Part 19 (1/2)

”Dips.h.i.+t, pay attention. Poker this week. Are you in?”

”Maybe,” he answered then diverted his attention back to his phone.

Mike shrugged and rolled his eyes. ”He'll be there. What the f.u.c.k else does he have to do?”

”Don't you guys have a shop to run? How the f.u.c.k are you going to play poker?” I asked Mike.

”Wednesday, we don't have any appointments after six so far. We'll just close the shop early due to a family event.”

”Doesn't really qualify as an event,” James said to Mike.

”Like f.u.c.k it doesn't. A boys' night out of poker with my brothers sounds like a family event to me. It's settled. Wednesday it is. You b.i.t.c.hes be there so I can take your money. Pop,” he said, turning to face my dad, ”you want to join us?”

Pop shook his head, laughing. ”Son, it wouldn't be fair of me to play. I could never take my kids' money.”

”That's a lot of s.h.i.+t-talkin', old man-” Mike replied with a giant smile on his face.

Pop held his hand up. ”I may be old, but I can still kick your a.s.s, son.”

”Someone's feeling frisky.” Joe laughed, standing from the couch and heading for the patio. ”We gotta jet.”

”Big date?” I asked, quirking an eyebrow at him.

”Yeah. With my bed and my wife.”

”Dude, you still hit that when she's that big?” Anthony asked, placing his phone in his lap.

”s.e.xiest thing in the world is knowing a part of me is growing inside her,” Joe responded, reaching for the door handle.

”My s.e.xiest part grows inside someone too, but I sure as h.e.l.l am not talking about a child.”

”You're a sick f.u.c.k.” Joe shook his head, walking outside and closing the door behind him. Then he crouched down next to Suzy, her eyes lighting up and a smile on her face as they spoke. When he helped her from her seat, he placed his hand over her belly and spoke to the rest of the table. Waving goodbye, he held her protectively against his side and led her through the sliding gla.s.s doors and into the living room.

”Bye, everyone,” Suzy squeaked as she glanced around the room. ”Don't get up. I'll see you next weekend.”

I rose and walked up to her. ”It was good to see you again, babe. You ever need anything, call me.” I knew my brother was busy with the shop and couldn't always be there for her. I seemed like the obvious choice for right now. I'd do anything for Joe and, in turn, Suzy too.

”What about a Big Mac in the middle of the night?” She laughed, resting her hand on top of her stomach.

I shook my head. ”That s.h.i.+t Joe will have to get.”

”Thought so. He gets all grumpy when I get a wicked craving in the middle of the night.”

”Who wants to go to McDonald's at three a.m. for a Big Mac? The smell alone turns my stomach.”

”It hits the spot.”

”Tonight, you can have lasagna, not a Big Mac,” Joe said, looking down at her with a smile.

”You know how to talk dirty to me, baby,” she snorted, placing her hand on her stomach. ”I'm hungry now.”

”You're always hungry,” Anthony interjected without glancing up from his phone.

He'd had his face buried in that f.u.c.king thing all night. What the f.u.c.k was so important that he couldn't put it down to spend time with the family? It was unlike him to act this way. Something was up, and he was being tight-lipped about it.

Propping her hand on her hip, Suzy glared at Anthony. ”I don't know what crawled up your a.s.s and died, Anthony, but you better get it removed...and quick.”

Anthony stared back at her with wide eyes until his eyes softened, small wrinkles formed in the corners, and a huge smile spread across his face. Pop started chuckling and Joe laughed, pulling his wife closer to his side.

”Why don't you tell him how you really feel, sugar?” he asked, kissing the top of her head.

”Take me home, handsome,” she replied, placing her hand on his stomach in much the same way he had done to her earlier.

Then they said goodbye, giving everyone a hug and kiss, including Anthony. When Suzy approached Anthony, she whispered something in his ear and he nodded. No one else seemed to notice, but it didn't get by me.

As they walked out, Anthony got up and headed into the kitchen. I followed him, thinking I needed to talk to him. I hadn't had a chance to get him alone and see how he was doing. Plus, I was nosy like everyone else and wanted to see what was stuck in his craw.

”Hey.” I stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame with my arms folded.

”What's up, bro?”

”Just thought I'd see how you were.”

”Couldn't be better,” he replied, pouring himself some coffee. ”Want a cup?”

”No. I'm good.”

”Suit yourself.”

”You doing okay?” I didn't move, keeping his escape route blocked.

One thing I knew about my older brother was that he didn't like to talk about his feelings. When we were growing up, he was the most closed off of the Gallo kids, and it hadn't changed as he'd aged.

”Yeah, why?” he asked, keeping his eyes on mine as he took a sip of his coffee.

”Something's up with you. You're grumpier than your normal pleasant self, and your face is always buried in that d.a.m.n phone.”

He stared at me for a beat before setting his coffee on the counter. ”First, you haven't been around in ages, so what do you know about my normal self?”

Leave it to Anthony to hit below the belt. His comment was true but still s.h.i.+tty. I'd lost touch with everyone in my family. I didn't know them anymore. People change over time. f.u.c.k, I was no longer the same brother I had been. I had a darkness inside me I'd never be able to shake.

I waved my hand at him. ”Like that s.h.i.+t. You're a grouchy b.a.s.t.a.r.d. You were never a grumpy f.u.c.ker. Crotchety, yes, but not a p.r.i.c.k.”

”It's the new me.” He smiled, crossing his feet as he leaned against the counter.

”Anthony, I know I deserted you-and the entire family, for that matter-but I can tell something is up with you. Talk to me. You always used to confide in me.”

”I don't know, man. It's not worth my time to even talk about this chick.” He hung his head as his shoulders slumped.

”Why?”