“You are so odd.”
“That I am. Now eat. We don’t have long. Mia tell me about your date.”
She gives a loving sigh as she tells us all about her wonderful date. This is a weekly occurrence for her. She finds some poor sap to take her out and after a couple of dates he mysteriously decides he doesn’t want to date anymore. She is heartbroken, yet moves on within a couple of days. It will take a special guy to keep hold of her.
“Bella.”
I startle at my Uncles voice behind me. I turn to find him standing in the opening for the kitchen.
“Yeah?”
“I need you to work a special party tonight. Mia and Izzy will help. The rest of the restaurant is closed for the evening.”
“Oh.” I get a sense of dread and frown. He never closes the restaurant. “Ok. Sounds good.”
He nods once, then leaves.
“Seems your luck is running out, Sof. The only time he closes the restaurant is when the boys come in for dinner.” Mia says.
“I wonder why he wants you to stay though. Usually it’s just me and Mia. With you that makes three. I wonder if it’s a bigger party?”
I feel my blood pressure start to rise. I don’t know why, but I have a feeling that something is going to happen tonight. I don’t know if it will be good or bad, but either way I am not looking forward to it.
“He probably wants to be sure Sofia can handle it. This will be her first party. The rules are a bit different. You remember them?”
She turns to me.
“Don’t make eye contact if you can help it. Be extra careful. Don’t question them. If they order it, give it to Eddie and he will figure out how to make it. If it’s a drink you don’t know, then ask one of you. Right?”
“Good. It will be a good night. They always tip extra big.”
I’m glad one of us thinks so. After we finish eating, we start preparing the meeting room, a side area designed for large parties to keep the noise down from the rest of the room. It doesn’t take us long to rearrange the tables in the horseshoe pattern that is preferred when these guests are coming.
Once everything is done, we sit and wait. And wait. And wait. Two hours later, the esteemed guests begin to arrive.
Yes, that was sarcasm.
I only know this because Uncle Tony double checks the front door is locked before he goes into the kitchen. Next thing I know, several men are filing in. Not one looks my way. Once they are all in, I go into the kitchen to the backroom to put my cell phone back in my purse. While Mia and Izzy were talking up a storm, I was doing what I always do. Reading a book from my Kindle app. I am walking back to the main room when I see a man and a woman just inside the back door. I glance at them then start to walk away.
“I’m sorry baby. I thought this was a family dinner. Here take this and go shopping and I will come get you when we are done.”
“Are you crazy, Vinnie? This is all the money in your pocket.”
“I’ve got two pockets, baby.”
The amount of cheese in that line forces a small laugh from me before I can stop myself. I try and choke it back and hope it wasn’t noticed.
“Something funny?” The female barks at me.
I glance over.
“Sorry. Something in my head.”
She sneers at me.
“You going to let her laugh at you, Vinnie?”
Fucking Bitch. Why couldn’t she just let it go.
