“I didn’t know you were bringing a guest, Nicola.”
I knew when I had been pulled into the kitchen it was going to have nothing to do with cooking. I was there because Karen and my mom wanted answers. Naturally they wanted to know who the handsome man that I had brought along was and more importantly, why was he there.
“I didn’t know that you were going to invite Jamie. After the train wreck scene that happened a few days ago, why would you ask him to come here?”
I felt a more than a little betrayed. It was somehow worse than when she had tried to get him to propose. This was our family dinner, and he was no longer part of our family. I didn’t want him there, and I knew I would never have invited Jerold if I’d known he would be. The awkwardness was clear when Jerold had asked about Jamie. I’d almost lied to him, but something made me just tell the truth. Now I wondered again if the truth was what was needed at this moment.
“I thought that you and Jamie needed another chance. I know that it probably wasn’t the best idea to spring it on you like that, but I also know that the two of you are supposed to be together, Nicola.”
There were many things about him that I hadn’t told my family. They had liked him more than me on occasion, and the two women looking at me now were the worst. So many times, his sins had been on the tip of my tongue, but I hadn’t ever been able to say anything out loud. To say out loud what he’d done to me when we were together.
“I do not want to get back with Jamie. There was a lot more going on than you two know. I wouldn’t be behind him if I were you, mom. He is not what he seems, and I will never get back with him. I would rather be single forever.”
I knew that mom didn’t like what I was saying. I think a part of her worried that I might actually mean what I said. I could see her worry going up a notch at the very idea of me being an old maid one day. I didn’t see it that way. I refused to.
“Now, honey, every couple has fights. I have been talking to Jamie off and on since you broke up. He misses you, and every time I talk to him, he always asks how you are doing first.”
“That’s just his guilt talking. It has nothing to do with him feeling one way or another. He makes you think that he is such a good man, but he’s not.”
She didn’t want to hear it, but the words were on my lips again, and this time I couldn’t stop them from coming out. Maybe I was just sick of hearing about how great of a boyfriend Jamie was.
“I think you’re being a bit dramatic. Your sister Karen had to go through her own trials with her husband. It is just the way of things sometimes.”
I looked to Karen and smiled. She didn’t like to be brought into the middle of it, but since she was already there, I figured I would elicit her help.
“So if Alfred had sex with your best friend, how long do you think it would be before you forgave him, sis? Would you just say that it was okay and take him back with open arms?”
She was shocked. I knew it was all making sense now. My best friend for most of my life had been Alicia. I hadn’t seen Alicia since I caught her and my fiancé in bed together. It had been one of those moments that changed everything. As I watched the emotions dance over my sister’s face, I knew that she was imagining her husband in the same way. When more details were asked, they were given, and the new set of her jaw told me that she was no longer on Team Jamie.
My mom remained in denial a little longer, but it wasn’t long before the talk of Jamie was done. “Do you want me to ask him to leave?”
I told her that I didn’t. In a way, I wanted him to know that I wasn’t going to be bothered by him anymore. He had broken my heart, that much was clear, but there was a part of me that wanted him to see that he hadn’t broken me.
When she gave me a hug and apologized for it all, I felt a little better. It was the first time that we had been like that in a long time. But dinner had to get on the table. As I went back out the swinging doors, I hoped that my eyes weren’t still red. For a second, I had forgotten that my boss was there. Now he was talking to my older brother, and I wondered what they were talking about.
Jamie came up and took one of the dishes out of my hand. I didn’t say anything to him, but when I set a dish down by Jerold, it was clear that he wasn’t happy. His mood and face had changed in a matter of moments. My face flushed and again I had to get away from him. When I came back out with the rest of the food, Jerold touched my arm and urged me to sit next to him. The gesture made me think of when he had had me get on his lap. I blanched a little at the thought and sat down before I embarrassed myself.
The dinner was loud and the family was in true form. I wasn’t embarrassed by them, but I could see them as an outsider and I knew they were a lot to take in. My family was big and loud, just like any other Italian family. To me this was normal, but I knew that it was most likely a lot to handle for Jerold. The fact that my family was nosy on top of everything was hard enough. Then my uncle mentioned the failed proposal of the week before and I literally wanted to sink into the chair.
Jerold was quick to pull me aside after dinner, asking me if I wanted to sit out on the porch with him. I knew that he wasn’t happy about Jamie being there, and his eyes had flared when he heard about the proposal. Neither reaction seemed to line up with what he was to me. He looked downright angry, and when I finally did agree to go out with him, I was nervous about what he was going to say.
His hand didn’t leave off gripping my arm. I didn’t pull away until we were outside and I had shut the screen door. Moving away from him, I asked him what his problem was.
“You were engaged to him?”
I knew that he was talking about Jamie, but I didn’t quite get why he was mad about it. “Yes.”
“And he asked you to marry him a couple of days ago?”
I shook my head. For some reason I didn’t want to tell the truth, but there was no way that I could say that he hadn’t. There had been an embarrassing five-minute conversation about it at dinner. “Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You’re just my boss, sir.”
His jaw tightened and he moved closer. “I am more than your boss, Nicola. You got my note?”
I remembered the folded piece of paper in my pocket and nodded. I hadn’t read it, but I had gotten it.
“Good, then I will see you Monday. Thank you for the invitation.”
He was gone just like that, with a tight jaw and unhappiness in his slate eyes. I wasn’t sure what had happened, and only when his anger dissipated in the air could I really think again. I watched him get into his car and the driver took off. What had just happened?