Dinner felt like the family dinners I had crashed in college, when friends would bring me home for the weekend when I couldn't afford to get back to New York. The laughter and chatter provided little protection from the permeating homesickness. I caught Peter's gaze lingering on me in a few instances, as though he could read my mind. A flash of shared homesickness seemed to pass through us even though he was home. It drew me to him, much like Nick had.

"When is Ephie due back?" Enzo asked the table.

"Is that your sister?" My eyes grew wide at the mention.

"Yes," Nick passively nodded.

"We're not sure. You know how Ephie can be; she has her own plans." Peter's strong jaw tightly clenched on the words.

"Is she the black sheep or the one you live with?" I whispered to Nick.

"I live with her out of necessity. She has proven to be a bit wild even within the family business."

"There is a wild side to banking?" I giggled.

"You would be surprised," Nick nodded.

I raised my eyes back to the table to find Peter's gaze on us. "Look at you two, thick as thieves already."

Uncle Tony nearly spat out his wine at the assertion.

"Well, let me take some of these," Grandma smiled as she pulled my empty plate from me.

"Oh, please let me help. Growing up, my mom and I didn't have a dishwasher, so I am very handy with washing dishes," I promised.

"Oh heavens, I wouldn't be able to survive without a dishwasher and all these heathens," Grandma teased. "But I will happily accept your help. It will give us girls a little time to get to know each other," she winked. "So, no dishwasher growing up," Grandma began as she began to load the dishwasher.

"Yeah, our place was tiny, so we didn't really have the space for it. It was just the two of us, so we didn't make a lot of dishes," I explained.

"Ah, just you and your mom? Where is your father?" She pressed.

"Oh, my mom doesn't really like to talk about him much. She just said that we had to get away. I get the impression he wasn't a very nice man," I absently shrugged. "I never pressed much because it seemed to upset her."

"Such a shame. I girl should get the chance to meet her father; make her own decision on what is best," Grandma sighed.

"And your mother's family?" She continued.

"Oh, dead," I said rather matter-of-factly. "She was an only child, and her parents passed in a car accident before I was born."

"I am sorry to hear that. Family is the most important thing in life. They will always be with you. That's what I have always taught my boys, and they are still eating me out of house and home," she winked.

"You have a lovely family. Thank you for being so welcoming, even for a night. I've never eaten so well," I smiled.

"Never, I doubt that," she murmured as she placed the last plate in the dishwasher.

"No, my mom didn't cook much," I noted.

"Interesting. Well, you are welcome here for a home-cooked meal anytime you would like."

"Thank you, but I hope to not impose for too long. Nick and Peter have been so kind to offer to help in my situation. I will never know how to repay you."

Grandma smiled at me. "Not all deeds are done for gain," she noted.

"Ready?" Nick asked as he leaned against the doorjamb.

"Yes, I can't wait to get to bed after that meal!" I smiled.

"Then away we go," he nodded as he hugged his grandma. "Thank you, Grandma," he tenderly added. "I'll stop in tomorrow," he promised.

"I look forward to it," she smiled up at him.

It was sweet and homey, causing another pang of homesickness to course through me.

We traveled in comfortable silence for a few blocks until Nick broke the silence.

"I'm sorry you were put in this situation," he began.

"It's not your fault," I noted.

For a moment, I could have sworn a wince crossed his face. It pulled a smile that his kind heart would take some ownership over a bank robbery hundred of miles away. I tried to muster a romantic thought for a brief moment, but nothing would bleed through.

"Antonia," he started again. "Tell me about your mother?"

"My mother?" I asked, feeling my body stiffen at the request.

"Yeah. I can tell you miss her; perhaps talking about her will help," Nick offered.

"Oh," I sighed as I thought of my mom. "She's great. It was just me and her growing up, so she was pretty much my everything. We didn't have much money, but I never felt like I was missing anything. My birthday is just before Thanksgiving, and my mom convinced me all the stores that put up the lights before December did so to celebrate my birthday. I am embarrassed to admit that I was nearly ten before I realized it wasn't true." I sighed at the memory and slumped into my seat. "She just had a way of making it feel like you were the center of the world. People just gravitated to her. She was an open soul."

"You are speaking of her in the past tense," Nick noted.

"Oh." My mind stalled on the idea. "I guess, the last conversation I had with her, she was just different. I'm not sure if the mom I've had is there. She has never really been one to panic like that. The only time I remember her really getting frightened was when I was really little, and we got separated at Times Square, but when she found me, she pulled me into the tightest hug. I thought she was going to crush my chest."

"So, when she told you to run..."

"Yeah, I just wanted a hug, and instead," I paused, not wanting to admit that I felt cast out by the person who I thought loved me the most.

Nick pulled into the garage and focused his attention back on me. "I'm sorry. I know what it feels like to be pushed away by your mother."

"She was trying to protect me," I argued.

"Yeah, yeah. I didn't mean..." He dropped his gaze. "I know she didn't choose to leave you."

"I'm sorry," I quickly offered.

"No, it's fine. Let's get inside and get you to bed. You've had a long day."

I wanted to say something to fix the moment, but it was too late. Nick had pulled himself from the car and was already making his way inside.