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My eyes flicker to Kal, who stands back silently, hands shoved deep in his suit pockets. That muscle beneath his eye thumps erratically, the only sign that he’s at all bothered by any of this.
Or maybe he’s not bothered by how my parents are acting, so much as the fact that he’s here, having to endure the interactions at all.
“I’ve had enough shame put on la famiglia between the two of you,” Papá says, starting from the room, pulling Ariana along with him. “You’ll wait on the rooftop for Father Sabino.”
“The rooftop?” She strains against him as he leads her up the winding staircase. “What are you going to do, push me off?”
“Don’t be so fucking dramatic, Ariana. You’re lucky I don’t put you in a convent after everything you’ve pulled.”
Their shouts echo off the walls, bouncing against the ceiling and bounding back down to us before trailing off and silencing entirely. Stella shifts uncomfortably, glancing over her shoulder at Mamá.
Sighing, Mamá takes a step forward, putting her hand on Stella’s shoulder. It’s the kind of comforting gesture I might have gotten a few months ago, but that is decidedly absent right now, despite the stories I’ve heard of how badly Mamá was missing me all this time.
When she steps into Stella, I slide my foot to the side and step into Kal, finding solace in the sturdy feel of his body against mine and that cinnamon and whiskey scent that somehow clings to him.
Mamá catches the movement, narrowing her eyes at me. “Stella, carina, why don’t you run upstairs and get a head start on some of your finals? I’m sure your world history essay won’t write itself.”
Stella scoffs. “If only.” She hesitates for a moment, looking at me with an uncertain gaze, like she isn’t sure if she should leave me.
“Your sister will still be here tomorrow, I’m sure,” Mamá offers, pushing Stella toward the stairs. “Run along now.”
After giving me a last air-stealing hug, Stella disappears in the same direction Papá and Ari went, the dull thud of her sneakers the only sound for several minutes. Then, a door slams shut, and suddenly it’s just the three of us, drowning in silence.
