“Those are your words.” If she wanted to speak in Italian, he’d reply in the same. “Take me to court. Bring a third party into the discussion. Be prepared for a long battle. Not only will I not give in so easily, but the courts themselves are backed up over a year.”
“It will be worth it.”
Luca didn’t let her words get to him because he didn’t see her following through.
“By the time we ever see a judge you’ll have your hands full.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What is that supposed to mean?”
He lowered his voice, kept speaking in Italian. “I was there the first time you were pregnant, Antonia. I remember the mood swings. The impossible ability to talk sense to you. The way your fingers swelled.”
She looked down at her hands and quickly pulled them off the table.
“The court may well grant you more time with our daughter. They may even suggest I pay you some kind of monthly amount for that effort. But they will not tell me I need to support a child that is not mine.”
Antonia was breathing hard now and not saying a word.
“And the day you think you’re going to exploit Franny to babysit your child I will pull it all back to court and make you fight again.”
She was seething.
“Now. One overnight a week is what Franny wants. She’s happy to spend time during the day, movies, trips to the zoo . . . whatever, so long as it is within the city limits.”
Every muscle visible on Antonia’s body sat in a tight coil ready to spring. “I’ll see Francesca on Tuesday.”
Luca smiled, offered a single nod. “Okay.”
Brooke and Luca walked Franny to her mother’s on Tuesday. It was only two blocks away, and yes, at nearly nine years old she could have gone by herself, but they wanted to see Antonia and make sure she was ready for the night.
According to Rosa, she’d had a big meltdown after her confrontation with Luca.
It was then that Luca shared what they knew about Antonia’s pregnancy with the rest of the family, except for Franny. Luca had called Antonia and asked how she wanted to handle that news. When she said she would be the one to tell their daughter, Luca let that stand.
Once Franny knew, the world would know.
Or at least their chunk of it in Little Italy.
As they approached Rosa’s house, Luca reminded his daughter of the rules. “Call if you need us. Anytime, day or night. Come home if you’re uncomfortable. Call to tell us you’re on your way, and if it’s after dark, wait for us to come and get you.”
“I know, Papa.”
“And if one of us doesn’t answer, just keep calling until someone picks up.”
“I know, Brooke.”
“I think we’re annoying her.”
“When I start third grade, I’m walking to school without you.”
“Excuse me?” Luca asked.
That was about the sassiest thing Brooke had heard come out of Franny’s mouth. “I’m not a baby.”
“It’s not about you,” Brooke said and pointed at a stranger walking by. “It’s about him.” She pointed to a homeless man on the corner. “Or him.”
“That’s Charlie, he’s harmless.”
Brooke rolled her eyes.
“It’s about the person who isn’t harmless, Franny.”
They passed Charlie, and Franny waved at him.
Brooke’s point was moot.
They arrived at Rosa’s and Franny turned to them. She hugged and kissed Luca first, then Brooke. “I’ll be good. I won’t eat candy late. And I’ll call if I need to come home. I’ll be fine!”
Brooke took Luca’s hand.
Franny opened the front door. “Mama Antonia? I’m here.”
They heard the woman’s voice before they saw her. “Don’t call me that. I’m just Mama.”
It was Franny’s turn to roll her eyes.
Antonia moved to the doorway.
For the first time since Brooke had met the woman, she wore jeans and an untucked T-shirt. Her hair was pulled back, and she wore minimal makeup. “Oh. The whole family is here, huh?”
Franny walked past her mother and into the house. “Hi, Rosa.”
Brooke tugged at Luca’s hand. “We’ll see you tomorrow,” she told Antonia.
Instead of saying anything, the woman walked in and closed the door.
“She’s going to be fine,” Brooke told him.
Luca grumbled.
“C’mon. I’ll buy you ice cream.”
He looked down at her with a smile.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
The wretched shriek of the telephone ripped Luca from his sleep.
Franny!
His hand shot out for the phone, his body came upright.
Brooke scrambled at his side.
He attempted to answer the call, only it wasn’t his phone that was ringing.
“Hello?”
Luca turned on a light. It was after midnight.
“This is her.”
He placed a hand on Brooke’s shoulder. She had her cell phone to her ear.
“Is it Franny?”
She shook her head. “My dad.”
Oh no.
Brooke slid out from under the covers. “What hospital?”
Luca followed her to the kitchen, turning on lights.
She picked up a pen and was looking around.
He found a piece of mail and turned it over for her to write on.
She jotted down the name of a hospital. “Okay. I’m on my way.”
Brooke lowered the phone, placed a hand on her chest.
Luca slid beside her. “What happened, amore?”
“They don’t know. He’s on his way to the hospital with chest pain. It might be a heart attack.”
He rubbed her arms until she looked at him. “Get dressed. Let’s go.”
“Okay.” She nodded. “Okay.”
They hustled, dressed quickly, and were walking down the stairs. “Get the car started, I’m telling the others where we are.”
Brooke’s eyes took on a deer-in-the-headlights look. “Okay.”
She made her way downstairs, and Luca let himself into his family’s apartment.
He heard Gio moving around in his room and headed there first.
“What’s going on?”
“It’s Brooke’s dad. They think he’s having a heart attack. We’re on our way there now.”
“Oh, Luca.” Gio turned off his TV and walked to him. “What hospital?”
Luca told him and left him to tell the others.
Brooke was painfully silent on the way.
Luca pushed the traffic laws and made it to the hospital in twenty-five minutes.
They made their way through the surprisingly large number of people in the emergency room lobby to the reception desk. “Joe Turner was just brought in,” Brooke said.
The lady behind the glass looked at her computer. “This is your father?”
“Yes.”
“And you are?” She looked at Luca.
Brooke pushed in. “My husband.”
“Okay . . . give me a minute.”
Brooke turned to Luca. “You’ve been promoted. Hospitals aren’t quick to let people back.”
“It’s okay, amore.” He liked the title anyway.
“Come around to the double doors.”
Brooke held Luca’s hand in a death grip as they were led out of the lobby and into the heart of the ER.