“I need a list of everyone you talked to and everyplace you’ve been for the last two weeks. Darleen Sweetwater claims you gave the virus to her. The governor wants you isolated and I want you away from my daughter.”
“We live in a one bedroom loft, Mr. Russo. If I have the plague, I’m pretty certain she does, too.” He opens his mouth to say more but I put a finger to his lips so my dad can get it out of his system.
“Regardless, park your ass inside. You could be one of those damn super-spreaders.”
My husband, my lover, and my best friend, sighs. “The list isn’t very long, sir. I’ve either been here with Sam or guarding Ms. Sweetwater and you can find her whereabouts by checking with her personal assistant.”
“Where else have you been?” This interrogation is about to earn my dad a hang-up and the silent-treatment for a week.
Sure, he needs the data but he could be a whole lot nicer. Not only that, I’ve been on my own for years. I’m not a damn teenager.
Muscles tick under my man’s handsome jaw as his brows furrow. “I rode the subway back and forth to Manhattan, went to your house for Sunday brunch, and Sam dragged me to church.”
“Send it to me. All of it. I’ll see to it we get this contained.”
“Dad, what is all this? I thought most of the cases were north of the city.” My chest tightens and I bite my lower lip. This can’t be happening.
“I’m hearing we’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg. Be prepared to stay inside for a while. And honey, keep taking Sebastian’s temperature, and yours. You let me know if either of you gets s-sick.”
I’ve never heard his voice shake before. Chills run up and down my spine and my arm hairs stand on end. What if Suds does have the deadly virus?
Weren’t we just joking about it a few hours ago?
Lost in thought, I have to work hard to focus on the rest of my father’s dire warnings. “…has closed the salon. You should shut down your agency, now. Hold on, your mother wants to talk to you.”
“Wait, Dad…” I’m not prepared for a second parental assault but it’s too late. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath.Five, four, three…
“Samantha? Are you sick? How’s Suds? When are you coming home?” My mother fires off questions, which I volley back.
“I’m fine, Sebastian is fine, and what if I already have the virus? I could give it to you or worse, to Nonna. I’m staying home.”
“You could self-isolate in your old room. Better yet, move in with Rose and Mia. You’d be close enough to check in on your fiancé every day. Did you at least buy groceries?”
I cross my fingers. “Sure, I did. What kind of idiot would forgo shopping before a pandemic?”
Suds, listens in, grins at my blatant lies, and shakes his head.
“Bene, bene. I’ll have one of the girls email you my sauce recipe. It’s the perfect time for you to learn to cook.”
Hmm. I never told her how I burnt a hard-boiled egg but she probably found out. In all fairness, I was doing fine until I got distracted and the water evaporated.
“Bye, Mom. Say hi to everyone.”
“No going out, right?”
“No Mom, me and Suds are staying inside for the foreseeable future. You do the same. You’re at much higher risk than us.”
Hanging up, I turn to my husband, now staring at the empty refrigerator with brows raised. “Ketchup, beer, and peanut butter? Don’t tell me that’s your idea of shopping?”
“Yup. Dibs on the pilsner.” After reading more online about the virus, I moan. “Is there room in our bathroom for one of those ass-jets?”
He grins. “A bidet? No. Why?”
“Apparently, there’s a run on toilet paper and I missed the window. Sorry.” I hand him my phone, watching his eyes grow wide at the lines in front of the grocery stores.
He grabs the second to last bottle from our local brewery, pours it into two glasses, and we clink. “I’ll see what I can do… What are going to do for sustenance?”
“Petey says he’s going to continue with take out.” My mouth waters and I can almost taste the greasy, cheesy, slices. My third-cousin-twice removed makes the best pizza in Bensonhurst.
