Tomato-Tomahto
The Albuquerque countryside whizzed past in a blur of green and gold, the summer sun casting a bright glow over the rolling hills. Jason, his hand steady on the steering wheel, glanced over at Kelsi, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. "Brace yourself," he warned, his voice laced with a hint of amusement. "My family can be...a lot."
Kelsi chuckled, her fingers tracing intricate patterns on his arm. "How much is a lot?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Let's just say you might learn a few interesting things about me today," Jason replied, his smirk widening. "Things I've conveniently omitted from our conversations so far."
Kelsi raised an eyebrow, a playful challenge in her eyes. "Oh, really?" she retorted. "Do tell."
Jason laughed, the sound echoing through the car's interior. "Patience, hun," he teased.
As they neared Jason's aunt's house, the familiar scent of open gas burners filled the air, a tantalizing prelude to the day's festivities. Jason parked the car, his excitement palpable.
"Ready?" he asked, turning to face Kelsi.
She nodded, a mixture of anticipation and apprehension swirling within her. This was it, her first real immersion into Jason's world, his family, his traditions.
Jason reached for her hand, his touch warm and reassuring. "Don't worry," he whispered, his voice gentle. "They're going to love you."
Kelsi returned his smile, as they hopped out and strolled hand in hand up the path to the sprawling farmhouse.
The screen door creaked open, revealing a woman with warm brown eyes and a welcoming smile. "Jason, Il mio nipote preferito!" she exclaimed, her voice overflowing with affection. "Benvenuto a casa!"
Jason's cheeks flushed a subtle pink, his usual confidence momentarily faltering. "Hey, Zia Maria," he replied, "I brought another set of hands, this is Kelsi."
Maria's smile widened, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Ah welcome Kelsi, it is so good to meet you." She extended her arms and welcomed Kelsi with kisses on her cheeks before turning back to Jason. "And you! Non fare il timido con me," she chided playfully, "Parla italiano con la tua zia!"
An uncertain sigh left Jason's lip, and he responded in fluent Italian, much to Kelsi's astonishment. A playful banter ensued, a rapid-fire exchange of Italian phrases that left Kelsi feeling slightly out of the loop as she followed them through the house to the backyard.
Jason, sensing Kelsi's bewilderment, turned to her with a sheepish smile. "Sorry about that," he said, his cheeks still tinged with a rosy hue. "My aunt gets a little carried away sometimes."
Kelsi laughed, her heart swelling with affection for this endearingly shy side of Jason. "It's okay," she reassured him. "I'm just still impressed by you speaking another language is all."
"Between my mom and my nonno, I didn't have much choice," he laughed, "but like I said, it's a family thing and I don't use it much."
As they navigated through the introductions, Kelsi's head spun with the names and familial connections. Nonna Pia, the matriarch, greeted her with a warm hug and a barrage of blessings. Uncle Frank, a jovial giant of a man, regaled them with tales of his tomato-growing prowess, showing off the large garden that sprawled across the backyard.
Amidst the organized chaos, Jason's brother Andrew jumped up to meet him, a heavily pregnant woman waddling along behind him.
"Jase! Good to see you bro," he exclaimed as he wrapped Jason in a hug.
"You too, Andrew," he said before offering the fiery redhead a hug too. "Geez, I need longer arms for this one," he teased with a smile at her belly.
She rolled her eyes, groaning at the thousandth joke she'd heard today about her pregnancy. "Oh shut up, Jason," she said, "you better not share your lame jokes with your niece. And who's the lovely lady you've brought?" She turned her attention to Kelsi and opened her arms for a big hug. Kelsi received it with a smile, awkwardly maneuvering around the growth of the child within her.
"This is Kelsi," Jason answered, a nearly unnoticeable pause passed as he caught himself from introducing her as anything specific. "Kels, you know my brother, and this is his wife Jenny."
"Alright everyone!" Lucia called over the chatter and laughter that already filled the backyard, "let's get this show on the road."
Soon, Kelsi and Jason found themselves assigned to different stations, Jason's uncles roping him into the heavy lifting of moving the bushels of Roma tomatoes. Kelsi was led to the end of the line, where she and Jenny would fill the jars with the finished sauce that Lucia stirred in a large pot with a wooden paddle. She chatted with the other ladies, filling them in on every detail of her life that they asked her for, all the while stealing glances at Jason at the other end of the line. Her breath caught as he moved another basket of the fresh vegetables, his toned arms flexing under the hot New Mexico sun.
"Bet you can't wait to get him out of here, huh?" Jenny teased, her voice full of amusement as she caught the look in Kelsi's eyes.
Kelsi blushed and turned her attention quickly back to the jar she was about to fill. "I wouldn't mind," she said softly, "I'm going to miss him when I go back to school."
Jenny, her face radiating a gentle glow, offered a knowing smile. "Distance can be tough," she said, her hand instinctively resting on her swollen belly. "It's better than worrying if your husband is coming home every night though."
Kelsi saw the melancholy in Jenny's eyes, the heaviness despite the excitement of the day. "How do you do it, Jenny?" she asked, "Andrew working such a dangerous job?"
"I guess I love him enough to know he's doing what he loves, and he's pretty damn good at it too. It's going to take a lot to take him away from me." She chuckled to herself and shook her head, "This may sound a bit cruel, but also, he's insured. I tease him all the time that he's worth more to me dead than alive."
Kelsi tried hard to stifle a laugh, but couldn't help it when Jenny burst into laughter too.
