The Single Dad and his Soul Mate by Rebecca James

Author:Rebecca James
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2020-03-25T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Matteo

When I entered the house, Maria met me in the front hall.

“I’m so sorry to bring you back here, but I keep thinking appendicitis.”

She appeared worried, her fingers absently playing with the long silver chain around her neck.

“What makes you think that?” I asked. “And thank you for staying with her until I could get here.”

“No problem at all. She’s very sweet. And I appreciated the two of you inviting me to Thanksgiving dinner.”

I’d had nothing to do with it, of course. I had a sudden flash of Flynn’s face when I’d told him about Nonna being ill. I knew what he was thinking. I was leaving him for her. I really wasn’t surprised he still resented her. I couldn’t blame him exactly. But sometimes it felt as though he’d never taken the time to try to understand. And then he’d gone and figured out about Maria.

Maria touched my arm, expression sympathetic. “She’s complaining of pain on her right side. And it’s tender to the touch. That’s why I thought about her appendix. Maybe we should take her to the hospital, just to be safe.”

“I will, but you go home. You’ve been a huge help already, and I can handle this.”

Maria’s lips curved into a small smile. “I can help her change and drive you to the hospital. A cab would be uncomfortable, and, frankly, I can’t see her riding bitch on your bike.”

That surprised me into a laugh. It was probably unfair of me to have assumed she was as straight-laced as my grandmother.

“Thank you.”

In the end, I was relieved to have Maria’s help; Nonna was uncooperative with me, and Maria had better luck with her. She worked quickly, and when she called me back into the room, I picked up Nonna from the bed.

“Matteo, I can walk!” Nonna complained as I helped Maria wrap the blanket around her.

“I know you can, Nonna.”

Carefully, I carried her outside to Maria’s red Mazda CX-3, Maria locking up and hurrying behind us.

“This is not necessary,” Nonna said crossly. “I’m fine.”

“I’d rather carry you,” I said. Maria opened the door of the car. Before Nonna could say anything else, I added, “It’s a little like Nonno carrying you over the threshold after your wedding, huh?”

“That was into the house, not out,” Nonna complained, but her voice had softened. “It almost feels that way. You are so like him.”

She’d told me dozens of times about her wedding. Shown me pictures of it and of the little house by the sea that my grandfather, Angelo, had bought for her. When he’d been struck and killed by a car a decade later, Nonna’s aunt and cousin had convinced her to join them in America, finding Nonna work in a sewing shop near the Catholic school my father would attend.

“And poor Maria,” Nonna said as I buckled her into the passenger seat. “The two of you should be talking over coffee, not taking me out into the dead of night because of a little stomachache.

“It’s not even ten yet, Nonna,” I said.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.