Bianca’s grandmother reaches up and grabs her son’s hand. “Calm down, my son. She’s with child. This is a celebration.”
Bianca’s father’s head jerks back at his mother-in-law’s words. “She is not. She can’t be.” He turns his narrowed eyes toward Bianca and Vinnie. “Are you?”
“Surprise,” Bianca exclaims, waving her hands in the air like she’s trying to make light of the situation.
“Should we take cover?” Tilly whispers in my ear.
“I don’t know, sweetheart. Just keep still and see what happens. I think the old woman has it covered.”
“How could you?” Bianca’s dad asks.
The grandmother tightens her grip on his arm. “Sit down,” she tells him, and there’s no missing the agitation in her tone. “You will not ruin this happy day.”
His lip curls in a snarl. “Happy? How is this happy? My little girl is knocked up and got married at city hall because she’s carrying his child.”
“This is fate. I saw it many years ago, just as I saw you for my daughter.”
“You’re going to have a baby?” Bianca’s mother asks like she’s just coming out of shock.
“Yes, Mama. I’m so sorry,” Bianca tells her from a safe distance away.
Her mother rises and wipes the tears from her face as she walks around the table and approaches her daughter.
“Should I go to Bianca in case something bad happens?” Tilly asks, but I shake my head.
Bianca’s mother reaches out, cradling her daughter’s face in her hand. “My baby’s going to have a baby?”
“Yes,” Bianca says with watery eyes. “Don’t be mad, Mama. We’re so happy. So very happy.”
“I’m going to be a grandmother?” she asks again like she’s still in disbelief.
Bianca nods. “You are.”
A smile spreads across her mother’s face. “You’ve made me very happy, little girl. So very happy.”
“You’re okay with this?” her father asks.
Bianca’s mother turns her attention toward her husband for a moment. “Yes, Grandpa, I am. Do not ruin this day for our daughter. Do not taint her pregnancy like your mother did mine.”
That is enough to shut him up as he sits back down and unclenches his fist, but he keeps his eyes focused on Vinnie.
“You’re not mad at me, Mama?” Bianca swallows, trying to hold the smile on her face.
“A life is never anything to be mad about, child. You have a good man, a loving husband, and you’re both giving me the greatest gift ever.”
I finally let out a long breath I didn’t even realize I’d been holding. “Well, that wasn’t so bad.”
“I told you so,” Tilly says and elbows me in the side.
“I’m going to be a grandmother again,” my mother says, having been uncharacteristically quiet until now. “This is the best week ever.”
The news of the pregnancy, along with the wedding, causes another round of hugs and kisses. At this rate, we’ll never eat.
Suzy leans over to Tilly. “Tonight, you tell me how everyone here got together. I want to know all the dirt.”
Tilly winks at her. “Girl, I have you covered.”
“Are you two gossiping?” I ask, nuzzling my face into my wife’s neck.
