Chad looks at the book with confusion in his eyes. I guess he just realized what type of girl I am, and the funny thing is, I think that’s the first time I realized it too.
* * *
“Mia,you didn’t have to be so cruel to the boy.” It’s the end of the day, and we’ve locked the front door of the shop. We’re standing in the basement trying to finish with the new shipment of books.
“And you don’t have to always push these guys onto me. If I want to date someone, it’s going to be a person of my choosing.”
He stays quiet, which is the right decision for him, as I can’t take any more talk about Chad.
I open the box where I found my stuffed elephant and take it out.
“Remember this?” I ask him.
“Where did you get that?” He smiles, which quickly disappears from his face when he notices the box. “I forgot I put this here. Close it up, Mia. Now is not the time.”
I take the elephant back and crouch over the box.
“It’s some of my things.” A blanket, small pink jacket, various toys, then… “What’s this?”
“Mia! I said not now!” His voice bounces off the walls and causes me to rise to my feet.
“Look,” I say and raise my hand to show him what I pulled from the box. “That’s you and Mamma, isn’t it?” I’m already sure it is. Yeah, he’s younger, but that’s him alright. In the picture, they’re sitting in front of a small store with a sign above reading: Stefano Gallo Tax & Accounting.
“Give me that,” he snatches the picture from my hand in a way I’ve never seen him do before.
“Gallo?” I ask. “Since when was your name Gallo?”
“Mia, I’m not playing. Now’s not the time. Let’s get these books organized so that we can go home. Okay?”
I sigh and think about pursuing it further. The only reason I don’t is when I sense the sadness that overcomes my father as if my ignorance toward the picture has set off some kind of bad memory.
“Okay,” I tell him, “Not now.”