It's Family Business

Chapter 40: Rest in peace my poor miss Virginia

I just went along with her. Letting her sit me in a tall stool next to the island opposite where she was rolling dough. She smoothed back a few strands of my hair with a kind smile and the action was so motherly and affectionate I had to blink a few times to clear my eyes.

Then a few minutes after scarfing down some delicious almond and chocolate biscotti, and a few empty shells of cannoli which tasted like heaven, even unfinished, I offered Maria some help and she pulled me to help spread some almonds on a tray to roast.

We laughed and she showed her trick to piping a perfect cannoli roll each time. I snuck some into my mouth when she wasn't looking and almost orgasmed at the warm, crunchy, chocolaty dough.

After we'd baked and fried and dipped and piped, I began to declutter the surface and took all the dirty dishes to wash in the sink.

"No, cosa fai? Lascia tutto. Leave it leave it, mia cara," she gently nudged me away from the sink.

(What are you doing? Leave everything)

"Let me help, I don't want to sleep yet." She gave me a look. "Carina per favore?"

(Pretty please?)

A sad smile embraced the olive glow of her cheeks and she reluctantly gave in. Leaning against the counter adjacent to the sink twisting the red plaid rag in her hand. "Mi ricordi la loro madre, così persistente"

(You remind me of their mother, so persistent)

I furrowed my brows, switching on the tap. "Madre? Mother, who's mother?" I really needed to up my Italian game. Maybe the Duolingo owl would smell my failure and hunt me down.

"Le gemelle. Nico and Aurora," she answered. "You are lot like her, cara. So full of life and so warm, come il sole." She stepped forward whilst I used a sponge to wash a bowl, and placed a clean hand on my chest. I paused to meet her tender gaze. "In here. You have warmth in here. Calore che gli altri hanno perso,"

(The twins)
(Like the sun)
(Warmth the others have lost)

I frowned to myself when she moved away, switching off the tap. It sucked not knowing another language. "Aurora told me she passed a while ago," Why did I have to open my mouth to ask that? Why? Someone tell me please.

Maria hesitated, but continued her task of placing the cooled cannolis into a container. "Il diavolo malattia - cancer. Lucia died from leukemia."

(The devil disease)

Oh? Aurora told me she was killed. That was a little suspicious. Was Maria lying to me? No she couldn't possibly be lying. We'd bonded over the past two hours enough for her to be invited to my wedding. I mean she'd probably be there anyway, despite us bonding. Faust was her nephew. She'd be first row.

But still...Maria was like my adoptive mother now. Until I found out where real mother fled off too. Seriously why did my parents think running way wasn't going raise a whole freaking dilemma. So much for staying under the radar.

Like do better, parents, do better.

"I'm sorry. Were you close?"