Chapter Text
—Drew!
—Hola, Silvia.
—Hola, mi querida. Come in, come in, please.
—Thank you. How are you doing today?
—I’m a bit tired from work, la verdad. But I’m feeling better now my two favorite girls are coming over for dinner.
—Aw, you’re such a sweetheart. No doubt Nyssa is the sweetest person on Earth; she totally inherited that from you. But, if you’re feeling tired… then hopefully this will help you relax.
Drew left the pile of boxes she had been carrying on the coffee table of the apartment’s living room. Then, she sat on the sofa and began taking down each box as she named its brand.
—Guerlain, Kérastase, Elizabeth Arden, Viktor & Rolf and Elemis. These are the ones I told you on the phone; I think the La Mer one is arriving tomorrow… Oh, and there’s also GHD’s new Helios, which should also be arriving this week.
—…Oh, dear.
Silvia sat next to Drew and began going through the boxes.
—And you don’t want any of this? Are you sure?
—My siblings and I receive hundreds of PR boxes every week. And that's only because our assistants turn down, like, ninety percent of them. I already have enough products to use for the rest of the year.
—And brands just send you all this? For free?
—We usually have to post about it in our social media or do something else for publicity, but, yeah, it’s free stuff.
—What a life —Silvia chuckled, as she continued opening the boxes and examining the content—. Look at all these pretty things. What is this perfume?
—Oh, Flowerbomb! That’s Katie’s favorite. Here, try it.
Drew took the perfume from the box and sprayed a bit on Silvia’s forearm.
—It’s so delicious —Said the woman, bringing her arm closer to her nose to smell it better—. And there are also cookies in the box!
—The cookies are delicious too… Look, this is Elizabeth’s Eight Hour Cream. You’re gonna love it; my mom swears by it. That one and Charlotte’s Magic Cream are her absolute favorites. Remind me to get you one of those too. You should use it with the Abeille Royale Serum; that thing works wonders.
—Thank you, Drew —Silvia carefully put everything back on the table and took Drew’s hand—. You didn't have to bring me all this. You are too kind.
—Nonsense —Dismissed Drew, squeezing Silvia’s hand with affection—. I told you; it’s all free stuff. And, even if it wasn’t, you deserved to be pampered like a queen. We all do.
—I… I think I’m not used to that way of thinking —Silvia looked down in embarrassment, the same blush that Drew had grown to love in Nyssa now coloring the woman’s cheeks.
—You should. A girl has to indulge; that’s what my mom always says. You work too hard, just like your daughter… Oh, I have an idea! Why don’t the three of us go to Tomoko this Saturday?
—Tomoko? What is that?
—Just the best spa in Beverly Hills. No, in the world! It’s my ultimate favorite place to relax. Nyssa loves it too! And Tomoko’s such a sweetheart; we’ve been friends for years now.
—It sounds really lovely.
—Then it’s settled; you’re coming with us this weekend.
—I really can’t thank you enough for everything you do for me.
—Well, I’ll always owe you for raising such a wonderful woman… But, if you insist, perhaps you can thank me with those cooking lessons you offered?
—Oh, yes! —Silvia’s eyes sparkled as she stood up, still holding Drew’s hand—. Come. Let’s make some empanadas.
Silvia took Drew to the kitchen, where she apparently had already set everything up for the cooking. She took a white apron that was hanging from a hook on a wall and offered it to Drew.
—Here, hermosa. Put on this delantal so your nice clothes don't get dirty.
—Gracias. Gracias for the... delantal.
Drew didn’t miss the small, proud smile Silvia showed while she tied up her hair.
—You're doing so well with your Spanish —She praised, as she moved to wash her hands in the sink—. Nyssa will be delighted.
—Thanks —Said Drew, doing the same thing after the woman finished there—. My sister is teaching me.
—Which one?
—Valentina. Her father, Fernando, is from Mexico.
—What a beautiful country.
—It is. My siblings and I have gone there with her a few times, when she goes visiting her dad’s side of the family. They are all so nice, and the food is amazing.
—You like Mexican food?
—Yes, but only if it isn't too spicy.
—Good to know. The filling we’re making today isn’t spicy, but some people like to make it with a lot of pepper. Can you put this pan on the stove, please?
—Yes, of course.
—Thank you. Now set it on medium.
—Got it.
As Drew did that, Silvia began chopping some onions.
—These are empanadas saladas —Explained Silvia—. The savory ones. Nyssa prefers the sweet ones, but I can't really make them as good as my mom does.
—Oh, Nyss mentioned those once. She said her grandma adds cinnamon and orange peel, right?
—Right —Confirmed Silvia, as she glanced at Drew—. You have good memory.
—I don’t, but I like to remember the little things she tells me about her life. Though that was only the second time we saw each other. We were cooking at my house, actually.
—Really?
—Well, kind of. I was making gyōza, these sort of Japanese dumplings, and Nyssa was working in my kitchen. Then we started talking and I invited her to stay for dinner.
—I didn’t know that —Silvia interrupted the chopping to put a spoonful of fat in the pan—. Careful, dear.
—She is just so easy to like, you know? —Continued Drew, as she took a precautionary step back—. So… loveable. I could see that from the first time we talked.
—Mm-hmm. I’m so glad you think that. She usually comes off as serious or shy when she meets new people, but I think there was an exception with you. It’s no wonder; vos hacés hablar hasta a las piedras.
