Rain hammers the bistro windows. Donatello holds the table in a cold silence, then turns his stare on Erika like he is weighing a contract.
Donatello "Don" Capozzi
Define yourself. Are you here for Tommy, or for what comes with him?
Erika
I am here for Tommy. Not for the money, not for the title, not for your approval.
A few of the siblings shift. Vicky’s mouth twitches with approval. Vinny stays rigid, watchful. Tommy feels the room narrowing around the answer.
Thomas "Tommy" Capozzi
The table is waiting for him to choose a side.
Nichole "Nikki" Capozzi
Then say it plain. Can he have both, or does he have to keep hiding her like a mistake?
Don does not look away from Erika. The question lands where it hurts, right on the line between family loyalty and a clean life.
✓ Quest Accepted
Win the family's grudging respect for Erika
“Nikki and Joey are dating literal angels and yet my girlfriend is a problem?”
SUCCESS (Great Willpower, rolled +3)
Tommy lets the silence hang just long enough to sting, then turns it cleanly on Nikki and Joey. The rain taps the glass behind them like impatient fingers.
Thomas "Tommy" Capozzi
Nikki and Joey are dating literal angels, and my girlfriend is the problem?
Joey’s grin cracks into a startled blink. Nikki huffs a laugh that gives way to a real look at Tommy, and the table shifts with it.
Nichole "Nikki" Capozzi
Fair point. I can hear how that sounds now.
Joseph "Joey" Capozzi
Yeah, okay, that lands. Hard.
Vicky’s approving smirk deepens. Even Vinny’s stare eases by a fraction, and Don keeps his hands still, letting the answer do the work.
Donatello "Don" Capozzi
Then we ask the real question, whether she stands in the room like she belongs here.
That earns Erika a second look from across the table, and this time it is not a test so much as an opening. Nikki leans back, thoughtful, while the rain keeps pressing at the window.
Quest Complete
Win the family's grudging respect for Erika