Crumbled to Pieces

by Catherine Bruns

"I like that too."

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Saturday morning dawned sunny and warm, a gorgeous summer day with a cloudless blue sky and the hint of a gentle breeze. Mike and I were all packed and ready to go for our weekend trip. Tomorrow was our anniversary, and we planned to spend two nights in Niagara Falls. The trip was less than an hour each way, and although the waterfalls were beautiful any time of the year, I preferred to visit in the summer—basking in the sun and sand. Gianna had offered to help at the bakery today, and Josie was confident she could handle everything until I returned home Monday afternoon.

  My parents had asked us to stop over on our way out of town. Gianna told me that she and Johnny would be there as well. I suspected Gianna was going to tell them about the baby and an impromptu celebration would follow.

  "Are you going to be okay with this, sweetheart?" Mike asked anxiously.

  "Of course." I gave Spike a hug and shut and locked the door. Johnny had promised to stop by later this morning to pick the dog up and bring him back to his and Gianna's house. They were dog sitting for the weekend and even thinking about getting a puppy themselves. Neither one had ever owned a pet before and thought it would be nice with the baby coming. I didn't mention the fact that Spike was 13 years old, and there was a big difference between a dog his age and a puppy. They'd figure things out for themselves.

  I settled in the truck next to Mike and pulled my seat belt around me. "I'm much better now. Wow. Just think. In less than a year, we're going to be an aunt and uncle."

  Mike started the engine. "I wonder what it's going to be."

  "Well, probably a boy or girl," I teased.

  He brought my hand to his lips. "Wise guy. It's kind of a miracle that I don't have an ulcer yet. I hope you're done with these brushes with death for a while—or maybe even forever."

  "Me too," I admitted, though sometimes I wondered if it would continue to be my destiny to run into these life-threatening situations. Sure, I didn't go looking for trouble, but it seemed to find me anyway. Thankfully, Grandma Rosa was fine. She'd returned home on Wednesday and was back to her normal self again.

  She was waiting for us when we pulled into my parents' driveway. I'd always thought of my grandmother as invincible, but the other day had sadly taught me that no one was. To see her looking so frail had been frightening and forced me to face some unpleasant realities. As she'd often told Gianna and me in the past, we could only control our own destiny to a certain extent. One had to live life to the fullest and make every day count because we never knew when it might be our last.

  I stared down at the fortune cookies in my lap that Mrs. Gavelli had requested—okay, demanded—that I bring. So much had happened since I'd read the message about family blessings, and here I was, about to experience one today.

  With a smile, I leaped out of the truck and rushed toward my grandmother. Hope and faith. I would continue to live with them every day and not ignore the other blessings in life. And perhaps wish upon a star now and then.

  She stretched out her arms to me, and I flew into them while Mike kissed her on the cheek. "Are you feeling okay?" I asked.

  Grandma Rosa gave me a surprised look. "Of course. I told you that I am fine. Come inside. Everyone is already in the dining room. You shall have breakfast before you leave on your trip."

  We followed her to the cherrywood dining room table where my mother, father, Gianna, and Johnny were gathered. My father had his laptop next to his plate. These days, he never seemed to travel without it. He and my mother were already looking into ways to market his novel and planning to visit a few independent bookstores in the area.

  My mother got up from her seat and hurried over to hug me. "Oh darling, isn't it wonderful? You're going to be an aunt, and I'm going to be a grandmother."

  Mike placed a protective hand on my shoulder, but it wasn't necessary. I hugged Mom back and looked over her shoulder at Gianna, who was watching me anxiously. I smiled in reassurance at her. "It is wonderful, Mom. I can't wait."

  "Sit down before everything gets cold," Dad said as he shoveled a hefty amount of bacon and pancakes into his mouth.

  I stared at the food, and my stomach rumbled in response. My grandmother's famous breakfast quiche was among the dishes, which also included homemade biscuits, hash brown potatoes, pancakes, bacon, and sausage.

