#mafia toc

The sweet aroma of grapes filled your senses. You had grown up among the vineyards, with your mother taking you and your sister riding to ruins.

The world shrunk after your mother’s death. Your father became harsh and overprotective, while Isabella struggled to free herself from her terrible fate of marrying Il Barone Fontanella’s son.

You accepted that you could never marry according to your father’s orders.

“You will stay here and take care of me until I am old.”

You knew little about your father’s illicit business dealings, just the occasional tidbit dropped by your cousin Cesare when he wanted to get your attention or when he was very drunk.

You used to ignore him most of the time, cooking.

Valentina was your teacher, and the kitchen at Villa Torrisi was your only refuge.

You loved cooking, especially new creations, experimenting with flavors, writing your own recipe book, adding a little bit of your daily life to it.

Today Cesare came into the kitchen demanding a plate of my special stew. Valentina wanted to send him away, but I told him to sit down and served him. I don’t like to see people hungry.

“Madonna, you cook like the angels themselves!” he exclaimed as he licked his fingers and Valentina scolded him for his lack of manners.

You liked to see people’s faces light up when they tasted what you had cooked.

So the first time you saw him so hungry at your sister’s saint’s day party, you couldn’t help but stare at him.

When he looked at you, you looked away, blushing. Luca had pointed you out to him, telling him that Valentina and you had made the feast he was enjoying.

You knew he came from the mines and that your father had rescued him from Don Spadaro’s men, but you knew nothing else.

Time passed, and you couldn’t help but observe the new member of the village closely.

Cesare sometimes invited him into the kitchen so you could serve him one of your creations when Valentina had gone to San Celeste for supplies.

“She’s my younger cousin and she cooks so well, I’d marry her,” Cesare introduced you, and you just rolled your eyes, uncomfortable.

Almost everything that came out of your cousin’s mouth had to be filtered.

The young man with short hair looked at you, nodding and apologizing for Cesare’s expletives, as if they were his fault.

“This is Enzo, the new guy, who’s under my charge,” said your cousin proudly and bossily. “Serve him some of that delicious soup you cooked yesterday.”

“Nice to meet you, Enzo. Sure, there’s some left over from yesterday.”

“Grazie mille,” Enzo thanked you even before you put the plate in front of him.

Cesare just snorted, waiting for his plate. You served them both, and Cesare kissed his fingers.

“Delizioso!”

The sigh of pleasure Enzo let out when he tasted the first spoonful caught you off guard. Cesare was so absorbed in enjoying the soup that he hardly noticed.

Enzo looked at you with his deep hazel eyes as he tried not to lose what little manners he had while eating in front of you, but it was impossible.

Cesare didn’t have many manners when eating, and you were used to him making a mess while devouring whatever you put in front of him.

You passed Enzo a napkin and he tried to clean himself up without taking his eyes off you.

He looked stunned, as if the words were stuck in his throat.

Cesare took the last loud slurp from his plate and you passed him a napkin to wipe the mess he had left with his lack of manners.

He took your wrist and then looked at you very seriously.

“I’m in love with you and everything you cook.”

Enzo and you were surprised by your cousin’s declaration.

The awkward silence was broken when Luca’s voice flooded the kitchen.

“Enzo, Cesare, what are you doing here? I’m waiting for you in the stables! Time to work.”

“Don’t worry, Luca, we stopped by to have something to eat with my cousin,” said Cesare, getting up to leave. He looked at you one last time. “Grazie.”

Enzo also thanked you with a smile.

You smiled back.

“I brought these two along so they could leave you alone,” said Luca.

“Don’t worry, you can come by for a plate whenever you want.”

“The best soup I’ve ever tasted nella mia fottuta vita! Seriously, Luca, you have to try it,” shouted Cesare.

“Mind your manners in front of the signorina, Cesare,” Luca scolded him. “Andiamo!”

The men left, leaving the kitchen alone. Samuele was outside reading a book, and the maids were very quiet. They washed the dishes, and you wrote down what had happened in your recipe book.

Cesare was your cousin, your flesh and blood, but sometimes you didn’t know when he was joking and when he wasn’t. You decided to ignore it, because for Cesare everything was a game.

Instead, you closed your eyes and remembered Enzo’s sigh of pleasure, his deep hazel eyes, his smile.

Falling in love with a simple stable boy was not in your plans, but then again, you didn’t have any plans; your father had arranged your whole life.

You would stay in this villa forever, until your father died, which could be today or in 30 years.