by Sam Mariano
“What are you doing here?” she asks shortly, looking me over and settling her disapproving stare on my face. “Is Sal okay?”
“Oh, yeah,” I say with a quick nod. “Yeah, Sal’s good. Um, I was just paying a social call.” Now I hold up the box. “I ordered something for you; I was going to give it to you in case you came to the shower. It’s fine that you didn’t, I just still wanted to give it to you.”
She finally opens the door wide enough to peer out, looking around like she’s making sure I’m here alone. She really does not trust me.
“All alone,” I assure her, still smiling faintly.
“Well, you never know with your family,” she tells me, nodding her head at me. “That’s what my husband always told me, and it looks like he was right, doesn’t it?”
“My family… We’re not for everyone,” I agree, nodding.
She makes a noise of denigrating agreement but takes a couple steps back inside the house. “Well, come in so I don’t have to let all the cool air out.”
I step inside, awkwardly moving aside as she closes the door.
“How was your dinner yesterday?” she asks, eyebrows rising haughtily, accusing me of wrongdoing without words.
I feel oddly guilty, even though I’ve done not a damn thing wrong. I glance down at the box before looking back at her. “Family is important to me, so it’s nice to have the opportunity to introduce Sal to my loved ones. I know it’s equally important to Sal and I know it’s been stressing him out that he hasn’t been able to. He doesn’t know I’m here,” I tell her, a bit tentatively. “I didn’t want to stress him out more. I just thought maybe if you had a little time, we could talk.”
“What would I want to talk to you about?” she asks.
“The one thing we both have in common,” I tell her.
Her eyes narrow with dislike. “You and I have nothing in common.”
I meet her gaze unflinchingly. If she thinks meanness is enough to scare me off, she really doesn’t know a damn thing about my family. “We have one very important thing in common: we both love Sal.” Since there’s probably no better opening, I offer her the white box I brought with me.
She still acts like she doesn’t trust it, but also like she’s deeply inconvenienced that I brought her a present. She takes it anyway.
“When Sal and I were getting to know each other, there were obvious barriers. Talking about our families was sort of touchy since we were both a little leery about the other person’s interest for a while, but there were little things we could still share. I remember he told me how much you liked espresso, so I was going to get you this cute coffee mug, but I got this instead.”
She unwraps the small porcelain cup and looks down at it to read the message. It’s hand-painted with little blue hydrangeas—my wedding flowers—and it reads, “Thank you for raising the man of my dreams.”
“I don’t have a mom,” I tell her, awkwardly clasping my hands in front of me. “I never have; my mom died when I was just a baby. I had a very cruel father and he hurt her a lot, and I guess she just… she could only take so much pain, knowing there was no way out. That’s one of the things Sal and I could talk about, and his biggest regret about having to keep our relationship secret was that he couldn’t bring me home to meet you. I think he thought you would feel like you were gaining another daughter, and it would be a win for both of us. Right from the beginning I could tell what a wonderful mother you must have been, even before he told me, because Sal is so wonderful. He’s honestly the most incredible, loving, loyal man I’ve ever met, and I know it’s because you made him that way. He’s gorgeous and sweet and funny, and… and he could be spoiled, he could be selfish or uncaring, but he isn’t. Instead he’s protective and compassionate and strong. He has integrity. He has heart. He’s respectful. He’s the single greatest man I’ve ever met, and you made him that way, so I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart.” I’m feeling unexpectedly misty, so I pause and look up toward the ceiling so I don’t embarrass myself by getting all teary.
She looks at the cup again, then places it down on the counter. There’s less aggression in her now. I don’t know if it’s because of what I said or the fact that I almost cried like a ninny, but it doesn’t matter.
“Anyway, I know you’ve had doubts about whether or not you want to come to our wedding. I understand why you feel that way, but I really hope you’ll come, and I know it would mean everything to Sal. He hasn’t even been sleeping because he’s so anxious over all this, and it breaks my heart. He’s been… the single greatest thing to ever happen to me, and I love him so much. It hurts that my presence in his life is creating a rift with you, because I know how important you are to him, too. So I hope you’ll come share that day with us, but if you can’t, our door is open if you ever change your mind. I’m sure we’ll have lots of pictures of the day, so I could send you an album if you wanted. I don’t think it’d be the same as being there, though.”
