“When is the next board or mayoral election?”
“Next year.”
“You should run.”
Her eyes go wide. “I—I don’t have the education.”
“What you’ve got is more important. You care. You have the heart and it’s not about filling your own pocket. I believe you could do it and do it well. Look at it this way, you couldn’t be worse that what they have, right?”
“That’s a valid point,” she laughs.
She glances down the street. “I want another coffee from where Sall works. Want one?”
“Please. With cream. I want to look at these old building some more. Do you mind?”
“Go ahead. I’ll be right back.”
I wander to the window of the shuttered high-end restaurant. The Italian owner’s name is familiar to me. Not as big or as well-known as my mother’s restaurants. He did have a solid reputation. The inside looks large, but I can’t see the kitchen or the condition. On the plus side, the building next door is also available and could allow for possible expansion. I snap a few pictures of the outside, one of the streets going in each direction and one of the listing agent information, then send them to Mama and Baba.
After five minutes I call.
“Niko, where are you? Where is this place you send me pictures of?”
“I love you too, Mama.”
“Pfft. You know you are my favorite. Do not tell your father or siblings. That is our secret. Where are you?”
“In that little village I told you about. The town is struggling because of mismanagement. It’s close to the mountains where I ski. You said you want to expand in a new direction. This place could be perfect.”
A beat. “Something is in your voice. What have you done?”
“I might look into a job here. The lodge is looking for an instructor. Mama… this is my last competitive season. I’m done. It’s not in my heart anymore.”
She’s silent so long I think I might have lost the connection. “Mama?”
“The pictures I sent you. The ones for your friend Dominic, who you are staying with. This is the same place, yes?”
“Well—yes. But Dom had to leave. I’m staying with his sister. She was the one who needed the pictures.”
“She has a house?”
“Her family has a cabin in the woods. But we aren’t far from the town. Like I said, the town is struggling. Businesses are closing and people are losing their jobs. She’s an event planner trying to still have the town Christmas party so the children can at least get one gift and a hot meal.
“The people I’ve met here are good, Mama. It reminds me of how hard you had to work in the beginning.”
“Send me everything. About the town. The lodge. Now. I love you.”
My mother has been wanting to expand again—Manhattan, Los Angeles, Palm Beach, Chicago—two and three Michelin stars. But for the last two years she’s wanted something different, something for families. For everyday people. She’llnever lower her standards. She will lower her prices because she believes everyone deserves real food made with heart.
She’s gonna love Wynter.
Just like I do.
I lean a hand against the building and press my forehead against the cool glass.
Just like I do.
Three deep breaths steady me. When I raise my head, I spot her down the street, leaving the coffee shop. She’s talking animatedly to Sall, before pausing and giving her friend a one-armed hug and whispering something that makes Sall wipe her eyes and smile
