Taming Theresa (4 page)

Following his wife into the kitchen, Uncle
Dominick said, "Victoria, your Aunt Rose brought with her half the
food in Jersey. She didn't want you to go to any trouble. Paul, get
the wine from the back of the car, okay?"

“You made lunch already.” Jack pointed out.
“There’s a ton of food out there.”

Vicky smiled and shrugged helplessly. She
mimicked an Italian accent, “Whatta ya gonna do?” Then they trailed
after her family, dodging her cousins as they unloaded enough food
to feed them for a month.

In the kitchen, Vicky made the rest of the
introductions. “Uncle Dominick, Aunt Rose, this is Bobby, Jacks
brother.” They greeted each new person in turn, but when Rose came
to John, Theresa saw her smile turned to a concerned frown. With
growing apprehension, she watched her mother study his injured
face. This is not good. What if the idiot tells everyone what
happened to him. I can't deal with this.

"Oh my god. What happened?" cried Aunt Rose.
"That looks awful.” She turned to the refrigerator and pulled out
an ice tray. “You gotta put something on that.” She wacked it
firmly on the counter, upended it expertly into a dishtowel and
handed it to him. “Hold that on for ten minutes, then off for ten
minutes. That’s what I always did for my boys when they got into a
fight and got clobbered by some Bacciagalupe.”

Obediently he held the ice in place. "I'm
fine really," said John with a lopsided grin.

“Ma,” said Theresa. “Leave the man alone.
He’s fine.”

“I know what I know. Somebody gave this nice
man a nasty punch, and the ice will help. They ought to lock up the
animal what did that.” She turned back to her cooking.

“Mrs. Buonadies, thank you so much. It feels
better already.” He looked beyond her mother and smirked at
Theresa.

The idiot is playing games with me. Theresa
glared at him, willing him to keep his big mouth shut.

Rose swung around triumphantly, waving a long
wooden spoon. “What did I tell you? I know what I know. The ice is
helping, am I right?”

"Uh huh, yes. Thank you," he said, still
grinning mischievously at her daughter from across the room.

Her two brothers entered the kitchen each
bearing a large covered casserole dish, then returned, laden with
bowls of salad, paper grocery bags, and a case of wine they set
down in one corner of the room.

Joe walked into the crowded kitchen and
asked, “Can I help?”

Rose took charge. "What’s your name?”

“I’m Joe.”

“Okay Joe, you can slice the bread. Victoria,
where's your knife? You got a bread knife?"

Vicky jumped up and retrieved a long serrated
knife. “Here Aunt Rose, but I have bread on the table already.”

“Not like my bread you don't. Now sit while I
get things ready.” She deftly slid a round loaf, the size of a
watermelon from its bakery bag, onto a wooden board and gestured to
Joe.

"Theresa, bring that extra gravy over here
and we'll warm it up. Victoria, where are your big pots?”

Vicky hopped up to locate the pots.

“Oh, I see your stove is one of the old
types, Victoria. Just knobs, you turn them, and the gas comes on.
Poof, no problem! I hate those new things. Everything's gotta have
a computer in it today, know what I mean? What do I want with a
computer in the stove, for God's sake? This is nice, simple, and
easy. Now you sit down, Victoria. Theresa and I will do
everything."

As Aunt Rose bustled her way about the
kitchen, issuing commands, everyone jumped to obey.

When the ziti was in the oven and the sausage
and meatballs were heating in her gravy on the stove, Rose stood
for a moment, surveying the room. Uncle Dominick had opened the
case of wine and was holding up a bottle, studying the label
appreciatively.

"Dom, open some of that wine and how about
you pour me a glass, okay? Victoria, where's your salt and pepper?
You got some oregano somewhere? No, don't get up. You sit. I'll
find it. Dom, pour some wine for Victoria."

"Jack,” Uncle Dom spoke over the noise from
across the room, as he fiddled with the corkscrew. “Your friend,
Dr. Sweeney, called the other day and we talked for a long time. He
told me good things about you. Then he very generously invited
Rose, my boys, and me to stay with them. He said they had plenty of
room and their place is right down the road, am I right?"

"Yes, maybe a half mile, or so."

“They should be here soon. I invited them to
have lunch with us.” Dom smiled at his niece. Vicky hopped up and
slipped into the dining room to set more places at the table.

