“Nonna probably has breakfast,” Sophie mumbles.
“Yeah, I know, but…” I jump up and grab Olivia’s phone from the table, then slide it across the counter to Sophie. “Man the phone. I’ll be right back!”
But she is so much faster than me. “Not my day! I have to head home to meet Mom!” She abandons the coffee and flies out of the back door. I swear I can hear her cackling.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. I’m leaving the phone. Olivia is supposed to be in the shower anyway, so it’s not like she would text back right now. Sliding into my flip-flops, I’m out the door quick enough to see Sophie’s car hasn’t even left the street yet.
I can smell the cinnamon rolls before I even open Nonna’s back door. There are only a few family members here this morning. Uncle Sal and my cousin Banks. Aunt Kelsey, but she only has two of her four daughters with her, Mary and Frannie. And of course, Nonna and Papa.
“Man, that smells good,” I say. Nonna hugs me tight because I’m her favorite.
“Wes didn’t want breakfast? Or the girls?” she asks, looking around the kitchen to make sure they didn’t sneak in without her seeing them.
“Nope. Just me!”
“I haven’t seen Olivia in days,” she says.
I shrug, then shove a whole cinnamon roll in my mouth so I can’t answer any questions. She’s looking at me funny. And I don’t like it.
“This is a busy week for them, Mom,” Aunt Kelsey says.
I wish I could high-five her!
“Well, Michael will get to town this afternoon, so family dinner here tonight. I’ll send out a text.” Nonna picks up her phone and within a few minutes, everyone’s phone dings with a notification.
I finish eating and clean my dishes. “Thanks, Nonna!” I say, then haul it back to Olivia’s. Once I’m back in her kitchen, I approach her phone cautiously.
And sure enough, there it is below Nonna’s message.
MOM:What top are you wearing with the denim skirt? Something red would be cute! Maybe that tank we got in Dallas? You’ll need a strapless bra with it though.
I stand next to the table, my hands on my hips. What the hell. Here we go again. Knowing I can’t call Olivia unless it’s an emergency—although this is like an emergency!—I call Sophie instead.
“Hey,” Sophie says when she answers. “Trouble already? I just left like twenty minutes ago.”
“On your day, did Aunt Lisa talk about what bra Olivia should wear, or is it just me? Because I think it’s just me. Like a curse.”
“Haha, I wish I could see your face!”
She’s amused by this. Typical.
I read Aunt Lisa’s text to her.
“You can just answerOkayto that.”
“Is it weird she takes this much interest in Olivia?” I ask.
“A little. I think she’s freaking out that Olivia is leaving soon.”
“But your mom isn’t acting like this. Or is she? Don’t tell me Aunt Eileen is a weirdo, too. I don’t think I can take it.” I type in the response Sophie suggested and pray there’s no follow-up.
“Mom has Margot and Anna. I mean, I think she’s sad I’m leaving, but honestly, I’ll be in south Louisiana, close to Margot, she’s probably thinking it works out better, since she’ll get to visit Anna more.”
Those three dots are jumping around. “Stay on with me. Another text incoming.”
MOM:That denim skirt is a little short. You may want to wear some boy shorts just to be on the safe side.
“And now we’re talking about underwear.” I read Sophie the latest text.
