*Bianca*
Mia and I joined my mother in the kitchen to help with dinner while Leo and Alessandro remained in the living room. We ditched our empty paper cups in the trashcan and washed our hands.
“Put us to work, Mom,” I said cheerfully.
“Wash and peel those, please,” she replied, pointing at the sack of potatoes.
Mia and I got to work quickly. We dumped a bunch of potatoes in a large strainer and set it in the sink. Mia scrubbed the skin with a thick bristled brush under running water. I began to peel the ones she would hand me.
“So, Bianca, how are you feeling?” Mia asked.
“I’m feeling all right at the moment,” I replied easily.
She chuckled. “I meant, how are you feeling about everything with Leo?”
“Oh, right,” I nodded my head. “Honestly, I feel really good about everything. For the first time in a long time, I feel relaxed in his presence. Safe.”
Mia nodded slowly. “Well, that’s good.”
