Daphne smiled back at last, still just as hesitant, but wide enough to tell me she’d come around to me as a concept. A small blessing that would hopefully make today easier for all of us.
With that, we were heading out, taking Allie’s car since she had the car seat for Daphne in it already. Allie and I chatted during the longer-than-average drive, keeping things light and appropriately PG for the sake of Daphne’s little ears.
“Do you have a pretty big family?” Allie asked me, her casual air belied by the subtle nervousness I sensed under the surface.
“Yeah. My mom’s got three sisters, and they’ve all got their own kids. Plus my grandparents, and about a dozen great-aunts and great-uncles and cousins once or twice removed, I’ve completely lost track by this point.”
“Sounds…overwhelming,” Allie hedged. “My family isn’t nearly as big. Just my parents, Daph, and me. I’m an only child.” I was too busy driving to look at her, but I could hear a subtle frown in her words. I resisted the urge to say that that sounded lonely to me, not wanting to dampen the brightness of the day so far.
“You’re a people person,” I pointed out, half as reassurance that she had no need to worry. “And they’re all nice. Onthe Sanchez side anyway.” I probably shouldn’t have let that particular detail slip out, but there was no putting the cat back into the bag. I felt Allie’s eyes on my face.
“The Branchinis aren’t as friendly?”
“I don’t know them that well, to be honest. And there are a lot fewer of them,” I allowed. “But…my dad’s never been that close with his parents, or his brother. They’re back in Italy.” And didn’t approve of him marrying a Mexican American woman and moving permanently to the states. My father had never seemed to mind their disapproval, but not out of some great loyalty or love for my mother, and certainly not out of an abundance of affection for his only son.
“We don’t have to talk about it if you’d rather not,” Allie allowed.
“There’s just…not much to say,” I explained. “I guess we used to bond about soccer, back when I wanted to go pro. But they’re less stoked about me coaching kids.”
“I didn’t know you did that,” Allie said, a little surprised.
“That I wanted to play professionally?”
“Any of it,” she clarified. “The playing, the coaching. That’s really cool. I bet you’re an incredible coach.”
I felt my face heat at the compliment.
“It’s the best part of my week,” I admitted, glancing at her quickly. “They’re young enough that they still think the game is magic. You should see how excited they get when they score their first goal or nail a pass they’ve been working on. It’s pure joy.”
Allie smiled—I could hear it without looking at her. “That sounds adorable.”
Daphne piped up from the back seat, her little voice clear. “I wanna play soccer.”
“You’ve never said that to me before,” Allie half laughed, glancing at me with a knowing mom-look that told me she suspected Daphne was trying to impress me.
I glanced at the little girl in the rearview mirror, grinning. “If your mom says it’s okay, I’d be happy to teach you today. There’s always a soccer ball or two at these things—my family’s pretty sporty.”
“Okay,” Daphne said quietly. Just like with her mom, I could hear when she was smiling in her voice too.
We arrived at my aunt’s house a few minutes later, the sound of kids laughing and the smell of grilled food already filling the air. As soon as I parked on the street, making sure not to block any of the Sanchez clan in, I unbuckled Daphne from her car seat while Allie smoothed her hair nervously.
“Ready?” I asked both of them. I wished I could give them some kind of rousing pep talk, but somehow, I didn’t think my usual game prep speech would apply to this. I always ended it with aJust go out there and have fun, kids!I didn’t think Allie would take kindly to that. Even if I did hope she had fun.
Allie nodded, taking Daphne’s hand as we walked up the driveway and followed the small garden path toward the back yard.
We weren’t late, but a lot of my family was chronically early, especially when it came to celebratory days like this. Even if we were only celebrating our ability to all get together and eat food in the sunshine. My mom spotted us first, which was a relief and a problem all at once. She practically leapt from the plastic chair she’d been sitting in and bustled over to me, her gray-streaked dark hair falling from its messy bun around her soft, comfortable face.
“Luca, my sweet boy!” She exclaimed as if she hadn’t seen me in weeks. She pulled me against her in a quick squeeze, eager toget to the main event—Allie and Daphne, the novelty. “And you two gorgeous girls must be Allie and Daphne!”
“Hello, Mrs. Branchini,” Allie said warmly. “Thanks so much for inviting us.”
“Please, call me Rose,” my mom said, pulling Allie into a quick squeeze of a hug before crouching to Daphne’s level. Her knees creaked, but she was short enough that there wasn’t too much strain in it, and I knew she loved any opportunity to pantomime being the grandmother she hoped to be sooner rather than later. “And you, sweet girl, are even prettier than Luca said! Just like your mama. Welcome to our family, Daphne.”
Daphne looked a little like she wanted to hide behind Allie’s leg, but she smiled shyly and gave a polite, “Thank you.” She seemed like the type of kid who didn’t need her mom’s constantWhat do you say?reminders to remember her manners.
The introductions kept coming like a tide. My Aunt Sofia swooped in to coo over Daphne’s strawberry blonde hair and ask Allie if I was treating her right. Cousins Maria and Dahlia—identical twins right around my age—complimented Allie on her blue sundress, which led to them laughing at the sly, interested look I took at said floral, flouncy fabric. I tried to take their teasing in stride even as I blushed furiously and avoided Allie’s gaze.
My younger cousins, a pack of kids under ten, circled Daphne with curiosity, which made me worry that they’d overwhelm the poor girl. But Daphne proved braver than I expected, simply looking to her mom for permission before she ran off to play with them like they’d known each other all their short lives. Before long, Allie was laughing along with my aunts’ teasing, and Daphne was fully wrapped up in a game of tag with the myriad Sanchez kids.
