Part 26 (1/2)
”I don't know where you put it all,” James said, stretching out his legs and putting his hands behind his head.
”I swear to G.o.d this baby is going to be fifteen pounds. I've never been so hungry in my life.”
”I can vouch for that.” Joe laughed, kissing the top of her head.
”You eat as much as you want to, dear girl,” Pop said, grabbing a knife from the drawer.
Just as Pop stuck the knife in the pie, the sliding gla.s.s door opened.
”Are you touching the pie?” Ma asked, looking over at my pop.
”Suzy wanted a slice,” he declared. Apple pie was his kryptonite, and my mother had known it when she'd set it out to torture him.
”I'll cut the pie before you turn it into a fruit bake with crumb topping.” She laid her hand over his, stopping him from finis.h.i.+ng the job.
”Anything you want, love.” Pop smiled at her, moving his hand away from the knife.
”Who wants pie?” Ma yelled out, waiting for a response. She didn't really need to ask; everyone wanted her apple pie. No one ever turned down her baking.
The family slowly filed into the kitchen, waiting their turn for a slice. Suzy was given the first piece-and the biggest, which didn't escape Anthony's notice.
”Why does she always get the biggest piece, Ma?” he asked, staring down at his sliver. ”s.h.i.+t is so unfair.”
”She has a human being growing inside her.”
”I'll never be able to use that excuse,” he mumbled, stabbing at his pie as if trying to kill it.
Angel grabbed two plates and brought me a slice before she sat on my leg. ”I brought you some, baby,” she said, holding out the plate for me.
”Thanks, Angel. I'd rather taste a different piece,” I whispered in her ear, watching her face turn red.
”Thomas,” she said, her eyes sliding toward my family without moving her head.
”They didn't hear me,” I said, setting my plate on the table and pulling her into my lap. I nibbled on her ear, listening to her breathing change. ”You want pie or c.o.c.k, Angel?”
”You really need to ask me that?” she whispered as she looked at me over her shoulder.
”Eat quick. I want to bury my d.i.c.k inside you. I'm aching to touch you.”
”Reel it back, tiger. You went a week without it.” She laughed, cutting the pie and placed a slice on her tongue.
Watching her mouth as she slid her tongue against her fork made my d.i.c.k twitch. I wanted to feel her lips wrapped around my shaft and her soft tongue slide against my hardness.
”I need to make up for lost time. Eat quick.”
”What are you two whispering about over there?” Ma asked, pouring herself a cup of coffee.
”Nothing, Mrs. G.,” Angel replied, staring at her plate.
”I could use more grandbabies,” she said as she took a seat at the table.
Everyone choked, mumbling under their breath as they tried to ignore Ma.
”I know you all heard me. I want babies. Suzy is going to give me one, but that's not enough. I expected to have more little ones running around this house by now,” she whined, cutting into her slice of apple pie.
”We aren't even married, Ma. Only Suzy and Joe are husband and wife. Isn't there some sin against s.e.x before marriage we'd be breaking in the eyes of G.o.d?” Mike asked, a small grin on his face.
I rolled my eyes. There wasn't a virgin at this table. I knew it. They knew it. And my parents knew it.
My ma smiled, looking at Mike with a mischievous glint in her eye. ”Michael, don't you bulls.h.i.+t me. I remember the time I caught you with Emma in your-”
”Ma,” Mike interrupted, holding up his hand. ”That's not proper table conversation.”
”All I'm saying,” she said, trying to contain her laughter, ”is that I know I taught you about birth control. But d.a.m.n, can't someone have an accident?”
”Don't listen to her,” Pop said, standing behind my ma. ”You'll do it when you're ready.”
”We weren't ready when we had Anthony,” she confessed, glancing at Anthony standing in the doorway.
”I'm the mistake that started it all,” he grumbled, his a mouth full of pie, crumbs falling from his lips.
”You were the furthest thing from an accident, Anth. I was so happy when I found out we were having a baby. The day you were born was the first time I ever saw your father cry.”
”Probably tears of sadness at how ugly he was,” Joe threw in, bursting into laughter.
”a.s.shole,” Anthony hissed, sticking out his tongue at Joe.
”He couldn't help how he looked, Joe,” Izzy added.
”Stop! Your mother graced me with a baby boy to carry on the Gallo name. Who knew we'd end up with three more before my princess was born?” Pop said, squeezing my ma's shoulder.
Izzy beamed, her smile so wide that I thought her lips would crack.
”We know. We know. Izzy was the most beautiful baby ever,” Mike said, rolling his eyes and gagging.
”Michael, since Mia is at work, when are you going to grow a pair and ask her to marry you?” Anthony asked, changing the subject.
Mike sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. ”I have it all planned. It'll be soon.”
”You're such a p.u.s.s.y,” Joe teased. ”Just ask her already.”
”Michael, the girl loves you. If you don't ask her soon, she may not wait around for you to ask,” Ma said, reaching across the table and touching his hand. ”Sometimes, you have to have faith in your love and stop being a p.u.s.s.y.” Ma burst into laughter and slapped the back of his hand.
”I will. I have it planned out.”
”Jesus, you and your plans. Whatever happened to spontaneity?” I asked, squeezing Angel and pulling her against my chest.