“Crafting, ugh.” Jen pulled a face. “That’s for Easter?—”
“How is Easter the time you give crafted gifts?”
Jen shrugged at Star’s question. “Because you don’t want to mess up the Christmas gifts. They’re sacred.”
“I wouldn’t hate adding another gift tier to the holiday options,” I agreed. “Birthday and Christmastime just aren’t enough.”
“Luciu tried to give out gifts at Thanksgiving. He doesn’t get it.”
“He’s Sicilian, dear. Why would he? It’s not a part of his culture. Do you know what?” Ma paused in her crocheting. “I hate corn.”
My eyes bugged. “How do you hate corn? And what does corn have to do with crafting?”
“I do. I just decided. Your father loved it, of course. Always had me making corn casseroles, creamed corn, corn pudding, and cornbread muffins?—”
“No wonder you hate it.” Jen turned green. “That’s corn overkill.”
“Exactly. No more corn for me,” Ma declared.“There’ll be none of it tomorrow, that’s for certain.”
I gaped at her. “No corn pudding?!”
“No. But I’ll give Star the recipe.”
“Gee, thanks, Lena.”
“You’re welcome, dear.”
Either Ma didn’t hear the sarcasm, or just ignored it…
“Heard about the vacation over the holidays, Lena.” I could have kissed Jen in thanks for changing the subject. “Sounds neat. You’re really going with Paddy?”
Jen had started calling Uncle PaddyDad. Unless he pissed her off.
As I pondered what he’d done, Ma hummed. “I told him he could come if he packed a suit.”
“Ah, so that’s why Luc had to take him shopping last week?”
“Probably. I told him he was too damn old for a woman to hold his hand in a clothing store.” Her scowl turned fierce. “And I won’t be having him show me up. I also told him he’ll have to shave everyday and none of that low fade nonsense Shay talks about. I asked Luciu to encourage Paddy into buying some hair gel. He’d better use it.”
“What’s the deal between you two anyway?” Savannah queried then, huffing, threw down her work. “I hate this so much. I’ll never get it and I’m running out of time. Can you buy this shit online?”
“It’s busy work, dear. Persevere. You’ll come to enjoy it.”
Savannah’s expression said she doubted that very much.
“You can, but I’ll tell the person you cheated,” Star chirruped, forcing a grin out of me.
Savannah narrowed her eyes. “Payback’s a bitch.”
“You’dknow.”
“Girls!” Ma tutted. “No fighting. We talked about this earlier.”
I’d have paid for ringside seats to watchthat.
“As for Paddy and me, well, he’s good for fixing things to walls—” Jen snickered at Ma’s statement. “—and he eats what I put in front of him without much fuss, so I can cook for two instead of one. We have a lot in common?—”
“Are youtogether?” Star asked.
