At my questioning look, she explains, "Violet is Enzo's long-lost daughter. She only flew in last night, from New York, and is leaving in a few hours."
I feel bad, without knowing why, really, because it wasn't me to ask them here. "Oh, I don't want to take away from your dad's time with you."
Violet waves her hand. "No worries. He's busy with Massimo doing something." She looks at Jenna, who shrugs.
A few minutes later, I have the breakfast table cleaned off enough for us to sit around it, with the bagels and coffee spread out in between us. I even found some paper plates.
"You're gonna think me a snob, but it's been a long time since I ate of one of these." Violet holds up a paper plate.
"No, I'm actually envious," I admit. If I never see another paper plate in my life again, it'll be too soon.
It was Pete's genius idea, after I made a list of shared chores, since we were both working. His chores included the dishwasher, so he went out and bought a bunch of paper and plastic disposables. That was the first and only time he pissed my mom off. At least officially.
"So how come you're hanging out here? Did Gabe piss you off? Violet is from the New York family. We can figure something out to make it look like an accident if Gabe stepped over the line."
I shouldn't laugh. I really shouldn't, because Jenna is actually serious, and Violet looks like she'll back her up a hundred percent. And knowing that they're not joking, I should be running in the opposite direction instead of feeling myself drawn to them.
"It wasn't Gabe," I admit.
"Violet here knows something about controlling mothers," Jenna prods.
I send a curious look at the other woman, who shrugs.
"My mother took my siblings and me from our father, telling us he was dead." Violet confides. "I grew up believing we were poor and clawed my way up to become a nurse, until…" A wistful smile tugs on her lips, and for a moment, she looks far off.
Jenna takes over. "She's so in love with her husband Marcello, it makes my teeth hurt."
I giggle, because she's one to talk. I've seen the looks between her and Massimo. Gabe's curtains almost caught on fire from the heat between the two of them. A shiver runs through me. A shiver of envy. Because I never loved Pete that way. The only man who makes me feel that way is… no, I'm not going to allow Gabe in here, not now.
"Anyway," Violet clears her throat. "Marcello ended up at my ICU station, shot and half dead and?—"
"She saved his life twice and nursed him back to health," Jenna winks, putting a subtle emphasis on the wordnursed.
"So you weren't born into…" I break off, because what? The mafia? The mob? Crime family?
"La Famiglia? No." Violet shakes her head. "Well, technically I was, I just didn't know it."
"Turned out, her mother not only kidnapped her and lied about her dead father, she was also living a secret life and…" Jenna stops, noticing my expression. "Are you okay?"
I swallow a piece of bagel and cream cheese, the food suddenly tasting like cardboard. I gulp it down with a large sip of coffee, while fighting to keep all of it down.
"I'm sorry," I finally manage. "Just… ugh, I think I caught a stomach bug or something."
Ever since I found out about Pete's vasectomy, my stomach has been acting up. The revelation made me physically sick, and it still seems to be fueling the fire.
"My husband had a vasectomy behind my back and never told me," I blurt out. I have no clue why I'm telling them.
"What?" Jenna and Violet stare at me in unison.
"And I thought my ex was a piece of shit after he sold me to his coach to be raped for play time on the field." Jenna shakes her head.
I stare at her. "Carter Whitford?"
She nods.
Jenna nods. "Yeah, I know. He was the golden boy. Everybody loved him. Everybody thought he was a saint."
"I thought Pete was, too." I look at her, and something like commiseration passes between us.
