“I can’t speak for my father,” Vince murmured.
“Dad, Saks won’t enter the business, but he doesn’t want to see yours crumble. You’ve been very stubborn in keeping Mario from helping you. Now, who’s going to run the business for you while you recover, huh?”
“I thought I would—”
“Would, what? Keep your goombahs in line? Shouldn't you let a young man do that? At least on your orders.”
“At least,” Saks interjected diplomatically, “until you’re on your feet.”
Vince Serafini sighed. “Mario is too much of a hothead.”
“Which is why,” Saks said, “you should go home and keep an eye on him.”
“I admit I hate this place. I miss my wife’s cooking.”
“Oh, Vince,” Rose whispered. Complimenting an Italian woman’s cooking was the way to her heart.
“But,” the man sighed, “the doctor said I need a couple more days.”
“How about if I arrange a medic to stay with you for a few days at your house?”
“What medic?”
“The one who works for my Uncle Vits.”
“Oh, him. I’ve heard of him. Yeah, he’s okay.”
“We’ll get an ambulance to bring you home, and settled in your bed. Anything else you need, we’ll have brought in.”
Vince nodded his head and seemed lost in his thoughts for a long while. So long in fact, Saks began to fear he’d flip sides and tell him to fuck off.
“You can get what you need to make things easy for my Rose,” Vince finally said, “but I don’t need an ambulance. How would that look, eh, brought home in a wagon? The neighbors would stare.”
“Vince,” his wife protested.
“Mom,” Chrissy started, “I’m sure you’d much rather be home working on Gloria’s wedding dress. We’ll get a wheelchair and not let Dad walk too much until he’s stronger.”
“The doctor said I should walk more,” Vince protested. But the women were fully engaged in the wedding dress conversation.
“But,” Rose sputtered, “what about your wedding dress?”
“We’ll flip a coin on who gets married first. Then you can work on that one.”
Gloria glowered, and stuck her tongue out at Chrissy.
Chrissy quietly laughed. “Then, we’re settled.”
Vince’s jaw fell open. “Who said Gloria could get married? Rose, why are you working on Gloria’s wedding dress?”
“Dresses, Vince, I’ve been working on both of them for months now.”
“Mom!” Chrissy exclaimed. “What made you think I’d get married?”
“The way you look at Anthony, then and now. You wouldn’t do anything else with him.”
Chrissy huffed adorably, and Saks couldn’t help but grin. “I’ll call the nurse and get the ball rolling.”
It took several hours before the on-call doctor wrote the orders for Vince’s release. Chrissy and Gloria took off for the house to get things ready for the Serafini meeting that night, while Mario showed up to drive the elder Serafini home.