“So,your parents came here from Italy?” Andy asked, her chin in her palm.
Popsnodded with pride. “Both of ‘em were born and raised in Sicily. They’d livednext door to each other their whole lives and got married when they wereeighteen.”
Andysighed, pressing a hand over her heart. “That’s so romantic.”
“Thatwas my old man, a real sucker for my ma. She was …” Pops pursed his lips,sucked at his teeth, and shook his head. “She ran a tight ship, let’s just saythat.”
“Well,she kinda had to,” Jen chimed in. Then, addressing Andy, she said, “She had tenkids, and all of them were boys.”
“Tenboys!” Andy exclaimed, grinning widely. “Oh, my Lord. That poor woman.”
“Right?”Jenna laughed, jabbing me in the ribs with an elbow. “I have to deal with himand Zach. I can’t imagine putting up with eight more.”
“Oh,please,” I grumbled. “Like dealing with your crap was a walk in the park.”
Jenna’sjaw dropped with mock insult. “What didIdo?”
“Youthink I liked finding your bras all over the damn place?”
“Theywouldn’t have been all over the place if you hadn’t stolen them for yourselfand your giant man-boobs.”
Iscoffed, grabbing at my chest. “You’re just jealous ‘cause I wouldn’t have tostuff ‘em.”
Jennarolled her eyes while Pops groaned. He turned his exhausted eyes on Andy andsaid, “My mother had to be a drill sergeant to keep all of us in line. I getwhy, lookin’ back, but at the time, growin’ up with her was, uh … it was a littletough.”
Andynodded slowly, her eyes softening. “You have a lot of resentment toward her.”
MyNonna had been your quintessential grandma when I was growing up. She hadalways gifted us with baked goods and affection, and although she and Nonnocouldn’t afford much in the way of presents, what they could give was alwaysmore than enough. And while I had always known that the woman we knew, wasn’tthe mother my father grew up with, he had never talked openly about his youth.Yet, Andy made this statement, introduced it as a fact, and Pops pinched hislips, drew in a deep breath, and nodded once, revealing to Jenna and me a pieceof a puzzle we never knew existed.
“Youshouldn’t hold onto those feelings,” Andy replied gently. “You know she wasonly trying her best.”
Popsdidn’t respond. He only glared at her, his lips still pinched, and to myhorror, his eyes welled up. Andy seemed unfazed as she reached out, laid a handover his, and looked him right in the eye.
“Tenkids was a lot to handle,” she said quietly. “But she loved you all, you knowthat.”
Rapidly,he nodded and cleared his throat, pulling his hand out from beneath hers. Hehurried to stand, grabbed his cane, and looked toward the counter. “Junior, youbetter walk Andrea over to Penn before it gets too late,” he said, his voicestrained under his emotion.
Iswallowed before saying, “Yep. Just grabbing my stuff now.”
Aftercollecting my phone, wallet, and keys and taking off my apron, I headed outwith Andy, leaving Pops, Jen, and Moe to lock the place up. We walked with herarm wrapped around mine, casually strolling through the littered streets andavenues toward the train station. All the while, my mind was reeling. I wasshaken by what had happened with Pops, the conversation and his reaction, andbefore long, I couldn’t bite my tongue any longer.
“Whatthe hell happened back there?” I asked, firing the question into the nightwithout a second thought.
“Whatdo you mean?” Andy replied innocently.
“Thatshit you were saying to my dad,” I said, stifling my groan. She knew exactlywhat I meant. “How did you know that, about his mom?”
Asiren blared through the night, adding a soundtrack to Andy’s hesitation. Ididn’t like her silence or the way she chewed at her bottom lip, like she washiding something.
Finally,she said, “Vinnie … this is all a part of my job.”
“Whatis? Knowing random shit about some old guy’s past?”
Iglanced down at her face to see her tight mouth and the firm set of her eyes.Now, she looked more like she was offended and less like she was lying to me,and I felt like an asshole.
“Sorry,”I said hastily, so scared of fucking up.
Shesighed and rolled her eyes up to the lights, guiding our way. “No, it’s fine.But you have to understand, I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I canread people. And when these people, my patients, are nearing the end of theirlife, it’s my job to help them make that transition. If that means helping themtalk through whatever past crap they’re holding onto, then that’s what I’mgoing to do. I’m sorry if that makes you feel weird, or if it bothers you, butI can’t just turn it off just because you’re my—” She stopped talking abruptly,clamping her lips shut.
