Natalie clapped her hands and said, “Yes, please, oh yes, please,” and ran off.
There was an argument in the kitchen. Carrie stopped and listened.
“You don’t do it like that,” Penny said.
“That’s how I always do it,” she heard her father say.
“You put the sausages into the sauce to cook. It absorbs the juices.”
“Listen, woman, I cook them in the oven first. You don’t like it, you don’t have to eat it.”
“Well, you’re wrong.”
“You told me you want me to cook, so I cook. You want to cook and get all hot and sweaty or you want to stand there and look beautiful while I do it for you?”
“You silver-tongued devil. Stop flirting with me and get back to work.”
“A chef is like a lover. He must take his time and not rush.”
Penny giggled. “Stop that. Carrie’s going to be here in a minute.”
“I’m already here,” Carrie called out. “And I just started feeling better. Stop trying to make me nauseous again.”
Penny came out of the kitchen, fixing her hair. “You’re here! Hi!” She grabbed the bottles of wine out of Carrie’s hand. “Carrie brought wine, Rosendo,” she called toward the kitchen. “Do you want a glass?”
“No, I’m good. Maybe some at dinner,” he said.
“Well, I’m having a glass,” Penny said. She cracked open one of the bottles and poured. “Do you want any?”
“I’m still taking meds for the headaches,” Carrie said.
“Have some wine. They’ll work better.”
Carrie laughed. “I’m fine, thanks.”
There were five chairs and place mats set at the table. Penny set down her glass. “Did you invite him?”
“I did.”
“So is he coming?”
Carrie went into the kitchen to see if Rosendo needed any help.
* * *
Plates of food were shuffled around the table as each of them picked what they wanted. There were baskets of garlic bread covered in melted cheese. Trays of roasted vegetables. A bowl of handmade meatballs. Hot sausage in one pot and sweet sausage in another. In the center, was a huge dish of pasta immersed in bubbling red sauce.
“This is incredible, Rosendo,” Penny said.
“I haven’t seen you cook in a long time, Papi,” Carrie said.
“It’s Pop,” Natalie said.
“Sorry?”
“You said Papi. His name is Pop.”
Rosendo glanced at his daughter. “She wanted to know what to call me. What do you think?”
Carrie stroked Natalie’s hair and said, “I like it.”
“Okay, everyone has their food?” Rosendo said. “Let us say grace.” He held out his hand to Penny on one side and Natalie on the other.
Natalie took Carrie’s hand and whispered, “We say grace before we eat now.”
“I noticed,” Carrie whispered back. She reached past the empty table setting and took Penny’s hand.
“Natalie, would you like to say it?” Penny asked.
“Sure.”
They all closed their eyes and lowered their heads and someone knocked at the door.
Carrie got up and went to check. She looked through the door’s window and saw Jacob Rein standing on the porch. He’d attempted to comb his long hair back and it looked ridiculous. He’d trimmed his beard. The parts that had been singed away in the fire were starting to grow in again. Rein was dressed in a clean black shirt and jeans that looked like he’d purchased them new. Carrie opened the door. “Well, don’t you look spiffy.”
“Am I late?” he asked.
“No, we’re just sitting down.” She led him into the room and said, “Everyone, you remember Jacob.”
Natalie turned in her chair and beamed at him. “Hi!”
He waved to her and said hello.
“Are you going to eat with us?” she asked.
“I am, if that’s okay with you.”
“I want Jacob to sit next to me,” Natalie said.
Carrie scowled. “You’re kicking me out of my seat?”
“No, just moving you one down.”
“Well, fine. I see how it is. Out with old and in with the new.” Carrie picked up her plate of food and moved it one down.
Rein took a seat beside Natalie and took the empty plate Carrie handed him. “This looks amazing. Thank you for inviting me.”
“Thanks for showing up,” Penny said.
“Please, enjoy. Take as much as you want,” Rosendo said. “But before we eat, Natalie is about to say grace. We thank God before we eat today.”
Carrie shot a look at her father. “Papi.”
“Of course,” Rein said.
Natalie took Rein’s hand and reached for Rosendo’s. Rein held his hand out for Carrie to hold. She laced her fingers through his.
“What am I supposed to say?” Natalie asked.
“What are you thankful for?” Penny asked.
“I don’t know. I’m thankful for all this food.”
Everyone laughed and said, “Amen.”
“Perfect. Let’s eat,” Rosendo said. He picked up a set of tongs and bent forward to pile a serving onto Rein’s plate. “Hot or sweet?”
“Both, I think,” Rein said.
“A man after my own heart.”
“Aunt Carrie, can Jacob come to the bookstore with us after dinner?”
“If he wants to,” Carrie said. She looked at Jacob. “Do you want to?”
“Sure,” he said. “Why not?”
They ate until they were full. They told stories and laughed and then had coffee to let the food settle, and everyone complained they were stuffed until Penny brought out her homemade cupcakes and everyone found room for more. After dinner, the evening was quiet, and even if only for a little while, everything was good.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Of course, Brandon and Julia, who have been on this adventure with me since it began.
My mother, who raised me in used bookstores.
My father, sisters, nephew and niece, and my goddaughter. One of the themes in this book was family and I thought about each of you while I wrote it.
The Bernard Schaffer Book Review Crew on Facebook. Your energy, support, and enthusiasm are a constant source of inspiration to me.
John Gilstrap, Bruce Coffin, Lisa Scottoline, Matthew Farrell, Tanya Eby, Jack Soren, Danielle Ramsay, and Tony Healey. I am eternally grateful for your guidance and friendship.
To Steve Zacharius, Lynn Cully, Vida Engstrand, Laura Jernigan, the incredible graphics art department who have made such wonderful covers for these books, and the entire staff at Kensington Publishing. Thank you for the opportunity to be part of your organization.
Finally, and most importantly, to you. Whether you are reading this on a printed page or a digital screen or hearing it spoken to you via audiobook, you are an integral part of this journey.
Over the years, I’ve learned that books are created in solitude, improved by vigorous team effort, then set free to fend for themselves. Some go off to explore the world. Some only find a comfortable place on a quiet bookshelf. Wherever they go, all we can hope is that when they are found, they are loved.
Photo by Lisa Schaffer Photography
Bernard Schaffer won high praise for his Santero and Rein thrillers The Thief of All Light and An Unsettled Grave. A full-time police detective, he is a decorated criminal investigator, narcotics expert, and child forensic interviewer. Schaffer, a father of two, is the author of numerous independently published books and series. He lives and works in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA. Visit him @BernardSchaffer or www.bernardschaffer.com.
Visit us at www.kensingtonbooks.com.
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Blood Angel Page 27