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Ma cuts up her chicken. “Yes. Yesterday.”
I grip my silverware tighter. “And he told you?”
“Dom?” Val whispers from next to me.
“Told me what?”
I’ve seen every side of Ma over the years and she’s doing her ‘I know, but you’re going to have to tell me’ act. She’s not even trying to hide it.
“About Val and me?”
Val’s silverware drops onto her plate.
“What about you and Valentina?” Mr. Cavallo asks a little louder than necessary.
I sigh. “Just tell me. What do you know?”
Ma places her silverware down calmly and leans her forearms on the table. “A reporter called Giada to see if she had any comment about her daughter’s recent marriage.”
“Why would a reporter call?” I ask.
“That’s not really the point, is it?” Ma snipes.
“I’m so stupid,” Val says. I look at her, and she turns to meet my gaze. “Max. Because Max is my ex, they probably have those stupid gossip sites searching marriage records in Vegas.”
She’s right. How did we not think of that?
“So it’s true then?” Ma asks.
Before I can say anything, Val asks Giada, “What did you say?”
“I told them I couldn’t be happier. That you and Dom have always been meant to be together.”
“Ma! Why would you tell them that?”
“Because that’s the truth.”
“You’re lucky your ma is so smart and can think on her feet.” Mr. Cavallo grabs his wife’s hand. “It’s not as if we knew ahead of time. No one asked for my daughter’s hand.” His narrowed gaze lands on me.
“Dom and I…” Val glances at me. “We’re getting an annulment.”
Our mas gasp, and their faces drain of color.
Ma leans over the table as though she doesn’t have perfect hearing. “You’re what?”
“Getting an annulment. The marriage was a drunken mistake.” I fill in the gaps for her.
“A drunken mistake?” My dad sips his homemade wine. “You’re saying you didn’t run off and get married?”
I sink into the chair, feeling sick to my stomach. Shit. My parents thought this was for real.
Valentina’s staring at me to answer them.
“We ran into each other in Vegas and had too much to drink. For some reason, we got married, even though neither of us remember much.”
“Excuse me.” Ma slides her chair back, covering her mouth, and disappears behind the kitchen door.
“Anna.” Pa sighs, then his angry eyes settle on me. “After your mama got over the shock of you not having a Catholic wedding, she was so happy when Giada called her. We thought you didn’t know how to tell us, but now you say it’s all a mistake and you’re going to get an annulment? You break your mama’s heart.” My dad’s chair slides back, his hands pressing on the wooden table as he stands.
