Me
Are you okay? Is she being nice?
While my mother showing up and cooking even though we’d planned to cook for her was perfectly normal, this also felt 100% like a test for Grace.
Grace
I love her. She’s teaching me to make your favorite foods. It’s fun.
Relief coursed through me. Not that I expected her to dislike Grace. My mother had also loved Elaris, even if she was a disaster in the kitchen.
“Let’s go home and cook for Yiayia.” Riley stood in the doorway in black pants and a silver shirt, badge around her neck.
I wasn’t sure when Riley had started calling my motherGrandma,but she loved it–even though Evan and his other siblings had always called herAuntie.
“We just need Wes. Warning, she’s been at our house cooking with Grace.” I put my laptop into my bag.
“Oh. Okay. I could live with that. I hope it’s good, because I could eat a polar bear.”
Grabbing my things, we went down and collected Wes. All week Wes had been coming with me, so that Grace and Riley could take her motorcycle. Maybe next week I’d take mine and ride with them. Wes could get to work himself.
Wes grabbed his stuff. “Did you know that Grace has been alone with your mom all afternoon?”
“Yes. I hope Grace passes. Not that her failing means anything.” I shrugged as we went down to my car.
“Your mom is pretty nice. Also, considering your father was a physicist, Grace probably won’t confuse her too much,” Wes agreed as we got into the car, Riley scrambling for the front.
“I want to talk to Yiayia since I’m taking ceramics next year,” Riley added as she changed the radio station.
I started to drive. “She would love to discuss ceramics with you. Maybe when you visit, she’ll give you a lesson. We probably still have the pottery wheel that she taught me on.”
Her face brightened. “I’d love that. Question. Grace said lots of worlds were real and full of all types of people. Do you think there are worlds with magic or shapeshifters or superheroes?”
“Probably. Why?” That was an odd subject change.
“So, Grace said the Greek gods we have here are similar and have stories a lot like the ones in her world. I know there’s only so many ideas in the universe, and things are bound to overlap.But… do you think there’s maybe a world of them and they know how to travel from place to place. So, like they’re real and lived here, but eventually got bored and left for another world? People like that probably don’t give a flying fuck what the Temporal Authority thinks and do what they want,” Riley rambled.
“It’s an excellent theory. That’s also a horrifying thought, and I hope to never encounter a world such as that or those who reside in it,” I replied as I drove us home. Yes, if Greek gods existed, I hoped to never, ever run into them.
When we got home, Jett and Brennan were already there, as was Grace. The entire place smelled like my youth. My mother loved to cook–especially when she needed to work out her latest art project in her head. I often came home to delicious things on the stove and her humming away in her studio. We’d also often have people over for dinner, mostly my dad’s family, or Dr. and Mrs. K, or students who could use a good meal.
“The boys are setting the table, wash up.” My mother’s eyes fixed on Riley. “Look how much you’ve grown. Come give Yiayia a hug.”
I kissed Grace. "You're okay?”
“This is so much fun. We made baklava for dessert. I've never made phyllo dough from scratch before.” Excitement danced in her eyes.
Now two omega lilies sat in pots in the window that looked out into the backyard next to the glass doors that led out onto the porch.
“Go.” My mother shooed us upstairs.
When I came back down, changed, I went down to the basement and got one of the bottles of bourbon Grace had chosen for me.
I came back up and saw a sumptuous feast ofallmy favorites from childhood were on the table–and it wasn’t just Greek food.
“Is it okay if we try my bottle of bourbon tonight?” I asked as I got the glasses out of the hutch.
“I’d like that,” Brennan replied.
