A Summer Like No Other

Chapter 5 - Em

Nonna pulls her cannoli recipe in front of me. It's full of scribbles and marks, like "Did this recipe to celebrate our twenty-year anniversary. Needed more sugar."

She sets the ingredients on the table in the far right corner of the kitchen, where the service is slowing down. "Come on, Bellisima. I'm thinking of serving those during coffee time tomorrow." She kisses my cheek. "Call me if you need help, or can't read my handwriting." She goes back inside the restaurant, where she always makes a point to talk to every single family, to every single customer.

My hands are deep in yummy, creamy dough when Mom waltzes into the kitchen in her favorite cocktail dress, the one she says reminds her of Grace Kelly: elegant but understated in its elegance. It's perfect for her: it highlights her blue eyes, and she does look like a movie star with the way the navy sequin dress floats at the bottom.

"I didn't know you were coming in," I tell her after she kisses my forehead, not caring I might be getting flour on her clothes.

"I thought you'd like to share the driver with me, instead of taking the metro."

"The driver?" My voice rises and I clear my throat.

"Don't look so worried. I'm not crazy. The other organizers of the gala decided I needed a driver to go back home, and I decided I'd share the comfort with you."

I go along with the pretend-game and smile too. "Great! It's so humid my hair is scary frizzy."

"Did you convince all those important people to give money?" Nonna asks when she steps into the kitchen again, and then continues without waiting for an answer. "Did you mention the restaurant to them? I can picture them eating my pesto and realizing they've never had something so good." Nonna laughs.

"I did mention the restaurant to a few people," Mom says, taking a bite of the pastry Nonna's handing to her.

"So the event went well?" I roll the dough one last time before washing my hands.

"Good, good...the event was good." She sighs and bites her lip again, but then she must see me staring at her teeth because she laughs. "It's all fine. It's the last charity event I was organizing and then, we almost have a buyer for the house in Manhattan. It's going to be fine. By September, we'll be living next door from here, and we'll get to eat at Nonna's every single day." She gives me a hug and I squeeze her back. "How was your practice?"

"Nick was there—apparently I have to register for the room online over the summer. I didn't think I needed to book anything, but whatever."

Mom chews her lip again. "I'm so happy Nick and Roberto are back to normal. Roberto told me they hung out at Nick's house last night." Mom's smile turns brighter and more real. "And I'm glad you're not holding a grudge against him. I really hope you kids don't suffer from what's going on. This has nothing to do with you." She pauses. "Nick should come to dinner soon."

Nonna jumps into the conversation, clapping her hands. "Yes, yes. Nicholas should come to dinner. I'll make him lasagna, he loves my lasagna," she says. "You used to think Nick was cute, no?" And as always, Nonna doesn't have a filter when it comes to my private life. I kiss her cheek.

"He's okay," I reply, desperately wanting to change the subject.

"I'm glad he decided to stay in the city. You and your brother can use a friend. And Nick is a real friend. I'm sorry again we didn't go to the Hamptons this year." Mom gives my shoulder a squeeze.

"It's fine. I need to practice anyways," I reply. It's on the tip of my tongue to mention the search for my birth parents. I've talked to them about it before, but I don't want to bring it up now. Some days, Mom seems fine with my quest, supporting me, answering my questions. Other days, she seems worried, like she's losing a part of me.

"We should get going. The driver is waiting and we have so much to pack and move tonight." She winks at me. "Maybe I should ask Roberto if Nick can help us with moving some of the boxes downstairs."

"You wouldn't." I croak, drying my hands over and over again.

"We do need help." Mom chuckles.

Nonna's happy wrinkles around her dark eyes deepen as she laughs loudly. "My Dino is lucky to have married you, Amanda."

"I'm lucky to have married him," she replies and kisses Nonna on the cheek too. Mom may look way different than Nonna with her reddish hair and blueish eyes, but she fits right into Dad's family. They were proud of their son for "making it" as they used to say, for being a fancy Wall Street guy, but when Dad lost his job, they were here for him.

They helped us secure the place next door to the restaurant and helped Dad find a new job. It's not as prestigious and we definitely can't keep the same lifestyle we used to, but at least it's going to pay the bills and pay for school.

Mom wraps an arm around my shoulder as we step out into the humidity that is New York in the summer. "If you really don't want Nick to come tonight, I won't call him. But you can't avoid people who make you feel alive," Mom says.

"He's a player. And I'm not interested," I reply, glancing everywhere and anywhere but not looking Mom in the eyes. An extra pair of hands would help tonight. It's funny how friends disappear at the same time money runs out. The driver opens the doors for us and I sink into the leather seats, breathing the brand new car smell that always comes with these type of rides, enjoying the air-conditioning and the way the windows are tinted so no one can see us.

I turn to Mom, who's sipping from a bottle of water. "Actually, I'm sure Roberto would love to have Nick for dinner. Let me call him." My heart skips a beat—calling Nick is usually not that nerve-wracking. "I have something to ask him too," I say, thinking about Jen, and his blatant lies about going out with her this evening.

His voice mail picks up and my stomach warms at his deep voice. "Hi, you've reached Nick. You know what to do at the beep."

"Hey Nick, it's Em.Would you happen to be free for dinner tonight? We could use some help with themove. I know you mentioned something about Jen but unless she's jet-settingback from France, she might be late for your date." 

Author's note:

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you're enjoying getting to know Em & Nick! I'll be publishing two new chapters every Friday and would love to hear from you, so don't hesitate to leave a comment. The full novella is already published/available on all e-retailers for only $0.99 in case you don't want to wait for the next chapter :) More information on www.elodienowodazkij.com :)