She groans. “Fine.”
I shake my head of the craziness that is my family and move to the threesome sitting around the table where a blond-haired girl is coloring in a book. “Over there is my sister Cara and her live-in boyfriend, Scott, and his daughter, Kaylee.”
“What! You’re living in sin with my daughter!” Mama screeches, about to burst another vein. She lifts her hands to her heart in prayer. “Blessed Mother, protect and lead my daughter to making good choices and her boyfriend to putting a ring on her finger.” She makes the sign of the cross and leans against my father. He wraps an arm around her shoulder.
“It’s okay, tesora mia. We will have a talk with these ungrateful children and show them the way,” my father coos to my mother.
I cough into my hand because if I didn’t, I’d crack up. Everything is going exactly as planned. Nailing everyone to the wall before I get to my news so it won’t seem so shocking. So far, it’s working perfectly.
“Okay, now we get to the twins.”
Honor interrupts me. “You’re twins?” She points to Grace and Faith.
Faith laughs, and Gracie falls all over herself giggling. “No! They call us twins because we’re less than a year apart.”
“Oh, Irish twins,” Honor adds helpfully, or rather unhelpfully, because Ma jumps on it in a second.
“We are not Irish! A hundred percent Italian! Screw the Irish!” Ma raises and shakes her spatula like it was a golden, mighty fist, sauce dripping down the side of the spoon.
I lift my hands. “Easy, Ma. It’s an expression.”
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Salerno,” Honor says quickly. She’s going to do so well in this family.
“It’s okay, angel.” Ma tuts like she’s precious china. I agree with the precious part, though, so I don’t say anything.
“All right, so now that we’ve introduced you to everyone, we have our own announcement.”
Magically, everyone is silent, even though Angela and Cara are giving me death glares. A second from now, it won’t matter.
I curl an arm around Honor and take a deep breath. “I’ve asked Honor to marry me, and she’s agreed. She’s moved into my apartment, and we’re expanding Sal’s Boxing Gym & Fitness and the apartment. Honor has bought the laundromat next door, and well…that’s it.” I get the words out in one rushed breath and look at my girl and not the shocked faces of my family.
“I’ve never loved a woman or been happier in my entire life. I hope all of you will show her the same love and respect you’ve shown me and make her part of our family.”
For an entire minute, not one person speaks. The only sound comes when Ma drops her death grip on the sauce spatula, and it falls to the floor, sauce splattering everywhere, and then spreads her arms out wide and screams.
“Oh, my God! My dreams are coming true! My Nicholas is getting married!” And then the dramatics build as she drops to her knees, turns her face up to the ceiling, and prays. Out loud.
“Thank you, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph for this blessing you have brought upon our house. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, I praise you! Amen! Amen! Amen!”
Dad moves to help her get off the floor, but he doesn’t move fast enough. Ma springs up and into my arms, tackle-hugging me. “Nicky, you’ve made your mama so happy, baby. So happy. And she’s perfect!” Ma stretches out a hand and curls it around Honor’s chin. “May you give me many grandbabies!”
Honor smiles and nods in her way.
“You’ll start right away…yes?” She grabs Honor’s arm and pulls her into our hug huddle.
“Marriage first, Ma,” I remind her.
“Yes, yes, marriage first.” She pulls back, tears rushing down her cheeks, and she claps. “Salvatore! You bring out the good stuff. We are celebrating!”
“Woman, you’re always celebrating!” he jabs back but heads toward the cellar door anyway.
After Ma finally lets us go, each of my sisters gives us their blessing and congratulations. Even Angela and Cara, who I kind of threw under the bus, have nothing but love and excitement to offer us.
Once my dad brings up several bottles of wine, opens and pours hefty full glasses, and passes one out to each of us, he clears his throat.
Dad doesn’t give speeches often, preferring to speak to us one-on-one when he has something to say, but in this moment, we all pay attention. He lifts his glass, stretches out his arm, and makes a slow circle, pointing his goblet at each one of us, making eye contact in the process.
“To my wife, my girls and their chosen mates, my son and his bride, all of you here today are now a part of the Salerno family. We fall in love hard…we give love deeply…and we give it for life.”
Honor squeezes my hand. I bring hers up to my lips and kiss right over her new shiny diamond ring we picked up this morning.
My father continues. “As you have chosen us, we have chosen you. We are family. Dio benedica la nostra famiglia. I love you all.” He raises his glass and then takes a sip of the lifeblood of our family. Our wine.
“Dio benedica la nostra famiglia!” each of the Salerno members repeats and then takes a sip.
“What does that mean?” Honor asks.
“It translates to, God bless our family.”
“God bless our family,” she repeats.
“I love you, soon-to-be Mrs. Salerno,” I whisper.
“I love you calling me Mrs. Salerno.” She smiles, and my world lights up.
As I stand around my family, chatting up each person, sharing stories of how Honor and I met, how we’re updating the gym and the apartment, it becomes real.
For eight years, I served in the army, trying to find my place, to protect and serve. Three years out, and I’ve built a business, found the woman I want to spend my life with, the person I now live to serve and protect. Everything I went through, the ups, downs, hardships, and losses,
