Page 61 of Forbidden Surrogate

“What the hell about knocking up your girlfriend isn’t old-fashioned?”

“Is she really your girlfriend?”

“What the fuck kind of question is that, Peter? I’ve been bringing her around everywhere for several weeks. She lives with me. She spent weeks with Angela. Of course she’s my girlfriend.”

He sighs and shifts uncomfortably, like he wants to say something controversial, but he doesn’t exactly want me to bitehis head off. I don’t give a fuck because I’m honestly in more of a head biting mood than I even want to admit right now.

“Speak your mind, Peter.”

“Why? So you can chop my fucking head off?”

“I’ll grab the steering wheel and kill the two of us if you don’t answer.”

“You’re crazy enough to do it too, you sick motherfucker,” Peter mutters. “Fine. I’ll say it. Nobody expects you to get into bed with a black girl. Are you happy?”

“I’m not getting into bed with her. I’m going to marry her.”

“Why all of a sudden? It’s not like you’re… you know everybody in our family has our unique tastes and never in my life have I seen you look twice at a black chick.”

“Does it really fucking matter?”

“What’s the motive here? That’s all I’m asking and it’s probably all your father wants to know.”

I didn’t enter this contract entirely of my own volition, but I don’t see why Peter or my father needs to know this. This was all Angela’s plan and I went along with it because of dad’s desires for an heir. But this wasn’tmyidea. Angela did what she did and I worked out my differences with her. I’m even pleased she has nothing to do with this, although I still question her whereabouts.

“There’s no motive.”

“She’s not a gold digger?”

“Do you not see how offensive that is?”

“I’m not saying you’re ugly or anything. Mikey’s the ugly one.”

“True,” I respond as patiently as I can. Mikey is the ugly one, but that’s besides the point right now. “There’s no motive. I like Delphine and we’re going to have a baby. I think the two of us could work.”

“She’s not Italian. You think she can handle learning Nonna’s gnocchi recipe from Angela, getting drunk on Easter Sunday before noon and how loud everyone gets on Thanksgiving?”

“Angela likes her. I don’t have anything to worry about there.”

“Okay, then. If it’s what you want, I’ll help you get her back and if you need back-up with your father, I’ll be there for you.”

“I can handle my father.”

“But not the twins.”

“The twins are far less reasonable.”

Peter parks his car out in the open. I support his choice to park exposed like this. My younger brothers have lost their minds if they think I would allow them to do something like this without retaliation. Peter is right to blame their time in Sicily for this emotional disturbance.

I knock on the door, but only because Peter gives me a warning book when I wind up my elbow to knock my brother’s door down.

“Open the fucking door or I swear I’ll open fire and gun down everyone in this building.”

Peter stopped me from carrying a gun. He has a gun, but only because he doesn’t trust me not to start spraying bullets the second I walk through the door. It’s self-interest more than anything else.

“Luigi is calm and reasonable,” Peter says to the door. “If you let us in, nobody has to die an excruciating death.”

“When is Mikey getting here?”

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