It took Drew a moment to translate that sentence.
—I can… make the rocks talk?
—It means you’re very talkative —Explained Silvia, as she showed Drew a warm smile—. I like it. You remind me of my own family in that matter.
—Oh. In that case, thank you.
—You’re very welcome —Silvia put the chopped onions in the hot pan and gave Drew a wooden spoon—. Stir this, please.
—Okay.
—When was this, approximately?
—What?
—The time you two cooked together, or the time you met.
—Um, early June.
—Ah. That makes sense.
—What makes sense?
—I remember noticing a change in my daughter around that time. She seemed… happier. More radiant. Of course, once she told me she had started seeing someone, it all made sense, but back then I didn’t know about you yet. That girl is so reserved, always keeping her private matters to herself. She takes after her father in that.
Silvia stood silent after that, as she went to the fridge and took out a bowl with ground beef.
—My mom told me the same thing about myself —Said Drew, after a moment—. Not that I’m reserved —She quickly clarified—. But, back then, she said I seemed more radiant too.
Silvia nodded in understanding.
—Una madre siempre sabe —She stated, leaving the bowl on the counter—. Let’s start with the condiments, dear. Pay attention; they’re very important.
Drew got closer to Silvia, attentively observing the small jars she was reaching to.
—This onion already smells so delicious —She commented.
—And it will smell more delicious in just a few seconds —Answered Silvia, as she opened one jar—. First of all, we add a pinch of ground chili. It’s usually a tablespoon, but let’s make it a bit less spicy for you —After doing that, she took the second jar—. Then we add the paprika. This is the one they sell in Argentina, pimentón dulce. It’s not spicy but sweet; this one in particular is also smoked.
—Can I try it, please?
—Absolutely —Silvia passed her the jar.
Drew smelled it first and confirmed that, indeed, it had a slightly smoked smell.
Then, she took a pinch with her finger and tried it in her mouth.
—It’s good —She said, after tasting it for a moment—. It’s very… aromatic. And I like the color.
—Oh, yes. When it’s used in sauces and stews, it gives them a very beautiful red color. Can you add half of a tablespoon to the onions?
—Yeah —Drew did as she was told and then gave Silvia the jar back—. What else?
—Now it’s the turn of the cumin. Only a teaspoon —Silvia added the last spice—. And salt, whatever needed.
—You’re gonna have to write that down for me.
—I will, don’t worry —Silvia put the condiments back in their place and took the bowl—. Now I’ll add the meat and you stir it a bit more, okay?
—Okay.
—Cuidado, querida, no te vayas a quemar.
As they continued cooking together, Drew was suddenly brought back to a scene of her childhood.
The warmth of the stove, the mixing of tasty smells in the air, the steam coming out of the pan, the calming presence at her side: everything reminded her of the times spent in her grandmother’s kitchen, watching her cook, helping her and trying every bite she was offered.
She must have gotten a bit too caught up in her own memories, because the next thing she knew was that Silvia was looking at her with a tender expression.
—Dear? Are you okay?
—Oh, yes —Drew realized the food was starting to smoke and quickly stirred it—. Sorry. I was just thinking about my grandma. I hadn’t really cooked with anyone like this since she passed away.
—Would you like to tell me about her? —Silvia’s voice was so soft that Drew was reminded, one more time, of where Nyssa had gotten her softness from.
—Yes —She answered.
And she did.
She talked about Yumi and the restaurant she and her husband had opened when they had come to the United States. She talked about how she used to tie up her long hair with kanzashi, causing Drew to stare at her in pure wonder. She talked about all the things she taught her, from how to use her hashi to how to find the perfect red tint for her lips.
She talked —and then she listened to Silvia talk about her own family— until they finished making the empanadas and put them in the oven.
That was when the doorbell of Silvia’s apartment rang.
—Oh, that must be her —Said the woman, cleaning her hands with a kitchen cloth—. I’ll be right back.
—Okay; I’ll watch over the empanadas.
Silvia smiled.
—You do that, honey.
She went out the kitchen and, a moment later, Drew heard voices coming from the living room.
—Hola, mami.
—Hola, mi amor. ¿Qué tal el trabajo?
—Bien, pero estoy muerta. Y me estoy muriendo de hambre.
—La comida va a estar en un ratito. Pero tengo una sorpresa para vos en la cocina.
—¿Qué cosa?
—Andá y fijate.
When Nyssa appeared in the kitchen, Drew could see the perplexity written all over her face.
—Drew?
—Hi, sweet cheeks —Drew walked over to her and put her arms around Nyssa's neck—. How was your day?
—It was good, thanks —Nyssa leaned down to give her a kiss, almost instinctually—. I... what are you doing here?
—Your adorable mother is teaching me how to cook empanadas, just the way you like it.
—Tu novia es un encanto —Said Silvia, as she appeared back in the kitchen.
—Of course —Nyssa focused back on Drew, her eyes now gleaming with love—. Of course you're doing that.
—What can I say? I need to learn how to properly spoil my girlfriend.
Nyssa rolled her eyes, but her previous smile persisted on her lips.
—I love you so much.
—I love you too, baby —Drew gave her one last kiss before separating from her—. But go wash your hands now. We're gonna need you to give us your verdict on this important matter.