Chapter Text
Anthony huddled at the top of the stairs, growing more and more concerned that things had gone poorly after Arturio went downstairs. Had he told them that Anthony was there? Was Husk being threatened right now? The possibility was driving Anthony insane.
"Everyone shut up!" A voice Anthony hadn't heard in years shouted over the sea of men's voices.
Anthony perked up, on even higher alert. Molly?!
"The girl's gone, no one intended it, that means we need to find her."
Wait- were they talking about Marie? She'd escaped the mafia on her own? Well shit. Anthony was impressed. He knew the girl was capable but… damn.
Molly continued to speak and Anthony was almost hypnotized by her voice. He'd imagined it and dreamt of her plenty during his banishment. The letter she'd written him was worn from all the times Anthony had clutched at it. Keeping him grounded.
The voices below him only got louder.
For so long, Anthony had felt distant to his family and now here they all were, under one roof, talking.
And even with everyone so close, Anthony couldn't feel more distant to both Husk and his family. He felt more singled out than ever. Isolated.
Slowly, ever so slowly, making sure to not make any noise, Anthony crept further down the stairs. He just wanted to see. He just wanted to see his family and make sure they were treating Husk okay. That was it.
He ducked down really low, only risking a glimpse.
The lighting was warm, there was a crackling of the fire, yet there was still a chill in the air. Anthony soon realized why when he spied the front door wide open and snow falling outside. And there was Molly, standing like an angel, her head haloed in a light dusting of snow, back lit by a distant street lamp. Her eyes narrowed and lips screwed into a scowl as she started ordering the men around like she owned the place. Like she was Nonna.
Anthony didn't realize he made a noise until everyone suddenly whipped around to look at him.
But Anthony was just staring at his sister. Who's wedding he'd nearly died to attend. She was here. She was fighting. She was alive and well.
"Fuckin-!" Erupted through Anthony's daze just in time for him to see his father withdraw his pistol.
Bang!
Anthony scrambled back, the bullet ricocheting off of the step below him.
"Woah!" Husk leapt to action, racing dangerously in front of his trigger happy father. "No guns!"
The other men around the place didn't listen, drawing their own weapons.
Anthony scrambled upstairs, mind racing, panic taking over his system. For a second he'd been so happy seeing his twin sister again. And the next he was terrified that he'd put Husk in grave, grave danger.
"Father, don't-" Arturio's voice cut through the shouts and curses.
It was surprising to Anthony to hear his brother stand up to their father. He'd never heard that before. He'd always seen Arturio as following in his father's footsteps. As doing what he was ordered to do, no questions asked. The perfect son.
"You might have never tasted that food again if it weren't for him." Art continued. "He uses Nonna's-"
There was a loud 'smack!' and a pained grunt before Husk's voice bellowed, "Enough!" Silencing the entire room.
His father did not listen. "I will not hear of that with that abomination here!"
There was a scuffle and Anthony peaked lower to see that Arturio was standing in front of Husk now, like a shield. Anthony held his breath.
"Quiet." Husk ordered the most stern, loud, and direct that Anthony had ever heard. "Or your deal is off. Put. The. Guns. Away."
After a moment of hesitation, there was the sudden shuffle of clothing and clicks like most people were putting their guns away.
However, Anthony knew better. His father had no qualm shooting his sons.
"You dare-" His father started.
"You dare!" Husk interrupted, pushing past Art. "Come under my roof, with my hospitality. You take my daughter, you threaten my livelihood, you shoot at my- Anthony!" He paused for a shaky breath. "I've been nothing but nice to you. Hospitable as I was raised to be, and you come in and you- you shit all over it!"
Anthony heard the click back of a gun cocking and his worst fears took a turn. His feet started going before his mind could. His father was gonna shoot Husk. He just knew it.
It was too late though. As Anthony leapt to the bottom of the stairs, he saw the gun aimed at Husk's chest, saw the trigger finger flex-
Bang!
"No!" Everything moved in slow motion. Anthony couldn't move fast enough. He was too far away, he couldn't save him.
His fathers lips twitched in the way it always did when he was taking a life, when he was shooting at Anthony, when he was-
And then Art was there.
His older brother launched himself at their father's side, throwing off the aim of the shot. With a hand on his wrist, he twisted in the way they'd been taught to disarm others. Just this time it was being used on the man who had taught them.