  "Where are you guys going in Niagara Falls? The American or Canadian side?" Gianna asked as she helped herself to a biscuit.

  I pointed at Mike. "Ask him. He made all the arrangements. It's apparently some kind of big secret."

  Mike polished off a glass of orange juice and reached for the carafe of coffee. "That's right. There's always a method to my madness."

  "Well, enjoy. You're supposed to have perfect weather." Gianna reached out a hand to Johnny, and he sandwiched it between both of his.

  My father proudly puffed out his chest in the somewhat snug, white Sally's Samples T-shirt that I'd had made for the shop. I'd wanted to give him a larger size, but he'd refused. "I'm going to be the most famous grandparent in the state of New York, and your mother's going to be the best-looking one."

  I reached for the chocolate cheesecake my grandmother had placed in front of me and cut a large slice.

  She smiled at me. "I knew you would have some."

  "Hey, we're on vacation this weekend," I said in my defense. "But you never make chocolate cheesecake. What gives?"

  She folded her hands primly on top of the table. "I did not make this one."

  I looked over at my mother with surprise, but she only giggled and clapped her hands. "Oh, Sal. You know I don't cook. Maybe I should learn since I have a grandbaby on the way."

  "And I—I be the smartest great-grandmother around," a sharp voice announced from the kitchen.

  I jumped, not realizing Nicoletta was there.

  She came out of the kitchen with a cup of coffee in her hands. "I make cheesecake," she said to me. "It better than your grandmother's. And I will be the best great-grandma around."

  "Ahem," my grandmother snorted. "I may have something to say about that."

  At least Nicoletta seemed to be taking the baby news in stride, which made me happy for my sister.

  "I bet it will be a boy," I said.

  "Nah. A girl for sure," Johnny replied.

  "Are you going to find out?" my mother asked Gianna.

  Gianna nodded. "Probably. I don't like surprises." She winked at me, and I laughed out loud.

  "I'm always full of surprises," my father added.

  Boy, was that the truth. I placed two pancakes on my plate. "This is wonderful, but I thought you invited us over so we could be here when you told Mom and Dad, Gi? I didn't realize they already knew."

  Gianna prodded Johnny in the shoulder. "This was all his idea. What are you up to?"

  Johnny looked around the room at all of us and flashed a gleaming white smile, but he seemed a bit uneasy. "Like Mike, I have a method to my madness too." He got out of his chair and dropped to one knee in front of Gianna. She looked startled as he opened a small box and presented her with a magnificent diamond solitaire, its stone winking in the bright lights from my parents' chandelier.

  "Oh, my God!" My mother covered her mouth with a hand.

  "Oh God," Gianna whispered breathlessly.

  My father reached for a slice of cheesecake and then typed something in on his laptop. "This will make a great story for the blog today. Well, if she says yes, that is."

  "Hush, fool," Grandma Rosa snarled at him.

  Johnny reached for Gianna's hand. "Gianna Muccio, I love you more than anything in this world. I always have. Please say you'll make me the happiest man on the face of this earth and be my wife."

  We all held our breath for a moment.

  Tears ran down Gianna's cheeks as she threw her arms around his neck. "Yes. Yes, of course I'll marry you."

  My mother started to cry, and my father let out a whoop as he shoved a forkful of cheesecake into his mouth. "Here
's to an Italian son-in-law!" Then he glanced sheepishly over at Mike. "No offense, son. You're pretty okay, even if you're not Italian."

  Mike suppressed a smile as he leaned over to kiss me. I stood up, and he drew me onto his lap, wrapping his arms around me. "There was a time when you would have said something different to me, Domenic. I seem to remember you chasing me down the driveway with a baseball bat on prom night."

  My father's mouth twitched into a small smile. "That's true," he agreed. "But, hey, what can I say—I've grown up since then."

  * * *

  Two hours later, Mike and I checked into our room at the Grand Falls Hotel. I wasn't sure what I had expected to find but was a bit surprised to discover that it was a standard room, although there was a bouquet of roses and a bottle of champagne inside to greet us. Mike and I had been here once before, and that fact was not lost on me.

