They laughed.
I looked from brother to brother. "What's so funny?"
They were still laughing. Steve turned to Anthony and said, "Oh man, I wish I could've been there."
I asked, "Where? Here?"
They didn't answer. They were too busy doing some complicated high-five, low-five hand thing with each other.
I looked to Luna. "Doyouknow?"
She shook her head, and turned to her brothers. "Hey! Butt-munches!"
They turned to look. Anthony said, "What?"
She said, "Where's the veil?"
Anthony asked, "What veil?"
She gave them an exasperated look. "Grandma's veil? The one you promised to bring me?"
"Oh, that?" Anthony said. "It's in the back of the pickup."
Luna's gaze narrowed. "Please tell me you're joking."
I broke in, "Wait a minute. Wasthatthe family heirloom?"
Steve made a scoffing sound. "I wouldn't call it an heirloom. It's just a bunch of lace and stuff."
"It is not!" Luna told him. "It's a piece of family history –andit's the 'something borrowed' for my wedding." She looked to Anthony. "It's not really rolling around in the truck bed, is it?"
Anthony rolled his eyes. "Did Isaythe truck bed?"
"Yes," Luna said. "You did, in fact."
"No," he said, in an overly calm voice. "I said the back of the truck, like behind the seat."
Luna frowned. "With the soda cans?" She threw up her hands. "You know what? Never mind. I'm gonna go get it myself." And with that, she turned and marched out of the kitchen. Over her shoulder, she called out, "If it's damaged, I'm making one ofyouwear it."
When we heard the front door slam, Steve turned to me and said, "I don't know what she's so cranked about. We put it in a box and everything." His gaze drifted to my stomach. "Oh hey, are you pregnant?"
For once, the comment bounced right off me. I looked at the spot where the safe had been. "So you're not mad about the safe?"
"Hell no," Steve said. "We wanted them to take it."
I felt my brow wrinkle. "You mean my aunt and uncle?"
He gave me a look. "What, you got someone else stealing your stuff?"
I waved away his question. "But why would you want them to steal it? What was in there, anyway?"
Steve and Anthony shared a look. And then, they started to snicker.
"Oh, my God," I said. "You didn't do that thing with a vase, did you?"
"You mean shit in a vase?" Steve said. "Hell no. What kind of animals do you think we are?"
This wasn't the first time he'd asked me such a question. And just like always, I wasn't quite sure how to answer.
