Book 3: The Old Place

Eleni

I lean back in my seat and groan. “Too…much…food…”

Gianna laughs. “Once you give birth, I’m getting you into pole. Even if you never perform, it burns calories like a mother—”

Mama starts to frown, and Gianna stops. I laugh. She’s been working on her language.

“Well, it’ll let you eat as much as you want,” Gianna says quickly.

Mama nods. “If you don’t perform, I think that would be all right with Dante.”

Gianna launches into a list of how many dancers Dante has gone out with, seemingly just to scandalize Mama, and I look around the homey surroundings. To celebrate the end of my midterms, Mama suggested we go to Zorba’s Tavern, a warm, blue-and-white-walled little restaurant back in the old neighborhood. We used to come here every time Christos or I got all As in school. I tried to explain I didn’t have my grades back yet, but she was adamant. She couldn’t celebrate my last grades, or me getting into Tandon, so we were going