“My daughter, Theresa, tells me she's made
plans to stay in town. Whatever she wants, it's okay. She’s had a
tough time lately. So, Dr. Sweeney is your best man?"

Jack nodded as he watched Vicky fetching
plates, glasses, and silverware. “Yes, Doc and Elvira never had any
children of their own, and they kind of adopted me when I came to
work for my uncle several years ago. So, I asked Doc. I know you'll
like him."

"I had a good conversation with him and I do
like him. I’m looking forward to this wedding. My daughter and
Victoria were close when they were growing up. I know Theresa is
very happy to stand up for her cousin, even though she's had some
troubles of her own recently, but never mind. That’s none of your
concern. Tonight we’ll have a good time and get to know one
another."

Rose called to her son, “Frankie, bring in a
couple more chairs. We can eat in here. No need to dirty your
Cousin Victoria's dining room. She's got enough to think
about.”

“Aunt Rose, I’ve already set the table in the
dining room.” Vicky announced, “Everyone please, go sit down and
help yourselves.”

Rose bustled into the dining room surveying
the large trays of cold cuts and cheeses, the baskets of bread, the
bowls of salads and platters of olives that were as large and
varied as a grocery store ‘olive bar’. “How nice. You put out a
little antipasti already.”

Jack leaned over and whispered in Vicky’s
ear, “You mean all that is just for starters?”

She gave him a weak smile. “I should have
realized.”

He shrugged, “She still would have brought
all this, no matter what you told her.”

“Thanks for understanding,” she said.

Dominick looked at everyone around the table
and said, "So then we'll sit and say grace. Then we’ll have a nice
glass of wine and have a bite to eat, okay? We’ll get
acquainted."

"Can't argue with that,” said Jack. I’m glad
to finally meet Victoria's family."

“You’ll meet the rest when they come for the
wedding. Everyone’s coming,” Dom said, sounding pleased. “My mother
is bringing the wedding cookies herself. She’ll be baking all week.
God bless her.”

The front door opened and Doc and Elvira
swept in carrying containers of food and bottles of champagne.

Doc called out, “No one heard us knock, so we
let ourselves in. Let me put this wine on ice. I’m aware of the
limitations of your refrigerator, so I brought ice and a
bucket.

Dom nodded to his sons, and they immediately
relieved the guests of their packages and went into the kitchen to
ice the champagne.”

Elvira greeted everyone, nodding and smiling
serenely at the milling crowd around the dining room table. “I hope
it’s all right with you, I brought a little cake.” She opened a
plastic cake carrier and lifted out an enormous cake generously
swirled with creamy white icing. “It’s my mother's recipe, a nice
lemon cake.”

Rose beamed at her. “Wonderful. We needed
more dessert. You can never have too much cake.”

Vicky sighed helplessly and pleaded for help
from Theresa with her eyes. Smiling at her cousin, she whisked the
latest cake into the kitchen to put it with the other desserts that
covered one end of the kitchen table.

Uncle Dominick stood at the head of the table
in the dining room. “Jack, would you sit here on my right with your
bride next to you. Dr. Sweeney, would you sit on my left with your
wife.” Thus, the seats of honor were assigned.

Rose went to the foot of the table, gesturing
to the remaining chairs and asked them all to, “Please sit.” Frank
pulled out a chair for his mother and Paul began skillfully drawing
corks and filling glasses with a practiced hand.

When they were all seated, Uncle Dom asked,
“Where is your friend, Marsha? We need to say grace.”

Joe spoke up, “She’s lying down upstairs and
will be down later.”

Dom nodded and said a beautiful prayer in his
sonorous voice over the heavily laden table. Then looking up, he
smiled. “Now we begin.”

Jack's brother Bobby, Joe, and John watched
the production wide-eyed. Vicky's Italian family from New Jersey
was something beyond their experience. With growing fascination,
they watched as the platters were passed and the food began to
steadily disappear.

Aunt Rose was in and out of the kitchen,
filling platters, slicing more bread, stirring her tomato sauce,
and asking, "Does anyone need more bread? Don't fill up on all the
antipasti; I got a pan of baked ziti in the oven.” Uncle Dominick
poured more wine for the Sweeney’s while Aunt Rose told funny
stories about the trouble Vicky and Theresa managed to get
themselves into when they were young girls.

