“Teddy’s late behind is here.” Gloria Sinatra was walking past her father’s bay window as she made her way from his kitchen to his living room.  “He’d better be glad Dad’s not here yet.”

“He is so lucky,” said Joey, who sat on the living room sofa.  “If I had been late like that, Dad would have been here already and couldn’t wait to cuss my ass out.”

But then Gloria noticed that Teddy was walking around to the passenger side of his car.  She stopped in her tracks and moved toward the window.  “Looks like he has a guest,” she said.

“A guest for a meeting like this?”  Joey stood up and began walking toward the window too.  “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“I’m sayin’,” Gloria said.

“Who is it?” Joey asked.

“I don’t know,” Gloria said as Nikki stepped out of the car.

“He’s bringing a date,” Joey said.  “I wish I would have known we could bring dates.  I’ve got this hot blonde I’ve been seeing, and I would have loved to impress her by bringing her to Dad and Mom’s.”

“Whomever she is,” Gloria said, “he’s taking ownership of her.”

Joey was confused.  “Ownership?  How do you mean?”

“His arm is on her lower back as they walk toward the house.  Like he’s at least not ashamed of her.”

“That’s where women always get it wrong,” Joey said.  “When a man places his hand on a woman’s lower back, that’s not what that means.”

“Oh, really, Mister Experienced?  What does it mean then?”

“It means they fucked her,” Joey said.  “Probably just finished fucking her.”  Then Joey smiled.  “And he liked it.”

Gloria pushed him.  “You are so disgusting,” she said, as he grinned.

But Joey was shaking his head too.  “I didn’t know Teddy liked them plump like that,” he said.  “And, no offense, Glo, black.  But then again, Teddy never shows us his women so I don’t really know what he likes.”

“That’s why this is so intriguing,” Gloria said.

“Intriguing how?” Joey asked.

“He’s showing us this one.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Joey agreed.  “You’re right.  Wow.  This is one girl I wanna meet!”

Then the door opened, and Gloria and Joey moved away from the window and made their way toward the sofa.

“Hey, Teddy!” Gloria said with a smile.

“Hey, Glo,” Teddy responded with a smile of his own.  His smile weakened when he saw his troublesome kid brother.  “Joey.”

“Where your ass been all day?” Joey asked as if he, not Teddy, was the boss.  But Gloria elbowed him in his ribs to more-than-gently remind him that they had company.  “I mean, hey,” Joey corrected himself.

Teddy, with his hand still on her lower back, walked Nikki up to his siblings.  “I’ve got somebody I want you two to meet.”

Teddy turned to Gloria first.  “Gloria, this is Nikki Tarver.”

Gloria extended her hand and she and Nikki shook.  “Nice to meet you, Nikki.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“She’s my sister,” Teddy said proudly, “and my best friend.  I’m sure you’ll see a lot of her while you’re here.”

Nikki and Gloria were surprised for different reasons.

Nikki was surprised that Teddy had a black sister.  Nothing about him seemed to suggest biracial genes.  Then she remembered, when she saw Rosalind Sinatra in L.A., that his stepmother was black.  Perhaps they were half-siblings?

Gloria was surprised that Teddy was speaking of Nikki as if she had come from out of town, and she was going to be around for a while.  Which seemed so unlike her hit-and-run big brother that it kind of made her wonder if more was going on here.

“And this is Joey,” Teddy said to Nikki. “My kid brother.”

Joey extended his hand.  And actually smiled.  “Nice to meet you,” he said.  “Nikki Tarver is it?  T-A-R-V-E-R?”

Nikki smiled.  “Yes, that’s right.  And nice to meet you too, Joey.”

“Where are you from?  I haven’t seen you around here.”

“I’m from L.A.,” Nikki said.

Teddy offered the sofa to Nikki, and he sat beside her.  Gloria and Teddy sat in the chairs that surrounded the sofa.

What Gloria immediately noticed about Nikki was that she was a snazzy dresser.  Her clothes weren’t expensive, if Glo had to guess, but they fit her beautifully.  The heels.  The slacks.  The waist-length cardigan that hugged her curves in just the right places.  This woman had some sophistication about her that was refreshing.  For some reason, Gloria always assumed Teddy never brought his females around because he didn’t think they were worthy of meeting his family.  That he was ashamed of them.  But this one was apparently different.  He seemed so proud as he sat beside her.  So happy!  And Gloria could see why.  She could hold her own against Teddy’s sometimes domineering personality.  This woman was nobody’s easy lay.

“Where’s Dad and Roz?” Teddy asked.

