Rachel cried to get down, and Charlotte set her before the coffee table. Her long fingers held on, while her legs were unsure. Better for Charlotte to take a look around. A few minutes later, her husband came in, their son Charles holding his hand. Their young nanny was right behind, hauling a baby bag. Eunice entered the scene, delighted to see my in-laws, and they all moved closer to one another.
“We still had time to pick one out,” I said, taking Everett’s place as Scarlett looked at the tree.
“I don’t have the time.” She shrugged. “And it’s not like we have kids.”
“We would have made time. We could’ve gone tonight. You and me.”
She shrugged once more and then turned from me to direct Juliette up the stairs. I watched her go. Whenever she talked about not having kids or having them, something in her dimmed, and it did dark fucking things to my heart.
More people started to arrive, hugs and handshakes going around, and the chatter in the house started to rise. Kids were rocking from side to side, staring at other kids, doing that awkward dance with one another until they were comfortable enough to cause havoc together.
“Let us get the things,fratello,” Romeo said, going for the stairs that led to the basement.
Scarlett was impeccable and everything was in its place, all things labeled and in order. The laundry baskets were stacked neatly, and I found the tarps folded and put to the side on a shelf. I stuck them in the baskets, handing Romeo those to carry upstairs. I took the tree stand and some boxes labeled “Christmas Tree Decorations.”
A porcelain knee-high Santa stood in the corner, covered in plastic. Maja had given it to us a gift, or was it a family heirloom? His pointy hat stuck up enough for me to grab him by it and carry him one-handed up two flights of stairs.
Once to the first floor, Rocco took the tree stand from me, and Dario took the boxes. Romeo got busy setting up his game.
“Will we have to drink first for this…giocoto make sense?” Rocco said, eyeing Romeo as he spread out the tarps with concentration.
Violet brought Romeo two skateboards, and he directed her to leave them to the side. He never answered Rocco, so I wasn’t sure how this was going to play out.
A man I had never seen stood by the television with my father-in-law, drinking and conversing.
“I need one anyway,” I said. But first, I had no idea what to do with heirloom or gifted Santa. He looked expensive, an antique.
I started up the stairs to our room but stopped midway there, hearing a bunch of voices, all belonging to women.
“Yeah,” Juliette was saying. “But how much istoomuch?”
I heard my wife laugh, along with Rosaria and Carmen.
“For the Fausti men?” Carmen just about huffed. “No amount is too much. Well, for Dario anyway.”
My wife muttered something I couldn’t hear. The women all laughed again. Rosaria added to whatever Scarlett had said—more laughter.
“But…won’t he get sick of me?” Juliette asked, and it seemed hard for her to get the words out.
“No,” Rosaria said, her voice firm. “It does not happen with them.”
A new voice popped up. “What are we talking about here?” I wondered if she came with the man I didn’t recognize. “Al and I have a healthy relationship. Five times a week, at least.”
Sudden silence engulfed the room.
Five times a week?I turned, catching Al, I assumed, in deep conversation with Everett. His cardigan all tidy, his hair matching. Poor non-fucking Al. I’d be a constantly pissed off man.
“What?” The unknown woman popped up again. “Are we talking more?”
Laughter—a lot of it.
“We’re talking about three times a day, on an off day,” Juliette said, her voice rising with the laughter she was attempting to contain.
“No!”
“Yes!” the other women answered at once.
“Scarlett is going to put you on the naughty list if she catches you,” Violet said, appearing behind me. “Scarlett!” she yelled. “Get down here! We need to get started!”
