by Amy Reece
They stayed until the last dance. Josh held her in his arms, one arm around her waist, the other smoothing over her bare shoulders. He was gentle as he encountered the angry raised scar where she’d been stabbed.
“I shouldn’t have worn a strapless dress.”
“I’m glad you did. I’m going to dream about this dress.”
She laughed and gazed up into his eyes. “This night has been like a dream. Thank you.”
“It’s not a dream, Bernie. It’s real. It’s better than a dream.” And he kissed her.
Epilogue
Four Years Later
“Hey, big bro. It’s been a while.”
“Caleb.” Josh ran to his little brother and pulled him into his arms. He pulled away and looked into Caleb’s face. He hadn’t changed since the first time he’d had this dream. He still appeared just as he’d last seen him in life—eleven years old, wearing the same clothes as the night he died.
“I don’t suppose there’s any way I could talk you into not crying every time I see you, is there? It’s kind of not manly, dude.”
Josh laughed and wiped his eyes. “Sorry. I’ll try to control myself. How are you, Caleb?”
His brother smirked. “I’m great. That’s how it works up here, you know?”
“That’s what they say. So, what’s up? Should I be worried?”
“Nah, not this time. I just wanted to congratulate you. I’m going to be an uncle! How cool is that?”
Josh smiled sadly, wishing Caleb could meet his future niece or nephew and be part of their life.
“Hey, no more tears! It’s cool. Besides, I know a secret.”
“Seriously? You show up to taunt me about a secret?”
Caleb laughed. “Sucks, huh? You’ll know soon enough.”
“I wish you were here.”
“I know. But you’re going to have your hands full soon enough. You’ve got a long life ahead of you, Josh. Be happy. I am.”
“I’m not going to see you again.” It wasn’t a question. He didn’t know how he knew, but he felt it deep within his soul these dreams, or whatever they were, would end after tonight.
“Bye, Josh. I love you.”
“I love you too, Caleb.”
Josh woke with a start, heart pounding. He felt a warm arm embrace him from behind.
“Bad dream?” she asked as she snuggled close.
He turned over and pulled her close, tucking her head under his chin. “Yeah. Sorry I woke you.”
“Caleb?”
How did she know? He simply nodded, unable to speak. He kissed her hair, the scent of strawberries soothing him as always.
“Is anything wrong? He usually has bad news.”
“Not this time. He knows about the baby.”
She kissed his neck, and he could feel her smile. “Of course he does.” She rolled over and spooned against him.
He wrapped his arm around his wife, his warm palm spread across her still-flat stomach. “How’s junior tonight?”
“Fine, but it’s morning. The alarm will be beeping soon.”
“Let’s turn it off and spend the day in bed.” He pushed aside her shoulder-length, black hair to nuzzle her neck and nibble her earlobe, which he knew drove her crazy.
“Mmm. Tempting, but I have an exam.” She was nearly finished with her engineering degree and would graduate in less than a month. “Plus, I’m meeting my mom for lunch.” Much to everyone’s surprise, her mother had successfully completed rehab and had remained sober ever since. She was gainfully employed and was trying to build a relationship with her daughter. They met for lunch nearly every week.
“Spoilsport.” He was silent for a few minutes, content to feel her even breathing against his body. “I won’t be seeing him again.”
“Oh, Josh.” She reached a hand up to his cheek. “I’m sorry.”
He clutched it in his palm and kissed her fingers. “Don’t be. It’s probably better for my mental health to not dream—or whatever—about Caleb.”
She turned over again to face him, insinuating her leg between his. “I don’t for a minute think those were simply dreams.” She pulled his face down to hers and kissed him deeply. “I love you, Josh.”
“I love you back, Bernie.”
