Tina sat in front of the 27" television playing HotShots Golf on Playstation2 while Vinny scurried about and hid dirty laundry under the sofa. He had explained to her earlier that she was to play the role of a girl named Sally whom he had met at the Piker's Nest truck stop where he visited often. Just as she got a hole in one Sparky took his head off her lap and raced over to the front door and barked up a storm.
"Rat's! They're here already." Said Vinny quickly clearing the kitchen table."Remember your role. Your name is Sally and I met you at Piker's Nest where you waitress." He pursed his lips and paused for a minute." Oh and one more thing. We're just friends."
There was a knock at the door that sounded just like the secret code knock his friends used to use. The same secret knock they used so everyone wouldn't have to scurry about hiding their drugs thinking it was the police. Vinny opened the door and was greeted with Theresa's friendly smile with Mark in tow. Mark was holding a crockpot with an apple pie on top of it wrapped in tin foil. He was wearing a loose fitting pair of blue jeans and a Pennstate T-shirt that looked 10 years old. Theresa wore a green button down blouse neatly tucked into her long brown cashmere dress along with leather sandals that showed her freshly pink painted toes.
"Surprise!" Said Theresa finally breaking the ice.
Vincent had his arm stretched out over the doorway and before he could invite them in Theresa ducked under his arm and invited herself in. Mark just shrugged his shoulders, smiled, then invited himself in as well. Sparky couldn't wait to lick both of their hands and mark pulled out a treat for the dog from his pocket.
"Just put that on the table." Vinny said to his father. Theresa tried not to act too surprised when she saw Tina nestled up on the sofa staring at the television. Mark placed the crockpot and apple pie on the table then took a moment to admire the view of the tree farm looking out the back sliding door. Vincent stood in the middle of the living room floor and tried to keep an eye on everybody at once.
"So I see you have company." Said Theresa walking over to shake Tina's hand. Tina felt like she was coming face to face with the mother on That 70's Show she used to watch on television.
"So what's your name sweetheart?" Asked Theresa. " I'm T-.......My name's Sally." She said looking over at Vinny. Vincent gave her a death stare and showed her his shark teeth.
Theresa placed her other hand on top of the handshake and squeezed gently." I'm Vinny's mother but you can call me Theresa." She said looking calmly into Tina's blood shot eyes. Tina felt a pang of nostalgia as she wished that she could be with her own family. If she screwed this up would Vinny really have the balls to blow her up right in front of his mother? Then she thought of Peter and the drunken redneck that offered them a ride. Patience is a virtue that must be learned her father used to say. She would wait until the time is right and she would flee.
Vinny was feeling uncomfortable with his mother introducing herself to Tina. He walked over and put a hand on Theresa's shoulder." Mom I'm starving. What are we having to eat?" He said giving Tina the evil eye while he spoke. Theresa let go of Tina's hand and turned around to face her son. She placed both her hands on his shoulders and sized him up.
"Oh honey. You're still my growing boy. I'll tell you what, I'll start on dinner right now while you talk to your father. We're having spaghetti and meatballs, your favorite." She let go of Vinny and quickly hustled into the kitchen. Mark was acting like the same way he always did. Laid back and completely oblivious to anything that could possibly be going wrong. Vinny walked over to his father and noticed the soup stain on his shirt.
"You look like you put a little weight on." Said Vinny lightly prodding his father's belly.
"Yeah, your mother takes good care of me." Answered his father resting his hands on his paunch. Tina sat aloof on the sofa carefully watching the father/son bonding. Mark looked nothing like Vinny at all. He was shorter, clean shaven, with soft lucid brown puppy eyes and looked softer than a teddy bear. Vinny was tall and rigid looking with prominent veins sticking out of his massive forearms.
"Why don't we sit down." Suggested Vinny allowing his father to sit in his favorite recliner while he sat next to Tina. Theresa was already in the kitchen setting up paper plates that she had brought from home. Vinny could hear her singing christian hymns and he could feel his body tensing up as he clenched his fists. Mark immediately broke the ice and began talking about football. Something Vinny had no interest in but he always played along just to impress his father.
Tina was grinding her teeth but no one really noticed. Vinny kept a placid look on his face while Mark babbled on about the Nittany Lions.
"Your mother and I are heading up to Beaver Stadium next weekend. Would you like to come along?" Said Mark licking some cheese danish residue along side his lips.
"No I can't. I have to drive truck that weekend." Replied Vinny staring down at the floor while he spoke. The words drive truck piqued Tina's interest and she suddenly became more focused on the conversation. So that's what Vinny did for a living. He was a truck driver. She thought to herself. Tina hated truck drivers. They were potty mouthed pigs and always rude towards women.
Vinny did his best to keep his father talking to obliterate his mother's singing. How dare she sing in his own home.
" Dinner's ready." Announced Theresa standing in the door way.
Okay thought Vinny to himself, it's showtime.