Bless her heart, Sam ignores the accusatory tone and shrugs. “I guess the way everyone does. We’ll work from home, hire sitters, and maybe some daycare. We’ll get by.”
“Get by? Really?” Sue enters the kitchen, harrumphs, and lifts the key lime pie off the counter.
Now, as much as I’d like a piece, the gauntlet has been thrown and before Sam picks it up, we need to go.
I make a big deal yawning and stretching. “Excuse me. We were up all last night. I need to take my woman home to bed. And thanks for the offer of meeting your pastor but we’re going to pass on that, as well. Sam here is deathly afraid of snakes.”
While Sam’s mouth drops open, I put an arm around her waist and lead her to the living room door. I got a lot more to say but it’s like throwing rocks at a hornet’s nest. Nothing gets accomplished and you piss them bees off somethin’ fierce.
“We got an early flight in the morning. Bye now.” Heaving a deep sigh, we drive away in the rental car.
When there’s distance between us and my family, she asks, “Snakes?”
“It’s part of their worship ceremony and, to be fair, it isn’t everyone who participates. Most folks stay back.” I park the car in front of the motel, run around to the passenger side, and when I open her door, she kisses me.
“I assume all the snakes are trained not to bite those who might object to being judged by a reptile.”
“Correct.”
“Tough guy?” She hugs me tight around the waist and I can’t breathe because all these emotions are stirring around in my head. Despite my family, she still loves me.
“Mmm?” My mouth finds hers and we kiss for the longest time.
Then, her dark eyes meet mine. “I am so sorry about everything. Let’s never fight again.”
“Well, I’m not sure...” I kiss away a little tear that decided to cut loose from a pretty lash.
“Why not?”
“Why, make up sex, sugar.” Taking her hand, I lead her to our motel room.
Chapter 23
Sam
When we arrive back home in Brooklyn, our front entrance is more parallelogram than rectangle. My heart sinks because I imagine our apartment is uninhabitable.
Suds turns his key in the lock but the door won’t budge so he bangs his shoulder into the wood until it does. Dreading what we’ll find, I climb the stairs behind him.
“Meeew!” Catrina jumps on the countertop, presses her nose to mine, and purrs.
While I feed her, Suds walks the perimeter of our space. A layer of plaster dust covers our planked flooring and giant cracks zig-zag across our walls.
“Well, don’t that suck wind?” Suds grabs a beer and sinks into the couch, staring at the dangling spiral steps unbolted at the top. I wouldn’t dare to climb, not even with a net.
Grabbing a bottle of my own, I sit beside him, tears welling until something inside of me snaps. “Fuck this shit. We need to fight back.”
“What do you have in mind?” One side of his mouth goes up as we clink our bottles.
“Uncle Vinny is going to make this right or we’ll make his life a living hell.” I open my laptop so Suds can see. “First, we’ll send a dinner invite to Father O’Connell, making it look like it came from him. In it, he’ll make a generous donation to the church. I’ll CC all the women from the hair parlor as well.”
Suds sips his beer, then nods, deep in thought. “You think it’ll be enough?”
“No, you’re right. How about I mention his taxes?” I glance up when he doesn’t respond right away.
He sits next to me, patting the cat with his dark brows raised. “I’m not following you.”
“Right. I guess I never told you. While investigating Luigi, I came across a few spreadsheets belonging to my dear Uncle Vinny. Our dead accountant was cooking his books, as well as Gallo’s. I could mention I have them and ask if he wants them back.”