Within seconds, Art had their father's gun, his eyes blown wide, chest heaving, face pale.
The men around the room didn't know what to do when Henry's eldest decided to take a stand. The man they all anticipated to be the next leader of the mafia. The one taking all the inheritance. Art never went against his father in anything.
Husk didn't miss a beat, his dark eyes burning with a fury Anthony had never seen before. "You hit your sons, you steal my daughter, you defile my restaurant. How. Dare. You."
Their father's eyes flashed up to meet Husk's, equal fury there. "I will always protect my family."
Husk's jaw clenched. "You are the only thing hurting your family."
"That is not family." he gestured to Anthony.
Anthony stumbled to Husk's side, grabbing onto him, making sure he was okay that he wasn't hurt. Talking like that to his father was dangerous. You could pull shit like that on some ambitious thief but not the literal mafia Don.
Despite his sudden arrival, Husk maintained eye contact with the man who had just shot at him, his arm gently pushing Anthony behind him. As if Anthony needed his protection.
There was a quiet gasp from the doorway and Anthony looked up to see his sister staring at him, the white snow surrounding her. Their eyes met and the world froze.
Anthony remembered her letter. The swoops of her penmanship, the crosses of her 't's the dots of her 'i's. Here she was. In person. Just a few strides away. She was here.
Her lips moved in the shape of Anthony's name, matching eyes widening, fingers twitching. This was his twin. The person he missed the most from his family. The only one who truly understood him. Who accepted him. Who loved him.
After the incident at her wedding, Anthony remembered considering that maybe it had been a set up. Maybe Molly had lured him into a trap of some sort. But now… seeing her. Seeing the emotion on her face, the way here eyebrows pinched, her eyes sparkling, he knew it wasn't true. She had always been on his side through everything. Been the one to accept him. To let him know being who he was and who he loved was okay.
God, Anthony missed her.
A gunshot made everyone flinch. Anthony looked initially to his father, not seeing a weapon in his hand. Then to Art who's eyes were wide and trained on somewhere behind Anthony.
When he turned to the register of this restaurant, he saw the most bizarre sight.
Baker boy… holding a gun… wrong.
There was one thing more dangerous than a master gunsmith: a novice.
Everyone in the room started backing away, hands raised.
Baker boy clearly had no clue what he was doing. Tears in his eyes and chest heaving rapidly. He had the pistol aimed straight at the Don. The gun Anthony had trained Husk on a couple hours ago. The one that he'd taken from the thief.
How had Will gotten the safety off? Anthony had no idea. He honestly didn't know which sight scared him more, his father holding a gun or baker boy.
He couldn't let him make this stand on his own. Within seconds, Anthony pulled out his pistol, training it at his father's chest. He was tired of killing. Tired of the pain. But if this was the only way to keep Husk safe…
His father glared at him with such hatred, such fury. Even with tomato stains on the collar of his shirt and bread crumbs beneath his fingernails, it meant nothing.
Their plan had failed. They didn't even get Marie out of it. The girl was missing. And until she was returned, Anthony had to stay strong and protect Husk and this restaurant… and William from his own stupidity.
"The deal is off." Husk said with confidence Anthony barely recognized. "You come in here and disrespect me? Threaten me? Hurt my family? Hurt your own family? I want no deal with you."
Beside their father, Molly appeared, expression grim. She gave a knowing look to Antony. "Make it right, Pops." Her voice wavered only slightly. "You knew it was wrong to take that girl. Now make it right-"
He ignored her, eyes only on Anthony. "You shouldn't even be here, finnochio."
Anthony's finger flexed over the trigger. He hated when their father talked like that, least of all in front of his sister. She could get… feisty. Her fist clenched at her side and she took a single step forward.
"Don't-" Anthony told her. Yeah, he was used to the violence this man had caused, but he knew Husk was at his limit. The way his muscles were itching in the arm that was attached to Anthony's was sign enough.
Molly's eyes darkened, looking back to her brother before she could do something stupid like punch their dad.
He tried to communicate with her that it was important that they get through this without any more violence. And if it means their dad pulls a few more slurs out of his pocket, so be it.
"Sir," Art stood off to the side, cheek swelling and red, but he spoke in a steady voice. He nodded to the open door. "We're gathering attention."