"That's how we get through it, Kelsi. We face the reality that life is short and precious, but we do what we can to be ready for anything and enjoy every second we spend together. As you can probably tell, we've spent our share of good nights together." She sighed with a gentle hand on her belly, a noticeable tremor shifting under her hand. "Oh she's moving! Wanna feel?"
"Sure," Kelsi said hesitantly and laid her hand on Jenny's belly. The soft kicks responded to her touch and made a huge smile creep across her face. "Wow, that's incredible."
"Until it keeps you up all night," Jenny laughed. "Kelsi, you might be worried about some distance with Jason, but think about all the good stuff you could share when you're together and you'll find it's more valuable than all the time you spend missing him."
Kelsi's thoughts drifted, Jason's question still echoing in her mind. She watched him from across the yard, his laughter blending with his brother's, a picture of carefree joy. A wave of longing washed over her. She yearned for this, this profound sense familial warmth that enveloped her like a comforting blanket. But wouldn't it just be another thing to say goodbye to?
Her heart heavy with the bittersweetness of the day, stole a glance his way. Their eyes met, and a warmth spread through her chest, chasing away some of the lingering doubts as he offered a small wave and a smile.
A symphony of aromas wafted through the air, signalling the arrival of dinner. The filled jars were stacked aside to make way for the homemade delicacies - mountains of pasta glistening with sauce, platters overflowing with grilled vegetables, and crusty bread still warm from the oven. Kelsi found herself seated with Jenny, Andrew and Jason with his parents across from them.
"Isn't this amazing?" Jenny said, her eyes sparkling with delight. "I love being a part of this family."
Kelsi nodded, a genuine smile spreading across her face. "It's incredible," she agreed. "You're all so welcoming."
Jenny beamed, her hand instinctively resting on her growing belly. "They've embraced me with open arms," she confided. "Even though I can barely understand a word they're saying half the time."
Kelsi chuckled, a sense of camaraderie blossoming between them. "Me too," she admitted. "Lucia had me completely lost earlier."
Across the table, Mark overheard their conversation and chimed in with a hearty laugh. "Don't worry, you're not alone," he said, his voice booming across the table. "I've been married into this family for thirty years, and I still get lost in the Italian conversations."
Kelsi's eyes widened in surprise. "You don't speak Italian?" she asked.
Mark shook his head, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Not a word," he confessed. "But I've learned to appreciate the entertainment value. It's always good for a laugh."
As lunch progressed, Kelsi found herself caught up in the lively conversations, the laughter, and the shared stories. She marvelled at the easy camaraderie between Jason's parents, their love for each other evident in their playful banter and stolen glances.
The sun began its descent, casting long shadows across the yard as the day's work wound down. The tables, once laden with overflowing pots of sauce, were now stacked high with boxes filled with gleaming jars, a testament to their collective efforts. Kelsi, despite the satisfaction of a job well done, felt a growing ache in her chest. The realization that this idyllic summer was filling with too many sweet memories, that soon she'd be leaving Jason and this wonderful family behind, weighed heavily on her heart.
As they carefully packed the last of the jars, a comfortable silence enveloped them. Jason's movements were slow and deliberate, his eyes occasionally darting towards Kelsi, a hint of longing in their depths. Suddenly, he leaned in close, his lips brushing against her ear, his warm breath sending shivers down her spine.
"Hey, you," he whispered, his voice a velvety caress. "Ti voglio, amante."
Kelsi's heart skipped a beat. The words, though foreign, resonated with an intensity that sent a mix of excitement and apprehension swirling within her. She longed to understand them, to fully grasp the depth of his feelings.
Before they left, curiosity got the better of her. She sought out Lucia, her heart pounding in her chest. "Jason said something to me in Italian," she confided, her voice hushed as she relayed a broken rendition of what he'd said. "I didn't understand obviously."
Lucia's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Ah, il mio Jason, always a romantic," she chuckled, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "You better ask him, mia cara."
Kelsi's cheeks flushed. "Okay," she mumbled, a sense of anticipation building within her. They waved goodbye and made their way back to Kelsi's house, the drive heavy with her unspoken misery.
"You alright, baby?" Jason asked as he reached for her hand.
She took it and gave a soft squeeze back. "Yeah, I'm just tired, this was so much fun and such a long day."
As he walked her to her door, Kelsi took a deep breath. "Jason, what did you say? When we were packing the boxes, amante something?" she asked, her voice full of confusion.
Jason's gaze softened, his hand reaching out to gently cup her cheek. "I said I want you, lover," he answered, his voice low and intimate.
A wave of heat washed over Kelsi. His words, now understood, ignited a fire within her, a yearning she couldn't deny. Yet, the shadow of the inevitable separation loomed large, casting a pall over her desires. "Jason," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "I..."
He waited, his eyes filled with a mixture of hope and apprehension. When she seemed stuck, he leaned in and laid a long kiss just below her jaw, creeping onto her neck. "Want to grab a bag and come home with me?" he asked softly.
Kelsi forced a smile, summoning all her strength. "I can't tonight," she said, her voice firm even though she gasped for air. "My parents have something planned for early tomorrow."
A flicker of disappointment crossed Jason's face, but he quickly offered an understanding nod. "Of course," he said, his voice gentle. "Another night, then."
She offered a weak smile, her heart heavy with the weight of her unspoken feelings. As she watched him drive away, the bittersweet reality of their situation washed over her. She longed for him, for the passion and connection they shared. But the fear of the impending heartbreak, the knowledge that their time together was fleeting, cast a shadow over their budding romance.