“I can’t imagine those two sweet girls doing
anything wrong!” protested Doc.

Bobby and Joe filled and refilled their
plates, marveling at the variety of olives, peppers, cold meats,
and cheeses. When they'd had enough and the eating slowed down to a
dull roar, Theresa and Aunt Rose scooped up the antipasti platters
and replaced them with bubbling casserole dishes of meatballs,
sausage, and cheesy pasta. The room was filled with the heady aroma
of spices and tomato. There was a huge bowl of green salad and a
smaller one with green beans, onion, and garbanzo beans marinated
in oil and vinegar.

Aunt Rose never sat long, but continued to
bustle in and out of the kitchen. "I'm not hungry. I'll just pick.
You go ahead. Mangia! Eat, while it's hot!"

Everyone agreed that Aunt Rose's meatballs
and baked pasta were "to die for".

As they feasted, Rose looked around the table
with a speculative eye. “Joe!” she barked.

He looked up startled, “Yes?”

“Joe. You going to bring your wife to the
wedding?”

He smiled. “I’m not married.”

“What? A handsome man like you? You should
get married.” Rose looked at Theresa, raised her eyebrows, and gave
her a barely perceptible smile.

Theresa rolled her eyes.

“But I hope to be soon, that is, if my girl
friend says yes.” he volunteered.

“Oh. That’s nice.” Rose sighed and looked
disappointed. “Every man should be married, have a family.” Her
gaze swiveled around to John. “What about you? You married?”

John was busy holding a serving dish and
heaping more pasta on his plate. He looked up startled. “What?”

“You, the one who somebody hit in the face,
are you bringing your wife to the wedding?”

“Ma!” Theresa protested. “Cut it out.”

“Rose, come on, leave the boy alone.” Dom
looked amused as he accepted the pasta dish and took another
heaping spoonful.

“What?” Roses chin came up. “I’m just making
conversation.”

“Oh, I’m not married.” John grinned wickedly
at Theresa. “But, your daughter is my date for the wedding.”

“Really?” Rose glanced over at Theresa and
gave her a significant look, then swiveled her head back at John.
“You like Italian food?” she said looking at his plate piled high
with bread, salad, meat and pasta.

“I love Italian food.” He grinned at Rose
like an innocent little boy, knowing he was about to say something
which would please the adults, “And Italian women like yourself,
Mrs. Buonadies, who are such great cooks. This pasta is awesome.
The meatballs are incredible. They’re the best I’ve ever tasted.
Everything here is absolutely wonderful. Thanks so much.”

Rose beamed. “You know, my daughter, Theresa,
she makes the meatballs even better than mine. Isn't that right
Dom? She’ll make a wonderful wife one day.”

“Ma!” Theresa growled, dropping her fork with
a clatter.

Rose looked at her innocently. “I’m just
saying.”

“That’s very interesting. What else does your
daughter do?” John was just warming up, shooting a sideways smirk
at Theresa, who glowered back.

“She’s a smart business woman. Why she
manages all our restaurants.” She spoke with pride. “Since my
daughter took over, we have done very well, I gotta say." She sent
a piercing look back at John. “What do you do, if you don’t mind my
asking?”

“Cut it out Ma. Now!” She stood up and said
with disgust, “I’ll start the dishes.” She gathered up some of the
first course plates and disappeared into the kitchen.

“I own the Shell station downtown and the car
repair shop next door. I also dabble in real estate. Some business
rental properties. It keeps me busy.”

“Wonderful.” Rose’s eyes sparkled. “Tony
didn’t even have a job, until Dom hired him.”

“Who’s Tony?”

“Nobody.” She looked over the table. “Who
needs something? Should I cut some more bread?”

John turned to Joe. "Hey, what happened to
Marsha? I haven't seen her for a while."

Joe frowned. "Don't know. I talked to her for
a minute earlier. She went back up. Said she wasn't feeling well.
Maybe she has the stomach flu or something. I wanted to spend some
time with her, but she pushed me out the door."

“That’s too bad.”

“Tell me about it.” Joe looked a little
forlorn, but kept shoveling in the sausage and pasta.

John got up and followed Theresa into the
kitchen. She was up to her elbows in bubbles at the kitchen sink.
When she saw him, she pointed a dripping hand at the door and said,
“Get out.”

His hands came up in protest, “What did I
do?”