“I want to thank you, Margo,” Celeste said, patting Margo’s hand.
“For what, Celeste?”
“For how my Anthony looks. He hasn’t been this happy in a long time. It does my heart good to see him like this. You’ve put that beautiful smile back on his face and I’m grateful.”
This wasn’t quite the rescue Margo had thought it would be and she didn’t know how to respond so she just patted Celeste’s hand.
After filling her plate, Margo went into the back yard to find her mother enjoying the attention of some of the Alessandro grandchildren. She dropped to the ground next to Dolores’ chair.
“You look distracted, Margo. Is something wrong?” Dolores asked, stroking her daughter’s hair.
“Not wrong, exactly. I guess I’m uncomfortable about all this interest in Tony and me. It’s not that big a deal, just old friends hanging out for a few days.”
“Staying in his apartment is old friends hanging out? Well, if you say so.” She patted her daughter’s cheek.
“Mom, it’s not like … ” Margo stopped because it was exactly like that.
“Besides,” Dolores continued, “you both look so happy. And it’s no secret Celeste and I have always hoped that you two would get together.”
Tony appeared at the top of the steps to the kitchen and motioned to her. He looked less relaxed than he had a few minutes before.
She followed him into the dining room, where no one was at the moment.
He took her hands. “I got paged.”
“Oh, well,” she began. “I’ll wait for you … ”
“I have to go to Newark,” he interrupted.
“What’s in Jersey?”
“Jameson’s briefcase. Along with one dead and two live Russian mob guys, the Newark PD, and FBI agents not connected with the task force I’m working with, but who’ve apparently been trailing the Russians for months but have only now gotten around to letting us know about it.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “So, it’s officially fucked up beyond all recognition. One of my sisters can drive me home or I can call for a cab.”
“No, I’ll drive you. When will you be back?”
“Not sure. Probably not until after your flight leaves tomorrow. But you can stay at my place if you want.”
“God, no. I don’t want to be there without you. I’ll take you home and come back here.”
“This isn’t how I planned to spend the rest of the weekend.” He folded his arms around her and kissed her forehead.
She snuggled against his shoulder. “Me neither, but it’s the way it works.”
Tony said good-bye to his family and Margo made arrangements to return and stay with her mother. When they got to Tony’s apartment, they packed their respective bags. Waiting in the lobby of his building for his ride, he put his arm around her. “If I say we need to talk, will you panic again?”
She laughed. “No, we do but I guess we’ll have to do it on the phone.”