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"Why are you surprised?" he asked, playfully repeating her words froirlfriend"

She glanced up at Carmine and raised her eyebrows "Airlfriend?"

He hesitated at her question "I don’t know, are you?"

She smiled "I asked you first"

"Do you think it’s too soon?"

"I don’t know, do you?"

He stared at her as he tried to make sense of their conversation "I don’t know This is fucking ridiculous, Haven"

"It is," she said, turning her attention back to the envelope in her hand "I wonder what he left for ," he replied as she opened it and read the paper giving her the time and date to appear "Money, propertywho knows"

"But why?" she asked "None of that uess we’ll find out on Monday"

They spent the weekend together, catching o Monday approached quickly and he dressed around noon, putting on so to look halfway decent since Corrado would be there He slipped on a pair of black and white Nike’s and headed downstairs while Haven was in the shower, opening the freezer and pulling out the bottle of Grey Goose He took the top off the bottle and brought it to his lips, taking a big swig It burned his throat but soothed his nerves, his anxiety lessening almost immediately

They made it to the lawyer’s office at exactly a quarter after one, right when the will reading was set to start Haven sat in a large black office chair around the long wooden table, and Carmine pulled out the chair beside her to sit down She s his hand The family surrounded therandh she looked less than happy to be there with theet started "Everyone here knew Vincent well, so I think we can all agree that he wouldn’t mind if we kept it infor to read it"

Haven fidgeted in her chair, looking at Car she would relax as Mr Borza started reading

It’s with a heavy heart that I write this I’ I’ve done has been with you in mind, and I know I’ve made mistakes, but I’ve always tried to do what I felt was best I don’t expect you all to understand, but I hope with time you’ll find peace withthe next twenty minutes, property was divided and personal items were bequeathed The house in Durante went to Doo was officially turned over to Cars bond--as was Dia, who couldn’t be there--while he left his h money to sustain her

Celia was left a bunch of e unit The rest of his assets, his stocks and bank accounts, were to be split equally between Car dohen Haven’s name was finally read The eyes of everyone in the rooeted from the attention, the apprehension clear on her face

"I’ you an envelope," Mr Borza read "It seeiven, but I don’t think you’ll mind What’s inside is selfishly as much for me as it is for you, and I wish I would have delivered it in person like I originally planned, but this will have to do"

Mr Borza held a white envelope out to Haven and she took it carefully Curiosity burned inside of Carmine but he kneas none of his business, so he turned his focus back to the lawyer

"I have one last request," Mr Borza read, "a favor to ask of my son, Carmine"

Carmine rolled his eyes "Why ahed as Mr Borza continued "I ask that he go to Saint Mary’s Catholic Church andI think he’ll someday need"

Mr Borza set the letter down on the table "That’s it"

Car hi from her eyes She had torn the envelope open and it sat on the table in front of her, her hand clutching a piece of paper she had pulled fro?" he asked quietly, reaching over and wiping the tears from her cheeks She looked at hi the paper out to hi as he read the words scribbled in the middle

You orth it

"We should celebrate," Celia said "Have a fao out somewhere, or I can cook"

"I’ll do it," Haven chi the paper back in the envelope

"You don’t have to, dear"

"I know," she said "I haven’t really cooked a , since I was on ain"

Celia smiled "Would you like to borrow my kitchen?"

"No, I can do it at home" Al "I ed the corner of Carmine’s lips Home

"I knohat you mean, sweetheart" Celia winked "And I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say we’d love to have your cooking again"

"Hell yeah," Dominic declared "I’ve missed it"

A few hours later, Car as Haven fluttered around, hu to herself Groceries covered every inch of his counter, ht into his house in over a year

"So what do you needfro he had never had to do "I should do soh expectations, because he was probably going to fuck things upas usual

"Uh, can you start the chicken?" she asked

He eyed the whole chicken wrapped in packaging on the counter "Start it, like, put it in the oven?"