“That’s great,” I say, with as much enthusiasm as I can muster.
She talks and talks and I reply when an “Uh-huh” isn’t enough.
“Well, I’m about to jump in the shower and then head to Nonna’s,” I say.
“I heard Michael has brought a special someone to town! Can’t wait to hear what everyone thinks about him!”
Poor Uncle Michael’s boyfriend. He has no idea what he’s getting into.
Once I finally get off the call with Mom, I check my phone for texts I missed today, of course starting with Leo.
There are a couple of texts back and forth before Leo came and found me during my lunch break, but nothing new since then, and that’s more disappointing than I thought it would be. Ignoring the rest, I head up to my room for a shower. Within thirty minutes, I’m on the way to Nonna’s, and by the line of cars down the street, most everyone is already here. My mom should be the only sibling missing tonight, and Jake, Graham, and Margot should be the only cousins not here.
Chaosis the only word to describe my grandparents’ house on family dinner night. And Nonna loves every minute of it.
I sneak in the back door…or at least I think I sneak in, but I hear a chorus of greetings the second I’m inside.
Nonna makes a beeline to me, squeezing me tight in a big hug. “I haven’t seen you in forever.”
So dramatic.
“I saw you on Sunday night,” I answer as I hug her back. “And I was here the other day, but you were out. We had pizza!”
“Yes, I know, I heard all about it. We usually don’t go so long between visits, though. I missed you.”
She’s laying it on thick. Sophie clued me in that Nonna knows something is going on, so I’m not surprised by the attention right now. Nonna’s a bloodhound when it comes to sniffing out the truth in this family.
“It’s a crazy week! So many parties.” And then I pry myself away from her by saying, “Oh! There’s Uncle Michael!”
Uncle Michael is the only one of Mom’s siblings who hasn’t gotten married yet, and in my family that is A BIG DEAL, all caps. Nonna lets me go and I head straight toward him. I am really happy to see him, since he hasn’t been to town in forever. He throws open his arms when he spots me heading his way. I don’t play favorites with family members, but if I did…Wait, I take that back. Who am I kidding? Of course I play favorites. And he’s one of my top picks.
“Olivia!” he says as he wraps me in a hug. “I was about to walk down to your house and drag you back here.”
I take a minute or so longer than necessary holding him close. “I’m glad you’re here.” My voice breaks on the last word.
He pulls back and looks at me, concern on his face. And I’m shocked by the water gathering in my eyes.
“Everything okay?” he whispers. “Want to go find a spot to talk?”
I shake my head. “No, I’m good. Just happy to see you.” I can tell he knows there’s more, but he doesn’t push. It’s one of the reasons I love him. Whenever he’s in town, we go to movies or grab dinner or hang out here at Nonna’s. He’s more like a big brother than an uncle to me.
He pulls me to the side, keeping his arm around me. “Olivia, I want you to meet Tim. Tim, this is my niece, Olivia.”
I can tell by Uncle Michael’s face that Tim is someone special. I like him immediately.
“He’s told me all about you! Salutatorian! Congrats,” Tim cheers. And now I could really cry.
Uncle Michael and Tim are getting pulled away by Aunt Ayin to meet my cousin Sara, but Uncle Michael squeezes my hand before he goes and says, “Come find me later so we can talk.”
I give him a small smile and he’s gone.
Okay. Time to snap out of it. This is not the place to get emotional. Nonna can sniff that out like a shark with blood in the water. And no matter what, I can’t tell Uncle Michael what’s going on, because as much as I don’t want to disappoint Mom and Dad, I don’t want to disappoint him either.
Nonna yells above the chatter, “Everyone make a plate and find a seat!”
I let the crowd thin out before moving down the buffet Nonna has set out on the counter. My hands full with my plate and a bottle of water, I spy Charlie, Wes, and Sophie across the room at one of the folding tables that gets dragged out when everyone is here.
Charlie is waving me over. “Hurry up. We need to fill this table before the Evil Joes get here,” he says, then calls out to his sister, Sara, and our cousins Banks and Hannah.
