Sal looked down at me, uncertain.
“We’ll come,” I replied, making the decision for him. He needed a push or, in this case, a shove.
“I guess we’re going then,” Sal muttered and I winked at him.
“Excellent!” she exclaimed, clapping her hands together.
“If it’s totally awful, we’ll just go,” I said as we slid into a cab. “It seems like aside from the ice king and queen everyone else is excited to see you,” I commented while sneaking a glance at him.
He didn’t answer, instead choosing to gaze out the window to the city beyond. I knew he was on edge. The run-in with his mother had bothered him more than he’d ever let on, but shutting out his entire family because of it wasn’t necessarily the answer. I only wanted to push him hard enough to give them a shot. Hopefully, they wouldn’t prove my instincts wrong. I could understand now why the trip to Spain had changed him so much. His father and grandmother welcoming him with open arms must have been life affirming for him after how he’d grown up.
I reached across the seat for his hand, squeezing slightly in silent support, but said no more.
Sal’s aunt’s house was a beautiful brownstone in what looked to be an expensive part of town. Sal had mentioned in the past how his mother’s family came from money; he’d always seemed uncomfortable with it. I guess I hadn’t realized how significant their wealth actually was.
I made sure Sal had a beer in hand as soon as possible. Then we mingled a bit with various relatives, all of whom seemed genuinely happy to see him.
When his mother and stepfather arrived, they stayed on the other side of any room we were in. Sal began to relax some, so when Sophie approached, he was noticeably warmer to her than at the church.
The three of us sat on one of the sofas in the living room, which cost more than my car, and caught up.
“So, how long have you two been together?” she asked, and I realized for the first time I didn’t know how to answer that question.
“Over a year,” Sal answered without hesitation.
I looked over at him clearly confused. We’d dated for six months and he’d been gone for six.
He leaned over to murmur in my ear. “Was always with you, babe,” he said just loud enough for me to hear while squeezing my hand.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and turned back to Sophie who was now regarding us with a warm look.
“So how’s life under the microscope, Soph?” Sal asked, and though his question sounded harsh, his tone held no menace. “Scratch that, it’s a fucking cage,” he muttered.
She grimaced but nodded in agreement and looked away briefly, clearly understanding exactly what he meant. “I feel like I’ve been in it so long I don’t know how to get out,” she admitted.
“You always have choices,” he said, his eyes narrowing at something or someone across the room. “I didn’t have a clue where I was going when I left. Just that I had to. I found the desert, found the club, my girl.” He shrugged. “I’ve never been happier since I left,” he reiterated, leaning closer to her to drive his point home.
“You didn’t have to leave me, too,” she murmured, and I recognized this moment between siblings, which had no need for a third wheel.
“I’ll go refill my wine,” I said while quietly excusing myself.
I stood by the refreshments table smiling politely at people who made eye contact.
“So you and my son, hmm?” the ice queen asked by way of greeting as she approached from the hallway behind.
I looked around. Damn, no graceful means for escape in sight.
I straightened my shoulders and turned to face her with a smile. If this lady thought she could intimidate me, she had another thing coming.
“Yes, he’s amazing,” I replied blissfully as though she’d meant her comment as a compliment.
She made a slight scoffing sound before assessing me with a judgmental gaze. Obviously, my off-the-rack dress wasn’t to her standards. “How long have you two been seeing each other?” she asked.
“A year,” I nodded, glad we’d gotten that sorted out earlier.
“And what do you do?” she asked.
Oh, this should go over well. “I’m a bartender,” I replied steadily, bracing for impact.