  "Is this the same room?" I asked, placing my bag on the king-size bed.

  He grinned at me mischievously. "The very same one. Hard to believe that was thirteen years ago."

  Like both of us, the room had changed over the years and the décor had been updated to a more modern one. The one thing that was still the same was the glorious view of the falls. I stepped out onto the small balcony and stared out at the mesmerizing sight before me, watching the foam skim off the top of the water.

  It had been a forbidden weekend when we'd run away from our families thirteen years ago, an attempt to express our young love for each other. The only person who'd known about it back then was Josie, who'd also acted as my alibi. At least I thought she'd been the only one. Afterward I'd discovered that my grandmother, who'd fortunately kept the information to herself, had known too. "This is perfect."

  Mike slid the glass door closed behind him. "If your father was aware I'd brought you here while we were both still in high school, he probably wouldn't have said those nice things to me earlier this morning."

  "Probably not," I laughed. We stood there for a long time, watching the waves and the breathtaking view. The setting was peaceful and serene, and it was as if we were the only two people on the face of the earth.

  Mike put his arms around my waist and planted a kiss on my neck. "They weren't sure if this room would be available, but I told the manager I had to have it."

  "Did you now?" I placed my hands over his as we watched the mist rising above the water. I thought I could stand here forever. "So pretty. Truly a wonder of the world."

  He turned me toward him and kissed me. "Well, you're definitely the number-one wonder in my world, princess. And now that Trevor's accepted my job offer, I'll have time to start on the bakery's renovation this fall. Sound good?"

  "It sounds wonderful. Did those recommendations ever come through for him?"

  "Yeah, I got a great one from a guy he did construction work for last year. It doesn't even matter, though. Trevor can fix anything, his rate is reasonable, and I really need the help." He wove his hands gently through my hair. "He understands that I can't promise anything long-term, but since he's new in town and limited for opportunities, he was thrilled. I told Trevor we'd have him over to the house for dinner soon. This just feels right, Sal."

  "I'm so glad." We stood there for several minutes, my head pressed into his rock-hard chest as I exhaled a long, steady breath. "I really needed this time away—just you and me. Some days I think I'm too obsessed with—" Then I stopped, afraid to ruin the moment.

  "I know." Mike's voice was gentle as he rested his face in my hair. "I know how much you want it, sweetheart. But you can't lose faith. We'll always have each other, no matter what happens."

  I stared up into his handsome face. "I honestly don't know what I'd do without you."

  He laughed. "Well, I certainly don't know what I'd do without you either." He gestured for me to sit down in one of the white, plastic chairs. "I have a present for you."

  "But our anniversary isn't until tomorrow," I protested.

  Mike's midnight blue eyes gleamed at me, the sun in the background reflecting off of them. He gave me an impish grin that reminded me of a little boy's. "I can't wait any longer. I almost wanted to smack Gavelli this morning. It felt like he was trying to steal my thunder." He dropped to one knee in front of me and presented me with a small package wrapped in silver paper. "For my princess."

  I cocked my head to the side and studied him for a moment. "Um, I'm not sure where you've been the past year, Mr. Donovan, but I'm already married. To a pretty hot guy, in fact."

  He grinned. "Just open it."

  Unable to contain my excitement, I tore off the paper and found a white jewelry box. I lifted the lid, and my breath caught in my throat. There was a beautiful ring inside, surrounded by a satin lining. The ring was a slender gold band with a row of tiny diamonds around it.

  Stunned, I sat staring as Mike removed the ring from the box and placed it on the same finger as my wedding and engagement rings. He held fast to my hand, examining and turning it so the light from the sun caught it. "An eternity ring. Do you like it?"

  My voice trembled with emotion. "I love it. It's beautiful, sweetheart, but you shouldn't have spent so much money on me." I'd ended up buying him a watch with a small diamond on the face of it, but that probably hadn't cost anywhere near what this exquisite ring had.

