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At the sink, bubbles and steam swirl around as Ma pours dishwashing liquid.
“Nonna!” Toni comes jogging down the stairs. “Nonna, I already washed the breakfast dishes. . .”
She eyes me. Her bottom lip drops. We both instinctively stop my ma from placing her hands into the scalding water.
“Ma, what are you doing?” I order.
“I’m washing . . .” Ma glances around, voice dying down. “There were dishes here, Toni. I made sausagestratafor breakfast. Santi, I saved some of the casserole for you, too.”
Toni chides, “Yes, Nonna. I brought you lunch in bed then washed all the dishes. I was about to cook dinner.”
Ma’s stomach growls furiously. “Oh, that’s it. Not wash! I needed to cook dinner.”
She claps her hands together when I plant my palms over her withered fingers. “Sit, Ma. I’ll cook.”
Toni’s creeping back upstairs when I call her down.
“Where’s the nurse? I pay Maria to come every day of the week.” I fork a hand through my hair.
“Nonna hates her.”
God, it’s all I can afford,I groan. “I’m guessing if you weren’t here, the nurse would have called me or stayed like she’s paid too. So, where’s your dad?”
“Working . . .”
“On a Saturday night?”
“Honest to God, Uncle Santa.” I roll my eyes as she uses the affectionate nickname I will protest against for the rest of my life.
“Where’s he working, Toni?”
“Carlos had—”
My laugh cuts her off.
“I swear to you, Uncle.”
“I’m sorry,” I grumble.Apparently, her dad lied to her.Big Tony is just that, big and dumb. Carlos gave him an assignment once for The Pipeline. Answer a designated cell phone, take down names, addresses, the sort of party a woman was interested in—simple stuff.
He had male dancers an hour away from venues. Cowboys arrived at parties where clients sought police officers or doctors. Carlos almost chewed me a new asshole for hiring Tony. The guy forgot he was intimidated by me until I gave himthe lookand apologized on behalf of the idiot.
“Do me a favor. Call your dad and hand me the phone. I blocked his ass for a reason, sweetheart, so I can’t see myself going against my impulse.”
“Well…” she fidgets with her fingers. “I know my dad should take care of me, but who’ll take care of Nonna?”
“Toni . . .”
My niece’s smart mouth runs away with her. “He wasn’t going to come back tonight anyway.”
“Sweetheart, just about every weeknight, you’re here. That’s beautiful; you love your Nonna. But she needs more help, and you couldn’t focus on your classes this past year. With the detective program—”
“It’s the summer, Uncle Santa. All I have is the detective camp, nothing else. Thank you again.”
“Your dad will pay me back. See, he’s about to confirm it now.” I gesture. “Once you get him on the phone.”
Toni blinks. “Yeah, and you pay for the nurse it’s …”
“I’ve got a good job now. Go get your phone.”
