He wiped his hands on his shirt as he slurped the last noodle from the plate. Burp. There wasn't anything quite like Mama Mazzola's spaghetti with meat sauce. He was proud to have learned the weighty skills of Italian cuisine from the very best.

"Mama," he said as he dabbed his chin and lips with a napkin, smiling, "You will always be the best."

"You-ah so skinny you make Mama think-ah you never eat at all. I go get dessert. You boys-ah chat nicely" she said as she pinched his cheek.

He continued to smile.

 

With one last, longing look at the bountiful spread before him, he finished the last of the Chianti and looked across the table. "Antonio, I got a real bad feeling about this one, paisan. This isn't a two-bit hacker with a set up in his basement. He's a Penny."

"I don't care what his business card says Seethie, you're the best. You can do this all by yourself," he said as he leaned across the table. "Hey! Look at it this way. If you don't make it, what would be the use of hanging around anyway? You wouldn't have nothing to live for, right Seethie?"

A wild grin, the hallmark of his temper, drew itself across his face. "Yeah Antonio, if I can't be the best, I should probably go ahead and die quick, cause slow is worse."

"Hey, paisan, you're family...right? We don't wanna see you hurt, we wanna see you happy. And Seethie, when we're happy, so are you. You're the best kid."

 

Just then the door to the kitchen swung open. Mama Mazolla had arrived right on cue.

"You boys-ah want Cannoli?"

"Yes Mama."

"Yes Mama."

"Thank you Mama."

"Thank you Mama."

"Aw Seethie, you always-ah were so polite. You're my favorite."

"You're mine too Mama."

"I'm her own flesh and blood, and you, you smelly mink, are her favorite. See? Family."

"Family."

"Familia."

 

:)

 

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