“No apologies needed,mio figlio.I am old.But I have not forgotten how it is to be a newlywed.”
My cheeks heated, and I bit my lip while Stefan chuckled and kissed his mother's cheek.“What can I help with?”
His mother shook her head.“No, we don't need your help.Now, leave the women to the kitchen and go find something else to do with your afternoon.”She turned around and smiled at me.“Your wife is mine for the next few hours.”
Stefan nodded and walked back to me.He drew me in for a quick kiss.In a low voice, he whispered in my ear, “Are you okay with spending the afternoon with my mother?I can make up an excuse and tell her we already had plans that I forgot about.”
I hugged him tightly.“It's all good.Even though you already tired me out.”
He laughed low and suggestively.Then he gave me one more kiss.“Good point.Maybe I'll go upstairs and nap.You exhausted me as well.I'll need my strength for tonight.”
I playfully slapped his chest and laughed.
“Do you ladies need anything before I disappear to my office?Let me know, and I can have it sent in.”
Anna rolled her eyes and made a shooing gesture with her hands.“Go already.We have everything we need.”
Stefan gave me one last peck on the lips before heading out of the kitchen.
“All right, Francesca.We will start with gnocchi.It's an Italian favorite.And definitely a favorite of your husband’s.First, we need potatoes.”
Cooking with Anna was a lot like cooking with my granny.Yes, it had been years since my grandmother died.But that didn't mean I'd forgotten.Because I hadn't.
I would never forget being in the kitchen with my granny.The way she spoke as she taught me what to do.My favorite part was always when she'd say, “No one else will tell you to do this.But this is the real secret.”And then she'd divulge some kind of wonderful wisdom to me.
And I never forgot.Not any of her little secrets.
A while later, after the potatoes were cooked, Anna said, “All right.Now it's time to mash the potatoes.”
I nodded and asked, “Do you use a masher?Or a mixer?”I assumed Anna was a mixer kind of woman.Growing up, we only had one of those handheld ones my grandmother bought at a yard sale.It wasn't great.And would often give off odd mechanical smells while you used it.But it worked well enough.
My dream had always been to own one of those big, fancy stand mixers.
Anna frowned at me.“No, Francesca.I will let you in on a little secret.”Then she lowered her voice.“No one else knows this.But I use a ricer.It's the only way to make sure your potatoes are perfectly smooth.No lumps.”
I smiled and clapped my hands.“Yay, I've always wanted to use one of those.The only places I've seen them are on cooking shows.They look like so much fun.”Then, I looked around the kitchen, assessing which drawer the ricer would be in.“Do you know where Stefan keeps his?”
Anna let out a sharp laugh and shook her head.“Are you kidding?My son doesn't have one.He thinks a potato masher is good enough.”Anna stuck her nose in the air and crossed her arms.“I've failed as a mother, Francesca.Don't be like me.Teach your children young.”
I let out a small giggle.“I've met both of your sons.And I think you did a wonderful job with them.”
Anna raised her eyebrows and grinned.“Thank you, Francesca.There is no greater compliment you can give a woman than to tell her she was a good mother.You'll learn that, too.”
Suddenly, my stomach got this weird, warm, mushy feeling.“Oh, um.”I didn't want to tell her that Stefan and I weren't trying for a family.Although—we weren't exactly preventing it at the moment.Right this very second, one of Stefan's swimmers could be making its way to an egg nearby.I was pretty sure that ship had sailed already.My period was due soon, which meant I likely would have ovulated a while ago.
I started opening drawers.“Any idea where his masher is?”
A disgusted sound came out of Anna's mouth.“If we're going to do this—we're going to do it right.”She shook her head and stomped off around the corner.
I just stood there—a little baffled.Where the heck was she going?I bit my lip and leaned against the counter.
It didn't take long before Anna came back with a pretty white gift bag.Fancy white tissue paper sprang out of it.“It's not the best wrapping job.And I'll get you something else later.This was the best I could do on such short notice.”She walked up to me and handed over the gift bag.
“Um.”I held out the bag, afraid to even touch it.It looked so nice.“What is this?”I asked in a confused tone.The bag swung slightly from side to side.
“You have to open it and see.”Anna laughed and shook her head.“Although I'm sure you've probably guessed.”
She was wrong.