Nikki knew that Mick Sinatra was married to the Broadway actress Rosalind Graham-Sinatra, and she assumed that was who Roz was.  Nikki had never heard of her independent of knowing Teddy, probably because she wasn’t into Broadway, and maybe because this Rosalind Graham wasn’t a big enough star for regular folk like Nikki to have heard of.   But regardless, she remembered seeing Rosalind Graham-Sinatra in L.A., on a stretcher, after Mrs. Sinatra had been viciously attacked.  It would be nice to see her back on her feet again.

“Dad hasn’t made it home yet,” Gloria said, answering Teddy’s question.

Teddy smiled and playfully wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, causing Gloria to laugh.

“Lucky dog!” said Joey.

“And Roz had to take a business call,” Gloria continued.  “She’s in her office.”

“Oh, okay,” Teddy said.  “And the twins?”

“It’s almost nine at night, Teddy,” Gloria reminded him.  “They’re asleep.”

Nikki didn’t know who the twins were, either, but she remembered reading that Mick Sinatra had six children, including two toddlers, and a son that died.  Nikki also remembered reading that there was some speculation, in law enforcement circles, that the son died at his father’s hand.  Nikki had guts, but not enough to ever mention that kind of rumor to Teddy.

“So,” Joey asked Nikki, “how long have you known our brother?”

Nikki had already picked up on the tension between this one and Teddy.  She treaded carefully.  “Not long,” she said.

“What does that mean?” Joey asked.  “That could mean anything.  From a few minutes ago, to a few months ago.  Which is it?”

Nikki didn’t respond to him, which Teddy appreciated.  He knew how his brother could get!

But Joey, being the most stubborn of the siblings, wasn’t about to let it go.  “Which is it?” he asked again.

“Recent, Joey, alright?” Teddy responded.  “What difference does it make?”

“You don’t just bring some anybody into the family home.  That’s what difference it makes!”

“Don’t worry about it,” Teddy said.

“You’ve been making a lot of errors in judgment lately, big brother.  I’m worried.”

Teddy looked at Joey as if he’d lost his mind.  “Your ass telling me about errors in judgment?”

“I’m just saying what I’m saying,” Joey said.  “I’m not taking it back.”

“Joey, stop,” Gloria said, frustrated with him too.   “Just stop.”

“But we don’t know her like that, Glo.  When Dad finds out Teddy brought her here, he might not like it either.”

That little comment by Joey didn’t help Nikki’s already nervousness about being in Mick Sinatra’s home, a man who was reputed to be the king of mob bosses.  And maybe Joey was right.  Teddy really didn’t know her like that.

“I’ll vouch for her,” Teddy said.  “Don’t worry about it.”

And there it was again: that feeling of protectiveness Nikki felt only once before in her life: when she was on that plane and in Teddy’s arms.

“There’s Roz,” Gloria said, and everybody quickly rose to their feet.  Including Nikki, although she found such a response kind of odd.  And then she didn’t.  This Roz was their father’s wife, which gave her the second highest place of honor in their family.  Nikki had seen her once, when she was badly beaten in that Beverly Hills hotel, the first time she met Teddy.  He said she was his stepmother.  Nikki remembered commenting at the time that the stepmother looked to be about the same age as Teddy.

But when she looked toward the far side of the room and saw that a woman had emerged, a regal black woman, she realized she was a little older than she had at first thought.  But she looked too young to be Gloria’s mother.  Unless she had Gloria when she was a kid herself.

And for the first time, Nikki also saw a genuine smile on Joey’s face.  “Hey, Ma,” Joey said happily.

“Good evening everybody,” said Roz.  She had that diction and strong voice of a Broadway actress, Nikki thought.

“Mick not here yet?” Roz asked.

“No ma’am,” Gloria said.

“That’s your father,” Roz said.  “All of our asses better be in place.  But his?”

“That’s what I said!” said Joey.

Roz’s attention turned to Nikki by the time she made her way up to the group.  “Who might this young lady be?” she asked.

“This is Nikki,” Teddy said proudly.  “You don’t remember her, but I met her when we were in California.”

“Oh,” Roz said.  And it sounded, to Nikki, like a don’t remind me kind of response.  “Hello, Nikki, how are you?”

“I’m good, thank you,” Nikki said and extended her hand.  But Roz moved in to hug her.

“I’m a hugger,” Roz said, as they hugged.  It felt strange to Nikki to be hugging the wife of a mob boss, but this particular wife had a way of making her feel immediately comfortable.

But when they stopped hugging, Roz did give Nikki a good look-over.  “So,” she said, looking at her, “you’re Teddy’s friend?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Ma’am?” Roz said with a smile.  “I’m not that old!”

“Continue to call her ma’am,” Joey said, “or our dad will have a fit.”

