"The happiest memories are often made in the simplest moments, never knowing they'll one day become the ones we miss the most."
The house settled back into its familiar rhythm after Saturday's basketball game.
Papa spent the afternoon pretending his muscles ached because he'd been "cheering too hard," while Zero insisted the soreness in his legs was proof that professional athletes truly suffered for their craft.
"You played twenty-four minutes," I reminded him, walking into the living room with a bowl of freshly cut mangoes balanced in my hands.
Without taking his eyes off the toy race car he was carefully polishing, Zero reached over, grabbed a slice of mango, and popped it into his mouth. "Twenty-four exhausting minutes."
Sprawled across the couch with one arm dangling dramatically over the side, Papa let out an exaggerated groan. "I understand your pain, son."
I laughed, setting the bowl on the coffee table before looking at him. "You didn't even play."
Papa placed a hand over his chest, feigning offense. "I supported emotionally."
"You yelled the whole game," Zero shot back, finally looking up from the toy car with a grin.
Papa nodded proudly. "Exactly."
Mama walked in from the kitchen carrying a pitcher of iced tea. A laugh escaped her as she took in the scene before setting it on the table.
"Both of you deserve an award." Papa immediately sat up straighter, looking far too pleased with himself.
"I've always said that." Mama smiled sweetly.
"For being dramatic." Papa sighed as though deeply wounded before waving a dismissive hand.
"...I'll still accept it." Laughter echoed through the living room.
Sunday afternoons had always been sacred in our house.
No errands.
No studying.
No work.
Just family.
Papa believed every family deserved one day each week when no one worried about anything beyond the four walls of their home.
"We can stress tomorrow," he'd always say with a smile.
"Today belongs to us." It was one of the very few rules none of us had ever questioned.
Around five in the afternoon, Papa suddenly clapped his hands together, drawing everyone's attention.
"I have an announcement," he declared.
Zero looked up so quickly that he nearly dropped the toy car.
"Is it food?" he asked hopefully.
Papa shook his head. "No."
Zero slumped against the couch with an exaggerated sigh. "Then I'm only fifty percent interested."
Ignoring him completely, Papa folded his hands behind his back and grinned.
"Tonight..."
He paused for dramatic effect, glancing around the room as though preparing to reveal the greatest secret in history.
"...is movie night."
Zero pumped both fists into the air. "Yes!"
I couldn't help laughing. "As if we don't do this almost every week."
Papa pointed a finger at me. "Every movie night is special."
"Especially if there are snacks," Zero added with a grin.
Mama smiled as she opened the kitchen cabinets. "I'll make popcorn."
"I'll buy ice cream," Papa volunteered, already reaching for his wallet.
"I'll help Mama," I offered, standing from the couch.
Zero crossed his arms confidently. "And I'll supervise."
Papa raised an eyebrow.
"That's another word for eating while everyone else works."
Zero placed a hand over his heart.
"It's called quality control."
An hour later, the living room looked more like a tiny neighborhood cinema than our family home.
The curtains had been drawn shut, leaving the room pleasantly dim. Bowls of buttered popcorn, potato chips, chocolate bars, and Mama's homemade sandwiches filled the coffee table, while bottles of iced tea waited beside neatly stacked paper cups.
Papa stepped back after arranging the couch cushions into perfect rows.
"There."
He admired his work with a satisfied nod.
"Cinema de Reyes."
I looked around before raising an eyebrow.
"We're not the Reyes family."
Papa blinked once.
"...Minor detail."
Zero had already claimed the best seat on the couch, hugging a pillow nearly as large as he was.
"No one blocks the TV," he warned.
A mischievous smile spread across Papa's face.
Without saying another word, he deliberately stepped in front of the television.
"I can't see!" Zero complained, leaning left and right in an attempt to look around him.
Papa folded his arms.
"I know."
"Papa!"
"I thought you liked action movies."
"I do!"
Papa pointed to himself with a grin.
"This is action."
Zero grabbed the nearest pillow and hurled it at him.
Papa caught it effortlessly before tossing it right back.
Within seconds another pillow flew.
Then another.
Soon the living room had turned into an all-out pillow war, feathers threatening to burst from every direction.
Just then, Mama walked in carrying the final bowl of popcorn.
She stopped in the doorway, staring at the chaos unfolding before her.
"What..."
Before she could finish, a stray pillow drifted through the air and landed softly against her shoulder.
She blinked.
Silence instantly filled the room.
Papa slowly lowered the pillow in his hands before offering an awkward smile.
"...Good evening?"
Mama looked from Papa...
to Zero...
to me...
Then she carefully placed the popcorn on the coffee table.
"I leave for two minutes."
Papa rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
"It escalated."
"I can see that," Mama replied, trying to sound stern.
Zero scratched the back of his neck.
"We were welcoming you."
Mama looked at him with obvious skepticism.
"With pillows?"
Zero nodded as though it made perfect sense.
"It's our family tradition."
I folded my arms.
"We've never done this before."
Zero smiled innocently.
"We're starting one."
Mama pressed her lips together, clearly trying not to laugh.
She lasted exactly three seconds before bursting into laughter herself.
The rest of us quickly joined in.
❦ End of Chapter Seven ❦
— IamPrecious —