"Linda!" He smiled at her. He had missed her Tuesday. "You look... tired." His smile faded and his brows furrowed.
Linda forced a smile, praying Danny didn't notice. "I am tired. But I'm alright."
"You sure?"
"Mm," she nodded, lying through her teeth. She wasn't okay. She was far from okay.
"Everything okay on the home front?"
She cringed as someone slammed a locker shut, then shouted for their friend. She nodded, lying again. "I just have a headache. But I'm fine- I'm totally fine."
"Are you sure?"
She loved him, she really loved him, and bless his heart. She was about to tell him all she needed was lunch and Mary's brownie he saved especially for her, when the bell rang. She looked at the ceiling, towards the bell, then quickly kissed his cheek. "I just need food, I promise. See you at lunch."
********
He set the cookie- instead of the now customary brownie- in front of her. She was about to grab it when he dropped it back in his lunch bag.
Danny sat down, "tell me what's got you so bothered first."
"You're too perceptive and observant, and it sickens me." She was only half joking.
"Blame my upbringing. Now what's wrong?"
"I just don't like how my Dad treats my Mom, that's all."
"Did he hit her again?"
She nodded sadly.
"Did he hit you again?"
She didn't make a move.
"Linda, did he hit-"
"Not here. But no, he didn't. He couldn't, because Nonna was there." But he hit me when she went to answer the phone.
"Why don't I believe you?"
"Because you're cynical? Danny, I'm fine. Really I am. Please don't worry about me."
"But if I don't worry about you, who's going to make sure you're okay?"
Marry him! A voice screamed in her head, to which she could only respond, whoa. "Nonna will. She's very protective of me. So is Elliot. My parents might suck, but I have the best Nonna, and the best friends, and the world's most incredible boyfriend." She smiled as she held his hand.
He smiled back at her, his cheeks turning a light pink from the praise.
"So can I have my cookie now?"
*********
He couldn't hit her because his mother was in the other room. He couldn't hit her because the little squeal ran to that beatnik who ran to his cop Daddy. Damn teenagers. Think they know everything.
"Linda," Rosita came back. "I need to go over to Evelyn's. She needs a little help with her stove. Why don't you come along?"
Linda didn't want to go to Evelyn's. "I think I'll stay here."
"Linda, I think it might be a very good idea if you'd come with me."
"She'll be fine here!" Tony responded, only to get a slap to the back of the head. He rolled his eyes: mothers.
"Linda, tu vieni con me."
She sighed; there was no arguing with Nonna when she spoke Italian. "Si, Nonna."
"I need to talk to her, Mom," Tony said.
"Then talk."
"Just me an' her, okay?" He put his hand on his daughter's shoulder, squeezing down on it.
"No. Tu parli con me qui, o per niente."
Tony sighed. "I want you to stop seeing that Reagan kid."
Her heart almost stopped. "What?"
"Stop seeing him. He's no good."
"But he is good, Papa. He takes good care of me. He loves me for me, and he always makes sure I'm doing okay. He gives me brownies-"
"Oh yeah. There's a declaration of love. He'll leave you high and dry as soon as he sees how you overreact to everything. No one's going to want a girl who cries at the drop of the hat. Who stamps her foot when she doesn't get her way."
Linda's fingers curled into fists. She swallowed bravely, "you don't know what you're saying, Papa."
"I know what he's saying, and he's absolutely correct," Marni agreed with Tony for once in her life. "That cop kid's no good."
"Stai zitto!" Nonna shouted, making everyone clam their mouths shut. "Linda isn't going to take any advice from either of you. She's going to follow her heart, and if her heart tells her that Danny Reagan is the one for her, then she's going to keep on seeing him. Capisce?!"
Marni and Tony nodded along dejectedly, "capisce."
Linda, on the other hand, clasped her hands together in glee and nodded. "Capisce, Nonna! Does Evelyn need me to get stuff for her sink?"
"Stove, and si, she does."
She shot a triumphant look to her parents before heading to the door.
"You're making a big mistake, stupid cow!" Tony called after her. "He's never gonna be faithful."
Linda was shaking with anger and tears. "I found someone who will actually treat me well! Why can't you be happy for me?"
He scoffed, "he'll leave you high and dry."
"Trust me, Linda," Marni put her two cents in. "Men are not to be trusted."
Rosita was just about to lay hands on them- obviously her Italian wasn't working on them. Linda spoke before she could do anything.
"Just you watch! He'll prove you wrong. He'll prove you all wrong! And while you're sitting in bars all alone with no one to love you, he'll be holding me through the night. He'll be everything to me you never were!"
*********
October 19, 1996
She could barely contain her excitement. Why was the priest taking so long?! Didn't he see she just wanted to get married and be done with it?
He had barely gotten the words out of his mouth when she exclaimed, "I do!"
Her smile was huge and she was about to burst as he wrapped up the ceremony.
"I know pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
She threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him like she needed the air he was breathing.
********
Tony frowned when he saw the note in his windshield. He tore it off and ripped the envelope open. In it was a Polaroid picture of his daughter in her wedding dress, kissing her new husband. That had happened only a few hours ago. He flipped the photo over.
In his daughter's neat handwriting were three little words he absolutely loathed: Told ya so.
