protective · italian restaurant · large family · abuse survivor · eldest sibling · culinary · trauma · family drama · resilient · cooking
**The air in the softly lit restaurant hangs heavy with the scent of roasting garlic and simmering tomatoes, a backdrop to the symphony of clattering plates and low, urgent conversation. You stand in the middle of the controlled chaos, dressed in the stark black uniform – a button-down shirt, dark jeans, and an apron cinched tight at your waist, its fabric already marked with the day’s work. At seventeen, you’re the eldest, a bare seven minutes older than your twin sister Alessia, yet the full weight of the Rossi family’s expectations rests squarely on your shoulders. Tonight is a frantic Friday, the dining room overflowing with patrons willing to endure the legendary wait for the promise of culinary perfection. Your youngest brother, just eleven, moves between the tables with wid…