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“You’ve outdone yourself, sis.” I didn’t know if I’d fasted long enough for all this stuff.
“Thank you. Grace?” She asked me.
“Yes.” I looked to Massimo.
“Me?” He asked.
“You.”
He nodded and lowered his head before he spoke. I lost most of what he was saying when I felt Martina’s eyes on me.
“Thank you.” She mouthed to me.
I tilted my head in her direction and she closed her eyes and bowed her head once again.
“Buon appetito.” Massimo said.
Everyone began eating and I noticed the change in confidence with him as we interacted. My father was quiet for most of the meal and I was fine with that. We couldn’t talk shop in front of the outsiders at this table anyway. It still made for good company.
The food was amazing. Simone eve went back for more of the chicken parmesan. I didn’t blame her. It had the right amount of spice and acidity to tenderize the chicken. A plate or three was going home with me tonight, depending on what was left over. Then she brought out a cheese cake and a lemon creme cake.
“Why do you treat us so good?” Massimo asked while helping her cut the cake.
“Could be love or maybe I don’t want you fools raiding my refrigerator.” She smiled big while looking between me and Massimo.
“Sure that’s the reason.” I laughed at her innocent expression.
We ended up talking for much longer today. My father left right after dinner and we were all fine with that. Simone had declined dessert, but after we’d been there an additional two hours, she was sitting on the couch with a slice of both cakes. Tim sat down beside her and they were engrossed in a conversation about something that I couldn’t hear. I ignored it for the most part because she was relaxed. I knew he was a flirt though.
“Can I talk to you?” I asked Massimo.
“Sure.”
We went upstairs into Martina’s office and I closed the door. We sat on the sofa and he looked ready to strike whatever threat I’d mention.
“I noticed that you were reserved with Father. You loosened up when he left, and you were surprised that I asked you to speak as the head of the family for grace. What’s going on, Max?”
“Nothing.”
I groaned and shook my head. “We don’t lie to one another. You know how I feel about that. Tell me what you need to. If I have to find out from somebody else, it’s your ass that I’m getting into. What’s up?”
He sighed. “I’ve been talking to somebody.” He looked at me.
“Yeah? Like who?”
“A therapist. Tina suggested one and after having a lot of nightmares recently, I took her up on her offer.”
“And?”
“I have a lot of repressed memories. I needed somebody to talk to after my sessions and I called Martina. She’s been taking it even harder than me. I understand that when the two of you idolized Pop the way that you have.”
“She mentioned some stuff about hospital visits that I don’t remember.”
“Which time?” He tensed visibly and I wondered what he was hiding.
“She said it was a few times.”
“It was.”
