and joined the crews of the other families. These meetings didn’t take place often, but when the need arose it was good to have such good friends who shared views on so many levels.
“Cain.” Patty, Mook’s older brother and Vincent’s head man, held his hand out. “Miss Emma.” He took Emma’s hand next. “It’s good to see you both. I’ll make sure Mama knows what a good Catholic you’ve become, Cain,” he said with a large smile. “Though she’ll give me a lecture to be more like my buddy Cain and not practice birth control. Congratulations.” He kissed Emma’s cheek.
“I’m sure there’s a girl out there who’ll help you find religion. We haven’t given up on your little brother,” Emma said.
They followed Patty to the private room in the back, and Cain recognized two FBI agents sitting at a table toward the side of main dining room. Both had an iced tea and appetizer in front of them, but she didn’t believe this was a coincidence. Muriel shook her head from the door and waved her hand to get her walking again.
“They’re just trawling, cousin. Let it go because there’s nothing to fish here,” Muriel whispered in her ear when they were close enough.
“Maybe, and maybe not,” she said, but didn’t explain as she led Emma to her seat.
The only ones missing were Remi and Dallas, and Cain was interested in how Dallas would react to all this. They all trusted her being there after her past had been verified and taken care of, but still—she wondered how the reality of who Remi was would compare to what Dallas’s imagination had conjured up.
“Tell me again not to worry,” Marianna Jatibon said when she approached them. They’d talked about this more than once, so Cain knew Remi’s mother was happy she’d found love, but in their world that commitment and loyalty hadn’t been tested—not really.
She kissed Emma’s hand and pulled out the chair next to her for Marianna. “Do you need me to do it, or is this a job for Emma?”
“Go play. Your wife is who I need to talk to.” Marianna laughed as she spoke. “Maybe it is time for us to retire and let our children deal with things. Ramon and I have become nervous cats lately.”
“You’re no different from Therese Casey when we met,” Emma said. “Cain invited me to Sunday lunch, and Therese took pleasure in turning me inside out, even though I was the first girl this one had ever brought home,” she said as she tugged on Cain’s hand.
“My mother loved you and would’ve sainted you by now for the grandchildren who would’ve been the center of her existence.” Cain kissed Emma. Their conversation in the car had to have been responsible for the pain that flashed across Emma’s face, so she kissed her again. “I know Emma’s backing is important, but would you mind if I say something?”
“I’d appreciate it if you would,” Marianna said.
“It wasn’t that long ago that my life was adrift in every aspect except for my business.” Emma’s eyes became glassy as Cain spoke, but she didn’t interrupt. “I kept asking myself why someone who loved me would betray me and leave me alone. I never found an answer to make the pain go away until I finally figured it out. Emma came back, and in this woman I love lay the solution to everything I needed to be happy and complete.”
“I’m happy you found your way back to each other,” Marianna said.
“You’re a good friend who prayed for that more than once,” Emma said, emotion thick in her voice.
“I’m saying this because Dallas will never be perfect except for one thing. Her perfection in this life will be in how she loves your child. I can say that because I’ve found the same.” Cain scratched the back of Emma’s neck gently. “My mother would’ve told you the same had she been here,” she said directly to Emma. “Believe that, and, Marianna, give Dallas the chance to prove it to you. Considering where she and her sister came from, she’s going
“Cain.” Patty, Mook’s older brother and Vincent’s head man, held his hand out. “Miss Emma.” He took Emma’s hand next. “It’s good to see you both. I’ll make sure Mama knows what a good Catholic you’ve become, Cain,” he said with a large smile. “Though she’ll give me a lecture to be more like my buddy Cain and not practice birth control. Congratulations.” He kissed Emma’s cheek.
“I’m sure there’s a girl out there who’ll help you find religion. We haven’t given up on your little brother,” Emma said.
They followed Patty to the private room in the back, and Cain recognized two FBI agents sitting at a table toward the side of main dining room. Both had an iced tea and appetizer in front of them, but she didn’t believe this was a coincidence. Muriel shook her head from the door and waved her hand to get her walking again.
“They’re just trawling, cousin. Let it go because there’s nothing to fish here,” Muriel whispered in her ear when they were close enough.
“Maybe, and maybe not,” she said, but didn’t explain as she led Emma to her seat.
The only ones missing were Remi and Dallas, and Cain was interested in how Dallas would react to all this. They all trusted her being there after her past had been verified and taken care of, but still—she wondered how the reality of who Remi was would compare to what Dallas’s imagination had conjured up.
“Tell me again not to worry,” Marianna Jatibon said when she approached them. They’d talked about this more than once, so Cain knew Remi’s mother was happy she’d found love, but in their world that commitment and loyalty hadn’t been tested—not really.
She kissed Emma’s hand and pulled out the chair next to her for Marianna. “Do you need me to do it, or is this a job for Emma?”
“Go play. Your wife is who I need to talk to.” Marianna laughed as she spoke. “Maybe it is time for us to retire and let our children deal with things. Ramon and I have become nervous cats lately.”
“You’re no different from Therese Casey when we met,” Emma said. “Cain invited me to Sunday lunch, and Therese took pleasure in turning me inside out, even though I was the first girl this one had ever brought home,” she said as she tugged on Cain’s hand.
“My mother loved you and would’ve sainted you by now for the grandchildren who would’ve been the center of her existence.” Cain kissed Emma. Their conversation in the car had to have been responsible for the pain that flashed across Emma’s face, so she kissed her again. “I know Emma’s backing is important, but would you mind if I say something?”
“I’d appreciate it if you would,” Marianna said.
“It wasn’t that long ago that my life was adrift in every aspect except for my business.” Emma’s eyes became glassy as Cain spoke, but she didn’t interrupt. “I kept asking myself why someone who loved me would betray me and leave me alone. I never found an answer to make the pain go away until I finally figured it out. Emma came back, and in this woman I love lay the solution to everything I needed to be happy and complete.”
“I’m happy you found your way back to each other,” Marianna said.
“You’re a good friend who prayed for that more than once,” Emma said, emotion thick in her voice.
“I’m saying this because Dallas will never be perfect except for one thing. Her perfection in this life will be in how she loves your child. I can say that because I’ve found the same.” Cain scratched the back of Emma’s neck gently. “My mother would’ve told you the same had she been here,” she said directly to Emma. “Believe that, and, Marianna, give Dallas the chance to prove it to you. Considering where she and her sister came from, she’s going
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