Changing Habits: A Short Story (A Giulia Driscoll Mystery) Read Online Free

and high-fived each other at the look on Giulia’s face. Their mother stopped on her way to greet Giulia, took in the tableau, and detoured to the fridge. The music changed to Gaelic Storm’s latest project.
    “I’m ashamed of my own sons,” she said.
    “Come on, ma, it was funny.”
    She glared at them.
    “Sorry, Giulia,” they said in unison.
    Frank’s mother kissed Giulia. “You do all you can to raise them right, but their inner ten-year-old still manages to sneak out sometimes.”
    Giulia smiled at the woman who’d become like a favorite aunt since that first Driscoll Christmas party two years ago. “I think the correct response is a theatrical eyeroll while saying, ‘Men.’ ”
    “You bet it is,” Eva said. Her husband Danny gave her a pained look.
    Frank’s mother ushered Giulia and Frank to the end of the small table near the thermoses. “Grab caffeine and sugar, you two, and get to work. Frank, you’re on label duty, I don’t trust you with anything delicate. Giulia, you’re ribbons. Tina and Sean, you’re on break.”
    The assembly line of No-bake Vienna Coffee Ball Mix in crystal-patterned canning jars started back up. Frank’s oldest nephew handed a jar from one of the stacked boxes to his sister. She poured crushed shortbread cookies into the bottom and passed it to her mother.  Darlene added powdered sugar and slid it toward her husband. Michael added almonds, Daniel added cocoa and espresso powders, Eva topped it off with cinnamon and twisted on the lid. Frank peeled the backing off a white and green label. The front half read ‘Happy not-baking from Frank and Giulia Driscoll’ plus the wedding date. The recipe covered the back half. Giulia tied green and white ribbons around the lid and curled them.
    An alternating niece or nephew set the finished product in the top box on a different stack. Every so often the stacker got bored and tagged another as a replacement.
    Eva said over the music and the husbands discussing soccer, “Giulia, first piece of essential advice: Never serve a Driscoll male breakfast in bed.”
    A chorus of groans from Frank and his brothers.
    Eva said, “Ignore them. If you do it even once, as a honeymoon treat, they’ll expect it every single weekend. Danny pouted for three months after I said Never Again. Then he got over it.”
    “Because she refused to cook at all till I stopped.”
    “And that,” Eva touched her husband’s lips, “is where our children got their pouts.”
    Two hours later, seventy-five handmade wedding favors nestled in six now-heavy boxes. Sean and Frank pushed them next to the refrigerator. Tina went to the living room doorway
    “Josh, Ben, Colin, Gwen, Joey; Chocolate milkshakes only if you don’t wake up the babies sleeping on the floor.”
    Five whispers of “Chocolate!” followed by five small pairs of feet running into the kitchen.
    Tina blended ice cream, chocolate syrup, and milk. Darlene brought out tequila and triple sec. Michael found glasses and salt. Giulia sliced limes. When the kids were settled with the latest Disney movie, the adults sat around the table with margaritas and snacks.
    “Giulia,” Frank’s mother said, “I’m glad to hear you’re starting marriage with my son by not knuckling under to him.”
    Giulia covered her confusion with a drink. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
    “I heard about the veil discussion. Frank, I taught you respect.”
    Frank’s cheeks reddened. “Ma…”
    “What’s up with the veil?” Eva said.
    “I’m not wearing one,” Giulia said. “I’m wearing jasmine and a Christmas rose.”
    “Ooh, pretty,” said Tina. “Priests don’t get all medieval about that stuff anymore anyways. Pat sure doesn’t. What about your priest friend who’s doubling up on the ceremony with him?”
    “Father Carlos is almost as laid-back as Pat. He’s got other things to worry about besides whether I’m covering my head.” She described the robbery.
    “I saw something about