Sadie giggled, and her mother ruffled her hair.
The hostess called his mother’s name, and then led the group to a table with long bench seats and a view of the giant pig statue that served as the restaurant’s mascot. She handed out menus and let them know that their server would come by soon to take care of them.
“I like your dress, Fiona,” his sister said from her side of the table, and Fiona’s whole face lit up.
“Thank you.”
“It’s kind of formal for a place like this, don’t you think?” his mother asked.
Fiona’s smile faltered. “Well, I don’t get to wear it very often, but I wanted to wear something nice to mark the occasion.”
“You look beautiful, Fi. The dress is perfect.” In fact, he couldn’t stop thinking about how much he wanted to peel it off her body. With his teeth.
So much for not sporting wood in front of his family. On the bright side, at least he was sitting down so it wasn’t noticeable.
“It reminds me of that dress Gina wore to Valerie Fugali’s wedding. You remember that, right? She caught the bouquet.” His mother sighed, her expression wistful. “I was so sure you were going to be next.”
“What’s good here, Joey?” Stephanie asked as she opened her menu, and Pinto silently thanked his sister for changing the subject.
“Pretty much everything on the menu is good, but their ribs are outstanding.” The restaurant wasn’t as big and fancy as the ones on the tourist side of town, but Moe made up for that with great food at affordable prices and a friendly atmosphere that made everyone feel welcome. Over the past couple of years he’d eaten there, he’d yet to have a bad dining experience.
The waitress arrived to take their drink orders, starting with Stephanie and working around the table.
“Which beers do you have on tap?” Fiona asked, and then chose one of the local pale ales the waitress recommended.
His mother tsked.
“I’m sorry, is there a problem?” Fiona asked in what Pinto assumed was the voice she used when a student was trying her patience. On the surface, it sounded calm and collected, but if you listened carefully, you could detect the underlying note of tension.
“It’s not good to drink beer with dinner.”
“It’s barbeque, Ma. People drink beer with barbeque all the time.” Pinto glanced up at the waitress. “I’ll have what she’s having.”
His mother’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Your father started with a beer at dinner. You know how those nights ended.”
Usually with his father blind stinking drunk, on the recliner, screaming at the television. Unless, of course, he or one of his siblings managed to piss the old man off. Then there would be hell to pay.
Growing up, Pinto had regarded the old man’s drinking as a cautionary tale. Sure, he still drank, but he kept a tight leash on just how much alcohol he consumed. He never drank to get drunk. And he’d seen no indication that Fiona had alcoholic tendencies.
An awkward silence stretched over the table. Even Sadie looked uncomfortable.
“So, Fiona,” Stephanie said. “When do classes start back up for you?”
Fiona jumped at the question like a lifeline. “Teachers report back the Wednesday after New Year’s. The kids are scheduled to come back on Thursday, but attendance will probably be light until the following Monday. How about you, Sadie? When do you go back to school?”
The little girl’s eyes widened. “Um…I don’t know.”
“She’s going back the same time you are,” Stephanie said.
“I bet you’re looking forward to telling your friends all about your trip to Florida.”
That got a big grin out of his niece.
The waitress returned with their drinks, took their meal orders, and promised to be back soon with their food. While they waited, they talked about everything and nothing of importance, enjoying one another’s company while avoiding sensitive topics. He’d forgotten how exhausting that last part could be. There were times when it felt like stepping through a minefield of old resentments, disappointments, and unresolved conflicts.
The ring of his mother’s phone cut through the chatter. A swipe of the screen, and she answered the call.
“Hello?” A few seconds passed before his mother’s whole face brightened. “Gina! What a surprise. It’s so nice to hear your voice. You’ll never guess who’s sitting across from me.”