“He’s right,” Gloria said, nodding her head.  “Don’t listen to Ma.”

“Well!” Roz said with faked umbrage.

“Come on, Roz,” Teddy said with a smile. “You know they’re telling the truth.  And when Dad’s around,” he added, looking at Nikki, “she’s Mrs. Sinatra until he gets to know you better.”

Nikki found that odd.  “Not until she gets to know me better, but until he gets to know me better?” she asked.

“I know it sounds crazy,” Teddy responded with a smile, “but yeah.”

“Don’t listen to all of that,” Roz said.

“Ma, it’s true,” Joey said.  “Don’t get that lady in trouble!”

“Alright, alright,” Roz said with a grin.  “Now that they’ve scared you half to death,” she added, to Nikki, “have a seat, please.  Rest your nerves!”

Nikki smiled as she and Roz sat on the sofa beside each other.  Teddy sat on the sofa, too, sandwiching Nikki in.  Gloria sat back down as well.  But Joey excused himself.  He had to make a phone call.

“So, what brings you to Philadelphia, Nikki?” Roz asked her.

Teddy was ready to answer it, with whatever bullshit answer he could make up, but Nikki handled it.  “I’ve never been here before and decided to give it a try.”

“Oh, okay.  Then maybe, while you’re here, Gloria and I can show you around some.”

“Oh, no ma’am, I wouldn’t want to bother you like that.”

“No bother at all!  It’ll be my pleasure.”

“Mine too,” Gloria said. “Any friend of Teddy’s is a friend of mine.”

Nikki smiled.  She was beginning to like this family more and more.  “That would be awesome.  Thank you.  Thank you so much.”

“You sound as if you aren’t used to the kindness of strangers, Nikki,” Roz said with a smile.

“No, I’m not,” Nikki responded.  “Not even the distant politeness of strangers,” she added, and they all laughed.

But Teddy glanced into Nikki’s eyes.  It was a telling admission, and he saw where it was too true to be funny.

And then it was small talk time, mainly about fashion and Philly stores versus L.A. boutiques.  Teddy sat back and let the ladies have at it.  He was actually comfortable and relaxed for a change.

Until Joey reappeared and interrupted his reverie.  “Hey, Ted!” he yelled.

He was over in the hall, near Roz’s office.  And he was motioning for Teddy to come over.  Figuring it was a new problem he had to handle, Teddy got up and went to his kid brother.  Joey escorted him into Roz’s office and closed the door.

“What is it?” Teddy asked.

“We may have a problem.”

“Where?”

“What do you mean where?  Here!”

“Here?  What kind of problem?”

“That female in Dad’s living room.”

Teddy frowned.  “What?”

“That chick.  That girl.  I think we may have a problem!”

Teddy just stared at Joey, and his displeasure with his brother was on full display.  “What kind of problem, Joey?”

“The serious kind.  I had Enzio run a background on her.”

Enzio worked for the syndicate.  He ran their “research” department.  “And?” Teddy asked.

“I think she might be Fed.  And I don’t mean well-fed, either, although she’s that too.”

Teddy frowned.  “Ah, fuck you, Joey.  You can kiss her well-fed ass!”

Teddy turned to leave, he was done, but Joey grabbed his arm.  “She’s an FBI informant, Teddy,” he said.

Teddy looked at his brother’s hand on his arm.  Joey released it.  And then Teddy looked at Joey.  “She’s no informant for anybody.”

“She snitched on her ex-husband and her own father.  Her own father, Ted!  They did five-year prison terms because of her.”

“They did five-year stints because of their own actions.  She didn’t snitch.”

“How do you know?”

“I did a background, too.  I’m not stupid.  I have inside contacts in the FBI, unlike you and Enzio’s sorry asses.  That’s how I know.”

Joey was surprised.  “You could have told somebody.”

“What the fuck I need to tell you for?  I’m the one dating her.  Not you!”

“But you’re bringing her around the family!  That concerns all of us.  And I’m sure it’s going to concern Dad too.”

“She’s not Fed.  That’s all you have to worry about,” Teddy said, and turned to leave.  And then he turned back.  “And, Joey, she’s off limits with the jokes and putdowns.  Understand?”

Joey was surprised to hear Teddy talk like that.

“You understand?” Teddy asked again.

“Yeah,” Joey responded, still surprised.

And then Teddy left the room.

But he wasn’t back in the living room, sitting beside Nikki again, when a car could be heard outside.  And everybody in the family knew that sound.

“Dad’s home,” Gloria said.

If Nikki was suddenly nervous, she realized she wasn’t the only one.  The entire relaxed mood of the room changed.  And she could feel even strongman Teddy clench up