We all trooped up to the house and knocked on the door. Uncle Vito’s wife, Aunt Angela, opened the door.

“Sissy! Ava! What a wonderful surprise!” She cried and gave us big hugs.

Uncle Vito was nearly bald, very round and about an inch taller than me. Aunt Angela was slim, trim, stylish and disappeared once a year to a “spa” where she came out looking five years younger. Her forehead never moved. Botox city.

Still, she was sweet.

“Aunt Angela, these are our friends Daisy and Shirleen,” Sissy introduced as we walked into the foyer and Angela greeted Daisy and Shirleen. She was such a premier hostess, she seemed not to have any reaction at all to Daisy and Shirleen. Not that there was any reaction to be had about them, except Daisy was wearing skintight faded jeans with silver rivets up the sides, pink platform boots and a baby blue v-necked shirt that showed so much cle**age, most mothers would cover their children’s eyes at the sight of her.

Then again we found out quickly that Aunt Angela knew Daisy, they moved in the same social circles. They gave each other cheek kisses that came nowhere near the cheek.

“Come in, come in. Can I get you coffee? I have some cannoli from Pasquini’s.”

“That sounds good,” Shirleen said.

I gave Shirleen a look and then turned back to Aunt Angela.

“Sorry, Aunt Angela. We’re here to see Uncle Vito, it’s important.”

She looked at me and said, “Vito’s just about to head out to a meeting.”

No!

My gaze swung to Sissy, screaming, mutely, do something!

Sissy to the rescue. “We have to see him before he goes. It’s important,” Sissy told her then her voice lowered. “It’s about Dom.”

Aunt Angela’s mouth got tight as she looked at Sissy. Angela also thought Dom was a dickhead.

Angela made a decision and said, “Come through to the family room. I’ll get Vito.” She led us to the family room and then hot-footed it out.

“I don’t see why we couldn’t have a cannoli and a coffee while we’re waitin’,” Shirleen groused.

“We don’t have time,” I told her.

“Have you ever had a cannoli from Pasquini’s? There’s always time for a cannoli from Pasquini’s.”

In my fatty, fatty four-eyed days I’d practically lived at Pasquini’s. I’d had more cannolis, chocolate candles, napoleons and profiteroles at Pasquini’s than the entire population of Denver.

I decided not to answer. Luckily, I didn’t have to, Uncle Vito walked in.

He threw out his arms toward Sissy and me. “Sissy! Ava! Come give your Uncle Vito a hug.”

Okay, so I was a little weirded out that Luke told me Uncle Vito had ordered hits where guys ended up with bullets in their brains. Not to mention he’d kidnapped me a couple of days earlier. Still, if Sissy and Dom divorced, I’d likely not be invited to the huge family Thanksgiving dinner again. This was probably one of the last times I’d ever see him. Anyway, if he was a man who could order a hit, it was probably not prudent to dis him on a hug. So, with Sissy, I moved forward for a big Uncle Vito hug.

“How’re my girls?” he asked, leaning back and dropping his arms.

“Not good, Uncle Vito,” Sissy answered.

Vito’s eyes came directly to me.

Eek!

What’d I do?

“What’s Dom done now?” he asked.

Oh, okay, freak out cancelled. I was always telling on Dom to Uncle Vito. He knew I’d give him the truth.

Sissy and I looked at each other. Vito moved into the room. We found that he knew both Shirleen and Daisy. With Daisy, it was understandable if Aunt Angela knew her. Shirleen was a wildcard.

Shirleen had also morphed into a badass Shirleen I’d never seen before. Her eyes were sharp, her face was serious and she didn’t look like someone you messed with. She certainly didn’t look like someone who had just been talking about cannolis. It was also clear Vito took her seriously. You could see this but it wasn’t spoken. I found this intriguing but decided not to ask. I had more important things on my mind.

We all sat and Sissy and I told our stories about Dom. We both discreetly avoided Vito kidnapping me because that was likely not a topic for polite conversation.

When we were done, Uncle Vito said, “That boy. I told my sister. Told her time and again. Now, listen to you two.”

Sissy and I looked at each other again.

“I’ll handle it,” he finished.

Yippee!

“Really?” I asked.

“You won’t have any troubles with Dominic anymore,” he assured me.

“That’s great,” Sissy said. “Thanks Uncle Vito.”

“I need to have a talk with Dominic myself. When we have our chat, I’ll also tell him to get home, take care of his wife, treat her right, give her some babies, keep her happy,” Vito said to Sissy.

Uh-oh.

His eyes turned to me. “As for you, I’ll talk to Lorenzo. He’s a good boy but he needs to settle down and he likes you. You’re with Lorenzo, Dominic won’t get any ideas. I’ll get him to give you a call.”

Uh-oh.

“Uncle Vito, we were um… hoping you’d help Sissy out with her divorce,” I said.

“Vincettis and Zanos don’t divorce. Marriage is life,” Vito replied with finality.

This was not good.

“But –” I started.

“Listen to your Uncle Vito, Ava. Angela and me have been married thirty-three happy years. You gotta work at it. I know what I’m talkin’ about. We just gotta worry about gettin’ you settled. I like you with Lorenzo. I see happy things.”

Uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh.

Vito grinned huge. “You’re unhappy. All attitude. You need a man. Lorenzo will put a smile on that pretty face.”

No, no, no.

“Big wedding and lotsa beautiful babies,” Uncle Vito went on.

Oh… my… God.

I told you I didn’t think this was a good idea, Good Ava reprimanded, arms crossed.

Oo, lots of Ren’s babies. That means we’d have to sleep with Ren lots and Ren’s HOT! Bad Ava gushed, arms crossed, rubbing her hands up and down her biceps with glee.

“I don’t think –” I started.

“It’s settled. I got a meeting,” he got up and looked at Sissy. “I’ll take care of Dominic,” he looked at me. “Lorenzo will take care of you.” Then he clapped his hands together, held them out in front of him and walked out of the room.