Rose got up, “Let’s have some of that veal parm now, shall we? I made you chicken parm, Tia; I know you won’t eat veal.”
Bethany leaned over, “Tia, if you’re happy and if you’re safe, that’s all I need to know.” She squeezed my hand. I smiled at her.
Mia still looked skeptically at Tommy, who was radiating barely-restrained fury.
Ruby still wasn’t looking at me. She was staring at the table cloth.
“Thanks, Beth. Guys, my father lies. He’s in jail for selling drugs. He’s a gambling addict. He’s a junkie. He knows very little about my life and even less about the kind of man I married. He’s grasping. He tried to get me to lie to get him out of jail and it backfired and now you’re giving him the time of day so he’s milking it, he’s lashing out. I need to know you’re done with all the investigating. I need to know that you aren’t putting me and my husband in danger out of misplaced concern. If you can do that, if you can please love me enough to trust that I’m being real here, I’m happy to stay for dinner. If you are going to sit here and disrespect Tommy and show lack of respect for me and my intelligence then we need to go. I will leave it up to you.”
There was silence for a moment, then Cal spoke, “Girls?”
Mia spoke up, “We love you. We have questions and we’re nervous for you after some of what we found out but if you can’t answer the questions and you ask us to stand down we will. We’re sorry we put you in danger. You have to understand our perspective, we were just…”
“I know. I appreciate it. I appreciate your love and your concern and whatever lengths you went to in order to try to help me when you thought I needed it. If I could’ve let you all in on what I was dealing with I would’ve. But I couldn’t. I still can’t. I’m sorry about that. But seriously, I’m good. I’m happy.”
“He’s good to you?” Ruby asked, finally looking up.
“Do you remember our talk when I told you he proposed?” I asked her.
She nodded.
“Every word was true. I am madly deeply in love. Soulmate, Ruby.”
Tommy kissed my temple.
Nick got a disgusted look on his face and got up, “I’m outta here.”
“Nick,” I got up.
I felt Tommy stiffen and he caught my wrist.
“Give me one sec,” I said to Tommy.
Tommy’s jaw got tighter but he let go.
I followed Nick out to the front room.
“I’m happy. Please be happy for me. Please call off your uncle.”
“How can I be happy for you?” he spun around to face me, “That’s supposed to be me. Fuck, Tia.”
I was surprised.
“Nick, we broke up. Before I even met Tommy.”
“I wanted to win you back. I wanted to be with you. You were more than a girlfriend to me, Tia. You were my future. That’s why I started working at my uncle’s company. I was trying to change for you…” He took a step toward me. I put my palm up and took a step back.
“I’m sorry, Nick. Tommy is my future. But thank you for trying to help me.”
“He’s dangerous.”
“He loves me and you don’t know…”
“He is dangerous, Tia. The stuff my uncle found out. I didn’t even tell the girls the half of it.”
“Stop.” He was being too loud.
“I can help you get away from him. Come with me right now. I’ll get you hidden. I’ll…” He reached for and caught my wrist.