“I thought I was,” Russ said.
“Cherry always makes the Sicilian meat pies and the squash casserole,” Faith’s husband said. Kevin was a straight-talker who got tired of all the high jinks. “And the tiramisu.”
“I love tiramisu,” Russ said.
He very gamely tried to get through his plate while Cherry’s sisters took turns asking him questions and making fun of him. (They eventually went back to making fun of each other.) When it was time to play cards, he helped clear the table.
Chapter 35
“I can’t believe you told Joy that you didn’t like her pie.”
“I said that I don’t likepumpkin.”
“You should have just said that you were allergic!”
“Isanyoneallergic to pumpkin?”
“Joy took it personally. Theyalltakeeverythingpersonally.”
“Joy’s the oldest, right?”
“No, Joy’s the fourth, right after me.”
“And Honny’s the first?”
“Honny’s the second. She justactslike she’s the oldest. When Hope got married young, Honny usurped her.”
“It would help me if only one of your sisters had an H-name...”
“I’ll see if one of them is open to changing.”
“I appreciate that, thank you. SoHonny’sthe first—”
“No, I just told you—Hope’s the first, Honny’s the second.”
“Then Joy.”
“No—thenme. Joy’s the fourth. And Faith’s the fifth.”
“You sound like you’re listing queens. Honny the First. Hope the Second.”
“Tom.Hopeis first.”
“And who’s on second?”
“Ha, ha.”
“It would also help if all your sisters didn’t look like the same person...”
“Next time I’ll wear a name tag.”
“I don’t need a name tag to identify the cutest.”
“Pfft. Everyone knows that Joy’s the cutest.”
“Who is this ‘everyone’?”
“Your cupcakes were a big hit.”
