Janeen, Jerome, and Daniel all watch through the glass of the back door as Fay and her dad sit on the couch, having a long chat during which she explains a lot of stuff that…he probably doesn’t want to know. They’ve been watching the myriad of emotions cross his face, but Janeen is finally relieved
Which, really, is all Janeen wants for her little sister right now. Fay sighs and looks askance at the three beers sitting mostly-empty on the table. “I’d kill for one of those right now,” she murmurs, rubbing a hand absently across her belly. Smirking, Jerome pushes his beer bottle towards her, a
The luncheon we have a week later is…awkward, to say the least. I say a little prayer of thanks about every ten seconds that Daniel hasn’t left my side for a moment, charmingly fending off questions and making small talk with both the Biancis and the Aldens while I stay quiet, smiling prettily. I l
My father’s speech wraps up a waiter comes to take my plate and deliver a glass of champagne to Daniel and sparkling cider to me. “To my daughter, the beautiful Fay,” my father says, looking at me adoringly as he raises his glass in my direction – Fucking snake, is all I can think. Because I know,
“Do you take this woman?” the justice asks, smiling kindly at Daniel, “to be your lawfully wedded wife?” Daniel beams down at me and I can’t but smile back at him, laughing a little at the joy on his face. “I do,” Daniel says, and I wrinkle my nose at him. We’re putting on an act, of course, but h
I laugh, pleased at our bizarre little family. “Where are we going?” I ask, grinning at Janeen. I know she’s got something planned – she’s been too sneaky for days. “Home,” she says, innocent. I just laugh, ducking into the car and letting her take the reins. But then, as we hit the highway and ac
Too early the next morning, the guard bangs his nightstick against the bars of Kent’s cell, making him jump awake. “Lippert,” the guard says, yawning. “Visitor.” Kent stands, wondering what the hell could be going on. He doesn’t say a word, though, knowing better than to ask. Instead, he simply st
Kent glares at his son. “I said I don’t need it.” “Your sample showed evidence of viable sperm,” Daniel snaps, grabbing the envelope off the table and shoving it back into his pocket. “Another reason to fire that doctor. So, unless you have other concerns about Fay, you should stop treating her lik
My dad greets him with such genuine joy and excitement that it makes my heart swell with joy. They talk for a few minutes about Dominic’s day before dad gives him a little nudge back towards the gate where Kent and I are waiting. Dominic gives dad a kiss before running ahead again. My dad waves to
“Papa!” Dominic shouts, startling me out of my reverie as he drops my hand and darts down the road. I look up, a huge smile breaking out on my face again as I see Kent on the sidewalk just ahead. His back is to us as he speaks companionably with the butcher, a heavy bag of his purchases already hung
As I walk down the street towards the little Italian kindergarten, the whispers start around me, as they always do. I listen to all of them, a big German Shepherd padding quietly at my heels. “Is that her?” “Yes, that’s the one – I heard she was her husband’s mistress before he married her – tha
Both Kent and I laugh, but Don Bianci – across the baptismal font from us – snaps his eyes up, perhaps not liking the joke as much as we do. But I just ignore it, because dad’s right, frankly – and it’s too happy a day to care. After the final blessing everyone applauds Dominic – he likes that, bl
“Well, it didn’t seem to affect your first very badly,” Ivan says with a shrug, peering around Kent to where Daniel is laughing with an arm around Jerome’s shoulders. “So…maybe keep it up.” I smirk, squeezing Ivan’s hand once more before standing and moving to Kent’s side, tucking myself against h
“Hey, gorgeous,” Ivan says, his mouth turned up in a smirk as I cross the churchyard, beaming at him. “Look who’s talking,” I say, laughing and reaching for him when I come close enough. Ivan wraps me in a hug, dropping a kiss to my cheek as I hold Dominic a bit to the side so he doesn’t get squis
He laughs, smiling at me genuinely. “Do I make you nervous?” he asks, blunt. I laugh, unable to help it. “Has no one bothered to tell you, in all these years, that you’re a little terrifying, Don Bianci?” He grins and shakes his head at me. “Well, considering what you accomplished, young lady, I
Two months later, we’re all gathered together again. And it is only with frustration that I see Gio and Janeen standing so close together that their arms nearly brush, even though they’re still not together. I roll my eyes, dismissing the problem for a moment as I move my eyes down to Dominic and
It's an incredible night. Kent didn’t lie, not at all, about the food either. I’m shocked by the mountains of dishes that continue to follow each other, one after another, long into the night. After a few hours of it I just mournfully watch the waiters go by because I couldn’t eat another bite if I