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“Very wise. Now, you sit here and entertain your mother while I make dinner.”
“I can help,” I said.
“No, you’re going to rest. Well, you can come into the kitchen as long as you promise to sit and sip your wine. I’ll do all the cooking. There is no cooking, of course, but you know what I mean.”
“I’m coming too,” Emily said.
“Of course you are,” he said. “Come along. Bring Chicago.”
I herded Emily into the kitchen, making sure she didn’t fall or get dizzy. The doctor had alerted me to certain behaviors that would merit a trip back to the hospital.
Codrin poured me a glass of wine before he started fixing the plates. He prattled as he worked, assuring us that the “Great Codrini” was preparing food fit for an Italian princess. Emily giggled. I watched, happy for my daughter…and me.
The food was excellent, reheated in the microwave. We sat at the table, told stories, laughed, and drank. Chicago sat on the table by Emily. Codrin made a point of placing a small plate in front of the stuffed bear. Then, Codrin offered a series of jokes about how the bear better eat or go to bed hungry.
“He can’t eat, silly,” Emily said. “He’s a teddy bear.”
“When the Great Codrini cooks, everyone eats, even the bears.”
“I bet he can eat.”
“That’s impossible.”
“Hey, look out the window,” he said. “Is that a full moon?”
Emily looked away, and he snatched up the plate, dumped it on top of his own food, and replaced the plate before Emily turned back.
“Not full yet,” she said.
“No, but Chicago is.” He pointed to the empty plate.
Emily frowned. “He didn’t do that.”
“His plate is empty. How do you explain that?”
“It couldn’t be Chicago.” She picked up the bear and sniffed his face. “There is no ghetti sauce on his lips, and he doesn’t smell like garlic.”
“My, you are quite a detective, aren’t you?”
“I watch Inspector Mentor.”
He laughed, and I laughed with him. “OK, Inspector Mentor, what happened to Chicago’s food.”
“Simple. You ate it.”
“I would have to eat very fast to do that.”
Emily thought a moment. “You didn’t eat it. You just put it on your plate.”
Codrin clapped his hands. “Exactly. You, princess, are going to be very difficult to surprise when you get older.”
Emily smiled, and I clapped.
“Well done, you two,” I said. “Now, who is going to magically clean the dishes?”
“Not me,” Emily said.
“I’ll do them,” Codrin offered.
