“Good.”
“Good.”
Another moment of deafening silence falls between us, the tension as thick as chili.
“I’m surprised you still remember my phone number.” That came out a little snarkier than I planned.
A sigh. “I guess I deserved that.”
I can’t believe she conceded so easily.
I haven’t spoken to my parents since I left New York a month and a half ago, so this call is unexpected. “How are you, Mom?”
“Other than being ripped apart because I drove a wedge between my only daughter and me, I’m holding up. Barely.”
She’s full of surprises today.
“How’s Daddy? How’s his knee?”
“He’s doing much better. The doctor put him on a new exercise regime. And the weekly massage sessions have helped tremendously.”
“New exercise regime? But Daddy keeps fit.”
“Between being an avid runner and standing all day, his knees are feeling it. Upon the doctor’s recommendation, Daddy has been taking swimming classes. It’s much less strain on his joints.”
“I see. How are the nonnas?”
“You know those women are so feisty, they’ll outlive us all.”
“Are the grandfathers able to keep up?”
“Those two couldn’t even keep up when their wives were much younger. Imagine now? As Mamma loves to say, Italian women are like wine. They get bolder as they age.”
“They do.” I nod.
I chew the inside of my cheek, debating.
Should I?
Shouldn’t I?
“You’re still there or did I lose you, Carina?”
“Even though my brothers are dead set on ignoring me, I assume they’re doing okay. Same for their wives, girlfriends, and the nieces and nephews?”
“That’s my fault,” Mom says. “I asked them not to meddle and allow us time to work it out. You know how it gets when there are too many hands stirring the pot.”
“Do I ever? The gift and the curse ofla famiglia.”
“To put your mind at ease, everyone’s doing well. The grandkids are growing too fast. You’ll never guess who’s pregnant?”
I open my mouth to play along, but decide against it.
Enough of ignoring the elephant in the room.
“Mom, we can keep running around in circles or we can take the bull by the horns.”
There’s a long awkward silence on the other end.