She doesn’t say anything, and if I keep standing here it’s only going to get more and more awkward.
“So, that’s all I wanted to say. I have to get back to work now, but I hope you enjoy the espresso. We’re a coffee household so I didn’t really know what to buy, but the stuff in the box is supposed to be really good.”
She still doesn’t speak, and I don’t really expect her to. It’d be really nice if I managed to say the right thing, but I guess at least I didn’t say the wrong thing, because she’s not screaming at me.
I offer one last tentative smile, and she offers nothing back, so I slip out the door and make my way back out to my car.
---
Mark is inexplicably at the bakery visiting Mia when I get back.
It’s inexplicable because he shouldn’t have even known she was there—I’m supposed to be working, but at least his shine doesn’t dim when I come in and interrupt.
“Hey, future friend-in-law,” he says, reaching out and tapping me on the arm.
“What are you doing here, persona non grata?” I fire back, raising my eyebrows and cocking my head pointedly toward the camera.
Waving dismissively, Mark says, “He doesn’t watch that. If he did, he’d have known about Sal a long time ago.”
“He might since you whisked Mia off to a hotel,” I inform him.
Mark smiles at Mia across the display. “She makes it sound so naughty.”
“Why are you here?” I ask again, wanting to clear him out of here.
“My fault,” Mia says, sheepishly raising her hand. “I was bored and hungry. He offered to bring me a burrito. I’m cheap.”
Lifting an eyebrow, I nod at her $600 sandals. “Tell that to your shoes.”
“I haven’t paid for shoes in over a year,” she informs me.
“Perks of being a gangster’s sugar baby,” Mark teases.
Rolling her eyes, Mia swats him in the arm. “Shut up.”
“Hey, I’m not hatin’. If I had Mateo money, I’d buy you shoes, too.”
“Shh,” she says, pressing her finger to her lips.
I know she’s not doing it to draw his attention there, but she does anyway.
Poor Mark.
“Of course, your actual boyfriend probably wouldn’t approve,” Mark goes on, like he’s not now wondering what she would look like giving him a blowjob. “But hey, he’s the asshole who doesn’t buy you shoes, so it’s really his own fault.”
“Does Sal know you’re here?” I ask sternly. “He’s not supposed to know I left. If you blew my cover to stalk Mia, I’m going to be so pissed at you.”
“I am not stalking Mia,” Mark informs me. “I know she’s not as freaked out by that as most women would be, but I do try not to be a creepy motherfucker more than absolutely necessary.” Mia rolls her eyes at this commentary, but Mark goes on. “Sal does not know I’m here, but why are you secretly leaving the bakery? You better not be steppin’ out on him; only men are allowed to do that shit.”
“I am.
I’m stepping out on him with his mother. It’s quite scandalous.”
Mark’s dark brows shoot clear up his forehead. “You were out with Mama Castellanos?”
“Don’t tell him. I don’t think it worked. I wanted to see if I could convince her to come to the wedding, but she still hates my Morelli guts.”
Nodding grimly, he says, “It’s really easy to hate Morelli guts. Sorry about that.”
“Spoken like a true outsider,” Mia says haughtily. “The Morellis are fine, you just can’t be such a whiny little bitch. ‘Treat me with respect, stop playing with my mind, don’t ruin my life.’” She mocks rubbing her eyes like a crying baby. “Wahh, wahh, wahh. Bunch of babies.”
I nod, pointing at Mia. “See, you’re just not badass enough to hang with us.”
Gaping dramatically, Mark argues, “I am so badass, you don’t even know. I popped a cap in some guy’s ass right in front of you.”
Mia pulls a look that tells him she’s not impressed. “Eh, behind me. I never saw proof. You probably faked it.”
