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After a few minutes, she comes in and sets the diaper bag down.
“Great. You got this, right?” I walk out of the bathroom before she can object. It’s her kid; she should be the one to change it.
The rest of my sisters are standing outside, with Luca in Francesca’s arms. I guess Mom doesn’t forget Francesca in a time of crises.
I go back into the store, noting the cashier’s worried look, and change into my normal clothes. My new dress already has a stain on it. Guess I’m going to the party in style. Let my mom make a fuss over that.
* * *
The party is being heldin the ballroom of a Four Seasons. The moment I enter, I’m taken aback by all the testosterone. It’s like a gym locker room in here. Men in suits mingle with more men in suits around the room, all blending together after a while. The only people who stand out are my siblings, and that’s because they’re all girls in sparkly pink dresses. Antonio, of course, is the exception. Even at fourteen, he already blends in with the other men in the room. He had a growth spurt over the summer, and now, he’s almost as tall as Franco, a fact Franco has noticed, given he’s taken to wearing lifts in his shoes.
A man standing by the entrance announces my entrance. God, it’s so formal. Like a debutante ball, even though it feels more like an auction. That’s what all these men are here for—me. Hoping to get their hands on the most eligible girl in New York City right now. After Emilia married Marco, our family became more influential, making me more enticing. All these men want a piece of the Moretti pie, i.e., power.
Speaking of Emilia, she walks out of the crowd, approaching me, with her husband on her arm. She looks radiant, with her blonde hair pulled up high and wearing a silky blue dress. I gasp when I see her and practically run to her, image be damned. Mom hisses after me, but I ignore her as I hug Emilia.
“I didn’t know you were coming.”
“How could I miss this?” Emilia pulls back, squeezing my arms. “It’s not every day your sister gets paraded around a room in front of men itching to marry her.”
I roll my eyes. “Don’t remind me.”
“How are you?” Marco asks, looking stiff. The huge scar across his face draws the attention of the other men, but he only has eyes for Emilia.
“I’m fine, big brother. Just point me in the direction of the nearest knife, so I can jab it into my ear to get out of this evening.”
He chuckles, loosening up. “Glad to see you haven’t changed much, Gemma.”
“What’sthatsupposed to mean?”
Emilia cuts in before I can say anything else. “Gem, seriously. How have you been? I know it’s a lot since Mom had the twins.”
“Yeah. Most of the duties fall onto me. So,that’sgreat.”
Emilia turns to Marco. “Would you give us a moment?”
“Of course.” He walks away, bumping into Franco. Both men glare at each other before turning in opposite directions. That’s one thing I like about my brother-in-law. He seems to hate Franco as much as I do, though I have no clue why. I’ve tried to ask Emilia, but she clams up, saying it’s not her story to tell.
“Things have been rough?” Emilia asks, pulling me into a dark corner away from the crowd.
“I guess I never knew how much you really did for us now that you’re gone. All the responsibilities have fallen to me. Including changing diapers and bandaging up scraped knees and trying to act like I give a damn when Mia cries or when Cecilia asks me to pray with her or when Mom ignores Francesca for the millionth time, and I have to step in. It’s all so exhausting. I don’t know how you did it.”
“We’re just different people, is all. Soon, you’ll get married and be out of the house, and you won’t have those responsibilities.”
“But I don’t even want to be married. Honestly, I think I’ll just sneak out now. Go live in the wild somewhere.”
“Gemma, I can’t tell if you’re joking.”
I give her a serious look.
She nods. “Ok, so you’re not joking.” She lowers her voice. “Gemma, you can’t sneak away. You have a duty, even if you don’t want it. You need to get married to help support our family.”
Her words send a flash of annoyance through me. “I thought you’d be on my side.”
She pauses before considering her words. “I am on your side, Gem. I want you to be happy. But …”
“But what?”
“But we all a duty to this family. I did mine, and now, it’s time for you to do yours. I didn’t have a choice in who I married, but you do. Look around at all these men. Surely someone in this crowd draws your attention.”
