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“Mom, what are you talking about?”
Papa Marino looped his arm around his wife’s waist, a quiet encouragement. “This is a good opportunity for you to be honest too.”
Her automatic response was to pout, and I was struck instantly with the idea that I was seeing Sidney and Allie thirty years from now. Maybe all of the Marino men had a taste for chaotic women.
Eventually Mama Marino sighed, her cheeks still bright. “A few months ago I followed Luca when he snuck out of here.”
Luca snapped to attention next to me and I curled one hand around his arm to soothe him.
“He went over to Sidney’s and I didn’t see anything strange at first, but on my second loop I saw him walking with someone in the dark. I couldn’t see who it was, but I remember the height difference and the body language. Luca never said anything so I was pretty sure he didn’t know it was me.”
“That was you?” Luca ran a hand through his hair. “No offense, Mom, but that was super creepy.”
“Well, I know that now,” she defended. “I knew you were with someone, and you lied to my face about it. Why?”
Luca paled a moment before his spine straightened. “Why doesn’t matter, Mom. You can’t do that ever again. If I want to tell you something I will, and if I don’t, you need to respect that.”
Once again I was faced with the results of my own rules and I was committed to defending Luca against them. “I asked Luca to keep things quiet. I’m…I probably shouldn’t have, but I did. It was what I needed at the time and Luca respected that.”
Mama Marino softened. “You don’t need it anymore?”
I laughed despite myself. “Honestly, it’s way more comfortable to be hidden, but I’m trying to be brave. Luca deserves that.”
Mama Marino took my hand and pulled me toward the kitchen, Luca and his dad following us.
“Tell me more,” she demanded while she put the kettle on.
“What do you want to know?”
“Did Luca move out because of you?”
Before I could answer, Luca stepped up. “Not because of Luna. It made it easier to see her, but she wasn’t the reason.”
“Good,” Mama Marino said decisively. “I can forgive the secrecy, but I couldn’t forgive someone stealing my baby.”
Papa Marino shook his head. “Maria, remember our talk.”
“And you remember who you married,” she retorted.
“Mom,” Luca said firmly. “No one is stealing me no matter what. I’m a grown man. I know you don’t want to accept that, but you have to. I love you, and that won’t ever change, but if you don’t start treating me like an adult, you’re not going to like the effect that has on our relationship. If you love me like you say you do, treat me like a person, and please don’t treat me how Nonna treated you when she found out about Dad.”
Mama Marino nodded, her head tilted as she examined her son’s face, her eyes shiny. “I’m sorry, baby—Luca. You’re right. I—I haven’t been behaving well when it comes to you. I know that. I can see myself doing it and I don’t know how to stop it.” Her bottom lip wobbled. “I’ll try. I will. I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.”
“Why would you think I’d treat you like Nonna treated me?”
“Luna and I got together at Sidney’s wedding,” Luca said.
His parents shared a look, something heavy and sweet passing between them.
Papa Marino opened his arms to me. I stared at them for a moment, wondering if this was actually happening. Then, in a movement reminiscent of Auggie, he wiggled his fingers, and I slipped into his embrace. He squeezed me tightly and I leaned hard against him, every craving I had ever had to have this moment with my own father and stepfather climbing out of the pit I had buried them in.
“Thank you for choosing our son. I’m a quiet man, Luna, but even I have to speak up sometimes. I’ve never seen Luca as happy as he’s been since you came into his life. I’m sure he thought he was hiding it well, but I knew.”
Mama Marino sniffled next to me, a war on her face. “I don’t want to be my mother!” She pulled me right out of Papa Marino’s arms and into hers, crushing me to her until I squeaked. “I won’t do it. I won’t be her.”
She started crying a second later, still holding me, and I awkwardly patted her back, unsure what to do with this reaction.
