“I was taking her on one tonight before you invited us here.”
“Well.” Ma shakes her head. “Tomorrow, then.”
“Sure, because I have nothing else to do. Who needs to spend time with the kids?”
She puts her hands on her hips and narrows her eyes. “Don’t sass me, mister.”
Fuck. It doesn’t matter how old I am, Ma still treats me like a little kid. She’ll turn on a dime, reminding me that she’s the boss of all of us…forever.
“Tilly’s trying to open a business, and I have two little ones. It’s not easy to find free nights to go on dates. That’s all I’m saying.”
She grabs the oven mitts, turning her back to us. “Why don’t you invite her over for dinner?”
“I don’t want to confuse the kids.”
“Sweetheart,” she says in a sugary voice like she always does when she doesn’t agree. “Tate already found her sleeping on your couch, and she was fine. It’s just a meal. People have to eat.”
“Delilah and I can watch the kids,” Lucio offers, finally understanding the joys of fatherhood when trying to get laid or you know…do anything. “They can even spend the night.”
“Can you handle that?” I ask, knowing that’s a mighty big ask.
“What’s two more? It’s already mass chaos at our place. The only thing I can promise is that they’ll come back alive, but everything else is a crapshoot.”
Ma touches my shoulder. “Do it, baby. You deserve some happiness and a night off.”
Lucio watches me, waiting. I can never thank my brother enough for what he did for me after Marissa died. He took the kids off my hands more times than I can count, sheltering them from the spiral I couldn’t escape and the depths of my depression.
“I’ll take you up on the offer, brother, but only if I can return the favor.”
“Fuck yeah.” He groans. “I’m so exhausted, I just want to sleep an entire night through.”
“This is why I don’t settle down with just one honey.” Vinnie picks at the label on his beer bottle. “You two make adulthood seem like the shittiest thing ever.”
“You keep sticking that thing into whatever has tits, and you’re going to end up with a kid of your own real quick.”
He downs his beer and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “Please. I always wear a rubber.”
“Well, at least you’re smart enough for that,” Lucio mumbles under his breath.
“Angelo.” Daphne clears her throat as she walks into the kitchen with her arm linked with Tilly’s. “This one’s a keeper.”
Tilly snorts. “You’re too nice, Daphne.”
I laugh. “Most people wouldn’t use that word to describe her.”
“Well, you’re an asshole too,” Daphne says and sticks out her tongue like we’re twelve.
“I’m passionate.” I wink at Tilly.
Tilly sucks her lips into her mouth, biting back the laughter.
“Anyway.” Daphne ignores my comment like she usually does. “We girls are going shopping this weekend. Ma, you too.”
Ma perks up, turning around with the roaster in her hands. “I’m invited?” She seems shocked, but she’s always included in everything “the girls” do.
“For sure.” Tilly nods. “I’ve never had a girls’ day.”
“Oh lord,” I mutter and glance toward the ceiling.
