Chapter 47: Chapter 47

C H A P T E R - T W E N T Y

Ramona returned to her bread. "No talking. There are no whispers. Falcone would go psycho badass on their ass, and while Falcone is badass enough, no one wants to go there. But it doesn't mean no looks were exchanged, because a look may sometimes convey everything."

I looked to Mic, the most stable person I knew, to settle my breathing. Mic was chewing her lower lip as she returned to the counter with a shaker full of ice.

Oh my god.

“Mic?" I dialed.

When she answered, "Yeah, babe?" she stopped biting her lip but kept her gaze fixed on the martini shaker.

"Do you want to say something?"  I inquired.

"She does," Ramona said. "I heard the news. I recognize your daughters' names. Micah. She is a dispatcher. Dispatch has arrived at the Station. Cops don't mind gossiping, so she knows what happened today."

I was resting against the rear counter, but when this happened, I walked to the horseshoe, positioned myself next to Ramona to get a better view at Mic.

"What the hell happened today?" I inquired.

"You didn't tell me anything about anything in the car," Antonette said, her gaze fixed on Mic.

Micah poured vodka but said nothing.

"Mic," I suggested.

Mic set the bottle of vodka down and glanced at me.

"I don't want to like him," she asserted.

I felt a flutter in my stomach.

Ramona arched her back, her brow furrowed. "What's the harm?" ”

"He's..." she paused before reaching for the cranberry juice.

"Mic," I said again.

She set the cranberry drink down and glanced at me.

"All right, Ryan phoned and told me what occurred. Because he was present, he informed me what happened immediately after it occurred. In fact, he couldn't wait to make the call."

"What happened? " Antonette inquired.

"What occurred was Falcone Cabrera went psycho badass," Ramona explained.

"He who?" I said quietly.

Mic gave a nod. "According to Jeremiah Lee."

"Who exactly is Jeremiah Lee?" " Antonette inquired.

Mic gave her a glance. "As far as Yago Cabrera can tell, he's the one who began the nonsense about Gia being filler."

Oh boy, I thought, then there was another flutter in my stomach.

"Oh boy," Antonette said aloud.

"Oh wow, you're right," Ramona said.

"What happened?" I inquired of Micah.

"Ryan claims Cabrera isn't foolish enough to walk into a police station and fight a cop. That doesn't mean he couldn't make his disapproval known, which he did, crystal plain, and in public."

"I adore this," Antonette said. "How did things go down?" ”

"Ryan claims he went in his space, got in his face, and tore him a new one right in front of everyone," Mic said, and my tummy stopped fluttering and began to squish. "And the fresh one he ripped him is big and gaping." It's all over the news."

“Really?" Antonette said quietly.

Mic nodded, then glanced at me, her face concerned. She had no idea what to make of this.

"Ryan was ecstatic. He even used the term "overjoyed" to describe his feelings. That man has never used the term ecstatic. For starters, he dislikes Jeremiah Lee because he is an asshat and talks crap about you. Jerry is someone I know. This is correct. Heisan is a jerk, and he didn't say it to me because he knows how close we are. I simply know he's a jerk. Second, Ryan thinks you're the shit, you know that, girl, and Cabrera walking in there to lay down the law about trash-talking you, well, he felt that was okay."

I felt it was a little okay as well.

I lowered my gaze to the boards.

"Hurry, Ramona, if you don't hurry, I'm going to break out the cookie dough," I warned her.

"Cookie dough is for heartbreak and sister problems; why would you bring it out?" Antonette inquired.

"Cookie dough serves various purposes. It's not simply for grief and sibling strife. It's also for when you're worried about your love life," I explained.

"I'll tell you this," Ramona said, fanning out small slices of French baguette on the dish beside fanned out little pieces of apple, all surrounded by a glistening, spotless cluster of luscious grapes in the center.

"Falcone put me on radar, monitored my every move for a year and a half, and activated the soldiers when I got into trouble, so there'd be no cookie dough in sight. I'd be on my knees next to the bed, praying to the good Lord, thankin' him 'cuz he heard my prayers." Then I'd put on my purple teddy, which feels lovely against my skin, and crawl into bed, counting down the minutes till he returned home."

"I sleep in nightshirts," I explained. "However, I do have a hot caftan."

"Saw that caftan, sweetheart, in your laundry," Ramona said, twisting her neck to gaze at me. "It was rather wonderful. Falcone, on the other hand, strikes me as a guy of satin and lace."

Hmm. Ramona looked to be meticulous when she went over my belongings to pack my luggage.

"Is he a guy of satin and lace?" Antonette inquired.

"No, he's a take it as it comes kind of guy," I said. Or, more precisely, remove it since it is in the way, guy.

Ramona smiled broadly. "Mm hmm."

Mic caught my eye. “Micah. Cosmo.”

Mic picked up the stainless steel pitcher and began shaking it.

"All well, I'll just say that things may have started out a little slowly,"

"But sometimes it takes men a little bit, you know, to recognize they desire commitment," Trace began with a screaming understatement.

"Tell me about it," Micah grumbled as he ripped the cap off the martini shaker and began pouring.

I bit my lower lip and shifted my gaze to Antonette.

"Ryan is dedicated to you," I said.

"Unh-hunh," Mic continued to spew.

"He adores you," Antonette added.

"Mm," Mic murmured as he set down the shaker and began passing glasses around.

"You got a boyfriend that has commitment issues, girl?" Ramona inquired, placing the pâté wedge in the center of several fanned out crackers.

Micah said, "Five years together, four in the same house."

"Oh boy," Ramona mumbled as she attacked the brie wrap with the breadknife.

"I see beautiful things, I see them soon, I feel it in my bones," I said hastily as I sipped my cosmo. "I know he's near, Mic."

"I'm aware of that as well!" Tonette continued, but Ramona was staring at me.

She then turned to face Mic. I held my breath as she lifted the breadknife to her face, circling the blade an inch from her flesh, and said, "I read people. Faces. They never tell lies. like the TV program. I got the gift. Your chick right here doesn't lie either."  She stuck the breadknife in Mic's face and said, "You give this boy some time. I'm not one to blow sunshine, seeing as I've known my fair share of commitment phobes, so many I could write the Manila Directory of Commitment-Phobes. But she sees good things, she feels it in her bones, she's your girl, and she's telling no lies."