Mikey left to put our dishes in the kitchen and the second he got up the reality of what was about to happen sunk in. Holy fuck. He's going to have to meet all the men in my life. And on the first date no less. I don't think he knows what he just signed up for.
"You alright?" He asked, breaking me away from my anxiety-induced rant in my brain.
"Um, yeah. Well, actually no. I just...I do want you to come over, I just think you should know what you're getting into before you decide."
"Okay," he said a little concerned.
"Well, I mean, you're going to be meeting my family, like a lot of my family. Like a lot of men in my family. And as the firstborn, you're going to be interrogated by probably all of them. I just don't want to put you in that position, unless you're up for it. I mean this is our first date."
He thought about it for a second and ran his hand over his scruffy beard.
"I think I'm up for the challenge. I mean I guess the sooner the better, right?"
"Yeah, sure," I laughed nervously.
"So, I'll follow you there?"
"Yeah," I said standing up.
I followed him outside and paused before we parted directions.
"It's kind of a drive, I'll text you the address in case we get separated. Yeah?"
"Yeah, that's a good idea."
I quickly texted him my address and waved before checking both ways and crossing the street to my car.
As soon as I got inside I let out a small scream of nerves and giddiness.
"What the fuck did you do, Bea?" I asked myself aloud in Italian.
I dialed my mom's number and put the car into drive. I waited for the traffic to clear before pulling away from the curb. I watched in my rearview as Michael pulled behind me and followed me across the intersection.
"Hello," my mom said answering the phone.
"Ehi. Mamma, I need your help."
"Yes, baby what's wrong?" She asked worriedly.
"Nothing, I just, I invited a guy over to watch the game and I need your help with dad. I need you to keep him calm and not go too crazy on Michael."
"Ooh, okay. Well, I can't make any promises but I'll do my best. Is he coming over now?"
"Yeah, we're driving there now. Please, please talk to him and my uncles." I begged.
"Okay, no problem. Don't worry about it," she replied in Italian.
"Grazie mille, mamma. Love you, ciao."
"I love you too, ciao."
The call ended and my music started playing. I still have one more person to call.
I tapped Lucia's name on the media screen and waited for her to answer.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Luch, I need a favor. Michael is coming over and I need you to keep the boys away from him," I pleaded.
"Wait, he's coming over here? Like your house? Right now?"
"Yes, right now," I said cringing, "We're on our way. And I want to make it the least traumatizing as possible. I've already talked to my mom and she's gonna handle my dad and her brother."
"Shit, you really took that fast," she said, still on the topic of us coming home.
"Shut up, it's not like that," I said defensively.
"Okay, okay, I'll talk to them."
"Thank you! I should be there in 20."
"Okay," she said before hanging up.
My music returned again and I tried to calm my racing heart. Bea, you're not that freaked out calm down. My heart kept spazzing and was skipping beats, making me a little light-headed.
Cazzo. I took deep breaths trying not to let my mind wander towards the worst and focused on the road. I could still see Mikey behind me as we drove down the freeway.
By the time I reached the house my lips were tingling like I was going to faint. I parked on the street since my driveway was full of cars and I saw Mikey pull up behind me. I tried to shake the dizzy feeling, but for some reason, it just did not want to go away.
"Cazzo! This cannot be happening!" I shouted to myself slamming my hand on the steering wheel.
A knock on the window maybe me scream and I clutched my chest as my heart pounded.
"Fuck," I exhaled, looking at Mikey.
I opened my door and stepped out of the car.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, are you okay?" He asked concerned.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry. Um, let's just head inside, yeah?" I replied, embarrassed that he saw me freak out.
"Yeah, okay."
I nodded and grabbed my purse from the passenger seat before slamming my door shut and locking my car. We walked up the driveway and onto the front porch before I typed in my lock code and opened the front door.
The house was loud, with the sound of people laughing boisterously coming from the backyard. I closed the door behind us and gave Michael a skeptical look.
"You ready?"
"Hell no, but let's do this," he smiled.
I nodded and walked down the entryway and into the kitchen. My mom was hovering over the stove and my cousins were sitting on the sofa in the family room. From the windows, I could see my dad and my uncles outside surrounding the grill.
"Hey ma," I said making her turn around.
"Hey baby," she looked up and smiled widely as she eyed Michael.
"And you must be Michael, nice to meet you, welcome to our home. Make yourself comfortable, okay?"
"Thank you, ma'am. It's a pleasure to meet you. You have a gorgeous home."
My mom smiled and turned back to the stove and added, "Drinks are in the fridge."
