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She frowned and leaned closer to me. “Who are you? What does this have to do with you?”
“I, love,” I said, thrusting my hands to my hips, “am his friend. I’m the one here to give him support because believe it or not, meeting your papa after twenty-three years is not easy for him. Now I don’t know what daddy issues you’ve got, love, but he’s got his own. Yours aren’t his fault and vice versa, so I would suggest you stop with the bitchy attitude.”
Joey’s tall, lithe frame relaxed next to me, and I heard him exhale. When his large, tattooed hand took mine and squeezed it, I was glad I hadn’t overstepped.
Cosima straightened her spine and lifted her chin. “I was eight when he went to England for work. He didn’t come back for four years. Always saying his work was important and that he was trying to make us money for a nice house.” She thumbed over her shoulder. “As you can see we did not get the nice house because he had you and your mother. His other family.”
“We didn’t know,” Joey said. “Me and Mum had no idea.”
I doubted his mother didn’t know. My bet was that she knew exactly what she was doing and with whom. That wasn’t my bombshell to drop, though.
“When he did come back I knew nothing of you either. He only told me and my sisters last year when he got ill.”
I watched Joey’s face blanch as he swallowed. “He still kept me a secret from you?”
She didn’t answer but it was clear he’d been right.
“Listen,” I said. “As much as this catch up of sorts is great, it’s also fucking boiling out here. Any chance we can go inside?” It was almost midday, and the heat was hateful. I liked rainy September in England, thank you very much.
Cosima nodded and turned. “My mama, Rosetta, does not speak very good English, so she is not being rude.”
I grunted and earned myself a nudge from Joey.
“Maria and Rosa are making us some lunch,” she continued as she led us to the pale grey front door of the ground floor apartment.
Joey’s feet faltered, forcing me to urge him forward with a nudge. He gave me a single nod and then followed Cosima, through the door into a light and airy hallway. You could hear the clatter of dishes towards the back of the apartment and the smell of antiseptic and death filled the air. There was someone whispering in a room to the right, and while I didn’t understand Italian I knew it was someone praying.
The broad shoulders in front of me were stiff and the steps slow, and I just wanted to wrap my arms around him. Then, for that reason, I wanted to tit punch myself.
“We will go and meet my sisters first,” Cosima said in almost a whisper as we walked past the room with the praying going on. She moved into a room at the end of the hallway and stopped in the doorway to say something. It was in Italian and ended with a scoff. Finally, she turned to one side.
“Maria, Rosa, this is Joseppi.”
Joey didn’t move so I pushed him again but kept my hand in his. “Go on and stop being a baby.”
He offered me a frown but followed Cosima into the kitchen, and when I moved in beside him, I almost laughed. Standing in front of me were two replicas of Joey Farrow, right down to the dimples in their cheeks and the shape of their chins. They looked slightly friendlier than their elder sister but still eyed us both warily.
“Hey,” Joey said, giving them a wave with his free hand. “I’m Joey, the drummer from Warrior Creek.”
“You cock,” I muttered under my breath.
The two younger women’s mouths dropped open as one of them clung onto a tea towel, wringing it tightly. If she gripped it any harder it wouldn’t last long enough to wipe any dishes. Looking around, I could see how the room was the hub of the house. It was big with pots and pans on show, strings of garlic hung from a hook, and there was a huge, well-scrubbed table with a large enamel jug filled with flowers on it. It was warm and homely and smelled delicious.
The taller of the two women stepped forward and held out her hand. “I am Rosa.”
Joey hesitated but took her hand and shook it. “Nice to meet you.” He muttered a curse. “Sorry, it’s not the best circumstances.”
She nodded. “It is okay.”
Rosa stepped back and Maria took her place to shake her brother’s hand. “It is nice to meet you, too.”
Cosima cleared her throat. “Would you like to see Papa? He is awake. At least he was.”
Joey looked at me, like I had all the answers. All I knew was he needed to erase the guilt about being abandoned as a child. The feelings that it was all his fault. The only way that would happen would be by facing the man who caused the demons.
“Go and see him,” I said, pulling on his hand. “I’m sure the ladies will take good care of me.”
“I will take you,” Cosima said, looking like it was the last thing in the world she wanted to do. “He was asking when you would arrive. Mamma finally told him you were coming.”
