Chapter Five
Thank you to all those who are following, it's nice to know this little old story is entertaining someone other than me! This is a little shorter than I would have liked but I had to stop where I have!
"Frankie toss the salad, toss!"
"I am!"
"You're not, you're throwing in around like it's a baseball!"
"Chill Ma, the food's great, Maura will love it." Angela was like a woman possessed, a tornado bouncing around the kitchen. She knew her food was good, her children weren't good enough liars to have managed to fool her for years. She wanted it to look fabulous tonight as well. Maura was so sophisticated and she knew good food when she ate it. She had been so good to Angela opening up her home and her guest house to her and she'd never made Angela feel beholden to her. In fact the opposite, she seemed to always want to thank Angela for her kindness. For such a clever woman sometimes Maura's emotional intelligence left a lot to be desired. Angela's big, family oriented heart felt the need to wrap her up and make her realise how important and how loved she was. The food was coming together very well though – a lemon, asparagus warm caprese salad to start (if Frankie hadn't butchered it), baccalia alla givornese or stratcotto di manzo for main course and finally white chocolate and pistachio pannacottas to finish.
"Why have you made two meals?"
"So people have choice Frankie. They can have fish or meat , or in the case of you and your brother – both." Frankie grinned, his mother's cooking was amazing and he'd already had his hand slapped this afternoon as he tried to taste things. "Frankie stop torturing the salad now and finish the table please." The benefit of hosting at Maura's was she already had the necessary items to dress a table. The table cloth was a crisp white and there were now two crystal vases of tulips on there. Tiny glass tea lights were scattered around the table and the linen mats were a deep turquoise. Cutlery shone and the glasses that Frankie was now finishing glimmered. All in all Angela thought – not bad at all. She was expecting Vince and Barry any time now and Maura in half an hour. She knew by now Maura would have finished preparing at the hotel. Not only had Constance arranged shopping but she'd also arranged for Maura to have the afternoon at the Fairmont Hotel so she could get ready in peace.
Maura didn't mind admitting that she was quite excited at the thought of the evening ahead. The cab wove its way through the traffic. Her mother had out done herself with her 'gift' Maura felt wonderful in her new dress. A 60s style mini dress with copper accents and mirrored aquamarine embellished detail. It certainly made her new metallic Jimmy Choos look even more fabulous. Her ringing phone broke her thoughts, this time she did check the display.
"Hello Jane."
"Hey birthday girl, how are you?" She sounded very tired but Maura was sure she didn't need reminding of that.
"I've had a lovely day Jane. My mother treated me to shopping and a hotel and your mother was so lovely to me this morning at breakfast"
"Sounds perfect."
"Well, almost."
"Oh?"
"You know I'd love you to be here."
"Trust me I wish I was there too Maur. Look I've got to go I'm ringing while I grab a coffee. Enjoy dinner, I'd say save me some but who knows when I'd get to eat it. Oh Ma's got my present to give to you."
"Thank you, with all that you've got going on it's good of you to remember." Jane chuckled,
"You are funny Maura, see you soon."
"Bye Jane." Maura smiled, perfect timing. As the phone went dead the cab pulled up in front of Maura's house.
Some people may find arriving at their own home seeing it bright and full of people disconcerting but not Maura. She had craved this kind of 'home' when she was younger. A warm home, full of chatter and the smell of good food. As Maura turned her key in the lock she was welcomed with a loud 'Happy Birthday!' Frankie and Tommy squeezed her between them.
"Wow doc, you look the part!"
"Thank you Tommy." Vince and Barry smiled warmly from the kitchen where they stood with glasses of wine as Angela stirred something on the stove. She hastily untied her apron and hugged Maura.
"Hello sweetie – did you enjoy your hotel and shopping? So sweet of Constance."
"I did thank you. It's just lovely to see you all here – and you have them drinking wine!"
"Ah well the beers are in the fridge but strictly for after dinner! Now Pinot Grigio or Montepulciano?"
Soon everyone was sat down enjoying the fruits of Angela's labour. The food was beautiful and the conversation light and funny. Frankie and Tommy tried to outdo each other with embarrassing tales and Vince chipped in with some amusing tales of his days on the beat. Maura looked around the table at what to all intents and purposes was now her family and the absence of Jane hit her suddenly and painfully. The way she had felt since Jane had left had taken her by surprise. She ached, that sounded pathetic, Maura didn't pine that wasn't her she didn't need anyone else – or so she thought. It was becoming very obvious to her that she needed to evaluate her friendship with Jane. She realised that she had probably been staring into space so smiled brightly and turned her attention back to the dinner. The dessert had just been finished when Angela clapped enthusiastically,
"Presents!"