old and trying to be in the front of the ice cream line.
“He was hardly ever here, gallivanting off to the beaches and clubs.” She gives me a wink with a blue-eye-shadowed lid. “I know about Instagram.”
I give her a small smile. So, I’m not the only one who’s stalked Jace Pickle.
“But now he’s down there with his franchise, doing well for himself. That’s on you.”
“I don’t know about that. He comes from a delicatessen dynasty.” I elbow her lightly. “That’s on you.”
“I only led the horse to water.”
The two cousins Sunny and Greta hurry in from the back door. They’re both decked in elegant dresses, although Greta looks harried, shoving bobby pins into her updo even as they traipse across the empty ballroom. Sunny’s long hair swings as they rush to the front.
Behind them is Jude, Greta’s husband, holding baby Caden, who is nine months old and determined to squirm out of his arms.
The women drop into chairs at our table.
“So sorry we’re late,” Greta says. “I tried to give Caden one more feeding before we came down.”
“Can’t let that baby go hungry,” Grammy Alma says. “You’re just in time.”
Sherman steps up to the microphone. “Looks like we finally have everyone here.” He smiles down at Greta and Sunny. “Including my favorite nieces.”
Jude comes to sit at our table, but Greta waves him toward one of the others, where Sherman’s brother Martin and his wife are waiting. Fran holds out her arms eagerly for her grandson, and Jude deposits the squirming baby into her lap.
Sherman gazes fondly at them. “One of these days, my sons will see fit to make me a grandparent.”
I feel a number of eyes turn to me, but I keep my gaze fixed on Sherman. The idea of babies hasn’t even crossed my mind. School first. Then the rest.
“Now that everyone is all assembled,” Sherman says. “We will take care of a bit of business for the franchise. Most of you were in the room on the day the littlest Pickle was born, when I issued a challenge to my sons. The deli with the highest earnings by the end of the year would take over Manhattan Pickle, as well as control the franchise itself. This Pickle will direct all of the chain-wide activities and set the tone for the franchise.”
He pulls a folded sheet of paper from a pocket tucked inside his suit jacket. “I have reviewed the numbers. Before I announce the winner, I want to commend all three boys for increasing their profits so dramatically this year. Maxwell, your deli in L.A. had twenty percent growth this fiscal year.”
The family claps, and I let go of my death grip on the wineglass to join in.
“Anthony, who has been our most profitable spinoff deli since opening four years ago, had a remarkable fifty-six percent growth.”
More clapping.
“My own Manhattan Pickle, despite seemingly maxed out in its ability to push through any more customers, had a modest nine percent growth this year.”
Grammy Alma lets out a boo and the word, “Slacker.” The room breaks out in light laughter.
“Thanks, Mom. I know I’m a great disappointment.”
The laughter increases.
“Austin Pickle, however, under the direction of a new manager,” he gestures to me and I grip the wineglass yet again, “and with increased hours and an extra day of the week, has had a remarkable one hundred and forty percent growth in revenue.”
The applause for Jason is even louder, and Audra whistles between her teeth. This excites baby Caden, and he begins giggling and clapping his hands, setting off another ripple of laughter in the room.
“See, even our littlest Pickle approves.”
“He’s a Jones!” Jude calls out, shaking his head.
“Every Pickle’s a Pickle,” Sherman says, then waits for the room to quiet.
“So now we find out who was the most profitable. All the boys had gains, which is extremely noteworthy and fills me with pride. But the most improbable deli has come out victorious.”
Improbable? Does that mean ours?
I watch Jason carefully. His face is a mask of calm, but he holds his hands behind his back, and I know they are gripped tightly.
We talked about this moment several times. He hasn’t wanted to win it, although he feels the pressure of being expected to do so.
Sherman folds up the paper and tucks it into his pocket. “It is with great pride that I pass on the ownership of the original deli and control the franchise. With gross receipts that exceeded what my own deli made in its first decade