stacy and her mother sat in wicker chairs and were protected from the high July sun by the pergola canopy.
She took the three steps that brought her to the patio. The bamboo chairs with bright red, green, and orange cushions and pillows gave the floor a warm, lively feel, and the montage flagstones resembled deciduous tree leaves through the four seasons. She loved the space and what it represented for the family.
“Hi, Aunt Stacey, Mom,” she greeted each woman with a small kiss on the cheek.
“Hi, sweetheart,” her mother greeted, holding Tessa’s face to hers with her palm.
“Hi, dear,” Aunt Stacy added, smiling at their display of affection.
Tessa set the casserole down and sat in one of the nearby chairs. Reaching for her mother’s hand, she proffered a squeeze. Maria glanced in her direction and gave her a warm smile, which she returned before turning her head to stare out at the setting. Tessa felt her chest tighten as her heart grew heavy. To think that these moments would soon become rare as time and her mother’s illness progressed.
“Hi, sweetheart!”
She looked over at her father, waving at her.
“Hi, Dad!” She waved back, her lips turning up in a broad grin. She decided to walk over to the grill. “It smells great over here,” she complimented.
“With me at the grill, it sure does,” Luke bragged, his chest puffing up with purpose.
Tessa rubbed his back and smiled. “It sure does,” she repeated.
“Sure, ignore that I helped; why don’t you?” Charles jumped in, giving the two a sour look as he pulled at the strings of the chef’s apron he wore before tying them tighter behind his back.
“What’s that famous verse?” Luke tilted his head, his blue eyes looking heavenward as if he was thinking very hard. “Ah, yes. If you see me, you see the father.” He snapped his fingers and smirked.
“That’s not what… I give up.” Charles threw his hands in the air as Tessa and his father chuckled.
“Relax. It’s a compliment,” Luke appeased. “You’re as good as your old man.”
“Hear that, Tessa?” Her brother smirked at her. “The old man is saying I am as good as he is, possibly even better,” he cheesed.
“Don’t push it,” their father warned, pointing the barbecue fork at him. Even though his face was serious, his eyes danced with laughter.
“It was worth a shot.” Charles held up his palms with a small smirk.
“Hey, Charles,” Tessa formally greeted her brother.
“Hey, Sis,” Charles returned with a smile.
“So where’s Sharon?” she asked.
“She’ll be here soon. She’s picking up Sara from physiotherapy.”
Tessa nodded. “How is Sara?”
“Much better now that the cast is off.”
“That’s great. I’m happy she’s on the mend,” Tessa replied. “So is anything on there ready?” she asked, turning her attention to the grill. “I haven’t eaten since my shift ended four hours ago.”
Her father speared a steak, transferred it to the meat board, and cut it into bite-sized pieces. He then moved it to a small french fry basket lined with paper towels. She eagerly took the tray from her father and popped a slice of the meat into her mouth. She couldn’t help the moan of approval that left her lips as the succulent and tender meat melted on her tongue.
