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By eleven, one of the prettiest cakes I’ve ever eous…both layers caleams, the brown so deep and lovely I wish I could live in it Coffee and chocolate, butter and vanilla, the inexpressibly coh it’s probably just ination, it seems that on the shelf over the , my little statue of St Honore, patron saint of bakers, is s

As rewarding as it ood as ain

I cut a slab of cake and gently transfer it to one ofit in plastic, I tape a little note to the edge “Enjoy” Then I slip out ofthe cake in front of Ethan’s door

There is no sound froht be at Parker’s…he’s been known to sleep over there fro fever-induced nightot stitches after crashing his tricycle into a tree Sometimes just to be there, and since there are seventeen bedrooht be there for ro her hand and leading her to bed, causes my stomach to twist I shouldn’t be jealous—Ethan deserves every happiness, perhaps lad

The ie of Ethan with Doral-Anne, however, is too horrible to contemplate

With a sigh, I turn and retrace my weary steps back down to my place I’m tired

But rather than go to bed, I findcake Then I go to the pantry, grope around in the white cardboard box, take out a Twinkie and wait out the night

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“WANNA SEE ME LIGHT THIS ON FIRE and drink it?”

Stevie, the poison-ivy eating, corpse-tipping cousin, stands before hter in the other

“No, Stevie Do not light that on fire Don’t be an idiot”

“God, you’re no fun anyuy I know someone, a buddy a’ mine—”

“No, thanks, Stevie”

“Couy Lotsa fun”

“Stevie, sweetie, if he’s your buddy and you think he’s fun, then I’et tattoos and shoot fish Aht?”

“Yeah So?” Stevie looks injured I pat his arhter-in-law, after all, and this is the Mirabellis’ farewell party as they depart for Valle de Muerte…er, Puerte

Gianni’s is mobbed…probably shouldn’t say that at an Italian restaurant in Rhode Island Gianni’s is packed to the gills, that’s better Half the town is here—the mayor, the town council, Father Adhyatman from St Bonaventure, Reverend Covers froht across the street (They often have attendance contests…the winner buys dinner at Lenny’s, all very convivial Beats a holy war) Ash is here, dressed in the expected black and chains, andat her as one would stare at a particularly grueso that Captain Bob is, in turn, staring at her There’s my excellent cousin Anne the lesbian doctor and her special friend, as Iris calls her In fact, Iris is now trying to force-feed Laura, who has the y grace of a supermodel

Gianni’s Ristorante won’t be closing—o that far Instead his cousin’s husband’s brother is going to take over, and they’ll “see how it goes” before putting anything up for sale It was a relief, honestly…while losing a few restaurant accounts ht make the Black Widows rethink Bunny’s business plan, I’m not ready to lose the place where Jimmy and I met, where he worked so happily

“Hi, Aunt Wucy!” My nephew hugs s, then wipes his mouth on my pants

“Hi there, gorgeous,” I say, ruffling his hair He s in identical fashion to his father’s I scoop the lad up and kiss his cheek “What’s new, Superglue?”

He giggles “Nothing I ate a squid”

“Did you? Was it good?”

He nods, then reaches into the pocket of his little pink oxford shirt “Here I brought you one”

Sure enough, he holds a fried calael!” I say, kissing hiain “Can I save it for later?”

“Okay Can I get doanna find Daddy I have a squid for him, too” I set him down, and off he runs

“Hi, Lucy,” my sister says Emma is, as ever, clutched to her bosom Or I think it’s Emma…it’s a baby-size lump covered in a pink blanket

“Can I peek at Emma?” I ask “I’d love to hold her Can I?”

Corinne stiffens “Um…well, there’s so many people”

“Please? I haven’t held her for a day and a half,” I plead

“If you dropped her—”

“I won’t drop her, Corinne Can I please hold my niece? I won’t kill her, I promise”