“Powerlineis a character from a movie aboutGoofyand his sonMax. Dottie has a slight obsession—”
“Powerlineis the greatest musical entertainer of our generation!”
“Is she alright?” I glance at Vandy and shake my head.
“No. She is not.”
“Can we move on from thefictionalcharacter and address why I’m receiving it in the first place?”
“You think someone is stalking you again…viaGoofy?”
Harper deflates and falls into her seat with an oomph, glaring at her mother-in-law, Sarah. “When you put it that way…no. But it doesn’t make any sense.”
“People are weird.” Sarah’s tone indicates nothing more needs to be said.
“Some of us have places to be and husbands to fuck. Can we get on with the agenda of the Snatch Syndicate?” Seril growls at Tovah.
“We aren’t calling it that. Why can’t we just be the BABs? I like that. It sounds classy and doesn’t reduce us to the orifice between our legs.”
“I don’t like how you phrased that.” Ruthie whispers in horror at her sister-in-law. Seril hugs Ruthie.
“I don’t either.” Seril takes her seat at the head of the table and motions toward Vandy, Bailey, and Dottie. “The pelvic floor is yours.” I love these women. So very much.
The three of them share a look, Dottie nods, then stands up. She’s short so it doesn’t make much difference but it’s cute. “Life in the Kosher Nostra is never dull. Vandy, Bailey, and I have been talking. Anytime one of us gets loved up, all hell breaks loose.” I wince and shrink into my seat because I’m the one who’s most recently loved up. “Haters gonna hate, Sophia. Sit up like the boss bitch you are.” My cheeks heat but I do as I’m told, knowing she’s right. “The three of us decided it would be better to have three wedding ceremonies, and then a large receptionafter for all of us. One event, one day of security chaos, then wedded bliss.”
“This snatch fest was called because of wedding planning?” Tovah snorts but remains seated.
“Are you both sure?” Bailey is practically vibrating with nervous energy. I know what that’s like and offer her a supportive smile. “Don’t you want your own lavish events? You two are marrying major players,kapitansin the Kosher Nostra—”
“I know you aren’t about to imply that Ernie’s role in our organization is less important than Ezra or Tevye’s.” Esther cuts through her rambling in a firm and slightly scary tone.
“Uh…I am not…now.”
“Bailey.” Dottie grabs Bailey’s hand and sits next to her, and speaks in a soft, understanding voice. “My sisters and I are the daughters of a despicable monster.”
“Dead.” Blanche cuts in. “You forgot that he’s dead. Dead dead. Super dead. Very dead. The deadest.”
“Yes, thank you Blanche. Anyway, the only people I need present when I marry the love of my life are my sisters…and the family I have found in his arms.”
Vandy grabs Bailey’s other hand. “I have some friends, colleagues I’ve grown close to over the years, but not a lot of family. I’m in a similar situation to Dottie.”
“Oh. Well, me, too. I don’t think my family will come to the wedding. We don’t really…we aren’t close.”
“We’re your family, Bails. If you want something private, say the word, we’ll nix the idea, no problem.”
“NO!” Bailey practically yells, her face turning red. “I just don’t want you two to feel like you missed out on being the center of attention for the day.”
“I’m always the center of attention.” The room falls eerily silent in the wake of that statement…uttered in unison by Blanche and Tovah. They wink at each other, skeeving everyone out.
Dottie emits a distressed sound, the color draining from her face. “I fucked my own sister.”
Dalisay, Vandy’s mom, whips her head around. “You did what?”
“No! Not really. It’s just…never mind.”
“Nanay, Dottie had a brief fling with Tovah years before she met Ezra.”
“Ah.” Dalisay nods her head in understanding. “And Blanche and Tovah are Satan’s representatives on earth.”
