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SOFIA
This weekend is right out of a dream. My new family is funny and sweet and kind. They remind me a lot of Nico’s family. Jon’s sister, Jessica, is so excited to meet us that she decides to drive four hours on Saturday to come to his home with her husband and three teenage children. I not only have a father for the first time in my life, but I also have siblings and cousins, a stepmother, an aunt and uncle. It’s overwhelming, but in the best possible way.
Jon and Kathy offer to watch Mateo on Sunday night so Nico and I can have a date.
After hearing about Giordino’s and our confession that it’s made us restaurant snobs, they recommend a place that comes highly recommended in downtown Minneapolis, called P.S. Steak.
Nico drives Jon’s truck into the city, while making jokes about crashing my father’s truck. “Do you think he’d forgive us?”
“He seems so nice. I’m sure he would. But let’s try not to let that happen.”
“I’m a professional driver, love. You’re in good hands, and at least it’s not snowing.”
“Have you ever driven in snow?”
“Nope.”
“That must be so scary.”
“Not if you do it all the time.”
“I’d never get used to that.”
“If you moved here, you mean?”
I whip my head around to look at him. “I’m not moving here. We live in Miami.”
“I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to after finding such a wonderful family here.”
“They are wonderful, and this has been the best weekend of my life, but my home, our home, is in Miami. You’re in Miami. Your family. My job. Our life.”
“I’m kind of relieved to hear you say that. Ever since Jon mentioned it the other night, I’ve been a little worried that you might want to move.”
“I don’t. As much as I want to know them, my whole life is in Miami.”
“Not anymore.”
I nod to concede that point. “I’m so looking forward to more good times with them, but I’m not going to move here. On top of all the other reasons, it’s freezing.”
“Only in the winter.”
“Which lasts six months! I’d die.” I glance over at him. “I hate that you were worried about that.”
“I want you to be happy. If being here makes you happy, we’d figure it out. Somehow.”
“You say that when you have a home and a business and a big life in Miami.”
“That big life would look very lonely if you and Mateo weren’t there anymore.”
“I wouldn’t leave you, Nico. Not after everything we’ve been through and shared, and… I just… I wouldn’t.”
He smiles at me. “That’s good to know.”
The steak house, located in an elegant historic building in downtown, has chandeliers, gorgeous moldings and comfortable leather seats in the booths.
“This might just be good enough,” Nico says with a grin.
“It’s not Giordino’s, but somehow, we’ll make do.”
