Amalea smiled at me and opened her mouth to speak, but Indy got there before her.
“You’re joking,” Indy said, and I looked back her way.
“Not even a little bit.” I grinned. “And he serves tater tots with breakfast.”
I knew that would get her.
It got her.
Indy’s eyes got wide and she whispered an envious, “You’re joking.”
“Nope,” I replied, still grinning.
“That’s… that’s like… that’s…” she stammered.
“Righteous?” I gave her a word.
“Totally,” she agreed.
“Hank does the dishes and he’s good at it,” Roxie put in. “He also makes great eggs, and he’s a grill master.”
“Whenever I suggest we grill something to Lee, he says we should go to a steak joint or invite ourselves over to your place,” Indy said to Roxie.
I took the rinsed serving bowl Mom handed to me and started wiping while saying, “You’re letting Lee get away with too much. You need to crack down.”
Indy shoved the platter in the cupboard. “I’m not sure cracking down works with Lee.”
In mixed company, I couldn’t suggest what would, so I didn’t say anything
“Just sayin’,” Connie put in. “Ren does all that stuff because Jeannie and me were like Lee.”
“This is true,” Amalea murmured to Mom.
“He was a brownnose, always suckin’ up to Ma,” Jeannie stated, and Amalea’s back snapped straight.
Uh-oh.
“He was not a brownnose. He was a good son,” Amalea stated. “After slaving in the kitchen to feed a family of four, it was nice to have someone do the dishes. And, I’ll add, nice to have someone who saved me from having to slave in the kitchen every once in a while.”
So that was how Ren learned how to cook.
“Total brownnose,” Jeannie muttered, wiping the stove.
“This is what I wish,” Amalea started. “I wish for you both to have sons and daughters, sons that look out for you, daughters who don’t, so you’ll understand precisely how it feels.”
Oh man.
Seriously set down.
She was good.
I bit my lip and gave big eyes to Mom.
Mom grinned huge at me.
Jeannie began concentrating closely on cleaning the stove like Mom was performing surgery on it later, while Connie shoved more leftovers in the fridge but did it without speaking,
With excellent timing, Dad ended our discussion by walking in and announcing, “I’m taking drink orders. Any of you gals want a refresh before you join us?”
“I have to get behind a wheel, Malcolm,” Amalea said. “Nothing for me.”
He got yeas from Roxie, Mom and me, nays from Connie and Jeannie. We finished up the dishes, Dad brought our drinks and we wandered back to the family room, me bringing up the rear and Amalea poorly pretending she wasn’t trying to position to bring up the rear with me.
I slowed my gait as the others forged on. I stopped, turned and looked down at Ren’s mom.
“Did you want a word in private?” I asked quietly.
“Was it that obvious?’ she asked back.
“Yes,” I answered on a smile.
She returned my smile before hers faded. Then she tipped her head to the side and studied me for a moment before speaking.
“It’s just that…” she hesitated then said, “I’m really very sorry to barge in on your family dinner, Ally.”
“That’s okay, Amalea. Mom invited my brothers and their wives without telling Ren and me, so it evens out.”
She grinned.
Then she looked down, reached out and touched my hand briefly, before she looked up and caught my eyes.
“He says he’s moving on,” she said softly, her words confusing me.
“I’m sorry?” I asked.
“From Vito,” she explained, and I pressed my lips together. “Some months ago, he told me he met a girl, he cares a good deal for her, so now it’s time.”
Some months ago.
Ren made this decision some months ago.
How cool was that?
Again she reached out and touched my hand before she whispered, “I certainly am happy to meet you, Ally.”
I got her.
She lost a husband; she was terrified of losing a son.
And she was giving me credit.
I didn’t let her move her hand, but caught it and told her, “He’s doing it for you, too.”
“He’s been going to do it for me for years now, honey.”
Interesting.
“Now he’s doing it,” she continued. “Angela has been talking about it. Dom’s mother, Ramona has been talking about it. Vito’s angry about it. But Lorenzo isn’t backing down.”
I nodded. “He’s got his mind made up and he already has plans for the future.”
Her eyes grew intense on me and they were far from unhappy. “This, I can see.”
I got that, too.
Again with the melty.
Jeez. What was up with me and the melty?
“As crazy as this night started,” I told her, “I’m glad you and the girls were here.”
“Me too, Ally.”
I grinned.
She grinned back.
“Ally, sweetheart, are you and Amalea coming?” Dad called, and I rolled my eyes at Amalea because Dad was likely calling because he was worried she caught me and I wouldn’t want to be caught.
See?