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Blanca: That’s funny. It wasn’t too long ago you three were all up in my business.
Carm: Not anymore. I can’t stand to hear about your sexual adventures. They nauseate me.
Blanca: I had to listen to yours for years. Get used to it. I’m out.
Enzo: Have fun with Ma to yourself. Annie needs some help in the shower.
Something’s going on. I tap the phone on my thigh. It vibrates, and I see that Carm’s messaged me in a thread with just him and Bella.
Carm: Dude I told Bella. I’m sorry. But we don’t keep secrets.
Me: Seriously!?
Bella: Don’t be mad. My lips are sealed, I swear. I don’t think it’s a coincidence though.
Me: What do you mean?
Carm: Listen to her. She’s a chick.
Bella: Carm, use woman, not chick please. From what Carm says you two have been circling each other your whole lives. Sometimes when everything aligns you have to listen to the universe.
Carm: Isn’t she brilliant? Come back to the kitchen baby, I’m hungry… for you.
Dom: I’m done. Thanks for your advice, Bella. Carm, I don’t wanna hear about your sexual shit either.
A knock on the front door interrupts me typing the rest of my message.
Ma runs out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron, then she unties it and tosses it on a table behind the plant.
“What’s going on? Is Father McAllister coming to dinner?” I stand to see who on Earth is making Ma act so flustered and why I’m the only one here. Please tell me I’m not giving financial advice to one of her friends again.
Ma opens the door and there stands the reason. She’s been here a thousand times before, except this time, she’s my wife… at least temporarily.
Val’s wide eyes zero in on me.
“Giada!” Ma opens her arms, and Val’s ma hugs my mine fiercely.
The two act as though they’re long-lost cousins when in reality, I bet they don’t go a week without seeing one another at least three times. Val’s parents own the corner grocery store.
“Anna, we brought bread. Valentina went to Mazzola’s.”
Ma takes the bag of bread and shoves it into my stomach before setting her eyes on Val. “Oh, look how grown up you are.” She holds her by her upper arms and kisses both cheeks. “Beautiful. Simple and beautiful, Valentina.”
Val shoots me a look that says, “do something,” but I’m not even sure why they’re here, let alone have a game plan.
“Dominic.” Giada lowers her head toward me.
I place the bag of bread on the entryway table and approach her like a good Italian Catholic boy. “Nice to see you, Mrs. Cavallo.”
When I draw back from our hug, she places her hand on my cheek and pats it once, smiling at me. “Such a good boy.”
“Thank you.”
“Come in. Come in.” Ma waves the both of them in. “Dom, I haven’t had a chance to put the cutlery on the table. Finish setting the table.”
Val’s eyes shift to her ma. “I thought we were just picking up food?”
Giada looks at Ma as though she’s the ringmaster of this circus.
