From the Don's Son's Plus-Size Girl to His Brother's Claim novel · Chapter 22 of 24

Chapter 22: Ham and Swiss

"That's five weeks away," I said.

"I know."

"You're going to make me wait five weeks to hear a question."

"Yes."

"That's cruel."

"I learned it from you." His mouth did the thing. "You made me wait a whole year for a cannoli."

I looked up at him on the cold steps, at the ring on his hand and the snow starting in the porch lights.

"I'll come," I said. "But I'm bringing food. Nobody asks me anything on an empty stomach."

On Christmas Day, Fennelly's was closed for the first time since my father's funeral.

The new gold letters on the window said so, on a little card my mother had taped up crooked.

Inside, every table we had was pushed together down the middle of the tile, under a paper tablecloth.

My mother had cooked since four.

A ham, studded with cloves. Lasagna, because Rosario's sisters were coming, and she said she wasn't going to be outdone by Italians in her own deli. Soda bread. Three pies again.

At one o'clock the bell over the door rang, and the Caravellos came in out of the snow.

Rosario first, in his camel coat.

The two aunts and their husbands behind him, carrying foil pans like they were afraid of what would happen if they came empty-handed.

The cousins.

The old uncle with the cane, who went straight to the stool at the end of the counter and sat on it.

"That's my seat," Rosario told him.

"It's Christmas," the uncle said, and didn't move.

The aunt who'd pulled her son down by the sleeve came to the counter last.

She stood in front of me with a pan of baked ziti in her hands.

"I didn't give you a chair," she said. "At Sunday dinner."

"No," I said. "You didn't."

"I'm sorry." She held out the ziti. "It's not as good as your mother's anything. But it's what I've got."

I took it.

"Thank you," I said. "Sit down. There's a chair with your name on it."

There wasn't, actually.

My mother had written everybody's names on paper napkins with a Sharpie, and she'd spelled Rosario's sister's name wrong on purpose.

They found out at the table.

"Eileen," Rosario said, holding up his sister's napkin. "That's not how you spell it."

"It is in Irish."

"It's not an Irish name."

"It is in my deli."

He opened his mouth. My mother pointed her carving fork at him.

He closed it.

The cousins thought this was the funniest thing they'd ever seen.

Killian sat at my right hand.

Rosario sat at the head, by the slicer, where my father used to stand.

← Chapter 21 · All chapters · Chapter 23 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend