Page 23 of Brando

“My husband, Scar.” She beams at him proudly, like he is the sun and the stars and the moon, and it’s not hard to see how in love they are.

“Welcome, Mia,” Scar greets me, joining his wife as she shoots his younger brothers a look that has them wiping the smirks off their faces.

“And these errant children are Lucky and Rafi,” Brando mutters from beside me.

I’m led to a chair in between Brando and his sister-in-law, and the conversations start up again just as easily as they were halted, a comfortable peace settling over the table.

There’s enough scrutiny in the room to fill the Spanish Inquisition, and I try my hardest not to meet anyone’s stareshead on as I nibble at my food. I can understand the curiosity, but I wonder if it comes from a place of mistrust or genuine curiosity.

“You’re not eating,” Brando growls beside me, low enough so only I can hear. “Juliana will think you didn’t like her food and she’ll be very offended.”

All eyes are on me again as everyone watches the interaction between me and Brando, possibly trying to gauge the relationship between us. I so want to stand and put everyone out of their misery and tell them that we’re nothing more than once upon a time friends and he now possibly hates my guts. Although, I don’t even know why he’s helping me and my sisters if he hates me so much.

Brando clears his throat as he looks up and addresses the table.

“Is no-one hungry tonight?” he asks, as he stares at his brothers watching us.

It’s Allegra who saves the night, mumbling around a mouthful of food. “Not me,” she says, shaking her head. “I’m very hungry.”

All eyes turn towards her. She’s polished off her plate and she’s reaching for her husband’s, even as Scar happily prepares her a third plate.

12

BRANDO

I’ve never been in a room with my brothers where there is so much silence. But that’s what happens when Mia and I walk into the dining room, where everyone is seated around the table, about to have dinner. Their conversation ends abruptly as they look up, no shortage of shock on their face. It’s not often that I bring a girl home, and I suddenly realize that there will be questions. Questions that I’m possibly not ready to answer.

The only one who is not surprised is Allegra, who sits quietly smiling, her eyes telling me she’s over the moon to see another female filling this house. I want to add that this is just short term, but she’s so happy, I don’t have the heart to burst her bubble of joy.

Allegra stands, her huge stomach protruding as she hugs Mia, who stands dumbfounded that my sister-in-law has welcomed her into her house so easily.

“Welcome, Mia,” Scar says, shooting my younger brothers a warning look as they rib each other.

Whether we’re four, or five, or six, Juliana always has the table set for ten people, so there’s no shortage of space. She takesa seat next to Allegra at the woman’s insistence, and I sit to her right.

“Way to go, big bro,” Lucky says, leaning into me with a wink. I bat him away with my napkin and pick up my fork. Mia goes red as she sits uncomfortably next to me, listening to my brothers act like the juveniles they are.

“I’m so glad you could make it, Brando,” Allegra says, swinging her eyes my way. We’ve come a long way, she and I. From feeling no empathy for the girl who my older brother took as his blood oath to feeling everything. We all feel the same about the woman who now sits at the head of the table keeping us in line. She’s a stark reminder that not all women are evil like our mother.

“Where else would I be on a Thursday night?” I smile and shrug at her, then watch the interaction as she tells Mia that Thursdays are family night, a Gatti tradition that trumps all others.

“And if he hadn’t come,” she adds, “he would’ve received an earful from me tomorrow.”

It’s true. God help anyone who misses a Thursday night dinner. You could break every rule under the sun and she wouldn’t bat an eyelid, but God forbid you break a long-standing dinner invitation.

“So Mia, what misfortune befell you that you came to be shackled to my brother?” Rafi asks, as he cuts into his parmigiana.

Mia looks his way suddenly, her eyes wide before she turns to me in confusion, her turmoil telling me she’s wondering how he could possibly know she’s in trouble.

“Don’t mind my brother,” I tell her. “He doesn’t seem to think any of us are capable of meeting a girl unless we’re saving her.”

She visibly relaxes beside me, although I know her sigh has not gone unnoticed. There’ll definitely be questions after tonight, and suddenly I’m questioning the wisdom of bringing her here. Maybe the ear bashing from Allegra for not showing up for dinner would have been worth it to save me having to explain myself when the time comes.

“He saved Allegra,” Rafi says, pointing from Scar to Allegra, reminding us of the disaster that was their arranged marriage.

“Uh-uh,” Scar says, as he lifts his glass to his lips. “Shesavedme.” He looks at his wife with nothing but adoration radiating from his eyes, and I watch as Allegra smiles lovingly back at him. It’s so mesmerizing, it’s almost sickening. Mia watches them with the same kind of fascination we’ve all had watching them together, secretly wishing for the same thing. No-one will admit it, but who doesn’t want the kind of perfect relationship that my brother has with his wife?

“When are you due?” Mia asks, her eyes flicking towards Allegra’s belly. She lifts a hand to her stomach and rubs around it happily before she replies.

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