Tony did all the thinking for both of them. And that was just fine with him.
“Don’t worry Gina, I will handle it.”
Gina did worry. She worried about everything.
She and Tony had moved in together and they had driven upstate to visit Gina’s parents. It was a Saturday afternoon. They’d gathered around the Kitchen table reminiscing about Snaps the lobster and how they’d eaten for days. Snaps had weighed in at 22 lbs. Tony had to borrow a pot from Dirty J. to cook him in. Tony had prepared a feast for twenty to feed the four of them that day, Maine lobster and two pounds of pasta with his family’s secret red tomato clam sauce. Gina thought how great this was, them all getting along. Her parents had brought out the fresh meat and cheese from their favorite butcher. They talked, laughed
and inhaled an ample supply of catnip. After dinner Joe brought out the good stuff, a special blend made in Calabria. Soon after that the men decided to head down to The Well. Gina and her mom didn’t understand why but knew better than to ask. It was right before Christmas. Gina’s dad had a little too much milk and pinched this cute kitten at the bar.
Well, the kitty turned around and saw Tony sitting next to her grinning like a Cheshire and clawed him in the face.
Tony had let his guard down and Gina’s dad… let’s just say it was an omen.
Tony drove back to the house rip snorting mad.
“Gina, your Dad has a problem. He pinches a woman and I have to pay for it.” That ain’t happening again. Pack your things. We are out of here.”
“Tony, what happened, did you say anything, I don’t understand.”
“Never mind Gina. I will take care of you. Where’s your bag?”
Their weekend cut short, Gina and Tony quickly packed their things and left.
Gina’s mom, Angie, shook her head puzzled,
“What the hell? Joe, what just happened?
But Gina’s dad wasn’t talking. He just murmured something under his breath that sounded like “one is out, two to go.”
…
Corney Press 