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He pulls at tufts of his hair.
Delighted by his misery, I lean on my elbows. “We had an hour, Santino. Then the family walks around to look at everyone’s efforts. I think we have . . .”
“Shh…” He yanks me up from the ground to him. With shaky legs, I’m regaining my composure as Santino messes in my hair. His fingers are pulling twigs and bits of grass from my tresses I had no idea were there. My mother strolls over, mentioning that we’re all headed for a family picture. Santino threatens that my power trip is over. “As soon as we get home . . .” His voice trails off, ominously. Yummy. Trouble is brewing. Happy fucking Thanksgiving to me!
27
Santino
Despite the no-holds-barred between Gina and her sisters, I am having a good time. Ladies, if a man isn’t fighting for you—run. Though I’ve never cared for another’s approval, I am determined to have Mr. Galloway accept me. Although I hadn’t anticipated it would be tonight, maybe not even in the next year or two. We finish taking the Galloway family portrait when I see a message from Antonia; a text that leaves me seeing red.
Half an hour later, my heart’s in my throat. I fist the steering wheel with one hand and in my other hand is my iPhone. Toni explains how Ma canceled onZiaat the last second. A cousin was supposed to bring them to Jersey, and I’d pick them up tomorrow. “Toni, what do you mean, Ma dragged you to the movies! Where’s Maria?”
“The nurse came. She went home early today. I told you that, Uncle Santa.” Toni sobs. In the background, Ma can be heard screaming at the top of her lungs.
“You don’t get to ‘Uncle Santa’ me, Antonia. You know better.”
“Santino . . .” Gina cautions as my truck slides into position between two slow cars.
“I got this,” I tell her. My foot presses the gas. I zip through traffic. “Antonia, I’ll FaceTime you. Sometimes that helps.”
“Santino . . .” Gina calls out again. “The curve, baby. It’s really dark out. How about I hold the phone while you FaceTime your niece?”
I hand it over, placing both hands on the steering wheel to take another sharp turn. Gina lets out a deep breath.
“Bella, can you fucking hear them in the background? Threatening to call the cops on my ma? My ma! She’s little,piccolo! What kind of trouble . . . ?!”
Ma comes into focus on the screen. While throwing popcorn along the aisles, she criticizes having to pay a dollar to watch the film. Her complaint isn’t even in the right century.
“Uncle, there’s nothing I can—What the?” Toni comes into focus, shocked to see Gina instead of me.
Gina says, “Honey, what theater are you at? Please let me speak to—”
In the background, the manager threatens how the cops will be there soon.
I growl, “She’s scared!”
“We’re at the old movie theater.” Toni gives directions. Though she sniffs, her voice rises as she snaps, “This cheap-ass theater! Nobody comes here! I bet the manager doesn’t even have a high school diploma!”
Though still holding up my phone, Gina now has her iPhone out. “Toni, I need you to do me a favor. I’m texting you something, hang up—”
“Hang up?” Toni screeches.
I glance over at her. “Bella, what the—”
“Can everyone listen, please?” Gina speaks into the phone. “Toni, do you have the Uber app?”
“No.”
“Okay, then you may need to end the call to download it faster.”
“Fuck them, Bella. The cops won’t be there for another hour.” I snarl, aware of time frames of arrival for the ‘boys in blue’ in various zip codes.
Softly, Gina retorts, “Be that as it may, we’re an hour away, easy.”
“Not the way I’m driving.”
“The Uber app?” Toni says.
