Peri’s father’s alarm blaring from the other room startles her awake, eyes blinking out the sun shining through her purple curtains. Pushing herself into a sitting position, she slips on her slippers. She stands with a sigh, trotting out her door and down the hall to her father’s, banging on his door. “Alarm!” She shouts, hitting a few more times. “Dad! Alarm!” She shouts louder, hoping she woke him up without upsetting him too much.
She hears her brothers rustling around in their rooms, chuckling to herself when she hears one of them trip and fall. Without checking on them, she jogs down the stairs. Making her way into the kitchen, she washes her hands before grabbing the supplies she’ll need.
Before long she has a few pans of scrambled eggs going, tossing in different herbs to add a bit more flavor to their bland texture. Bacon sizzles on the back burners, orange juice already poured into glasses and waiting for her family on the table.
“Mornin’ Pear.” Hector, her older brother by three years, kisses her cheek, wrapping his arms around her from the side in a quick hug. Grabbing some plates from the cupboard, he helps her fill each plate with their food, setting them in their spots as Julien and their father finally come down the stairs.
“Took you old men long enough.” She teases, giggling at her father’s playful glare.
“I need my beauty sleep.” He grumbles, the wrinkles around his eyes much more defined in the morning light filtering through their kitchen blinds. He grunts when Julien accidentally bumps into him, her younger twin still half asleep apparently. “Watch out kiddo, your pop needs his coffee.” He takes the cup Hector hands him, thanking him as his son goes to get his own cup.
“Hey, you forgot the pancake mix yesterday.” She smiles, turning to face her father only to frown. She grabs his orange juice from his spot to hold out to him expectantly, giving his coffee cup a dirty look. “And you need your vitamin C mister. It’s good for you and won’t give you headaches.” She tilts her head, a small smirk playing on her lips, her eyes unwavering in their demand. She knows her father can’t say no, he can never say no to her big brown eyes.
Her father offers his own stern look, only to sigh, grumbling to himself as he sets his coffee down for the OJ, face scrunching up at the first sip. “This is disgusting.”
“Shush, it makes your body happy.” She joins her brother’s at the table, saying a small prayer before digging in.
“Is uncle Eli joining us? Peri made more than enough.” Some stray eggs fall from Hector’s lips as he speaks, her brother’s lengthening hair cascading around his face and neck. He reminds her of those Hollywood actors from their dads older movies.
“Ew!” Julien shrieks, batting at his arms. “You’re an animal!” He cries, resorting to his napkin for assistance, scrubbing his arms violently.
Hector laughs, throwing his head back, mouth still full of food and Peri wonders how he hasn’t choked.
“Chew your damn food, Hector.” Their dad plops down in his own chair, sighing heavily. “Yeah, Eli should be here soon. He and I have a lot of work to do today.”
A frown almost immediately dampens Peri’s face, her sad doe eyes searching her father’s. “Don’t tell me you have to work all day, it’s your birthday!” She huffs, frustrated at the look her father gives her. It’s not fair, you were supposed to have it off!
