SWNOVELS Chapter 68
Chapter 68
Tristin turns her eyes to me as soon as I am seated, the baby in
her lap looking up at me curiously. “Hello, Fay,” she says, her face
cold. But hey, at least she’s talking to me.
“Hi,” I say, giving her as bright a smile as I can manage. Romulus
peaks around her to give me a happy wave, which I return.
My father, on Romulus‘ other side, turns to me as well. “We
wanted to apologize, Fay, as a family. For the events at our house
yesterday.”
“Oh, please,” I say, waving a hand to dismiss it. “Don’t worry
about it. I understand that it’s…awkward. That I’m sort of a new
addition, and that I screwed up some of your plans. I’m…sorry
about that, by the way.” I look into Tristin’s face as I say it.
“Not a new addition, Fay,” my father says, looking at me steadily. “A love one returned to us after a long parting.”
“Yes,” Tristin says, her voice low and rehearsed. “You are a
member of this family.” Her eyes flick to Kent and Daniel then, and
I wonder why.
The rest of the dinner proceeds a little blandly. The food is good, the chitchat a little dull. I get a lot of family history, then, with Alden showing me pictures of my grandparents and telling me
Chapter 68
about their journey to America from Italy.
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I look at the old photos curiously, trying to see pieces of my features in their faces. I’ve never really considered, before, that I’m actually Italian. I never thought much about my ethnicity, but with my red hair and pale skin, Italian had never popped into my mind. I glance quickly at Kent and Daniel – with their dark skin, thick.
black hair, and roman noses, they look Italian.
“Thank you so much for showing me these,” I say to Alden,
handing the pictures back to him. “I’m learning so much about
myself these days.”
“And you have so much more to learn,” he says, giving me a warm
smile, which I return.
The party goes quite late, with everyone drinking and chatting.
At some point, a DJ comes out and begins playing the oldies that this crowd apparently favors- lots of Frank Sinatra and Dean
Martin. It’s not a bad time, overall – even Daniel is laughing and chatting around.
Only Kent seems to be having a poor time- or, at least, not a
good one. He’s very stern, always glancing around the room,
looking over everyone who comes to say hello. I purse my lips,
considering him as he looks critically over an old woman who introduced herself as my great aunt. Does he ever have a good
time?
Kent feels me watching him and turns his attention to me, raising
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his eyebrow.
I shrug at him and shimmy my shoulders, encouraging him, without words, to try to loosen up and have a good time. He smirks at me and then looks away, continuing his surveillance.
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Too serious, I think, getting up to get another drink. Kent stands to go with me, but I put out a hand to stop him.
“Really,” I say. “I’m just going to the bar for a glass of wine.” I indicate the alcove in the wall where the bar is stationed, only a few feet away. “I’ll be back in a moment.”
He hesitates and then settles back in his chair. “I’ll be right here,” he says. I nod and briskly step away.
A younger set of people are standing by the bar chatting. They raise their glasses to me as I sidle up.
“Welcome to the family, cousin,” a tall guy with closely–cut black hair and broad shoulders says to me. “We’ve missed you.”
“Really?” I ask, nodding to the bartender who hands me a glass of wine. “Um, are we really cousins?”
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Chapter 69
“Sure,” he says, laughing.