Page 4 of The Devil's Deal

My mom is busy putting some baked ziti and grilled chicken on one of those big oval plates.

“Why do you get so many?” Dante asks, looking annoyed. “I can carry more.”

“I’m older. Duh!” I roll my eyes. “And stronger.”

“Nuh-uh. You’re not strong. I can jump higher than you, and I bet I can pick you up and carry you around.”

“Wanna bet?” I ask, putting down the plates on the counter as he does the same.

“Oh, no, you don’t!” Mom yells. “You’d better pick those plates up and put them on the table. You get three each, and that’s the last I want to hear about it.”

“Ugh!” I groan.

“Yeah! In your face,” Dante brags as he carries the plates out to the dining room.

“Shut up,” I fire back in a whisper so Mom doesn’t hear as I follow him out. Dante is a year younger than me and forgets that.

Enzo is placing all the forks around the table as we walk out.

“You two are so slow. I’m already done. See?” He gestures with his hand as he sets the last fork down.

“Shut up, Enzo,” Dante and I say simultaneously. He’s seven, and just as annoying as Dante.

“What can I do?” Matteo asks as he hops off the sofa, running over to me, excitement filling his big brown eyes. “I want to help too!”

I rub the top of his head, his dark chestnut hair as thick and soft as the rest of ours. “Go get the napkins from Ma.”

“Okay!”

He runs off to do just that and is back seconds later, a bunch of white napkins crunched up in his hand. I shake my head with a laugh. He’s just so cute.

“How’s yourgirlfriend?” Dante teases.

“She’s not my—”

“Stop torturing your brother, Dante,” my dad says, coming down the stairs.

“Yes, Dad,” Dante mumbles, puffing out his cheeks.

“How is Chiara, though, son? We’ve missed her at the bakery.”

“She’s okay. It’s her dad.” I grimace, rolling my eyes. “As usual.”

“Poor kid.” He shakes his head, his lips turning downward. “Such a nice girl to have a crazy father like that. What a shame.”

“Francesco!” Ma says as she walks out with the large plate of food.

Dad smiles, going over to her. “I’m sorry, beautiful wife. I shouldn’t have called him crazy in front of the kids.” He winks at me before kissing Mom on the cheek. “Let me get that for you.”

He takes the food from her hands and places it on the table.

“Finally!” Dante exclaims. “I thought we’d starve to death.”

Mom shakes her head. “God help you if you leave one thing on your plate after all that complaining.”

Mom and Dad start filling our plates, and once we’re all eating, I look around at everyone, knowing how lucky I am to have a normal family and wishing Chiara were part of it.

Chapter Two

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