Loving Maverick

A Migraine

It’s just not fair, Stefano.” She said as she leaned against the hood of the car that her older cousin was working on. She peeped inside the hood, wanting so bad to try her hand at fixing this car. “Why should I not be able to follow my passions into the world of mechanics?” She said incredulously. “I mean, that is a never dying job- at least when compared against Architecture or-or interior design!”

Stefano, bent over and into the hood to try and figure out what the matter was, chuckled before he looked up at his little cousin, who stood there watching every move his hand made against the hood of the car. He already seemed to know that she was aching to have at it.

“Why?” He started to ask as he returned his attention to the car. “Why now are you starting to question all of the things that you have been made to do, Stevie?” He asked in his Italian accent. “You’ve been in college for five years.” He said. “For architecture and even went as far as to go to an accredited online college for six months for interior design.” He said. He lifted up from the hood of the car and looked at his little cousin with amusement on his charming face. “So, why now, are you questioning all of this?” He asked.

Good point, she thought to herself. She sighed and turned around, leaning against the door of the 2016 Chrysler 300 that her cousin was working on. She ran her hand through her long and disheveled curls.

“I guess…” Her voice trailed off as she thought about the reality of it all. “Stef, you know I’ve always had a passion for the…not so lady-like things.” She turned around and leaned against the door of the car. “In fact, I would have gone to the military had the old man not prohibited me from it- “

“You know why he did that, Stevie.” Stefano said, his expression suddenly serious. “And if you can’t understand why he feels the way that he feels about that then you never will until you have children.”

She could tell that she touched a nerve when she said what she said about joining the Marine corp. She rolled her eyes, all the while chastising herself for not thinking before she spoke on the subject.

Stefano, along with his brothers, Carlo and Tracy were sons of Stevie’s uncle, Stiviano Vidal and her grandfather before him. They both died during their active duty in the military. Her grandfather was in the Marine corps while her uncle, thinking that he was going to one-up him, decided to join the Navy Seals.

Both of them were people that she heavily looked up to. Unfortunately, she was only blessed with her grandfather twelve years of her life before he was killed by a suicide bomber. It was thirteen years later when her uncle was later killed in action as well. Both were very traumatic and painful times of grief. Especially, for Stefano and his brothers, with him being the oldest, he suddenly felt like everything was placed on his shoulders. Yes, they were all grown but still, there was something about not having a father anymore that made him feel like a child orphan that had to take care of his brothers now.  Stefano lost two men that he was extremely close to and now he only had one father figure left. So naturally, he supported her father in most every decision he made. Especially, when it was concerning Stevie and her well-being.

“I-I know, Stef.” She muttered. “I understand his reasons for that, which is why I never questioned his decisions on it. I’m sorry if I spoke as if I didn’t.” She sighed. “My point is…I gave him the corps. I even understand why, but mechanics? Cars-vehicles…it’s a stress relief… a release for me.” She mumbled, the anxious of talking about the idea of not pursuing a career in her passion began to spike one of her migraines.

She placed her hands to her head, knowing that it would not ease the oncoming pain. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

“Hey.” She heard her cousin say.

Stevie took a deep breath and turned around, her migraine began to strain her vision a little, a tear falling from her eye. Not because she was crying but because she had her eyes closed so tightly for trying to get rid of the headache without Stefano knowing. Unfortunately, this was a tell-tale sign of what was going on with her.

“Stevie! Are-“ Before he could finish his sentence, he immediately stopped what he was doing and took her arm, ushering her to a nearby chair. “Are you alright?”

“I-I’m fine, Stef.” She said, slightly breathless from the impact of the sudden migraine. She didn’t bother looking up into her cousin’s eyes as she could already tell that he was about to go into a spill about her chronic migraines.

“See, that’s what I’m talking about, Stevie. Being around this stuff can’t be good for your migraines-“

“I’m fine, Stef.” Stevie cut her older cousin off. “I just-you know they-I can’t…” Her words trailed off. Her migraine was just becoming a little overwhelming.

“Heeey, bro! Stevie!” Carlo came walking up to Stefano and Stevie. “What’s up…” He slowed his step when he saw the reality of the situation. “Stevie?”

Stevie, when she heard Carlo, the baby of all of the Vidal brothers. “Hey, Carl.” She forced a smile.

“You need to take it easy, poca sis.” He said, calling her little sister in Italian. “You know you’re not supposed to be-“

“I-“ Suddenly exasperated, Stevie stood from where she sat-too fast. “I’m fine…” She attempted when dizziness struck her. “I said, I’m fine.”

“No you’re not, Stevie.” Stefano sighed. “Where are your pills?”

“They’re in the car.”

“Got it!” She hadn’t even realized that Carlo had gone to her car to grab her medication. She couldn’t resist the little amusing smile that escaped her expression at her older cousin’s reaction time. He opened the pill bottle and handed her one a napkin. “I’m sure you’ve had your hands near an engine today.” He chuckled.

“Thank you, Carlo.” She smirked. She sighed and looked down at the chalky white pill that was now in her hand. She hated these pills.

Stefano handed her the water bottle. “I know you don’t like them, Stevie, but…they help, sis.”

“I know-I know that.” She retorted in frustration.

“So, now you take this.” Stefano said. “And hurry and get home before the pill kicks in. If you need to, you can just lie down on the couch in my office until I get off and I’ll take you home.”

“Nah, no, I’ll be fine.” She stood, knowing that her if there was any chance before of her helping him with a car, it was gone now. She hugged Carlo and then Stef. “Guess, I’ll talk to you guys later.” She said and headed to her car.

“Wait!” Carlo caught up to her. “Don’t forget your pills.”

“Keep them.” She said with a small smile. “Guess it wouldn’t be such a bad idea for you to have a bottle around when I’m around.” She said.

Carlo, brow raised, looked at her with amusement. “You’re not trying to get rid of them are you?”

Carlo was a very cautious person. He was almost as protective of her as Stefano. She appreciated it dearly, but it was still a nuisance at times such as this.

“No, I have another bottle at the house.”

“Okay.” He said, doubtfully.

“Later, Carlo.” She smiled and walked away.

“Stevie.” She turned around just as she was about to step inside of her 2019 Camaro. “You do see now, why pop wants you in a…less active career, right?”

Here we go again. She sighed. Carlo was another one that was very supportive of a lot of the decision that were made by her father as well when concerning her life’s decisions.

“Yeah.” She finally said with a sigh.

He approached her. “So, have you applied for that job that pop asked you to apply for?”

“Not yet.” She exhaled. “Guess, one extra thing I’ll put on my list of things to do after I get out of my Sumatriptan coma.” She teased though she was serious about how those pills made her feel.

The expression on his face seemed sympathetic as he knew what taking those pills did to his little cousin.

He kissed her forehead. “Just be careful, sis.” He said. “I’ll see you later.”