Francis jolted awake from her slumber with a start, the warmth of the bath still clinging to her skin. Damn it, she had dozed off while dreaming about Felix, and the vividness of it all made her feel disoriented. A sharp hiss escaped her lips as she realized her little brother, Josh, had crashed her moment of tranquility.
"Ughhh! What the heck do you want?" she shouted, storming out of the bathroom. She quickly toweled off her body, feeling the cool air of the house against her damp skin, and hastily reached for a pair of pajamas from her wardrobe while still keeping up their conversation.
"Dinner is set!" Josh exclaimed, a grin plastered across his face. "I called for you several times, but you didn't answer," he added, his tone teasing and light-hearted.
"I was taking my bath," Francis retorted, irritation creeping into her voice.
"Really? Or were you doing something else?" Josh teased, barely containing his giggles.
Francis swung the bathroom door open, glaring at him with an expression that could stir a storm. With her hair a chaotic mess and her brows narrowed in annoyance, she shot back, "Doing something like what?"
"Yikes! Rebecca was right, you look like a peacock when you're angry!" he quipped, and with that, he dashed down the hallway towards the dining room.
"You piggggg!" Francis called after him in a fit of rage, her mind racing as she pursued him.
When she reached the dining table, she found her family gathered. Her mom, Beatrice, was meticulously arranging the cutlery, ensuring everything was perfect. Her dad, Gabriel, was playfully wrestling with Rebecca, while Josh quickly sat down, wearing an unmistakable grin that lit up his face.
Without hesitation, Francis marched straight to Josh and grabbed him by the ear, twisting it slightly in playful retribution. He winced, and instinctively, he raised his hand to try to pry hers away.
"What's the meaning of all this commotion?" Gabriel asked, his brow raised in a stern look.
"Dad, Josh called me a peacock!" Francis exclaimed, her voice laced with annoyance.
"Josh, that's really not nice to say," Gabriel replied, shifting his gaze to his younger son. Francis nodded in agreement, a small smile creeping onto her lips as she felt validated by her father's words.
"But you know, she looks like a flamingo," Gabriel added with a playful wink, causing Francis's smile to vanish instantly. "Really, Dad?!" she exclaimed, disgust evident in her tone, while the rest of her family burst into laughter.
"F-L-A-M-I-N-G-O!" Rebecca chimed in, her giggles exposing the gap between her front teeth.
"That was unexpected, love," Beatrice said to Gabriel, caressing his hand affectionately as laughter filled the room. Josh winked at Francis, his playful demeanor only adding fuel to her frustration.
"Ha-ha, so funny, Dad," Francis mumbled as she finally took her seat at the table.
"I want to eat in my room!" she blurted out, holding a ceramic round plate filled with food as she stood up, a clear indication of her annoyance.
"Sit down, young lady!" Beatrice said sternly. "We eat together as a family, and no one is altering that."
"Ugh!" Francis groaned in frustration, slumping down in her chair with a defeated look.
"Josh, pray for us," Gabriel instructed, extending his hand towards Beatrice, who sat beside him. The rest of the family followed suit, each holding hands in a moment of unity.
"Me?!" Josh exclaimed nervously, his eyes wide in surprise.
"Yeah! You!" Gabriel insisted, his gaze steady on his son.
"Okay, Dad," Josh mumbled, gathering himself. "God bless and sanctify this food," he said. "Amen!" the family chorused in unison.
"See? It wasn't that hard," Gabriel said with a chuckle, breaking the tension.
"Now, let's dig in," Beatrice added, her voice cheerful.
Francis stared down at the plate before her, which was filled with pasta and sausages, beautifully arranged yet utterly uninviting. She couldn't help but feel a sense of annoyance wash over her again; she had told her mom multiple times that she didn't like pasta. To her, it felt like chewing on worms.
"Damn!" she cursed under her breath, gripping her utensils tightly. All she wanted was to retreat to her room and escape the whirlwind of chaos that seemed to engulf her this evening.