“Your eyes, Nona. Don’t pull the wool over your eyes,” Kyle corrected her, a grin on his face.
“Exactly, my darling. I can see the truth here. You will cook again. We must make you a new batch of pantry staples so you’re prepared when you get over this, this”—she waved her hands in the air looking for the right word—“tantrum you are having.”
“Sofia, let her have a break if that’s what she wants.” Ben nodded his head and picked up his tea. “Might be what she needs. No point you pushing her into something she doesn’t want to do.”
“I don’t believe it for a minute. Cooking is in her blood, as we know.” Sofia muttered something undecipherable in Italian. “You will help me, Kyle. Together we will fill the storage shed with jars for your mother for when she is ready to create again.” Satisfied with her decision, she sat back in her chair looking happy she’d had her say.
Gee, that was low key, even for Mama. “Back at work on Monday, Papa?” Lena knew he’d taken a week off from his law practice to spend time with Kyle and she loved that about him. Nothing was too much when it came to family and since she and her son were the only immediate family her parents had left in the country, they got plenty of attention. They all missed her younger sister who worked overseas for her job and only made it back once every other year if she was lucky.
“Yes, love. Couple of big cases coming up, so the break with the young fella here came just at the right time for me.”
The dreaded question burned in her mind. “Any news on Simon’s case?” She didn’t tell her parents about Cole’s threat to shout out to anyone who would listen that her cousin languished in jail found guilty of fraud five years ago. Ben had been trying to win him a re-trial, but so far couldn’t come up with any new evidence—the only way an appeal could be lodged again.
“No, nothing. Poor bugger is losing hope. It’ll be a miracle if he sees the light of day in the next six years. I think there’s more to it, but he doesn’t agree. Keeps telling me to drop it and get on with life. Seems he’s quite happy to do his time so he can put it behind him.”
“Sad beyond words. How’s Rita coping, and the kids?” Lena made a promise to herself to call and see how they were doing. She should have made the effort to go into town and see her, but she was always too busy with her own life and since the sentencing, Rita had gone quiet.
“Her family’s supporting her and she reckons they’re all okay. She said she believes in her husband and will be waiting for him when he gets out. I applaud her stamina; most people crumble when a loved one goes to jail. It’s a hard life.”
“Poor thing. So, Kyle, what have you been up to this week?” Take my mind off what my week was like. She focused her attention on the child of her heart, glad she’d made the deal she had. It was all worth it to keep him safe and happy.
“Adam said I can go and pick mushrooms in his place whenever I want to. You should see the place now, Mum.” He sat up, eager to share the news with her. “The fences are all reinforced with mesh. Keeps the deer in. Did you know he had deer?”
Adam? Who is Adam? “Nope.”
“You should see them, such pretty animals. Like the ones you see on the photos at Christmas pulling the sleigh for Santa. There’re supposed to be some new ones coming in today. Real good bloodlines and all from what he was saying. He aims to have some of the best meat in the state in a couple of years.” He sipped at his tea, watching his mother.
How long since I’ve cooked venison? “Meat. So he’s going to be selling it off then.” Visions of rich red slabs of meat raced through her mind and her taste buds sprang to life. Lena could almost smell the heady mix of venison, red wine, and fresh herbs.
“Told you so, Ben.” Sofia nodded her head, a twinkle in her eyes.
Bloody hell. “Mama, please don’t. Not just yet. I can dream and I know I always will, but it has to be enough for now. I don’t have the money or the drive to start all over again.” The heart is missing too.
“Not even for fresh venison, bella?”
Lena groaned. It had always been the same. Put an idea of food into her head and her mind did the rest without any prodding. Not fair, not right now anyway.
“Come for a wander with me, Mum. We can have that talk you promised me.” Kyle raised his cup and finished his tea before standing up and taking it to the sink. He rinsed it and left it to dry on the draining board before he turned around and looked at his mother, waiting patiently as was his nature.
“Sure. I could do with a good stretch of my legs after that drive. Lead the way, my darling boy.” She stood up and walked out, smiling at her parents. “Back soon.” By the time she got to the back gate, Kyle was with her. They went into her father’s back shed past the boxes of tomatoes and each collected a bucket to forage on the way as was their habit.
Lena waited for Kyle to start asking questions. He kept silent as they strode down the back path through the cherry trees and past the apples to climb over the stile at the back fence