“All right, crazy; I guess if you’re gonna keep playing with fire, at least you can laugh about your third degree burns,” Mark states.
Nodding, Mia flexes her ankle. “Look how well they complement my shoes.”
I smile, walking around the display and going to the back to put my purse in the office while Mia torments Mark. Mia adapts to her surroundings and I’m so used to her around Vince and Mateo, I forgot she was more light-hearted and fun when Mark was around. It really is too bad he can’t date her. They’d be great couple friends.
Chapter Forty Seven
Francesca
After three months of planning, I, Francesca Morelli, am marrying Antonio Salvatore Castellanos.
Well, tomorrow.
Tonight, we rehearse.
I am happy with my decision not to invite any dates because Mateo isn’t an excessively jealous person, and as he sits in the pew watching Mark crack Mia up as they walk down the aisle, even he looks a little murdery. I take that to mean Vince would have lost his shit already.
“Sorry, sorry. Should we do it again? We can just keep walking down the aisle all night. One of these times she’ll make it without laughing and fucking it all up,” Mark offers lightly.
Mateo rolls his eyes, leaning back in the pew and sighing. I don’t know if it’s actually jealousy or he just hates Mark because he’s everything Mateo finds annoying, but I’m pretty sure he’d shoot him in the face without much incentive. Like, you could offer him a rotted banana peel to kill Mark and he would accept the payment.
I look over at Sal, tapping my chin. “I don’t know. Maybe we shouldn’t have the men walk the women in. Maybe the men should stand up here with you, and the women come in on their own. Then when they leave, they obviously walk out together.”
“Whatever you want,” Sal says.
I debate for another minute, then I decide. “Okay, let’s take it from the top and do the full run through. The men will escort the ladies in, then my flower girl will come down the aisle. Then here comes the bride, and I’m up.”
“The bride,” Mia says, making a giddy face for me.
I grin. “I know.”
Now that we have it all figured out, we reset. Mateo stands now so he can wait at the back of the church with me. It all goes off without a hitch. Isabella walks a little faster we told her to, but tomorrow she will have real rose petals to drop, so that will likely slow her down a bit.
After the wedding rehearsal, we all head to the private room Mateo rented out for us at Flavor. Sal and I get there first, so I go check it out and eye up seats.
“I’m gonna put Mia here next to Isabella and Mateo.”
“Uh huh,” Sal says, unimpressed.
“Only because Isabella needs an adult to sit next to her in case she needs help ordering and cutting up her food.”
“Mateo will be sitting right next to her. She’s his daughter. Can’t he help her?”
I shake my head. “It won’t occur to him she needs help and she’s unlikely to ask him. He doesn’t do stuff like that, Ju does.”
“You just want to put Mia as close to Mateo as possible,” Sal states, shaking his head.
“Nuh uh,” I say, looking at the table. “Isabella needs to sit next to a woman and Meg isn’t coming. What’s a girl to do?”
“You’re scheming.”
“I’m a Morelli, babe, we’re always scheming. I’m gonna find a guy for Maddie next.”
“Having seen the matches you’re trying to put together, I’m gonna have to say thanks but no thanks.”
“I can put Maddie next to Mark. They bicker, but maybe that’ll distract Mark a bit from Mia. I think Mateo has already had his fill of Mark tonight.”
Sal shakes his head. “You better not get my best friend killed with your matchmaking. I’ll be really mad at you.”
I grimace, realizing my current seating arrangement has Cherie directly across from Mateo. They don’t hate each other, but they’re certainly not chums.
Mia comes in with Mateo and Isabella, anyway. Isabella is chattering with Mia about someone named Monica and Mia is feigning interest like a champ.
I wave, and point to the seats I picked out for them up by us. “You guys are right here.”
Mark is already here and seated across from Isabella. His eyes wander over Mia briefly as she double checks the seating arrangements with Mateo, then pulls out the seat directly beside her so Isabella can sit down. Mateo is on Isabella’s other side, and despite my intentions to be good tonight, I take a small measure of joy in how much they look like a little family.
