Page 8 of Luna

To Luna, love was what made their house a welcoming place to be. “You have a lovely, lovely home, Tony.”

“We like it here. All the prettiness is because of Ilsa, though. She brings beauty to everything she touches.” Tony motioned to the crystal vase Luna had given them the previous evening as it sat on the kitchen table. Miraculously, it hadn’t broken when she’d fainted and dropped the basket it had been nestled in. Ilsa had been quite pleased with the vase, and Laila had rushed outside to pick a few flowers to arrange in it. “Ilsa was thrilled with the vase you selected, Luna. It was kind of you to bring such a nice gift.”

“My pleasure, Tony. I’m glad she liked it.”

She looked around the room. “Have I missed Ilsa and Laila?”

Tony nodded. “Just barely. They left about five minutes ago. Ilsa will walk Laila to school and then open her shop for the day. She said you are welcome to stay here and rest, join her at the shop, go with me to the studio, or go to Cat’s restaurant. Whatever you choose is fine with all of us.”

“Thank you. May I decide after breakfast?”

“Of course,” Tony said, expertly cracking eggs into the skillet with the almost-cooked bacon.

Luna recalled letters from Tony and Caterina stating the fact that Ilsa couldn’t cook. The very notion of it was so foreign to her family, Luna had a hard time imagining such a thing. All the females could cook, and many of the men could cook just as well if not better than the women.

But evidence of it was in the kitchen this morning as Tony prepared breakfast instead of heading off to work.

Luna used a potholder to lift the coffee pot from the back of the stove and filled the two mugs on the table.

“Mind grabbing the plates from the table? I’ll just dish the bacon and eggs into them directly, but if my wife asks, I served the meal like a refined gentleman and not a cavedweller.”

Luna laughed and retrieved the plates. “Refined it is, Mr. Cavedweller.”

Tony smirked as he placed two fried eggs and two strips of bacon on a plate and handed it to her. “Completely refined.” After placing eggs and bacon on his plate, Tony pulled out a chair for Luna at the table, then took a seat across from her.

He bowed his head and asked a blessing on the meal and offered a word of thanks for Luna’s safe arrival before he picked up the muffin basket and held it out to her.

“Do you do most of the cooking?” she asked as she selected a muffin and set it on her plate.

Tony nodded, set down the basket, and took two muffins. “I do nearly all the cooking. It’s safer for everyone that way. My sweet chickadee is beautiful, intelligent, witty, and charming. She’s an outstanding wife, a wonderful mother, an astute businesswoman, and a uniquely talented seamstress and designer, but she can’t cook. She tries, but our stomachs all suffer for it. Thank goodness, Laila is already learning to cook. We generally take our lunches with us, and I typically make dinner unless we eat at Cat’s restaurant or are dining with friends.”

“I’d be happy to help with cooking duties while I’m here, Tony.” Luna took a bite of the muffin and nodded her head in approval. “It’s as delicious as Aunt Angelina’s.”

Tony appeared pleased as he smiled at her. “I’ll be sure to tell Mama you like mine better.”

“You will not!” Luna glowered at him, then grinned. The worries she’d held earlier, upon awakening and recalling her struggles of the previous afternoon, melted into yesterday, leaving her at ease and looking forward to the day ahead. “If no one would mind, I’d like to unpack this morning and press the wrinkles from my clothes. Should I be ready to help Caterina at the restaurant this afternoon?”

“No. She said you could start work on Tuesday if you feel up to it. The restaurant is closed on Sundays and Mondays.”

“Oh, I certainly will be by then. Perhaps I could prepare dinner this evening.”

“Sure, but only if you want to. We have an account at Johnson’s Mercantile. If you need something, just ask for Mr. Johnson. I could drive you downtown and introduce you to some of the shop owners.”

Luna shook her head. “No, Tony. I know you are busy with your photography studio and the ice business. You have far better things to do than escort me around town. If I decide to go shopping, should I leave a note to let you know where I’ve gone?”

“Just telephone Ilsa and tell her, or stop by her shop. Speaking of my studio and the ice business, I’d be happy to show them to you whenever you’d like a tour.”

“Tomorrow?”

Tony smiled and passed her another muffin. “Tomorrow it is. Would the morning work for you?”

“It would,” she said, accepting the muffin and cutting it in half. “I don’t intend to sleep quite so late again.”

He shrugged, as though her sleep habits were of no consequence. “You were tired and needed the rest. If you feel you need extra sleep, by all means get caught up while you can. Before long, you’ll be kept so busy you’ll wish you had a few carefree days to just laze away the hours.”

“Thank you, Tony.” Luna glanced down at the muffin she buttered, then set the half she held on her plate. “Honestly, Cousin, I don’t know how to express an appropriate measure of gratitude for you and Ilsa offering me a place to stay. I am thankful.”

“You are most welcome, Luna. Stay as long as you like. We’re glad you are here and look forward to getting to know you better. Caterina and I left New York City before you arrived, so we’re both thrilled to have you here and hope we’ll become more than distant relatives. If you need anything at all, you just ask one of us.”

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