Page 58 of The Dominator

Mr. Ferrano walked over to the coffee maker and stared at it, then looked down at Sarah who was still on the floor tangled up with Lisa.

“Guess I’ll get myself a coffee. Would you like a coffee, Sarah?” His eyebrows perked up at her. He didn’t look like those old guys, but math said he had to have about twenty plus years on Lisa.

“Everyone wants coffee! Except Luciana. You can make her a hot chocolate.” Sarah beamed at him.

“What’s up, Pop?” Dario asked.

“I’ll make the espresso and then we’ll chat for a minute, son. I just came to pick up Lisa, mostly, and to check on Athena. You okay?”

He looked at me and his face was kind, seemed genuine. He seemed different from how he was when I met him that first day. My thoughts flickered to him and my mother. I nodded, chewing my cheek.

“Good,” he said. “When that boy gets home you do me a favor, okay?”

“What’s that?” I asked.

“You give his right eye a pop for me too, ah? I think it

needs to match!” He punched the air with a mean hook.

Everyone started to laugh, except me again. I didn’t know what the heck to make of this bunch and their quirky sense of humor. Everyone clearly thinks it’s pretty awesome that I gave Tommy a black eye. Everyone here wants me to feel welcome, too, it seems. Now I understand what Tommy meant by the whole “Ferrano family experience” comment. I can’t imagine how nuts it is with all the kids and the spouses together with all these guys during something celebratory rather than a stressful situation like this.

Mr. Ferrano brewed espresso for everyone except me and Luc. He made her a hot chocolate with whipped cream on it and then he made me a cappuccino with a heart pattern on it and smiled at me as he put the cup down. It looked like it came from a fancy café.

“Thank you, Mr. Ferrano,” I said.

“Call me Pop.” He winked, then signaled Dario to follow him into the other room.

I looked down at the cup and got lost in thought. I noticed the room was quiet, so I looked up from the heart shaped foam in my cup to see all eyes on me. I felt uncomfortable for a beat and then the girls all started chatting again and suddenly Luc grabbed my hand and placed it on her belly and I felt her baby kicking.

“This better be the boy!” she said. “I have twin girls in the terrible twos and my first wish is there’s just one in here.” She pointed to her big round belly. “My second wish is that it be a boy so that I can say I’ve done my wifely duty and then the doctor can tie my tubes.”

Tessa piped up, “I guarantee it’s another girl. I can feel it.”

“Oh, shut up!” Luc answered and pretended to smack at her sister, “If this is another girl, I’ll do this one more time, just one. If it’s another girl then I’m done, heirs or no heirs.”

All three of them look alike, a bit like Tommy but blonde and a little different. They must take after their mother a bit because I can see that Tommy definitely takes after his father. Lisa is a pretty girl and a little older than me, but I can see how she’s attracted to him. He’s handsome and holds his age well. She fits with these girls perfectly. They seem like they’re all best friends. I idly hope that I can one day feel carefree again. Right now that feels a little far from possible.

* * *

An hour later I was yawning, and Tessa took it as a cue to get everyone out. Dario and Mr. Ferrano were still somewhere else in the house. Tessa told them I needed my rest and that it was after midnight. Sarah went off to find the guys.

A few minutes later they came back in and Mr. Ferrano hugged each girl, including Sarah and then stood in front of my spot on a kitchen chair and held his arms open. It was weird and uncomfortable, but I stood and let him embrace me. I’m sure I looked shell-shocked.

Tessa hugged me and told me that in a few weeks they were having a baby shower for Luc and that she’d get me the details. Lisa hugged me and told me that dinner is always at their house on Sundays and that we’re expected every week. Luc hugged me and told me it was nice to meet me and said she’d get my digits from Tommy and text me about getting together in a few days after I’m rested. They all marched out of the place in single file and that left me, Sarah, and Dario in the kitchen.

I headed to the doorway. “I think I’m going to head to bed,” I said and Dario nodded at me.

“I’ll be close by if you need anything.”

“Thank you,” I said, then added, “Goodnight, Sarah.”

She smiled at me. “Sleep well, Chiquita. Welcome home.”

I’m sure I frowned at her in response. Home?

* * *

I fell asleep on the bed without even changing my clothes, but only slept an hour or two and then I was wide awake. I got a drink of whiskey from the bar, thinking it might settle my nerves and make me sleepy, but it did just what it did last time – gross me out and burn my throat.

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