Page 43 of Her Hidden Smile

I giggled as Patty took a bite and her eyes lit up too, and Theresa took one of the eggs off the plate.

“Sit. Sit. Don’t bother with the eggs benedict, let’s just eat these for a while. Tell me how you made these.”

“Do you have more?” Patty asked as she reached for another. “What’s the recipe?”

I sat down next to the lady I adored and reached for one of the half-filled eggs and put it onto a plate. “Actually, it’s pretty easy. It’s the normal deviled egg recipe. The yoke, mayo, paprika, salt and pepper mixed together, then add in some cooked breakfast sausage. Not too much. I used my food processor to mix it all together, then I used my pastry bag to fill the egg white. After that I cooked and crumbled a pancake, sprinkled that on top with some maple syrup, and garnished it with a quarter of a piece of bacon.”

I glanced over at Patty. She was devouring her third egg while Theresa was nibbling on her first and smiling.

“This is really good, Millie,” Lettie said as she wiped her mouth with one of the cloth napkins I had set out. “I know you provide us with fruit for the restaurant, but you need to start providing us with recipes.”

“What she needs to do is come and cook for us. Patty isn’t getting any younger,” Little Grandma said.

“Mama, if you can work the hostess stand, I can work the griddle.”

We all laughed.

“Everyone is right, Mizz Millie, these are really good. Could you teach me how to make them? I have to bring something to Gabe’s house next Sunday for their family brunch.”

My insides melted. “Of course, I can, honey. You stop by anytime.”

Little Grandma grabbed my hand and squeezed it then gave me an approving smile. Maybe I was getting better.

Another hour passed, and I found myself on the loveseat. It was just Little Grandma and myself. The others were in the kitchen getting everything cleaned up before leaving.

“Now tell me what’s been going on with you,” Little Grandma demanded in that way of hers.

“I got this big corporation to give our alliance one of the biggest donations we ever received.”

She patted my hand. “Don’t try to pull one over on me. I raised four boys and three girls. Something else is going on with you. Now tell me.”

Her blue eyes might be a little watery, but I swear she could read me like a book. “There’s a man,” I started.

She cackled. “Tell me more. What’s his name? Do I know him? What does he look like?”

I tried to back away, but she grabbed my wrist. “You’re not going anywhere until you tell me everything.”

“It’s not like you’re thinking.”

“You don’t know what I’m thinking. So tell me.”

“His name is Renzo Drakos⁠—”

“I know him. He helped Trenda and Simon a while back. Renzo’s a good man.”

I bit my lip. “When Irv was sick, he came over to help clear debris after the storm. Then he came back a couple of times and I made him cookies and dinner.”

“And…?”

“I really, really like him. But I shouldn’t.”

She patted my hand again. “Why not, Millie?”

“You know.” I lowered my head and looked at her hand on mine. “My scars.”

“Does he like you?”

I nodded. I looked over at the kitchen. The others were still occupied. I leaned in and whispered. “He kind of kissed me.”