Family Ties (Morelli Family 4)

“You know that’s not true, and the longer you do this, the worse it’s going to be. Don’t you want Francesca to like you? She’s going to be your daughter-in-law,” Maddie points out. “And I’ve met her, she’s great. More importantly, she makes Sal stupid happy and I know that’s what you want for all of us. Maybe the timing is bad, but it’s just a party.”

Ma turns back to glare at Maddie. “A wedding is not just a party, and do you really think it’s appropriate to have a party two months after your father’s funeral?”

“Would you expect them to cancel it if they had already been engaged and planned the wedding? Of course you wouldn’t,” Maddie says, and I nod, appreciating her logic. “They have to speed things up because of whatever-the-fu—er, fudge.” Grimacing, she shakes her head. “Whatever, my brain is exhausted. The point is, you know you’re going to the wedding, so let’s not do this. Francesca invited both of us to go with her this week to the bridal shop to help her make the final choice on her dress. That’s a great opportunity for you to get to know her.”

“I will not. I don’t want to know those people.”

Of course now that they’re responsible for killing Dad, Ma is anti-Morelli. She didn’t care so much before. Sure, she lazily supported whatever my dad believed, but she didn’t have a pony in the race herself.

I keep trying to play on her love for me, Maddie keeps trying to rationalize, and Ma remains rooted firmly in the soil of her disapproval, like a massive, unmovable oak tree. We spend a solid 15 minutes arguing about it before I give up.

“Fine,” I say, throwing my hands up in the air. “If you want to miss my wedding, I think that sucks, but it’s your decision. If you want to reject my fiancée’s attempts to reach out to you, that’s also your call. I’m not fighting about it anymore. Francesca is the woman I’m going to marry. She’s the woman who will eventually be the mother of the grandbabies you’ve been wanting from me. You’d like her if you gave her a chance, and it hurts me that you won’t, but it’s your decision. If you want to fight Francesca because of something she has no control over, be my guest—but I’m going to marry her, and I’ll be spending my Sundays and holidays and whatever else wherever she is. So if she’s not welcome here, I’m not either.” I step forward to kiss her on the cheek. “Thanks for lunch.”

Her righteous anger wavers. “You’re leaving?”

“Yep. I have a meeting with Francesca’s brother and then we’re having dinner.”

Nodding, her mouth puckering with disapproval, she says, “You tell me you can only come to lunch here so you can go have dinner with—”

“With my fiancée and, by extension, her family. Yes. If you want to see our new house, go to her bridal shower. If you don’t…” I shrug, turning and walking out.

I nearly make it to my car, but Maddie jogs up beside me, flinging herself in front of me and leaning against my car door. She folds her arms across her chest, raises her eyebrows, and cocks her head.

“What?” I ask, tiredly.

“You weren’t going to say goodbye?”

I meet my sister’s gaze, but I don’t bother mustering much energy. “Goodbye.” I miss a beat. “Can I go now?”

Looking as if she hates every syllable she’s about to utter, Maddie sighs and looks down at the gravel driveway, kicking a few rocks with the toe of her shoe. “Ma’s not wrong, you know.”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s done. The wedding is happening regardless of when or how or who comes—I don’t care anymore. I just want it to be over. As long as Francesca has a good day, that’s all that matters. I just want her to come home to every night. If I have to spend my Sundays with her crazy fucking family instead of mine to make her happy, that’s what I’ll do.”

Maddie only nods like I’m proving her point. “And that’s exactly what she’s afraid of, Sal.”

“She’s the one making it happen, Maddie. I’m trying. Francesca is trying. If she makes Francesca feel unwelcome here, she’s the reason we won’t be here—not Francesca. I don’t want this. I don’t want them on opposite sides. You think this is fun for me? It’s not. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. She’s putting me in a position where I have to choose sides. All I can do right now is hope it will pass. If you have a better plan, I’m all ears.”

Maddie shrugs, but it looks like she’s holding something back.

“What?” I ask, lacking the patience to drag it out of her.

“You’re being weird about Dad.”

I roll my eyes, taking a step back. “Oh, come on. Not you, too.”