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“Sorry,” I said, shaking my head.
To that, Smush shrugged. “How’s she doing? Milo said it was bad.”
“It was really bad,” I told her, feeling that familiar stab of guilt. “She’s been sleeping.”
“Good. She’s gonna need the rest. You know how the women in this family are when there is someone sick or injured. You’re gonna be invaded. And be scouring baking dishes for weeks.”
“Shit. Yeah. Can you tell them to give it a few days?” I asked.
“Matteo,” she said, snorting.
“I know. Longshot.”
“I can probably convince them that just Ma should be coming right now,” Smush said, shrugging. “Harp on the safety issue thing.”
“Good. That would be appreciated. I don’t think Josie is going to be in any shape for company for a bit.”
“Okay. Got it. I’ll spread the word. Milo said you want some clothes that work with busted ribs. Things that zipper or button up the front.”
“Yeah, that would be easiest. Plus any products you think she might need.”
“Okay. I’m on it,” she said, holding out a hand with a brow raised.
“Yep,” I agreed, grabbing a couple stacks of cash and placing them in her hand. At her “gimmie” fingers, I stacked another one. “For your troubles,” I added with a weak smile.
“See how it’s done?” she asked, waving the money at her little brother. “You pay me for my time, little shit,” she said before turning and walking away.
“What was that about?” I asked.
“Miscommunication,” Milo said, shrugging. “I asked her to do my food shopping.”
“And you thought she’d do it out of the goodness of her heart?” I scoffed.
“Yeah, my heart ain’t that good,” Smush called as she reached the front door. “Time is money. You don’t like it, do your grocery shopping online.”
And with that, she was gone.
“She shops for Mass,” Milo griped, shaking his head at me as we heard Smush walk away.
“Yeah, and I pay her for it,” Massimo said, coming inside after making sure Smush got in her car safely.
I wasn’t sure when Smush became the Family personal assistant, but I was kind of proud of her for not letting everyone walk all over her, and insisting she get paid for her effort.
“She’s at the food store all the time anyway,” Milo grumbled.
“Because she’s shopping for those of us who pay her for her time,” Massimo said, shaking his head.
“Why can’t you shop for yourself?” I asked, looking at Milo. To an extent, I got why Massimo didn’t. He was out of town a lot. It was easier for him to shoot Smush a text and get her to fill his fridge before he got home than to have to go out when he got back to do it himself. But Milo was almost always in Navesink Bank.
“She’s better at it,” Milo said, shrugging.
“Aurelio,” Mass said, referencing Milo, Lucky, and Smush’s other brother, “says she has a sixth sense about what to get for everyone. So far, I’d say that’s true. It’s uncanny.”
“Sounds worth paying her for then,” I said, shrugging. “Everyone else pays her, it seems. How many people is she doing it for?”
“Me,” Mass said, shrugging. “All my brothers, Aurelio, Milo if he will pay her for it. And I think Luca and Lucky use her on occasion when their women are sick or have new babies and such. She quit her job to start doing it,” he added.
“No shit,” I said, surprised.
“She does the normal grocery store, but also that new Italian market, and the butcher and bakery. It’s worth the fee she charges. You don’t have to think about it. Just go in your fridge or cabinets, and exactly what you want or need is in there.”
“She’s doing laundry, pet walking and vet visits, and light cleaning,” Milo said, shaking his head.
“Or you can pay for the ‘Full Wife’ package,” Massimo said, “and you get all of that. And the occasional nagging about what a fucking slob you are,” he added, smirking.
“Yeah, not sure how you didn’t know about it,” Milo said, shaking his head.
I did.
I knew how.
Because I’d been keeping my family at a distance.
But seeing how everyone immediately came together to celebrate with you—like with the housewarming—or to help you when something went wrong really made me see how much I’d been missing all these years when I’d been holding them at arm’s length.
“I heard she is branching outside of the family too,” Massimo said.
“Who the fuck would pay what she charges but us?” Mino asked.
“Every rich fuck in Navesink Bank,” Massimo said, shrugging.
“I don’t like the idea of her in strange men’s houses,” Milo grumbled.
“Have you met your sister?” Massimo asked, shaking his head. “No one is fucking with her unless she wants them fucking with her.”
“Don’t talk about—“ Milo started, getting cut off by my phone ringing.
“Thank God,” I said, reaching for it. “Did you find anything?” I asked.
