Princess of Passyunk by Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff Page A

out.
    â€œThey didn’t even wait for me to leave the dance. They came right over and tried to ‘escort’ me outside. I said ‘no thanks,’ so Steve took a swing at me.”
    â€œAnd that’s when you got the black eye?”
    â€œNyeh. I ducked and he fell into the punch bowl.” He paused to savor the moment, sending Our Lady of the Plaster a sly smile.
    Ganady giggled. “Then how’d you get the black eye?”
    â€œSteve got up and let me have it with the punch ladle. You should’ve seen him. Soaking wet. His shirt was all pink. Then his buddies got into it and some of my guys got into it and the chaperones had to break it up.”
    â€œYou mean...a rumble ?”
    Nick laughed. “Rumble? Where’d you pick that up, kid?”
    â€œI heard it somewhere,” Ganny said defensively. “And don’t call me ‘kid.’”
    â€œSorry...yeah. Yeah, we got into a rumble.”
    â€œAren’t you in trouble?”
    â€œI probably will be when Mama and Da get a call from the Center.”
    â€œGosh, Nikki!” Ganady clutched his pillow. “Aren’t you scared of what they might do?”
    Nikolai cocked his good eye in his brother’s direction. “Like what? Make me go to mass instead of the dance on Friday night?”
    Ganny’s jaw dropped.
    Nick grinned. “You’re gonna catch flies.”
    oOo
    The Center contacted their parents Saturday morning. There was shouting, inevitably, but little of it directed at Nick. Most of Da’s ire was for the director of the Center.
    â€œWhat sort of kids do you let into this place, em? Calling my son a kike. What sort of filth is that? You let such things go on? ...What?”
    Ganady leaned closer to the banister, as if he might actually be able to pick words out of the faint buzz of sound that spat into his father’s ear.
    â€œI don’t know anything about that. All I know is this boy was drinking and my Nikolai saw him. And for this he calls my boy filthy names? ...Yes, yes. Well, my Nikki will not be at any more of your dances. He has decided his time will be best spent at church.”
    The click of the phone returning to the cradle was resolute, but not angry. Da did not even seem angry when he called Nikolai downstairs for a talk.
    Ganny watched his brother pass by, then scooted down two steps so as to eavesdrop more effectively.
    â€œI spoke to the Center,” said Da. “This other boy says he was trying to keep you away from his sister. Do you know why he would say this?”
    There was a long, pregnant pause during which Ganady was certain he heard the scales in Nikolai’s head, weighing his options.
    â€œHer name is Annie,” said Nick finally. “Annie Guercino. I really like her. I mean, we really like each other. But her brother doesn’t care much for me.”
    â€œBecause?”
    â€œBecause I’m not Italian like them and because Annie and me caught him and his buddies smoking and drinking outside the Center last Friday night.”
    â€œAnd why did you not tell us this before, Nikki?” Mama must be standing in the kitchen doorway. Ganady imagined her there, drying her hands on a checkered towel, smoothing back her dark, curly hair.
    â€œI guess I was afraid if her family didn’t like me, you might not like her.”
    There was another silence into which Da sighed and Mama murmured, “Oh, Nikki.”
    Ganady, unable to stand the suspense, moved to where he could just see his brother’s face through the banister. The elder Puzdrovsky brother was watching his parents’ faces intently.
    â€œNikki,” said Mama at last, “how are we to know if we like her when we haven’t met her? If you like her, then I think we should like her very much.”
    The relief on Nick’s face was clear.
    â€œWhat about her family?” asked Da. “Have you met them?”
    â€œJust her