"I was one month younger back then."
"Bitch, you literally cried."
"Almost. There's a difference."
I'm chopping peppers, then he screams.
"YOU HAVE A CAT?!" I glance over my shoulder and see him holding Lulu at arm's length. I raise an eyebrow. "No, I just enjoy letting strays walk into my house and claim my furniture. Keeps me humble."
He squints at Lulu, then cautiously sets her down on his lap. She immediately curls into a purring ball of royalty. "Oh my god. A fluffy ball of perfection." His voice drops into full awe. "I brought a stray dog home once, but dad made me return it. I'm hoping Daisy adopts him for her new place."
I turn to say something when I catch sight of Lorenzo and Rava on the other side of the kitchen, fully engaged in a chaotic wrestling match over Rava's phone. "Give it back, you ass!"
"No. I'm talking with my baby."
"Lorenzo, I'm warning you—"
Suddenly Daisy walks in, and the entire energy in the room shifts. Lorenzo freezes. He blinks once, and then without a single ounce of shame, drops the phone back into Rava's hand and throws himself dramatically into Daisy's arms like a man returning from war. "There she is. My terrifying girlfriend. The reason I breathe."
"You're such a freak," she mutters, trying not to smile as she gently shoves him off.
I'm checking the pasta when I hear soft footsteps behind me. "Do you want help, Gio?" Rava's mom appears by my side, rolling up the sleeves of her linen blouse. "You do the pasta, I'll do the salad and the—"
I shake my head immediately. "No, no, I got it. You relax for once. Take the day off from being Kitchen Commander."
She chuckles. "Well, cooking is the only damn thing I do anymore. Cook for these ungrateful little creatures." She glancestoward the living room like she is expecting them to hear. "Can't even rinse a dish, let alone say thank you!"
I laugh. I've heard this exact speech too many times to count.
"Speaking of which…," she turns to me. "How's your mom, sweetheart?" I turn down the heat and nod. "She's doing a lot better. Honestly. With a bit of care, I think she might bounce back fully."
I mean it. Saying it out loud makes it feel even more possible. She gives me a warm smile and gently pats my back. "That's good. That's really good, Gio." Then she turns away, wiping her hands on a towel. "I'm gonna go set the table before these animals decide the floor is good enough."
I smirk. "You're raising legends, honestly." Then I go back to the stove.
We start gathering around the table, one by one. I'm still by the counter, holding way too many plates in one arm. Rava comes up beside me quietly and he takes half the stack from my hands before I drop them all.
"Thanks," I mutter, bumping my shoulder against his. He just nods, and I lean in and press a soft kiss to his cheek without even thinking. That is it. That is all it took.
"MOM! RAVA'S MAKING OUT!" Jin's voice shatters the moment like a goddamn siren. Rava, already red in the face, snaps back.
"IT WAS JUST A KISS ON THE CHEEK YOU STUPID DELAYED GREMLIN CHILD."
"Wow," Lorenzo says, completely unfazed. "I think you guys are convincing me I actually want siblings." Daisy just reaches over and wraps an arm around his shoulders, gently patting his head like he is a golden retriever.
Lorenzo doesn't fight it. I set the plates down on the table and look around. We all finally sit. Of course, Lorenzo has toopen his mouth first. "So Gio's a chef now?" he says, grinning. "Didn't know prison cafeterias were hiring."
Daisy immediately side-eyes him. "Shut up and take notes instead." I chuckle, but my eyes drift toward Rava, who looks at his mom. "Has dad really not come home since yesterday?" he asks softly.
His mom gives a half-shrug, not looking up from her plate. "No…I assume he's staying at a friend's. Couldn't stand the sight of us after what happened, I guess."
I watch Rava's expression shift. Barely there, but I see it. The guilt. The way he looks like he's trying to push something heavy away from behind his eyes.
That's when I jump in. "Okay," I clap my hands once. "Rava has ahugeannouncement to make, and I promise you're not ready for it." Rava looks at me, startled. "Gio—"
"No no no. No backing out." I turn to the rest. "Guess. Go."
Lorenzo leans over, clamping a hand on Rava's shoulder. "You finally realized Gio's insufferable? Took you long enough."