Outside there were a few bystanders peering in. Some were the restaurants regulars — one holding a bat — and others were just nosy New Yorkers.
Regardless, it was a bad look. Anthony lowered his gun slightly.
"What do you want?" Their father grit out, face fuming. "Money? Drugs? What is it?"
"My family and my home. You have no claim to them."
With those words, Husk put a hand on Anthony's shoulder. Like he was almost 'claiming' him as family. As something worth protecting. Worth cherishing. It almost had Anthony lower his weapon entirely to look up at Husk in wonder. All this time he thought that Husk just needed him for Marie. To get Marie out of this fruitless engagement. Not someone… valuable.
Warmth and pain bloomed in Anthony's chest as the possibility of it hit him. Of that moment in the kitchen. When he had thought Husk was about to kiss him. He ached with it. Of that maybe reciprocated love. Of being seen as someone worth more than he was.
His gun wavered in the air.
Their father tilted his head up.
"This is the only thing I have left." Husk's voice broke, his hand squeezed Anthony's shoulder as he continued. "I came here with nothing but me and my daughter. I left my family, my friends, my culture, my language, for this."
Anthony lowered his weapon completely, finding it more important now to console Husk who was starting to cry, than continue to threaten his unarmed father.
"For somewhere where my daughter could live safely- and you took her away from me!" And then there were a string of curses in Husk's native language that Anthony had no hope of deciphering. Although his father did seem properly admonished. It reminded him a bit of when Nonna used to scream at him in rapid Italian, how red and sunken his father would become.
"Okay, hey," Finally their father put his hands up in surrender. "I'll find her."
Husk sniffed.
"No, we'll find her." Anthony said wrapping an arm around Husk's waist, not caring that his family was watching right now. He knew Husk liked hugs, knew he liked that physical comfort, and he was more than willing to give. "You've done enough."
Husk leaned into him hard, eyes wet and jaw quivering.
Husk couldn't remember ever being this angry in his entire life.
Him and the monster were sitting shoulder to shoulder in the back of the cab. Henry on his left, Arturio on his right — cheek red, eye swelling and glassy. Husk had given him a frozen bag of peas before they left to quell the swelling.
Anthony was in the front passenger seat of the cab, not a scratch of course. Husk would rather die than let Anthony be anywhere closer to a man that had tried to kill him. Nor would he let him be next to the son he just punched, hence, Husk in the middle seat of the cab.
Before this, back at the restaurant, Anthony told everyone to leave.
No one did.
Baker boy had squeaked a, "Leave!" and lifted his gun.
The sight of baker boy waving a gun seemed to get people moving and most of the mafia members flooded out. Only, who Husk could assume was Anthony's sister, stayed, her eyes only staying on her brother. There was something there. Almost awe. Relief. Love.
And that relaxed Husk a margin. It was nice to see another care for Anthony as he so deserved to be. The rest of his family was less than ideal when it came to how he'd seen them treat Anthony. So the girl. She was alright. Husk allowed her to stay at the restaurant.
He'd left baker boy to supervise her, not wanting the boy to be anywhere near this explosive man next to him. Let the adults handle this. Baker boy didn't need this stress.
"Uh… where are we going exactly?" the driver asked.
"Circle around." Henry grunted out. "She can't have gone far."
Apparently, they'd driven past Anthony's childhood home. Husk could tell from the way Anthony's eyes flashed in the mirror and his fist clenched as they passed it. Arturio was beside Husk being uncharacteristically silent while holding the frozen peas to his cheek.
Husk was horrified by this family. The way Henry just so easily abused his children. Like it was second nature to him. Husk could never understand it. And now he was out here looking for his daughter that they kidnapped then promptly lost. It was all surreal.
He just hoped Marie was okay.
The more they drove, the more Husk fretted that they wouldn't find her. That something impossibly worse had happened to her. It was scary. It was beyond scary. His little girl was gone.
"Stop." Anthony's hand shot out to the drivers side of the car as they passed an alley.
The tires screeched as the cab came to a halt.
"What? What is it?"
Anthony was already out the door and Husk all but crawled over Art's lap to follow him.
"The fuck?!" Art exclaimed in disdain to have a grown adult climbing over him.
Not paying him any mind, Husk scrambled onto the snow dusted sidewalk over where Anthony was standing, staring into the alley.
"She would've gone here." Anthony muttered as the rest of his family slipped out of the car to join them.
