“In the new year, Mama,” Carmine replied. “I promise.”
She tutted.
“Architect,” Stefano said. “Building rich people big buildings. It’s not the same as feeding a community. Is it, Raoul?”
Raoul had followed their father into the family business. All his childhood, Stefano had told Carmine that he would succeed him. To Stefano’s horror, Carmine rejected this offer, instead choosing to go to university in Edinburgh. Stefano had never fully forgiven him.
“No, Dad,” Raoul said, puffing his chest out.
He always acted as if he had one over on Carmine about working with Stefano. He’d conveniently forgotten he’d been the second choice. Far be it from Carmine to remind him. Well, until he needed to.
“That’s enough,” Maria warned.
Carmine smiled at her. He remembered the arguments around this very table when he’d declared his plans. Maria had supported her son in realising his dreams. She must’ve known that he would fly the nest. Yet, she was still prepared to make the sacrifice to see him happy.
“What are you doing for New Year’s Eve?” Monica asked.
Carmine could kiss her for changing the conversation.
“I’ll be working,” Raoul announced proudly.
“As usual,” Donna added.
“And I will come to help,” Stefano said.
This elicited another sigh from Maria. “The doctor warned you about overdoing it. You promised you were going to spend the evening with me and Nonna.”
The expression on Stefano’s face suggested he wanted to do anything but that.
“I always ring the new year in with the customers,” he said. “Why don’t you two come down?”
Nonna raised an eyebrow. “Last time you made us sit in the kitchen because there were no tables.”
Stefano cackled then saw the expression on his mother’s face and his face dropped.
“You’ll spend New Year’s here with us,” Nonna informed him. “And that’s the end of it.”
Carmine stifled a smirk. There was only one person on the earth who could stun his father into silence.
Monica frowned. “Anyway, I didn’t mean you, Raoul. Carmine, what about it? Anything exciting on the horizon?”
Raoul flushed. Poor thing still got so riled up. They hadn’t seen much of each other over the years. Carmine had half hoped he might be able to reconnect with his brother this time around. It appeared that wasn’t on the menu.
“No plans,” he replied. “Probably a takeaway and bed.”
It was a bit sad to admit he had no friends in the area anymore. Most of the people he went to school with had either moved out or were knee-deep in kids. He didn’t fancy hitting Canal Street in Manchester on his own.
“Come to my party,” she suggested.
“You don’t want your brother there.”
“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t,” she replied.
It would beat sitting in his new apartment, thinking about past celebrations.
“Okay,” he said. “You’re on.”
One week later, Carmine woke up in his sister’s spare room. His head was pounding and a sudden wave of nausea meant he had to stay as still as humanly possible.