***
“Sorry we’re late, Mom. I had a hard time getting away from the restaurant.” Josh handed Claire the bottle of wine he’d brought and kissed her cheek. He was the sous chef at Trouvaille and spent long hours working alongside Maurice. He’d ended up despising college and had quickly transferred to the local community college for a two-year business degree. Then he’d spent a year in Boulder, Colorado, at the culinary institute. It had been excruciating to be away from Bernie for that long. They spent at least every other weekend together, sometimes meeting halfway in Raton, near the Colorado border, sometimes with Josh driving back to Albuquerque. They both racked up a lot of mileage that year. He’d proposed six months into his program, and they’d married as soon as he returned. They were living in the same apartment Bernie had moved into at the end of her senior year but were planning to buy a house before the baby came.
“No problem. Come on in. Mike’s out back grilling the steaks. Bernie, sweetheart, you look wonderful!”
They disappeared into the kitchen, and Josh headed to the backyard to make sure his stepdad wasn’t burning the meat. Claire and the detective had married two years earlier, much to Josh’s chagrin at the time. Mike had spent quite a bit of time with them during the months following the attack on Bernie, helping them understand the legal process involved in Natalia’s trial. The district attorney had opted to not charge her with Gabby’s murder because there simply wasn’t enough evidence without Sofia’s testimony. There had been enough evidence—thanks to a jailhouse snitch—to charge her with accessory to Sofia’s murder as well as the attempted murder of Bernie. She was tried as an adult and was convicted on all counts. Life without parole was the sentence. Bernie was finally able to sleep well again.
“Hey, Josh. What’s up? You want to take over here?” Mike offered the barbecue tongs.
Josh did want to take over but felt it was rude to usurp his stepdad’s place. “No, no. I’ll just grab a beer. You want one?”
Mike laughed and handed him the tongs anyway. “How about I grab beers for us and you do what you do best?”
Later, as they all sat around the dining table with perfectly cooked steaks in front of them, Josh noticed his mother, as well as Bernie, had opted for water rather than wine. He barely had time to begin to process this when Bernie cleared her throat and nudged him under the table.
“Oh, yeah. Well, Bernie and I have an announcement. You’re going to be grandparents. We’re pregnant. She’s due in November.”
“Oh my goodness!” Claire squealed and leapt out of her chair to hug Bernie. Both had tears in their eyes but were laughing.
“That’s kind of a coincidence,” Mike said as he took a rather large gulp of his wine. “Shall we tell them our news, sweetheart?”
Claire took the hand he held out to her. “We’re having a baby too. Surprise.”
Josh stared at his wife in disbelief. “Oh my God. I’m going to have a brother or sister the same age as my own child.”
Bernie smiled at him in that way she had; he could see the love shining in her eyes. “Well, that’s pretty convenient. Built-in playmates. I guess we know what the secret was, huh?”
He didn’t care who was watching. He had to kiss her right that second. He stood and pulled her into his arms—this girl who had helped bring him back to the land of the living. He’d thought he was helping her, giving her a home, but it was Bernie who showed him what home was all about.
The End
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Recipes
Claire’s Favorite Lemon Chardonnay Chicken
Ingredients
2 oz (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
4 chicken breast cutlets, pounded to 1/4 inch
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup Chardonnay
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 small lemon, sliced thin
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
Preparation
1. Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large, heavy skillet until foamy.
2. Stir together the flour, Panko, Parmesan, salt, and pepper in a shallow baking pan. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture.
3. Add chicken to the pan with butter. Brown on each side 3–4 minutes, until cooked thoroughly, but not overdone.
4. Remove chicken to a platter; cover with foil and keep warm.
5. Add shallots to pan, sauté until nearly translucent.
6. Lower heat to medium. Add lemon juice and Chardonnay. Cook 2–3 minutes until warm.
7. Add heavy cream and stir until slightly thickened.
8. Serve chicken with hot, steamed basmati or jasmine rice. Pour sauce over chicken and rice. Garnish with twisted lemon slices. Serve immediately.
Trouvaille Steamed Artichoke Appetizer
Ingredients
4 artichokes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. Arrange the artichokes in a steamer basket set over at least 3 cups of water and steam, covered, until the leaves can be easily removed, about 1 hour. Let cool. About halfway through cooking, check the water level and add more if necessary.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to a medium skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
3. In a food processor, add onion mixture, red chili powder, yogurt, and parsley and puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the lemon juice and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve with the artichokes.