"Thanks, ma," I said looking back at Michael, "you want something to drink?"
"Um, no I'm okay, thanks," he said shaking his head.
"Bea!" Cat shouted from the couch standing up on it and turning around to face us.
"Hey! What's he doing here?" She asked scrunching up her face and catching the attention of my cousins that were staring at the tv.
"Hey, Bea," Gio my younger cousin--Ale and Lucia's younger brother--said getting up to give me a hug.
"Hey, Gio. He's here to watch the game," I said to Cat while embracing Gio.
"Gio, Lucia, Ale, Cat, this is Michael," I said looking back at Michael, "and Michael this is my cousin Gio, my cousin Lucia and you know my cousin Ale and my sister Cat."
"Hey, nice to meet you," Gio said putting out his hand for Michael to shake.
"Same here," Mikey said.
Lucia was giving me a big smile and I just rolled my eyes.
"What are you guys watching," I asked nodding at the tv which was currently playing a Doritos commercial.
"Oh, um it's just the pre-game talk show," Ale said, taking a sip from his can of Coke.
"Oh, okay, um, Mikey, do you want to sit?"
"Yeah, sure," he shrugged.
Lucia moved over to the sofa where Ale was sitting and Gio moved to the floor leaving room for Mikey and me to sit with Cat.
"So, Mikey, hows the tat?" Ale asked.
"It's good, healing up great so far, thanks," he said twisting his arm to look at it.
"Nice," Ale nodded.
"So Mikey, I hear you own a cafe or something?" Gio asked crossing his legs in front of him on the floor.
"Yeah, it's called The Hideout."
"You hiring?" Gio asked with a charismatic smile.
"Um, actually I could use some help. Why? You looking?"
"Yeah, I'm going to community college right now and I could use some extra cash."
"Okay. Do you have any experience?"
"Um, I've worked the front desk at Oscuro a couple of times. And I used to work at a drive-thru when I was in high school."
"Okay, yeah, here," he said pulling his phone out of his pocket, "put your number in and I'll give you a call next time I'm in the office and we can set up an interview."
He handed his phone to Gio who entered his number and handed it back to Mikey.
"Thanks, man," Gio said and Mikey nodded in response.
"What are you studying?" Mikey asked resting his phone on the arm of the sofa.
"Oh, I'm doing generals right now, but I want to go into sports therapy. Like physical therapy."
"Cool, cool. So you're really into sports I take it?"
"Yeah, you could say that. I wanted to go pro one day, but I tore my ACL playing soccer my senior year and so things kind of changed."
"Oh, damn, that sucks. I'm sorry. But hey, it led you in a new direction," Michael added optimistically.
"Yeah, I guess it did."
"Shh!" Lucia hushed slapping her brother on the back of the head, "it's back on."
Mikey gave me a look and I smiled. My point was being proven.
We listened to the commentary for a minute or so when the sliding door opened and my Zii (uncles) Lorenzo and Marco and my dad walked in laughing loudly.
"Dad, per fa'!" Lucia yelled at Zio Lorenzo.
"Sorry," they chuckled walking into the kitchen. I turned my head to watch as my dad placed a tray of food covered in foil onto the counter and kissed my mom's cheek.
"Hey Bea," My Zio Marco said squeezing my shoulders from behind the sofa. "Hey, you don't look familiar. Who's this?"
"Marco this is Michael," I said standing up with Michael as he reached out his hand to shake Marco's.
"Nice to meet you," they both said.
"Where's Sam? Is he not coming?" I asked referring to Marco's husband.
"Nah, he just ran out for some ice and more drinks with Aurora."
"Oh, okay."
"Aurora is my uncle Lorenzo's wife," I said pointing to Lorenzo standing at the counter eating chips, "parents of Lucia, Gio, and Ale."
Michael nodded and asked, "Who's Sam?"
"Sam's my husband," Marco clarified waiting for Michael to react. I tensed, realizing I didn't know how Michael felt about that kind of thing. I mean he spent two-plus hours with Ale, who is pretty obviously gay, and they seemed to hit it off fine.
"Oh, got it," he said smiling.
Marco and I gave each other a look of relief and I smiled grateful that Michael hadn't disappointed.
"Has your dad met him yet?" Marco asked looking between Michael and me.
"No, can you be a buffer?" I asked grabbing Marco's forearm.
Marco chuckled and we followed him into the kitchen where my dad was talking to Zio Lorenzo and my mom.
"Hey, Giorgi, meet my new friend Michael!" Marco said putting an arm over Mikey's shoulder and my own.
My dad turned his attention to us and gave Michael a hard stare.