And that's when Husk saw it, what he'd initially mistaken as a stray curtain blowing out of a window, was actually a string of sheets tied together. It looked like one of those illustrated fairytales of princesses escaping tall towers.
"That's why she asked for all those blankets," Arturio sighed.
"There's footsteps." Husk could spot Marie's footsteps anywhere.
Anthony came up to his side, shoulder brushing against his as he took in the sight.
Marie always had a good sense of spatial awareness, Husk had noticed with her growing up. Every time she ventured off, she always found her way back with a strange sense of accuracy. Maybe it was because her toddler years were spent navigating strange cities across Europe. She was more observant than she let on.
"She would've headed back to the restaurant." Husk said.
"Then we should've seen her." Henry grunted behind the others, not bothering to join them.
Anthony shook his head. "She wouldn't have taken the city streets, only back alleys. That happened in one of her books. A runaway girl, only love and fate guiding her way. Taking the back roads."
And this was why Husk knew Anthony was perfect. The way he just knew where Marie was coming from, so easily. It was the books, the language, he was able to connect with Marie in a way that Husk couldn't. And for however much longer Husk could hang onto this, he would. He loved having that extra connection with his daughter.
"This way." Husk marched off, following his daughter's footsteps, Anthony close behind. Husk honestly didn't care if the others followed, he would live perfectly happy if he never saw Henry ever again.
Unfortunately, the head of the mafia trailed behind them, boots crunching in the snow. Husk longed to have a moment of privacy with Anthony. To check in with him properly. But he supposed occasionally brushing shoulders as they walked was good enough reassurance for now. Husk was always a touchy person even by his culture's standards, he hoped Anthony wasn't put off by it.
"If she's heading back to the restaurant, we should take the cab." Henry voiced from a few feet behind. "I'm not walking all the way back to your stupid restaurant in the snow. It's filthy back here."
Anthony spoke like his father hadn't, turning to Husk. "My sister is still back there, it will scare Marie. Some of her books." He raised his brow. "They get a little violent."
Art turned to his brother, "Books?"
"Baker boy." Anthony grabbed at Husk's arm with renewed energy. "If we can get there before Marie, we can create a scene. An epic rescue. Not you or me but baker boy. She'll have to be smitten then. It'll seal the deal."
"You're brilliant." Husk said, because it was true. Anthony was brilliant. And he wished he could show him. He wished he could show his admiration and love and respect for the man in a way that wasn't foreign words on his tongue. In a way that went beyond words all together.
His gaze dropped down to Anthony's lips again and then he abruptly looked away, getting caught up in his emotions yet again. This was more important. This was Marie and baker boy. This was getting Anthony out of this mess. How this all started. They didn't have much time.
Arturio cleared his throat, breaking the trance Husk found himself in. "Wait so this all some romance plot?"
They didn't have time to fill Arturio in. Husk didn't have the time to get into his travel to America, Marie's fascination with books and love and marriage.
Anthony though turned to his brother with a spark of mischief in his eye. "Kidnap her again." He said in a whisper, looking around warily as if she could overhear. "Really sell it. Husk and I will play into it, then have baker boy come in and save the day."
"Fine." Art said then quickly grabbed at his brother before he could turn. "But get that damn gun out of his hands before he shoots his own damn head off. Have him use something else for the rescue."
Husk was a little confused on what exactly was going on between the brothers. He'd understood what Anthony said but now that they were talking… he'd lost some things. He just hoped that Marie would end up in his arms at the end of it all. He trusted Anthony that much.
"C'mon, we have to hurry." Anthony urged, pulling Husk by the arm. "We have to make sure it goes perfectly."
And then they were running, hand in hand. Anthony ran fast, Husk struggled to keep up but the hand in his was warm and leading.
Slipping on ice, Anthony and Husk raced ahead down the familiar streets towards the restaurant. There was a back exit through the kitchen that the baker boy used most times. Anthony used to slip out of for smoke breaks before he was hospitalized. It was also Husk's little escape whenever he got tired of people and the noise. They could sneak in that way.
It nearly slipped his mind that Marie was probably around here, hiding behind corners, creating her narrative. Husk just hoped he could lure her back without her doing something ridiculous like propose to another man or get shot by the mafia in the name of love. It was strange that those were on the same level of 'danger' in Husk's mind.
