February 16, 2022, 7 PM

I’m wearing a long red dress. Mama has already assured me that it’s lovely on me, and I’ve gotten plenty of compliments from Lina that show she agrees. I can only hope that Pops will agree once he realizes who I am. But, I suppose, that’s why we’re making such a big deal about this. Tony and Rob have clued my other brothers in already, and as far as Mama has heard, they’re supportive and understanding.

Mama’s been working behind the scenes, too. Doing the hard work of challenging his attitudes and beliefs about this, while not revealing anything about me, in her classically subtle way. It does help that Pops is a bit thick-headed sometimes, even if Mama wouldn’t put it that way.

Finally, I’ve got Lina, who’s my date for this dinner. I figured it would only be appropriate to introduce her to Pops officially after the incident in the kitchen, but only if the first part goes well. If it doesn’t, well, she’s driving the getaway car for if things go wrong.

Pops has been hard at work the past few weeks, what with how nervous mobsters get around Valentine’s Day. I’ve heard he’s got an announcement he’s going to make at dinner along with Tony about the business he runs, and I’m curious to hear what it is. If we make it to that point, that is.

Mama pops a cork on a wine bottle in the other room, giving me my cue that they’re all seated. I step out from behind the wall I’ve been hiding behind, and I see my brothers stare in recognition, before realizing another person is in attendance: Nonna. I gulp as I stare at her, and she smiles as if…she knows.

“Everyone,” Mama says as she stands up, commanding presence merely with her voice, “this young lady has an announcement she’d like to make.”

“Who is this girl, Maria?” Pops whispers to her.

“You’ll find out once she introduces herself, Johnny,” she replies as she motions for me to go on.

I gulp as I shift my weight nervously, before taking one last deep breath and beginning my speech with as much confidence as I can muster. “Hi, I’m Teresa, and I’m your youngest sister, for many of you, your daughter, granddaughter. Um, so, yeah.”

“I don’t get it,” Pops says, “you’re dating Robbie? You’re a bit young.”

“No, pops, I’m–”

“Oh, you’re Darren’s other girlfriend. I thought I smelled another girl on him. You kids and polygamy these days.”

“No–”

“Johnny,” I heard Nonna say from the corner of the room, “I believe this girl is saying she’s your youngest child.”

“Well, I know for a fact that Maria only had seven–”

“Johnny, you’re lucky my daughter married you for your heart and not your brains, son,” Nonna said as she smiles and pats his head with her paw, “it’s a beautiful name, Teresa. Did my Maria pick it out for you?”

“Yes, Nonna,” I reply, “after your Nonna.”

“A tough cookie, she was. I can see the resemblance,” Nonna replies, “minus the Tommy Gun.”

Pops’ face is still riddled with confusion, and just as I begin to think I’ll need to say my deadname for it to click, I see his face light up with realization. He stares at me for a few seconds, then gasps as he says, “Teresa, are you…”

“Yeah, pops,” I reply, “hiya.”

“I’m so proud you’ve finally got your change, my little girl!” he says as he gets up out of his seat and walks over to hug me.

“Thanks pops,” I reply as I wheeze from his constricting hug.

“Wow, you’re beautiful! Any boy–or girl,” he corrects himself as he releases me, “would be lucky to have you as theirs.”

“Thank you!” I reply, my tail wagging as I remember my guest. I motion to where she was standing in the doorway, and she walked in, in the same magnificent suit from a few nights ago.

“Pops, Nonna, I’d like you to officially meet my girlfriend Lina,” I say.

“She’s tall!” Nonna remarks.

“That I am,” Lina concedes.

“Well, come in and sit down, don’t let me keep you waiting,” Pops says as he laughs and pats us both on the back, pulling up another chair for Lina to sit in.

“Thank you,” Lina says politely.

“Don’t thank me, thank my wife, she does the cooking!” Pops says.

“And Teresa, Teresa helped a lot,” Mama adds.

“But, before we do dig in, Tony has an announcement,” Pops says, “about the future of our business.”

“Look, the business, it’s just not going well these days. The jobs they want are too big for even us, too dangerous, just not worth it. For the integrity of the family, we’re going to recommend beginning to back down,” Tony says, “I’m not having one of you lose an eye on my behalf.”

“But what are we gonna do for our income?” Vito asks, his ears drooping disappointedly.

“We make plenty of money, your mother and I, at the restaurant,” pops replies, “and all of you have good, honest careers you do during the day. We can’t stop you if you want to continue, of course. But be honest with yourself, is a gutter any place to die in this day and age?”

“What do you think about that, Nonna?” Rob asks, a bit shocked himself.

“I think Johnny is right,” Nonna replies, “the game keeps getting bigger than Chicago, who knows how long it’ll be ‘til they ask us to do something that lands us in serious hot water?”

“That’s a fair point,” Rob replies, pouring himself some wine and sipping it from the glass, “wouldn’t want to ruin Teresa’s shot at being a doctor or somethin’”

“Hey!” I say, “Don’t put this on me! Pops, are you sure? I know you love this more than anything in the world.”

“I love my kids more than anything in the world,” he replies, “I just did what work paid the best for you all. We’ve got to move on, I think that’s clear to me. Besides, restaurant work can be just as rewarding! Still hauling meat in bags, just under less interesting circumstances!”

The conversation continues for a few moments, before mutters turn into murmurs, murmurs into whispers, whispers into silence. My older brothers clearly had been discussing this for some time, as they always did, though Vito and Rob, being younger, weren’t quite as ready. Getting Pops to go along with this, though, was a surprise.

I heap some of the chicken cacciatore onto Lina’s plate, then my own. She thanks me, we share a kiss, and both get ready to dig in, before I notice a tapping on my shoulder. I turn to see Nonna’s face peeking out in between our chairs, as she pinches my ear down towards her mouth.

“You know,” she whispers, “the family’s got a long line of people like you. Nonna Teresa herself was transgender, before they knew what the word was. That's why she came to this country.”

“Really?” I whisper, “She was?”

“She never was able to get her name changed in Italy, what with the government at the time, so she forced her way on a boat and came here, on some connections she had in this city,” Nonna replied, “but that was a secret between her and I, and I’d prefer it stay a secret between you and I.”

“It will, Nonna,” I replied as I smiled at the picture of Nonna Teresa up on the wall, her gun in hand and a scowl on her face.

“That’s my girl, Teresa,” Nonna says as she pats my head, “now enjoy your meal. Make sure that girl treats you right.”

“I will, Nonna,” I say as I hug her and then watch her hobble back to her seat.

“You’re not gonna ask what that was about?” I ask Lina.

“It’s none of my business,” she answers, “I already learned my lesson once this week about staying out of it, I figured it’s best I don’t inquire further.”

“Fair enough,” I reply, “how’s the chicken?”

“It’s good! Your mom’s a really good cook,” she replies.

“Oh, I made the chicken, actually,” I say as I look down, blushing.

“Well, then you’re a really good cook. Am I gonna have that to look forward to every night in the future?” she asks.

“I…”

“I’m kidding, I’ll be cooking at least half the time. Can’t have you doing all the work,” she replies as she takes another bite.

“You accuse me of being a tease, and yet here you are,” I say as I harumph emphatically, causing her to laugh.

“I tease you because it’s cute how you react,” she replies.

“No comment.”

“Your tail’s still wagging, you know.”

“So what?”

“I know you like it.”

“Maybe I do,” I reply as I finish my plate and grab some of the fettuccine alfredo, “that doesn’t mean you’ll hear me say it.”

“What if I make you say it?”

“Save it for tonight,” I reply, causing her to blush and sputter as I nearly spit my food out from laughing.