Daniel turns to us, curious and I cock my head at him. But he just smirks and shakes his head at me slightly, letting me know – in his own Daniel way – not to worry about it just now. So I just smile at him, and then at Nonna, and do my best to be engaged in the conversation as Alessi updates Daniel
Daniel and Gio continue to chatter as we make our way up to the third floor, but Daniel turns to me as our pace slows and we approach a set of brown arched doors. Gio likewise grows quiet, his whole demeanor changing in an instant from an eager young man greeting a favorite cousin to the eldest son
“So,” he says, folding his hands neatly in his lap. “What is it that you have come to ask me for today?”“Nonno,” Daniel says, stepping forward and trying – I think – to draw the Don’s eyes back to him. “We have only come to –“ But Don Bianci silences him simply by raising his hand, smirking as he
I give the head of the Bianci family a slow, leisurely smile. “Wherever you wish to begin, sir,” I say quietly, passing the gambit back to him. I want to know more about what he wants before I tell him what I want. “We are simply grateful to be guests in your home.” Don Bianci smirks at me, obviou
“All right, little donna,” he murmurs, repeating the nickname. “Stop playing coy. Tell me what it is you did.” “All right,” I say with a nod, pleased to see him stop dancing around the niceties. But still – I’m not going to confess my crimes that easily. I still want to make him to tell me what he
The Don sits back in his chair, his white eyebrows almost at his hairline. And then he laughs, surprised and pleased. I straighten up and take a deep breath, knowing that we’re in the thick of the game now. And I’ve just gained quite a bit of credit, I think. Don Bianci isn’t someone who is used t
He’ll try for it. “I’ll think about it,” the Don says with a gentle shrug before reaching a hand to his side. Gio is there in a moment, offering his own hand to help his grandfather stand from the chair. Then, as the Don drops his grandson’s hands and moves towards us, his face shifts completely
I shrug, a little coy, and look Gio over from head to toe. Because as much as he presents himself as outside of his family – someone who does not dress like them, who is clearly in a trade, and who has garnered both his father’s and his grandfather’s disappointment – Gio has learned some tricks, has
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