Josh’s Green Chile Frittata
This is a rich frittata that goes well with a side of fruit. Serve it with sliced avocado and salsa for an added touch.
Ingredients
10 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon each freshly ground salt and pepper (or to taste—Josh just gives the grinders a few cranks over the bowl of eggs)
1/8–1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 to 1 cup chopped green chile (how spicy do you want it?)*
1 medium tomato, chopped (optional—if you have it)
2 green onions, sliced (optional—if you have it)
1 (16 ounce) container low-fat cottage cheese
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the green chile, cottage cheese, pepper jack cheese, and melted butter. Pour into the prepared baking dish.
3. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce heat to 325°F and continue baking for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool slightly and cut into small squares.
*Josh is lucky enough to have a ready supply of roasted Hatch green chile in his freezer. If you don’t live in New Mexico, you probably won’t. You can use a 4 oz. can of chopped green chile. Use two if you really like it.
Josh’s Chocolate Pudding
Serves six
Ingredients
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa (Josh likes Hershey’s Dark Cocoa Powder)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 1/2 cups whole milk
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine (Josh uses Ghirardelli Bittersweet)
Instructions
1. Stir together vanilla and cayenne in bowl; set aside. Whisk sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt together in large saucepan. Whisk in yolks and cream until fully incorporated, making sure to scrape corners of saucepan. Whisk in milk until incorporated.
2. Place saucepan over medium heat; cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbling over entire surface, 5 to 8 minutes. Cook 30 seconds longer, remove from heat, add butter and chocolate, and whisk until melted and fully incorporated. Whisk in vanilla mixture.
3. Pour pudding through fine-mesh strainer into bowl. Press lightly greased plastic wrap against surface of pudding and place in refrigerator to cool at least 4 hours. Whisk pudding briefly and serve. Top with whipped cream if desired.
Mushroom Asparagus Risotto with Shrimp
Makes 6–8 servings
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 quart mushroom stock, vegetable stock, or chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 medium shallot or 1/2 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
Kosher salt, to taste
Directions
1. Heat the stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan, then lower the heat so that the stock just stays hot.
2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a sauté pan and sauté the shrimp, sliced mushrooms, and asparagus until they’re soft and the shrimp are pink and fully cooked. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the chopped shallot or onion. Sauté for 2–3 minutes or until it is slightly translucent.
4. Add the rice to the pot and stir it briskly with a wooden spoon so that the grains are coated with the oil and melted butter. Sauté for another minute or so, until there is a slightly nutty aroma, but don’t let the rice turn brown.
5. Add the wine and cook while stirring, until the liquid is fully absorbed.
6. Add a ladle of hot stock to the rice and stir until the liquid is fully absorbed. When the rice appears almost dry, add another ladle of stock and repeat the process.
Note: It’s important to stir constantly, especially while the hot stock gets absorbed, to prevent scorching, and add the next ladle as soon as the rice is almost dry.
7. Continue adding ladles of hot stock and stirring the rice while the liq
uid is absorbed. As it cooks, you’ll see that the rice will take on a creamy consistency as it begins to release its natural starches.
8. Continue adding stock, a ladle at a time, for 20–30 minutes or until the grains are tender but still firm to the bite, without being crunchy. When you’re down to your last few ladles of stock, add the cooked shrimp, mushrooms, and asparagus. If you run out of stock and the risotto still isn’t done, you can finish the cooking using hot water. Just add the water as you did with the stock, a ladle at a time, stirring while it’s absorbed.
9. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the Parmesan cheese, and the parsley, and season to taste with Kosher salt.
Risotto turns glutinous if held for too long, so you should serve it right away. A properly cooked risotto should form a soft, creamy mound on a dinner plate. It shouldn’t run across the plate, nor should it be stiff or gluey.
Bernie’s Empanadas de Manzana
(Apple Empanadas)
Ingredients
Filling
6 Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
1 cup chopped piloncillo (brown sugar cane), or 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
