“We’re gonna have a baby,” I repeated her sentiments. Giving off a soft squeal, Angel leaned across the table and wrapped her hands around my neck.
“Well, isn’t this lovely?” The deep voice of someone suddenly talking caused Angel and me to pull away from each other. Standing there scowling down at us was Edwardo, with two of his goons behind him.
“Daddy, what are you doing here?” Angel asked, with a terrified look on her face. Edwardo had a cane in his hand. I had no idea he was now using a cane to walk. Ignoring her question, Edwardo sat down in the booth next to his daughter as he glared at me.
“You Ricci boys are like an infestation of wild ants that’s hard to get rid of,” Edwardo said, tapping his cane on the tiled floor. I know this mothafucka didn’t just call me a bug.
“If I were you, I’d get the fuck on before my brother finds out you’re here,” I told him, hoping he’d take the hint and leave. Instead, he watched me right in my face and laughed.
“Do you think I’m afraid of thatrovina famiglie(homewrecker)? You think because he’s older and has a littlebit of muscle, I should be scared of him?” Edwardo’s facial expression changed before he turned to look at his daughter.
“You’re just like your mother, you know that? Always ready to hop on the first standing dick. You love defying me every chance you get. Do you know how hard I worked to get Mervin to even consider looking at you?”
“Then you marry him,” Angel said. Edwardo was about to say something when the white envelope on the table caught his attention. He reached for it, but Angel tried to grab it before he could. Unfortunately, she wasn’t quick enough. We both watched as Edwardo opened the envelope and pulled out the 3D ultrasound of his grandchild. Getting to his feet, his angry face was enough to make Angel cower.
“Get the fuck up,” he demanded, crumpling the pictures and dropping them on the table.
“Is there a reason you’re in my fucking restaurant?” I heard my brother’s voice before I saw him.
“Oh shit, it’s the little brother that acts like the big brother,” Edwardo cracked, giving his full attention to Buddha.
“Why don’t you grab your daughter and hobble the fuck out of my restaurant, and don’t forget to take Ren and Stimpy with you,” he said, nodding at Edwardo’s goons.
“Let’s just go, daddy,” Angel said, getting up from her seat. Her eyes clouded with tears, and she fought to keep them from falling. Edwardo watched as his daughter stood and walked toward him. However, he made no attempts to leave; instead, he focused on me.
“I’ll do you both a favor, if Mervin agrees to forgive myputtana(whore) daughter, I’ll go easy on you both,” Edwardosaid, tapping his cane on the floor as he looked at his daughter in disgust.
Deciding I’d been silent long enough, I got to my feet and looked at Angel. The first teardrop rolled down her cheek, and that did something to me.
“How about I do you a favor, and let you live long enough to see your first grandchild brought into the world? Don’t ever threaten us, Ricci men. We’re much older now, and a 200-year-old man ain't scaring nobody.” Edwardo’s goons didn’t appreciate my words, and they both stepped forward. Edwardo lifted his hands to let them know to fall back.
He gave me a devilish smile. “It’s been a while since I’ve had a good battle. Let’s go, boys,” he said, grabbing Angel’s upper arm as he pulled her toward the exit. By this time, the diners were looking at us curiously.
“Didn’t I tell your goofy ass this would happen?” Buddha didn’t waste any time digging in my ass. “Bringing this shit into my restaurant around my customers. Please know I’m not in this when Tomasso finds out you’ve been fucking Angel.” Buddha said, turning to head back to his office.
“Which is worse? Fucking his daughter or his wife? I think you still hold the award for that one.”
Buddha’s steps immediately stopped, and he walked back toward me. I held my ground, preparing myself just in case we were about to scrap.
“The only reason I’m not gonna put your stupid ass in a headlock is because your brain is already fucked enough as is. Stupid mothafucka, get the fuck out of my restaurant,” Buddha said, sneering his upper lip at me.
“Man, fuck you. Don’t you get tired of being the golden child?” I asked, but he didn’t say anything. He just held up his middle finger and kept pushing.
Sucking my teeth, I walked off, ignoring the stares of the customers trying to eat their pizza. I just wanted to go home and call it a day. I was tired mentally and physically.
*****
I sat in the living room, staring at my phone, waiting to see if Angel would respond to the text I sent almost an hour ago. I’d gotten home, had a shower, then came down to the living room. I left Ciara upstairs in our bedroom. I avoided spending too much time with her when I got home because I didn’t want to fall back into the habit of using. I really wanted to kick my habit.
I let out a loud sigh when I saw that Angel wasn’t going to respond. I had no clue if she was alright or not. What if Edwardo did some shit and hurt her and the baby? I had to shake my head to get rid of that thought. I fucked up really bad with this one. Shit was about to get even worse when my father found out.
I grabbed my forehead and rubbed it as if I was trying to blister my skin.
“You’ve been acting really distant lately,” Ciara’s voice interrupted the quiet in the living room; my heart fluttered like a mothafucka. Her steps were so quiet I didn’t hear her walk in.
“What?” I asked her, not even bothering to look in her direction.
“Your attitude has been strange. You don’t even want to get high anymore. I’m starting to think you’re cheating on me,” Ciara said, folding her arms, staring at me suspiciously.