“No ball and chain tonight, huh?” Mark asks Mateo good-naturedly.
Mateo glances at Mark so he knows he heard him, then blatantly looks away without answering.
Sal drapes his arm around my shoulder, leaning in. “I’m just so glad they get along.”
I grin. “Mateo is too classy for Mark. When he saw he wore jeans to rehearsal, I’m pretty sure he instantly wrote him off as a waste of space.”
“Your brother is so strange,” Sal remarks, shaking his head before heading to the table and taking a seat next to Mark. I’m seated at the head of the table with Sal and Mia on either side, and it’s weird. I immediately feel like I should get up and give the spot to Mateo since it’s his spot at home. Instead he’s down there bumping elbows with—oh, no, why is Maddie on his other side? She wasn’t supposed to sit over there.
Sal realizes it too, and turns to shoot me a dirty look. I grimace as Maddie turns in her seat and smiles as she talks to Mateo. I recall her mentioning how hot he was when I first met her, and that doesn’t bode terribly well since Sal is probably remembering the same thing.
“You were supposed to prevent this from happening,” Sal states, not at all pleased.
“She switched seats! I didn’t do it.”
“He needs to be isolated away from normal people. I don’t want him sitting next to Maddie. Fix it.”
“I can’t fix it, she’s already sitting there.”
Sal is watching like a helicopter mom at the playground. “Why are they still speaking?” He waves his arms and gets Maddie’s attention, then he sends her a good glare. Maddie pauses in her conversation and rolls her eyes. Mateo turns to see why, and she touches his arm, explaining Sal is her brother.
Mia is now scowling at Maddie too, noticing her hand on Mateo’s arm.
Oh, dear.
Mark rolls his eyes and quietly mutters to Sal, “Does that guy have a magical dick, or what?”
Mia overhears anyway and answers with a straight face, “Yes.” Then she grins at Mark across the table as he dramatically gags. She likes to torment Mark, but she promptly loses her smile and turns her gaze to Sal to address the larger issue at hand. “No, but seriously, what’s the deal with your sister?”
Before anyone can start a blood war over Maddie having the audacity to put her hand on Mateo, Isabella taps on Mia’s arm, telling her she c
an’t read the menu. Maddie apparently forgotten, Mia taps into her maternal side and leans in to go over the menu with Isabella.
Of course Sal and Mia had respective anxiety attacks for no reason, because after a minute, Mateo turns back to check on—well, probably Mia, but he pretends he’s checking on Isabella. Since they have their heads together going over Isabella’s potential dinner options, he can check on them both at once. Mia glances up at him and he gives her a tender smile. Since she’s not made of stone and he doesn’t hand many of those out, she bites her bottom lip and offers one back.
She then goes back to helping Isabella while Mateo looks at his own menu, but from the smug little smile playing around his lips, I have to wonder if he let Maddie steal his attention for a moment on purpose.
Sal puts it together, too. I can tell by the look on his face—that, and the fact that he doesn’t watch Maddie like a hawk after that.
Mia still glances Maddie’s way every now and then to make sure she’s keeping her hands to herself, but Mateo doesn’t exploit Mia’s territorial side any further. He seems to be in the mood for peace tonight, and given Meg and Vince are both absent, he can have it.
Well, mostly.
Mark still jokes around with Mia, and once he sees Mia’s really into Isabella, he starts joking around with them both. Mark’s goofy nature makes him a big hit with kids, apparently, and Isabella gives him the perfect opportunity to showcase it. Since Mia has adopted Isabella for the evening, she’s along for the ride, smiling when Isabella does, amused when Isabella laughs at Mark’s dumb jokes. He’s using Mateo’s daughter to impress Mia, and boy, is Mateo not impressed.
When the food comes out, Mia pushes her plate aside so she can cut up Isabella’s spaghetti and meatballs. Isabella tells Mia how she loves meatballs so much, and how her doll made so many meatballs one time, it was ridiculous. Mia chuckles at Isabella’s stories and tells her off-handedly she should learn how to make meatballs if she loves them so much.