Page 30 of Always Be True: Tino
Tino smiled as they headed into the living room to greet the rest of the family. “Big brother is channeling Joe today. Funny how Dad always complained the three of us were always so loud that we’d break the windows, but I can’t remember a single pane ever cracking. Well, unless you count the times when a baseball got away from us.”
Marlene chuckled, as he’d intended, and the sound of her laughter washed away the last bit of sadness they’d shared over his visit to the cemetery. Having honored his past, it was time to focus on his future.
Ricky plowed into them at full speed, with Tino’s quick reflexes the only thing keeping them all upright. He reached out to cuff his nephew on the head. “Slow down, kid.”
The teenager ducked the half-hearted blow. At least he had the good sense to apologize to Marlene for nearly knocking her down. “Sorry about that, Grandma. Are you okay?”
He’d only recently started calling her that instead of using her first name, and the change clearly pleased her. She gave the teenager a quick hug. “I’m fine, kiddo, and we’re having lasagna, salad, and apple pie.”
The boy whooped and spun back to face his adoptive parents. “Did you hear that? Lasagna and pie!”
The adults all exchanged eye rolls and then smiles. Jack pushed past his son to punch Tino on the arm. “Are you going to tell us what’s going on before or after we eat Sunday dinner?”
When he winked and glanced toward Ricky, Tino immediately changed what he was going to say. “I’d rather get it over with, so we can eat in peace. It shouldn’t take more than an hour, maybe two, to go over everything. You’ll all need to take notes.”
One look at Ricky’s crestfallen face and both Jack and Tino lost it. The boy’s expression went from disappointed to pissed in a heartbeat. “Did I ever tell you two what jerks you both are?”
Jack was the first to regain some control. “Several times. We wouldn’t mess with you so much if you weren’t so gullible.”
Tino ruffled his nephew’s hair. “And we wouldn’t bother if we didn’t like you.”
Ricky threw his hands up. “So, what you’re saying is either way, it’s my fault.”
Jack met Tino’s gaze before nodding. “Yep, pretty much.”
“Okay, that’s enough.” Caitlyn stepped into the fray and gave both her husband and Tino a hard look. “You two would do better to set a good example for Ricky.”
Jack only grinned and kissed his wife soundly. “Sorry, honey, but we have to uphold years of tradition.”
Marlene sighed. “Caitlyn, I swear I tried hard to civilize them, but there was only so much I could do considering what I had to work with.”
Even though he’d just been insulted, Tino couldn’t help but laugh. “Nice one, Mom.”
“Nice had nothing to do with it. Now, help me get dinner on the table. I want to hear this big news you have.”
—
They’d consumed Marlene’s excellent lasagna like a swarm of locusts. After making quick work of the dishes, they decided to hold off on the pie until their dinners settled a bit. This time, they gathered around the kitchen table with cups of coffee and tea and waited impatiently for Tino to get to the point. Now that the moment had arrived, the words wouldn’t come.
Jack leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “So, Runt, you called this meeting. Why don’t you get with the program so we can go watch the game?”
Caitlyn raised an eyebrow. “What game is that?”
Ricky answered for his dad. “Doesn’t matter. If there’s a game on, we want to watch it.”
Before the conversation could deteriorate even more, Tino started talking. “It has been suggested that I need to find something to do with my time.”
He couldn’t help but notice his mother looked hopeful, but it was Jack who responded. “It’s about damn time you quit spinning your wheels.”
“Glad you feel that way, Jack, because this involves you, too.”
His brother immediately leaned forward, elbows on the table, to glare across at Tino. “I’m not the one who needs something to do. You might have noticed that I have a job, a wife, and a kid that I need to ride herd on.”
Ricky almost spewed his tea in protest. “Hey, leave me out of this!”
Great, Tino hadn’t even told them what his project involved, and he’d already pissed off the two whose help he needed the most. “Look, let me start again. Yesterday at the center I met a former Navy Seal who is coaching a basketball team of twelve-year-olds, and he needs an assistant. He asked if I’d give him a hand at least until he has a chance to find someone else.”
“You’d be good at that.” Marlene gave him an encouraging smile. “However, I sense there’s more than you spending time with the kids.”
