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Stephanos. First, her mother loved her family almost as much as she loved the Lord, and second, the woman could cook. Unfortunately, that’s all she seemed to want to do during her visit, until she slipped on that low spot on the porch and ended up in the emergency room with a broken ankle.
    “I’ll just have to extend my visit for another few months. It’s a good thing I planned ahead.”
    “Right.” Lia plumped the pillows around Mother and handed her the remote.  
    “I don’t need that,” her mother said. “But you could hand me my notebook? It’s over there in my bag.”
    Lia reached for the brown leather journal. “Is this it?”
    “It is.” She smiled. “My collection of recipes.  
    For the next half-hour, Lia listened to her mother’s reminiscences of days spent at the first Stephanos restaurant, each memory tied to a special recipe. Stories from her childhood came tumbling back in the honeyed tones of her mother’s Texas accent.  
    Lia smiled. Even after all these years in New York, Cordelia still sounded like she’d only recently made the trip north from San Antonio.
    “Would you do it all again, Mama?” Lia tucked her feet under her and snuggled into the comfort of the sofa pillows. “Build a restaurant from the bottom up again, I mean.”
    Her mother looked thoughtful and then a smile dawned. “Absolutely.” She punctuated the statement with a wink. “Your daddy taught you a thing or two about the business. I always wondered why you chose that English degree instead.”
    Why indeed? Lia pondered a moment. “I suppose I wanted to do something on my own. Not be known as someone’s daughter.” She shrugged. “Besides, I love books.”
    “Well, so do I,” she said as she folded up her notebook and put it away. “Wasn’t Cara coming by to bring us copies of her new book?”
    “Oh, I forgot.” Lia rose and plumped the pillows. “The baby’s got the sniffles so I told her I would come by and get them.” She checked the clock on the mantel. “It’s still early. If I leave now, I can see Samantha before she goes down for a nap. Would you like to come along?”
    “Thank you, dear,” Mother said, “but I think I might just watch that movie after all.” Mother’s eyes were shimmering with unshed tears when she lifted her gaze. “Which button is it that I push to start that thing?”
    Lia knelt down and placed her hands atop her mother’s. “What’s wrong?”
    “I’m a silly fool, Lia,” she said as the remote slipped from her fingers. “I’m sorry. I came here to take care of you, not the other way around.”
    “You don’t have to apologize.” Lia swiped at her mother’s eyes with her shirt tail. “I love you. I know it’s hard without Papa.”
    “It’s just that I miss him so.” She ran her hand over the smooth leather of the notebook. “And the cooking, oh, honey, the only time I feel like I haven’t lost that part of my life is when I’m standing in front of a stove. If only I could do that again.”
    “Well maybe you can someday.” She tossed the comment offhandedly as she reached for her keys. And yet the idea took hold. What if?
    “What’s that look for?” her mother asked.
    “Just thinking.”  
    “More like planning. I know that look as well as I know you.” She stepped back to give Lia an appraising look. “Anything you would like to let your mother in on?”
    Lia offered her a smile. “If you know me that well, then you know I’m not going to divulge anything until I’m done with my thinking.”
    Mother’s chuckle and the hug that followed was answer enough. “You’ll be home in time for dinner,” was added just as Lia opened the door.
    “Of course I will,” she said with a grin. “You know I’d never miss one of your meals.”
    By the time she’d visited with her friend, read Samantha a nap time story, and cuddled with the baby, the thought had blossomed into a full blown idea which she handed to the Lord as she drove.  
    Lia