Cornucopia Read Online Free Page B

mountains. Blue was with us, but after some discussion we had agreed that Apollo and Aphrodite would be happier at home.
    The day was cold but clear with a sky that was eye-piercingly blue. There was talk of snow on Friday, but the weatherman was predicting that Thanksgiving day itself would be free of bad weather, which was fortunate because Lawrence and Agatha couldn’t join us until Thursday morning because of a previous commitment. And that was okay because I prefer to do my pie baking alone. I need the whole kitchen for chopping and rolling and don’t like for outsiders to see how messy I am with the flour.
    Some of the cabins we passed were little more than run-down shacks and depressing in their neglect which said that no one loved them anymore, but Mary Elizabeth’s home away from home was very well cared for. She had told me that she had even put an arrangement of cornstalks on the door. No actual corn, of course, because the deer would have torn it down and eaten it.
    “You know why Mary Elizabeth offered us her cabin?” Alex asked suddenly.
    I pulled my gaze away from the bare tree limbs that lined the narrow road and glanced at my husband.
    “No, why?”
    “She didn’t come out and say it, but I think she is afraid of getting trapped there with my mom’s cats.”
    The cats were a problem. They had never outgrown their destructive tendencies, and Mary Elizabeth had some nice antiques at the cabin. Of course, I think it was the newly refurbished sofa she was worrying about. The tapestry had run her ninety bucks a yard. Mary Elizabeth believed in buying quality with hard-earned makeup dollars. Old wood and new fabric was a favorite saying of hers.
    “Well, she just paid a lot to have the sofa reupholstered. She’s probably just being cautious.”
    “Yes, but do you think that Mom is getting … peculiar? I mean about the cats.”
    I had always thought Alex’s mom was peculiar, but I needed to be tactful about Rosemary.
    “Honey, you’re asking for a judgment call from someone who rides a bike with a sidecar so her dog can go to work with her.” I reached over my shoulder and petted Blue who had leaned forward at the mention of cats.
    Alex’s brow smoothed out.
    “That’s true. Animal lovers will do anything for their pets. And cats aren’t like dogs. They can’t be trained.”
    In point of fact, they could be trained, but I decided not to have that conversation. Rosemary wasn’t going to do anything to rein in her cats and trying to convince her that they were hooligans would just lead to tears and hurt feelings. Alex hadn’t yet learned about picking his battles with his mom, but he was smart enough to ask me before entering into potentially hostile territory.
    “So, what will we be having for dinner? Besides turkey?” he asked, changing the subject.
    “The usual sides, but also some baked peaches.”
    “And cauliflower with capers?” Alex asked hopefully.
    “Of course. And tonight we are having nacho mac and cheese.”
    “Yum.” I had stumbled onto a recipe that had become Alex’s favorite. It was a basic macaroni and cheese, but I added some sliced jalapenos and substituted pepper jack cheese for the usual Monterey Jack that I liked. Instead of topping it with panko crumbs, I crunched up corn chips into a thick topping. Beating the chips with the rolling pin was the most labor-intensive part of the meal.
    We got to the cabin and pulled the car up close to the door that still had its sheaf of cornstalks tied to the knocker. Alex would move it under the pines later, but it was best to park close for unloading.
    The trees nearest the cabin were mostly bare but the ground was carpeted with a crazy quilt of pine needles and different shades of golden and scarlet leaves. The trees seemed to be rooted at random but looking at the rings of color, I had to wonder if there hadn’t been some landscape planning in the distant past.
    Blue, Alex, and I all inhaled deeply. The air smelled clean