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I don’t want her to ever feel alone.
“Are you going to teach me how to do it?”
Anita peers over at me and smiles. “I didn’t know you wanted to learn how to make a Scotch pie.”
“Why wouldn’t I? I want you to teach Aisling too. We need all the knowledge you’re willing to give us. Us Scottish women need to represent.” I wink at her, and her cheeks turn a vibrant red.
“Yes, we do, and it will be my honor.”
“When was the last time you went to Scotland?” I prop my hip against the kitchen island.
“It’s been so long since I’ve been to the homeland. I used to go all the time when I was a young girl. Once I married Dougal, the trips became less frequent until we didn’t take them anymore.”
“We should go.” She spins away from the stove to face me. “What? I think your grandchildren would love to see where their Nana comes from. We are, after all, part Scottish.”
“You’re a good mother, wife, and daughter-in-law. I’m so blessed Viktor found you.”
“He would be lost without me.”
“He would,” Anita agrees.
“What are you two talking about?” Viktor enters the kitchen, forever close when compliments are being tossed around.
“Nothing.”
“It didn’t sound like nothing. It sounded like you were laughing at my expense.” He pulls me close to him, which exposes his anger as fraudulent. He’s being playful. A rare treat for a man as controlling as him.
“Ava asked when I last went to the homeland.”
“I think I was about six or seven,” Viktor contributes. “It was shortly after Nana died.”
“It’s been too long. We should plan a family vacation. The kids should know their roots.”
“That sounds nice,” Anita says absent-mindedly.
I give Viktor my best puppy dog eyes. It sees him succumbing to my pleas quicker than usual. “I’ll plan something. Maybe we can go at the end of the year?”
“Nana.” Aisling wobbles into the kitchen, trailed by Oliver. Viktor picks her up before she makes it to the stove. “Dadda.”
“Hi, princess.”
“That little girl has you wrapped around her finger,” Oliver says before I can.
“She does not,” Viktor denies the claim, even though he knows it’s true.
“Sure, sure,” I joke. “On another note, we need to talk about the dinner I’m supposed to host.”
“Nana,” Aisling calls again, desperate to get to her beloved grandma, who she hasn’t seen all day.
“I’ll switch with you, Anita,” I say with a shake of my head.
“I just need to put the pan in the oven, Aisling. Nana needs one minute.”
“Let her down, Viktor,” I tell him.
He denies my suggestion. “I don’t want her to hurt herself. She can wait.”
“Momma,” she tries to get me to take her, but Viktor looks at me. Aisling only wants me so she can get her way since it’s clear Viktor won’t let her down, and Aisling knows it.