There were a few things Arturio was picking up on during his brief time as Anthony and Husk's captive. The most pressing was: Marie was a piece of work.
They way that Anthony spoke about her, like she was a novel he was writing or a wild animal that was entirely unpredictable. And with her dad being a giant teddy bear who cried too openly and trusted too easily, Art was beginning to pick up what Anthony was putting down.
You didn't grow up your entire life with a younger brother and not pick up on his tells. Maybe Arturio wasn't the first one to know of Anthony's secret — that had been Molly — but he found it out a hell of a lot sooner than their father did. Because he paid attention. And he tried to get Anthony on the right track, but after Molly beat the shit out of him for going too hard on her twin, he gave up the ghost and just tried to protect him from their father's wrath.
Fat good it had done. Anthony's secret had gotten out and he'd been banished and Art was trying his best to make sure their father didn't kill him for good this time. Not after the scare at Molly's wedding. Not when Art had thought he'd lost him for good.
The point was, Arturio was observant around his little brother. Always had been. Knowing the family they grew up in, he had to be. And Anthony now was entirely different than the Anthony that had sat before him pleading to get back into the family. This was Anthony beside Husk.
It was a relationship entirely foreign to Art. There was a sense of mutual respect. Of kindness. The way they interacted wasn't like how Art interacted with other men. It wasn't something tough and rough. It was softer. Gentler. It was sweet.
They both clearly cared for Marie and for each other. Art couldn't remember anyone other than Molly or Nonna that had stood up on Anthony's behalf like that. They were in love. Even when Art tried to scare Husk off with Anthony's dumb ex, it hadn't made a dent in their relationship. This was a love Art didn't even know was possible until now.
And even though it was sick and disgusting, some part of Art was jealous that Anthony got out. He made it on his own, found support that wasn't blood related. An impossible feat in Arturio's eyes.
So this was Anthony's new family, and Art was his old family. But he still understood him. And he was beginning to understand this new one.
Husk and Anthony ran fast, but Arturio was close behind them. Their father didn't follow.
When they raced through the back entrance of the restaurant, he paused. There was a noise his ears picked up that made him stop.
Slowly, Art turned. He heard it again, a strangled gasp, a whimper… Marie.
Art hoped to god Anthony took that gun away from that baker boy. Cause this would be the absolute stupidest way to die. He took a breath to steady himself.
"There you are." Art swept around the cans to the quivering girl, he wasted no time in tugging her to her feet and subduing her hands. The girl could throw a mean punch, he recalled from the first time he'd tried to kidnap her. "Let's see what your pops has to say to us now that we have you right where we want ya."
Marie swooned, crying, "Oh no!"
Art grit his teeth and quickly escorted her to the front entrance of the restaurant where hopefully Tony and Husk were figuring out how to spin this. They could do their big rescue.
The only thing in Anthony's mind was, 'get the gun out of baker boys hand!' He and Husk burst through the back entrance, breathing heavy. Where was Marie? Where was Will? Where was Molly?
In the kitchen, Anthony's eyes were immediately on Molly. His twin in the worst possible predicament. At the end of baker boy's gun.
Oh fuck that.
Anthony tackled baker boy to the ground, hitting the gun out of his hand. "Stop." He commanded when Will began to wiggle beneath him, trying to kick him off. The boy was strong, sure. But Anthony had more experience with this. "That's my sister."
"Oh let him up." Molly voiced, going over to the gun that had slid across the tiles and picked it up. "I just startled him was all. Kid was singing again."
Will gave an embarrassed groan. "I wasn't singing."
"… right…" Molly said slowly. "Anyway, did you find Marie?"
Anthony shook his head and then the front door exploded inwards with a shrill scream.
Husk was out of the kitchen before anyone else, pushing through the swinging door like a man on a mission. Molly swiped the gun off the floor, flicking the thing off safety.
Anthony followed and realized that was Marie's scream.
"Everyone shut up!" Art announced holding a gun to the girl's temple. "I have the girl, now hand over what we want!"
The girl in his arms writhed as Husk's brow furrowed and he looked genuinely confused by this turn meanwhile Anthony caught on a lot easier.
"Please! Don't hurt her!" He shouted with similar overdramatacism of the moment. There was a slight quirk in his brother's eye, the spark of mischief.
Unfortunately, Anthony hadn't accounted for Molly.
