Page 4 of When Love Gives You Lemons
“Can you believe Topher?” he says.
The room goes quiet, save for the bubble-popping pot of sauce.
“What about Topher?” I ask. “Seriously, what’s going on?”
Matty’s eyes go wide.
“Why don’t we go sit with Nonna?” Zia Gabriella suggests.
We pile into the small, dimly lit living room. Zia Rosa takes the remote control and mutes the television, and Ma lets out an involuntary sigh of relief.
“What the hell is this?” Nonna tries to stand. “A funeral march?”
“Ma, sit!” Zia Rosa commands, bending down to hug her mother tightly.
“My beautiful daughters.” Nonna claws at Zia Rosa’s back before shoving her aside and pawing for Zia Gabriella. “Where are my handsome grandsons? Get the hell over here! I love you both so much!” She grabs us both and pulls us in one at a time, cheek by cheek until we’re wet from her lips. “How are the boys treating you, Matty? Beating them away with a bat, I bet.”
Matty blushes. “I wish.” Kid’s so awkward, despite being a smokeshow.
“When you get to college, don’t—Well, I guess you can’t get ’em pregnant, but wrap up your dingaling. You gotta be safe out there, you hear me?” Nonna looks directly at me,into my soul,and I wish I could disappear. She knows more than she lets on. I avoid Ma’s glares. “Where’s Topher?”
“He’s in LA, Ma, remember?” Zia Gabriella says. “He’s gonna call any second.”
Zia Gabriella jumps. “I’m so excited. Where’s your phone, Fielder?”
“Myphone?” I feel my pockets, and panic sets in because it’s not there.
Ma holds it in the palm of her hand, and right on cue, it vibrates. Topher’s face flashes across the frame.
“How’d you know—”
Zia Gab’s brows furrow, angry I don’t immediately answer her son’s call. “Pick up!” She grabs it from Ma’s hand faster than I can and swipes across the screen, and Topher’s smiling face bursts into full frame.
“What up, fam!” he shouts, grinning ear to ear. He looks so much like the Coven—all Italian features, dark and defined, with lines around his eyes and a face full of scruffy brown facial hair. I’m the outlier in the family with blond hair, blue eyes, and pasty-ass skin that can’t grow facial or chest hair to save my life.
The Coven and Nonna, our Supreme, take turns fawning over the firstborn boy in the family, and they’re all scream-talking so loudly over one another that my temples ache just a little. If you didn’t know us, you’d think all we do is yell at one another. Nonna asks him what he’s been up to with his business ventures, and every member of the Coven chimes in before Topher can even finish a sentence. Typical.
“Matty! Fielder! I’m so glad you guys are here.” Topher’s voice cuts through the noise, and Matty elbows me. “Matty, we talkedlast night, and Fielder, man, I’ve been meaning to call you; I just didn’t know . . .” His voice trails off.
What the hell is going on?
“I’m sure you know by now, but I wanted you to hear it from me,” Topher says.
Sweat trickles down my back. I wrestle the phone away from Zia Gab. “I don’t know anything.”
Topher cheeses into the camera. “I’m getting married! In a couple weeks.”
I nearly drop the phone. “In a what now?”
Zia Rosa whispers something like, “It’s too soon,” to Ma, who purses her lips and nods in agreement, then mouths a standard, “Whatareyagonnado?”
“Yeah, man, it all happened so quick,” Topher says. “I wanted to tell you, and ask you and Matty to be my best men. You’re the closest thing I have to brothers! But I didn’t know how you’d handle it.”
“That makes no sense, Toph.” I fight back tears. Why would he think that? “I’m so happy for you I could cry. Congratulations!” I wipe tears from my cheek. “Why would younottell me? Who’s the girl? I didn’t even know you were dating anyone.”
The room once again goes silent.
“It’s, um, a destination wedding.” He ignores my question. “I got a private jet hooked up for the whole family to fly you all to Amalfi, Italy, in three weeks.”
