47. The Cookies
Terry had been in the kitchen all morning. Christmas bread was cooling on the counter. Now she had started on something new. Everyone stayed out of the kitchen because flour had a tendency to fly when the girl was baking.
Casino, playing solitaire at the common room table, was the first to smell it. His head came up and he sniffed.
"That smells good," said Goniff.
"That smells like my ma's cookies," said the safecracker in wonder.
Actor put his pipe down, waved at the air to dissipate the smoke and sniffed. His eyes widened. "Dio! That smells like my mamma's cookies!"
Goniff looked at him in confusion. "I thought you always said you had cooks when you was goin' up?"
Actor nodded. "We did. Except at Christmas Mamma would make the dolce. I haven't had those cookies since I was young."
Garrison left his desk when he heard the men talking and came to the door of his office. It was his turn to sniff now. His face broke into a huge grin.
"That is our mother's cookies!" he said. "Terry!" he shouted from the door like a schoolboy. "Is that Ma's Cheese Cookies you're making?"
"Yes," came a shout back.
Crag frowned. "Where'd you get ricotta?"
"It is ricotta!" exclaimed Actor.
"That's Ma's cookies!" exclaimed Casino.
Terry appeared around the corner of the stairs and looked at the men as though they had lost their collective minds. "What on earth is the matter with you guys?"
I think they want to know where you got 'ree-coat-ah'." Said Chief from the window, not knowing what the fuss was about either; or what ricotta was for that matter.
"Black market," said Terry. She looked at her brother, "And don't ask how much I spent to get it. I wanted Ma's cookies so I got the stuff to make Ma's cookies."
"I don't care how much it cost," said Craig. "I just want some."
Casino grinned. "Any cool enough to each yet?"
"Yes," said Actor eagerly. "May we have some. Per favore?"
"There are a few that are cool," Terry said. "But I don't have them iced yet."
"Who cares about the icing," said Craig. "I just want the cookies."
Now Terry was sure they had all lost their minds. Shaking her head, she disappeared to the kitchen. A few minutes later she returned with a plate of white mounds and set it on the table in front of Casino. Garrison and Actor sprang forward and there was a brief fight over the cookies. Even Goniff had gotten into the act.
Terry reached between the bodies and grabbed a cookie. She took it by the window and handed it to Chief. "You probably never had these," she said. "They're Italian."
Chief thanked her and bit into the cookie. "Hey, these are good! Anymore left?"
Terry looked at the plate on the table. It was empty, but the four men had their mouths stuffed.
"No, but I've got a lot more. I'll save you some."
"Thanks!" said the Indian appreciatively.
Terry went back to the kitchen, shaking her head. What was it about Christmas that made five grown men act like boys? She chuckled to herself. At least they were happy.