"The fuck do you think you're doing?" she growled, training the barrel of the gun on their older brother.
Anthony and Art shared a look of genuine surprise and fear at the sight of their sister with a gun.
"Papa!" Marie screamed, thrashing in Art's grasp — even though he wasn't even holding her that tight. It really was all just for show.
"Marie…" Husk echoed her call, stepping forward in front of baker boy, hand outstretched.
Art pulled her back slightly, "Nu-uh. Hand it over first. We had a deal."
"Arturio." Molly's voice was thick with their accent, echoing their Nonna's admonishments. Her index finger trembled over the trigger.
Anthony stepped up beside her, "Mols…" he lowered his voice to a whisper. "it's okay."
"Y-you… monster." Husk said, eyes flickering warily.
"Now, or the girl gets it." Art repeated, tugging Marie back tighter.
There was a shrill scream and suddenly baker boy barged past Husk, Anthony, and Molly with a metal baking tray high in hand. "Don't touch her!" Baker boy screeched at the top of his lungs as he swung.
With a loud bang! Art groaned, crumpling to the floor. Baker boy stood above him, dented baking pan in hand.
It looked like he was about to hit Arturio again while he was down when Marie let out a swoon, and swayed dangerously.
The boy dropped the tray to catch Marie. "Marie!" He exclaimed, a hand coming up to cup her cheek, making it so their eyes would meet. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
Molly lowered her gun, sliding closer to Anthony asking, "What the fuck is going on?"
"A love story," Anthony whispered back as he watched on in awe. He slid an arm around his sister, missing her closeness.
"What?!"
Marie's eyelashes fluttered and she released a small sigh. "Will… you- you saved me!"
Baker boy's, Will's, face broke into the most beautiful smile, like sun was shining for the first time on his face. "Of course I did." He whispered back, tilting her chin up. His hand shaking only slightly. "I always will." And ever so slowly, delicately, gently, he pulled her into a kiss.
And Marie absolutely melted.
Anthony stood there conflicted about how to feel about it all. On one hand, watching two teenagers kiss was creepy as fuck. On the other… this is what Husk and he had been working towards these past few months. And it was all paying off.
Beside him, Molly slipped away, going to their older brother who was army crawling away from the lovely couple.
Anthony sighed, stepping closer to Husk, looking up at him. The poor man was teary eyed, lips open just a fraction, his fingers twitching by his side as if to reach out to his daughter. Anthony longed to kiss him, but settled for a hug.
"We did it." He whispered in Husk's ear as they embraced.
Husk sniffed. "She's going to leave me." He whispered back, squeezing Anthony close.
Anthony highly doubted that.
"Oh." Marie gasped, pulling out of the kiss an inch, closing her eyes as she pressed their foreheads together. "But I am engaged to another. Will, we can't."
"But I love you." Will whispered back.
"I love you too." Marie confessed, her eyes flickered over to Anthony, embracing her father. Her brow knit together. "Um… Anthony?"
Realizing it was a little weird to be hugging her father, Anthony withdrew. "Yeah?"
Marie gently extracted herself from Will's embrace. "I want a divorce."
Across the room, Molly and Arturio choked in disbelief.
"You're married?!" his sister exclaimed.
Anthony shook his head, finding amusement in the situation.
Every time this happened in the stories, there were two ways the men reacted. One was out of anger, and one out of resignation. Anthony went the latter. "I always knew he was the one for you." he said softly, stepping back. Husk turned halfway to him. "We were never meant to be." and he turned to leave.
"Wait-" Husk started, looking frantically between Anthony and Marie.
This was always how it was going to end up. Despite Husk's fears, Anthony knew that Marie would stay with him. They were like the picture of perfection when it came to father and daughter. Yeah they had their fights, but they loved each other. And Anthony didn't fit into that picture.
He smiled at Husk, feeling embarrassing tears well in his eyes, and he stepped away.
Behind him, he heard a quick succession of light footsteps and then Marie's shout of, "Papa!" There was an 'oof' sound as if she'd leapt into her unsuspecting father's arms. "Oh Papa, I was so scared."
"Marie…" Husk choked out, voice thick with tears.
It made Anthony's heart clench to hear him like that, but he knew Husk was happy. He had his daughter back. His family was whole again. Anthony was no longer needed.
He pushed into the kitchen alone.