“Eat before you pass out and make this my problem,” Benji scolded.
Vinny rolled his eyes but took a bite anyway.
I turned back to the loveseat and crouched beside Violet before brushing hair out of her face.
“Hey,” I murmured gently. “Vi. Baby girl, it’s time to get up.”
She made a small, offended sound and burrowed deeper.
“I told you, she's tired,” Skye said.
I ignored him and tried again, rubbing slow circles into her arm. “Dinner’s here.”
Nothing.
I leaned closer and lowered my voice conspiratorially. “If you don’t eat, Vinny’s going to pitch a fit, and you won’t be awake to see it.”
That did it.
Violet shot up like a freshly reanimated corpse, hair sticking up in all directions, eyes bleary as if she’d never used them. She yawned and stretched before rubbing her face and looking around the room before noticing the mountain of boxes.
Her nose wrinkled.
“What?” I asked, extending a hand to help Skye get up now that Violet had freed him.
I don’t like pizza, she signed.Too greasy, it hurts my stomach.
Vinny scoffed around a full mouth. “Obviously, you’ve only had shit pizza.”
Violet cut him a glare before grabbing a paper plate and looking through the boxes for something she deemed edible.
“Muñequita, if you want I can make you something else.” Benji offered as Violet opened the metal dish of salad.
Slowly Violet shook her head and picked through the veggies before loading her plate with three cucumber slices and a tomato. Oh, and a few olives.
“Ahht, no, you need more.” Vinny ordered, gesturing toward the boxes. “I’m not letting you starve because you’re picky.”
I’m not picky, I’m just not hungry, Violet signed before marching up to Vinny and staring at him expectantly.
“What?” He asked, mouth full.
Violet gestured for him to put the plate down.
“No, some of us are hungry.” Vinny shoved another bite into his mouth.
Violet ignored him, as she often did, and patiently waited.
“Here Vi, I’ll hold you,” I offered, patting my lap.
Men were dumb asses, that was a fact, but an opportunity he wasted wasminefor the taking.
Violet looked over at me like a puppy who had been kicked. Big eyes. Betrayed expression. Shoulders drawn in just enough to make it hurt. And, I tried not to be saddened by her preference, especially because every day up until now, she wouldn’t be caught dead with Vinny.
She then turned her melancholic expression on Vinny, who then proceeded to fold like a lawn chair.
“You can’t just look at me like that to get your way,” he protested.
“Ah, but I think she can,” Benji laughed, elbowing him.
