Page 20 of The Singing Trees
Oh, here we go.Let the fun begin.
“I’m Presbyterian.”
“Presbyterian?” she spat. “That’s not a religion.”
Somehow, Mr.Sunshine managed a smile. “It was the way I was brought up. I guess there’s not much I can do to change that. At least for now.”
Annalisa raised a hand. “He’s not my...we’re not...dating, Nonna.”
Nonna didn’t break her stare, and Annalisa almost felt bad for Thomas. “Do you have a big family?” Nonna asked, completely ignoring Annalisa’s statement.
He laughed at that. “No, not like this.”
Nonna crossed her arms and nodded, as if she’d proved her point. After another long and silent stare, she asked, “Are you staying for dinner?”
Annalisa’s mouth fell open. She was supposed to run him off, and here she was encouraging him to stay.
Thomas didn’t dare look away. “If I’m allowed, I’d be honored.”
Nonna clapped her hands.“Va bene. Mangiamo.”
Yes, let’s eat,Annalisa thought,and get this over with. Because she sensed unfamiliar and dangerous feelings slithering into her heart.
Chapter 7
A DETERMINEDYOUNGMAN
When the family came over, which was often, they’d set up card tables and chairs across the house, as the dining-room table would only seat eight. Annalisa and Thomas sat on one end of the main table with Nino and his cheerleader girlfriend. Per the usual, the great tenor Mario Lanza sang from the record player in the living room. If there were ever room for one more person to join the trifecta of Sinatra, JFK, and the pope on the wall by the front door, it would be Lanza.
As usual, Nonna never sat and would appear from the kitchen with another dish, set it down on the already full table, and then march up and down the line like a general addressing her troops as they shoveled food into their mouths.
Despite the evil eyes Annalisa shot her grandmother’s way, Nonna wouldn’t leave Thomas alone. She kept demanding his attention and saying,“Mangia, mangia.”
He already looked white faced when Nino scooped two more baseball-size meatballs onto his plate. “Let’s go, Davenport Eagle,” Nino said. “Show us how Presbyterians eat.”
“No, really,” Thomas said, waving him off. “I can’t eat any more.”
“What? You don’t like my food?” Nonna called out, marching toward him as if he’d broken rank. The entire dining room went silent.
Annalisa grinned at him as he shook his head back at her, as if to say,What have I gotten myself into?
“Nino,” her grandmother called out, “give him more sauce. That will make it go down easier.”
Waving the idea off, he said, “No, it’s not that at all. It’s the best meal I’ve ever had in my life. I’m just...so full.”
“Nonsense,” Nonna demanded. “You want to take my granddaughter out, you eat until we clear the plates. I spent all day cooking.”
“He doesn’t want to take me out,” Annalisa insisted, realizing that Nonna might see Thomas as a way to keep her in town. Was that why she’d been so welcoming?
“I really do,” Thomas said, his words coming out like he was tasting a Calabrian chili pepper, curious about the heat level.
Well, guess what, Thomas,Annalisa thought to herself.It’s hot. Burn-your-mouth hot. I’m not who you think I am, and you don’t want to take me out.
A round of laughter rose up from the table. Nonna, on the other hand, stood stone-faced, waiting for Thomas to continue.
“Enough,” Nonna said to everyone, and the room went silent. “Thomas, you eat until we clear the plates.”
As more laughter followed, Thomas glanced at Annalisa pleadingly.
