Page 73 of Slow Burn (The Boston Beauties)

I was cutting up zucchini and peppers to make grilled vegetables to go with the salmon I was making for dinner. I made a dill sauce earlier from yogurt and would serve mashed cauliflower.

When they arrived, Drew went out to get all the bags, while my mother inspected the room that had been set up for my father while he used the washroom.

He was moving slowly and looked like he was also stiff. ‘You ok, Dad?’ I asked him when we walked by the kitchen.

‘I’ll survive.’ He came in to give me a hug and a kiss.

‘I can help you do some stretches, you’re probably stiff from lying in the bed all week.’

He nodded, looking around the kitchen. ‘Are you cooking?’

‘Don't look at me like that,’ I pointed the knife towards him, smiling. ‘I am, I’ve taken several classes and can make some pretty decent and healthy meals,’ I told him proudly.

I had never been very domestic in the past, but living on my own with Breton, without any help, forced me to learn. I couldn’t say I was a fan of cleaning, but I had discovered that I actually loved cooking and enjoyed the challenge of trying to make some of my favorite meals and snacks as healthy as I could while keeping the taste.

It was something I was hoping to incorporate into the business I wanted to start.

‘I better go find your mother and make sure she’s not freaking out too much over my new accommodations,’ he chuckled.

My mother had been a big stress ball the past week, and I honestly couldn’t blame her. My father's home office had been turned into a makeshift bedroom, with a bed put in there. It was next to the family room, where we all used to watch TV together. There was a full bathroom with shower and tub combo that separated the rooms, so it was ideal for my father.

Drew walked into the kitchen. ‘Did it meet her standards?’

I looked up from mashing the cauliflower with some vegan cheese. ‘She didn’t say otherwise, other than asking where we put the sofa that was in there.’

‘That’s good then.’ He started to pull the dishes from the cupboards in preparation for setting the table. ‘Do you think they will want to sit in the dining room or just at the island here?’ he asked me.

‘The island is fine,’ my mother said walking into the kitchen. ‘I don’t have it in me to set that table with everything else going on.’

She looked at what I was mashing and picked up the package of vegan cheese and just raised her eyebrows but didn’t say anything to me.

‘It’s good, really,’ I tried to assure her. ‘I’ve got the fish baking in the oven and I just need to sauté the veggies,’ I announced, turning back to the stove as Drew set the dishes out, poured water and wine and started to talk shop with my father when he made his way back into the kitchen.

‘No working,’ my mother said firmly.

‘I’m just talking with Drew,’ my father winked at my mother.

‘About work.’

‘His work,’ he corrected her.

‘That you fund.’ My mother was flustered and shook her head, while my father leaned over to kiss her.

We enjoyed a nice meal, where we discussed my father’s recovery, then we retired to the TV room to watch some reality show my father enjoyed, and we chatted more about the holidays and arranged a call with Breton soon.

‘Breton’s home on the twenty fourth or fifth,’ I informed them, based on the latest information he’s sent to me the other day. ‘Depending on when he can catch a flight out.’

‘I can charter one,’ my father suggested.

‘I think he’s in a no-fly zone,’ I said in a low voice and heard my mother gasp at the news.

‘Does Deb know?’

‘I don’t even know for sure, but I do know he goes to some places where it can take a day or more to get out,’ I admitted. ‘But, for the sake of Deb’s sanity, how about we not say anything. He usually says he’s going to Dubai and that’s enough to make her nervous.’

I started to yawn, and Drew looked over to me. ‘Tired?’

I nodded, ‘Yeah, we should get going before I fall asleep.’ Even though I was now used to the time change, I still wasn’t one to stay up late and woke up with Drew early each morning. I saw that my mother was watching us from where she sat across from me.

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