“You like that?” she cooed and brushed a hand over my hair.
I gave her a smile. I liked her voice and smile. As I sat looking up at her, the two other babies with the same face came over to stand by her leg.
The one who always plays with me reaches his arms up. Pretty Lady picked him up and sat him on the leg across from me. He leaned in and gave me a hug. I returned it until the pretty lady spoke again.
“Ah, I think Dario has a thing for you, Carleen. Maybe one day when he asks you to marry him, I’ll give you this necklace as a gift. Would you like that?”
I have no idea what she’s talking about, but I watch her lips move anyway and laugh as I bounce on her lap.
The other baby placed his hand on my cheek. I turned to look at him and pointed to his face where he touched mine.
“Cheek,” I said.
“Good girl, yes, that’s his cheek.”
I squeal and clap my hands. I point to his mouth and look up at the lady. “Lips,” I said.
“Yay, you’re so smart.”
I stiffened with excitement, locking my body as I clapped my hands. The other babies clapped with me. The one on her other leg leaned in and cupped my face with his hands, placing his face to mine and blowing his breath in my face.
I wrapped my arms around him and gave him a hug. “Friend,” I squealed.
I come back to the present, shaking my head clear. Placing the necklace back in the box, I turn it over and read the engraving on the back.
Always meant to be.
Tears fill my eyes. I clench the necklace to my chest. My heart starts to race. Could it be…is Ava still alive? Oh my God.
“There you are,” Nonno says as he enters the room. “I see you received the package. It will look lovely on you.”
“Oh, thank you. I…I. Thank you.”
I deflate with disappointment. I guess I’m jumping to conclusions. Maybe Ava told Nonno about her promise to give this necklace to me before…
“No need to thank me. Cara, I have a request. I’ve heard so much about your cooking, but I’ve never been able to get to the restaurant when I come to America. You must cook for me,” he says.
“Oh, no. I couldn’t,” I say shyly.
“You would deny an old man this request?”
I twist my lips and side-eye him. “What old man?”
He gives me a deep chuckle and one of those Di Lorenzo smiles. I squirm in my seat. Nonno has always been so kind to me. I wouldn’t want to embarrass myself by making him a subpar meal.
“Why this”—he waves a hand in the air—“hesitation? You are head chef with Dario, no? This means you are excellent in the kitchen. A master, yes?”
I snort. “I’m no master, not yet. I still have so much to learn.”
“I will be the judge of this. Come, you will love the kitchen here. It’s where I started Dario and where I will teach that little one.” He points to my stomach, bringing a smile to my face.
“Okay,” I say and exhale.
“This is magnifico. You cook as if you have Italian in your blood,” Nonno says as he devours the fresh bread and ravioli I’ve made for him.
I nervously place a plate of steak pizzaiola in front of him. He cleans the sauce from the plate of ravioli and pushes it out of the way to pull the steak dish closer.
I stand chewing on the inside of my mouth as he takes his first bite. He groans and rolls his eyes into the back of his head. Waving his fork at me to take a seat beside him, he swallows and bobs his head.
He wipes his mouth and uses his tongue to clean his teeth as I watch with bated breath. “You have excellent skills. This is delicious. Tell me what makes you think you are not a master chef.”
I sit and think this over. I’ve been asked this before, but for the first time, I believe I have an answer. The words start to flow before I can process them.
“I started this as a hobby. I didn’t expect for it to gain momentum the way it has. My head hasn’t had time to process I’m not going to be a surgeon. The one thing I had mastered.
“Day in and day out, I’m in a kitchen with Dario. He’s put the time in. He has put in the hours to gain mastery. He does it effortlessly. I guess I didn’t realize, but so do I. I was scared to admit I belong.
“But you do,” Nonno says fiercely.
“That she does.” I turn to find Dario watching us.
Nonno chuckles. “If you’re not careful, she will take your place. Carleen, I’ve eaten from many great chefs. This meal has rivaled them all. I don’t compliment where it’s not deserved.”