Leora clapped her hands, a mischievous gleam in her purple eyes. "Dinner tonight! And I'll be making it myself. It's a special occasion, after all."
Ciara groaned, pretending to look unimpressed, but I could see the glint of anticipation in her gaze. She nudged me playfully. "Prepare yourself for a night of Leora's endless culinary commentary."
Leora caught that and shot her a glare. "You're lucky I don't make you chop the onions, young lady."
Zephara just chuckled and gave Ciara a mock-serious look. "Mini-me, don't poke the chef bear. You'll want her happy if you plan on eating tonight."
As the afternoon passed, Leora began bustling around the kitchen, preparing ingredients with the fervor of a woman who knew exactly how to turn a simple dinner into a work of art. She set out all kinds of spices, vegetables, and fresh herbs in precise arrangements, as if orchestrating a symphony.
She waved me and Ciara out of the kitchen each time we tried to peek in to see what she was preparing.
"No spoilers!" she said, wagging a wooden spoon.
Ciara leaned against the wall, grinning. "She's a control freak in the kitchen. Even I can't help with dinner."
"Not a control freak," Leora corrected, stirring a bubbling sauce with vigor. "A perfectionist."
By the time dinner was ready, Leora had outdone herself. The table was laid with a feast of dishes that looked like they'd been prepared by a royal chef.
A savory, roasted duck sat in the center, surrounded by roasted vegetables, and a delicate mushroom risotto, fragrant with truffle oil, graced the side. Freshly baked bread and an assortment of cheeses rounded out the meal.
Ciara's eyes widened slightly as she took her seat, her usual nonchalance replaced with undeniable interest. I couldn't help but smile as I watched her.
As we began eating, Leora leaned over, watching us taste the first bites. "Well?" she asked expectantly, her gaze darting between Ciara and me.
"It's...it's amazing!" I exclaimed, savoring the blend of flavors that burst in my mouth.
Ciara, still trying to play it cool, cleared her throat, but I noticed her plate was already halfway empty. "It's all right," she muttered, but there was no mistaking the delight in her eyes as she reached for another serving of risotto.
Zephara let out a laugh and patted Ciara's shoulder. "Admit it, Mini-me, you're just as big a fan of her cooking as the rest of us."
Leora beamed, clearly pleased. "You know, Aeliana," she said, directing her attention to me, "when Ciara was younger, she used to sneak into the kitchen at night to steal leftovers. Once, she got caught with her face in a pot of stew."
Ciara groaned, rolling her eyes. "It was one time! And you left it on the stove! I was hungry."
I stifled a giggle, picturing a younger Ciara caught red-handed in the kitchen. "I can't say I blame you. This food is worth stealing."
The meal continued in much the same way, Leora dishing out embarrassing anecdotes about Ciara's younger days and Ciara groaning and trying (unsuccessfully) to change the subject.
At one point, Ciara nearly choked on her wine when Leora mentioned the time she caught her attempting to 'improve' her cooking skills by adding an entire handful of cayenne pepper to a delicate cream sauce.
Zephara laughed harder than I'd ever seen, and Leora, seemingly relishing in her tales, finally turned her attention to me. "And what about you, Aeliana? Any strange habits we should know about?"
I felt my cheeks redden and stammered, "I'm nowhere near as entertaining as Ciara in the kitchen, I promise."
Zephara smirked, throwing a playful arm around Ciara's shoulders. "Well, she's found herself the perfect balance then. A refined cook," she said, nodding towards Leora, "and a culinary destroyer," she finished, motioning to Ciara.
Ciara shot her mother a playful glare but softened when I laughed along with them.
As the laughter subsided and dessert was brought out—an exquisite, velvety chocolate tart with a hint of orange and caramel drizzle—Zephara leaned back in her chair, watching us with an almost suspiciously satisfied look.
After we'd all taken bites, she turned to Ciara and me with a wicked glint in her red eyes. "So, when can we expect the next big news?"
I blinked, momentarily lost. "Next big news?"
Zephara smirked, glancing meaningfully between Ciara and me. "Oh, you know, grandkids. We're hoping for a few running around here soon, making just as much mischief as their mother."