  He held fast to my hand. "I've been planning this for a while and putting my pennies aside, little by little, so to speak."

  I ran my other hand through his hair and leaned forward to kiss him. "This cost more than a few pennies."

  "I don't care," Mike said. "You're worth it and so much more." He pointed at the row of tiny diamonds. "See the continuance around the ring? That symbolizes our love—going on forever. It's you and me together for always, my princess. We will have our family, Sal. It's going to happen someday. I want children as much as you do. They don't have to be ours biologically—they'll be a product of our love no matter what. It's your dream to be a mother, and I promise to do whatever's necessary to make that dream come true."

  So much for watching the waterfalls since my own had started. "I have my dream already." My voice was hoarse. "I have you. Anything else is a plus."

  Mike lifted me to my feet and kissed me passionately. We stood there in silence, for words weren't necessary. He was my biggest blessing, and as long as I had him, everything would work itself out.

  "We'll get through this, princess," he said, his reassuring voice next to my ear. "Nothing has ever come easily or quickly for us. Hell, we were apart for ten years but managed to find our way back to each other. You trust me, right?"

  "Always."

  Mike cupped my face between his hands. "As long as I have you, the world could crumble around us, and it wouldn't make any difference to me."

  "Another cookie pun?" I teased.

  He kissed me lightly on the mouth. "No, your grandmother's the expert on those."

  "On getting them mixed up, you mean."

  "Well, she's certainly original," Mike admitted. "Then again, your entire family is. She doesn't come close to your nutsy cookie parents, though."

  "You mean cuckoo," I laughed.

  He smiled down into my eyes. "I like that too."

  RECIPES

  DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHILI COOKIES

  Ingredients:

  1 cup all-purpose flour

  2 tablespoons cornstarch

  1 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

  1 ½ teaspoons flaky sea salt or kosher salt

  ¾ teaspoon baking soda

  ¾ teaspoon baking powder

  ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne powder, depending on how spicy you want the cookies

  1 cup packed brown sugar

  ¾ cup granulated sugar

  ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

  2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  2 eggs, room temperature

  1 ½ cups chocolate chip (your choice of dark, semi-sweet, milk, or white)

  Granulated sugar for rolling

  Pre
p time: Several hours to overnight in order to chill properly.

  Whisk flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cayenne together in a small bowl. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until pale and fluffy. Beat in sugars until smooth and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add in vanilla then beat in one egg at a time until incorporated. Add in half the flour mixture on low and mix to incorporate before adding the other half. Once flour is incorporated, stir in the chocolate chips.

  Cover and refrigerate dough for several hours or overnight. Using 1-½ teaspoon scoop, roll dough into a ball. Roll each ball in granulated sugar before placing on a parchment-lined baking sheet about two inches apart.

  Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes. The tops of the cookies will have a crackled appearance. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

  Makes about 40 to 50 cookies, depending on size.

  CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

  Ingredients:

  Crust

  1 ½ cups crushed vanilla wafers (or about 35 cookies)

  ¾ teaspoon cinnamon

  3 teaspoons butter or margarine, melted

  Filling

  1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

  ½ cup whipping cream

  3 packages cream cheese, (24 ounces total), softened

  ½ cup sugar

  ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  1 teaspoon vanilla

  3 eggs

  Topping

  2 cups sweetened whipped cream

  Chocolate shavings, if desired for garnish

  Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Wrap the outside bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with heavy-duty foil to prevent the cheesecake leaking out. Spray the inside bottom and sides of pan with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix crust ingredients together, and press into bottom of pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set and remove from heat. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Cool crust 10 minutes. In 2-quart saucepan, melt chocolate chips and whipping cream over medium-low heat; stir until smooth. Remove from heat. In large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and the vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Stir in chocolate mixture. Pour filling over crust. Bake for one hour or until edge of cheesecake is set at least 2 inches from edge of pan, but center of cheesecake still jiggles slightly. Turn oven off and open the oven door a few inches. Let cheesecake remain in the oven for 30 minutes. Run small metal spatula around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.