Page 67 of The Taste of Deceit

Everyone finds their seat. Leone and Rafael immediately reach toward the bread until Carmela gives them a look. They both pull their hands back, and Rafael lets out an exaggerated sigh.

“Hands,” Ma says.

Around the table, everyone reaches for the person beside them. Sarah slips her hand into mine while Veronica takes my free hand and Rafael’s. Across from us, Carmela and Emilio bow their heads with the boys.

Ma makes the sign of the cross.

“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

“Amen,” we answer together.

“Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord.”

“Amen.”

As soon as the prayer ends, Veronica reaches for the bread again.

“Now?” she asks hopefully.

A smile spreads across Ma’s face.

“Now.”

For the first few minutes, the only sounds around the table are serving spoons scraping against bowls and the occasional request for another piece of bread or the grated parmesan. Ma watches all of us the way she always does, making sure every plate stays full before finally allowing herself to take more than a few bites.

“So,” she says, looking at Sarah. “Tell us about Montana.”

Sarah smiles.

“It was wonderful.”

“You loved meeting her family,” Ma says, looking at me.

“I did. They’re exactly the way Sarah described them.”

Sarah laughs.

“I told you Daddy would have him on a horse before the trip was over.”

Emilio looks at me over the rim of his water glass.

“You actually rode?”

“I did.”

“Voluntarily?”

“I didn’t have much of a choice.”

“I gave him one,” Sarah says. “Ride with Daddy or be judged.”

That earns a laugh from everyone around the table.

“So?” Emilio asks. “How bad was he?”

“I wasn’t bad,” I say.

Sarah grins.