“Well, then,” his mother said, turning to look at him and then Stephen. “It’s very nice to meet you.” She walked over and took his hand, pulling him away from Brenden. “Come along, dear, you look too thin, are you eating enough?” she asked as they walked into the house.
“What the hell are all of you doing here?” Brenden asked the rest of his family.
“You expect us not to be here?” his cousin Vinnie asked.
“You act as if, it’s every day you bring someone home to meet the family,” Roberto added then walked into the house.
“I wanted to ease him in slowly,” Brenden said, looking at his father, hoping the man would have something to say in his defense. All he got for his troubles was a smile.
“We’re not that kind of family, son. You should know that by now. I did everything but sit on top of your mother to stop her from going over to your house and meeting the man herself.”
“Fine,” Brenden said. “But make him cry, and I will arrest all of you,” he warned.
“You can’t protect him all day,” Carmella told him. Marisol nodded and followed her inside.
“Just take it easy on him. Remember, he’s carrying your niece or nephew.”
When Brenden finally got inside, he looked around the throng of people and spotted Stephen talking with his avo, Amalia, and nonna, Gemma. Stephen had a smile on his face and Brenden breathed a sigh of relief.
“I like him so far,” his mother said standing beside him. “I know you were not expecting some of the family to be here. But you should be used to it by now.”
“Keep him away from Francesca,” Brenden told his mother.
“Si,” his mother agreed. “If only Vincenzo would stay away from her.”
Brenden chuckled and shook his head. His mother was never one to hold her tongue where Francesca was concerned. It should have been a warning to Brenden that Francesca was the only one in the family that liked Kathie.
“He seems to have won over your grandmothers,” his mother whispered.
Brenden could only nod, he was still busy staring at his lover. Both his grandmothers were touching his belly, and Stephen didn’t seem to mind. He knew his family would like Stephen. “He’s easy to like,” he told his mother.
“You love him?” Rosa asked.
“Yeah, yeah, I do.” Brenden didn’t have to think about it.
“Then make sure you tell him,” his mother said to him just as Stephen looked away from his grandmothers, looking around the room until his eyes landed on Brenden’s giving him the brightest smile he’d ever seen. A warm feeling settled inside him, and Brenden knew then and there he couldn’t let Stephen walk away from him ever again.
** ** ** ** **
Stephen sat at the table listening to Brenden’s family tell stories of how the Smith, Slopes, and Ricci boys got into mischief growing up with Brenden being the ring leader. He’d met so many people that day he was not sure if he could keep things straight. He had a wonderful conversation with Brenden’s grandmothers who both insisted that he was having a girl. He got the third degree and a friendly warning from both of Brenden’s sisters, who he was certain he would get along with. Brenden and his dad were the same in height and appearance that if the elder Smith was younger, they could be mistaken for twins. He was surprised at how easy he could let go of his nervousness.
Nicholas seemed to get along with his cousins who had fawned over him the second they met him. The older women gushed and pinched his cheeks, that Stephen was surprised the child’s cheeks weren’t bright red. Loud laughter pulled him out of his thoughts just in time for him to hear the story of Brenden teaching his cousin Vinnie how to ride a bike when they were thirteen. Vinnie was a year younger than Brenden and Stephen could tell the other man looked up to his older cousin. As the story went, instead of guiding him gently, he pushed Vinnie down a steep hill and told him to pump his brakes to help him stop.
“You pushed him?” Stephen asked in shock.
“What, I told him to pump his brakes,” Brenden said with a shrug.
“That was after I was already barreling down the hill at full speed,” Vinnie argued.
“You learned how to ride a bike didn’t you?” Brenden defended.
“Yeah, after I got out of the hospital,” Vinnie said pouting.
“You put him in the hospital?” Stephen asked in shock.
“You got me back, so what's the problem?” Brenden added, ignoring Stephen’s question.
“The big deal is that it wasn’t enough, I’m still working on my revenge.” Vinnie said to Brenden that earned a chuckle from the others around the table.