The words hit me like a wave, and I felt my face heat up instantly. Across the table, Ciara choked on her sip of wine, eyes wide in shock. "Grandma!"
Leora raised her glass, clearly enjoying the effect this conversation had taken. "It's not that unreasonable, dear. You're getting married, after all. Might as well start planning."
I shot a glance at Ciara, who looked caught between shock and horror. Her cheeks had turned a faint shade of red as she spluttered, "We're still working on the wedding part, thank you!"
Leora gave a small, graceful shrug, her expression innocent yet undeniably smug. "Just thought I'd bring it up. Plant the seed, so to speak."
I couldn't help but laugh, imagining the small chaos a child with Ciara's fiery personality could bring. I leaned over to Ciara, giving her hand a comforting squeeze. "I think your mom has future plans mapped out."
Ciara groaned, mumbling, "I'll never live this down."
But despite her protests, I could see a faint, softened smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. And in that moment, surrounded by laughter, love, and delicious food, I felt a deep sense of belonging. This family, with all its quirks, was now mine too.
As we continued our meal, the teasing didn't let up. Zephara leaned over to give Ciara a serious look and said,
"You know, if your kids are anything like you, we'll have to start preparing now. Reinforced furniture, unbreakable glassware, a fireproof kitchen..."
Leora smirked and added, "And a patience potion."
Ciara threw up her hands. "All right, I get it! I'll make sure not to drop kids on your doorstep anytime soon."
Zephara just grinned, eyes twinkling. "Oh, you will. And we'll be right here, ready to spoil them rotten."
As the conversation died down, and we all settled into the contented silence of a delicious meal and hearty laughter, Leora clinked her glass with mine and Ciara's. "To family," she said, her voice soft and sincere.
"To family," we echoed, and in that moment, I felt like the luckiest person in the world.
As we sat in the cozy aftermath of the meal, the sound of clinking dishes and laughter still lingering in the air, Zephara leaned forward with that mischievous glint in her eye that I was quickly learning to associate with imminent embarrassment for Ciara.
"You know, there's one story you haven't heard yet, Aeliana," she said, her eyes darting towards Ciara. "About Ciara's first attempt at 'battle training.'"
Ciara groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Leora, please. Not that one."
"Oh, yes, that one," Leora chimed in, practically glowing with excitement.
I leaned in, eager to hear more. "Oh, please, don't stop on my account. This sounds like something I *need* to know."
Zephara, ignoring Ciara's glare, continued. "So, Mini-me here had this grand idea that if she put rocks in her boots, she'd train her legs to be 'extra strong' and her 'battle stance unbreakable.'"
I bit back a laugh as Ciara's expression became a mix of horror and resignation.
"But that's not even the best part," Leora added, grinning. "The first time she tried it, she forgot about the rocks. She got halfway through a battle exercise, tripped, and went straight into the lake."
Everyone burst into laughter as Ciara shook her head, a small smile creeping onto her face despite her embarrassment. She threw her hands up. "Yes, yes, mock my training methods! But hey, it worked! My legs are very strong."
Zephara patted her on the shoulder, barely containing her own laughter. "Oh, absolutely, honey. All those extra 'lake dives' really paid off."
I reached over and squeezed Ciara's hand, trying to soothe her wounded pride. "Well, you turned out just fine. A little soggy, maybe, but fine."
With one final huff, Ciara crossed her arms, giving us all her best attempt at a scowl. "You're all the worst."
But the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth said otherwise.
Zephara leaned in with a smirk, her voice full of playful warmth. "Oh, come on, Mini-me. Don't act like you don't love the attention."
Ciara rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. "Fine, fine. But only because I know it's out of love... I think."
Leora chuckled, giving Aeliana a conspiratorial wink. "You'll get used to it, Aeliana. Teasing is our love language around here."
I squeezed Ciara's hand under the table, catching her gaze. "Then I'm in for a lifetime of love, aren't I?"
Ciara grinned back, her earlier embarrassment fading. "You have no idea."