“Oh, my goodness, Deena! What in the world is this? Are you hosting a party tonight?”

The kids. Were back. In school.

Deena had thought the day would never come. But one Monday morning, after two weeks of vacation that lasted for two years, the miracle happened. The house was quiet and she could actually get to work.

So I’ll start with some extra virgin olive oil. We’ll add two to three garlic cloves — there we go. Let them cook for about 30 seconds until they’re fragrant and barely starting to brown. Porcinis would be great here, but since they’re hard to source, I’ll use another meaty mushroom. These are creminis.

Make sure you cook until any liquid that’s been released is evaporated and they’re well browned. Then deglaze the pan with Sauvignon Blanc or any dry white wine you like to drink. The gentle acid will offset the richness of the olive oil and pasta. Let these reduce again for about ten minutes, then we’ll add a little parsley…

A demo wasn’t a play, and Deena wasn’t writing a script. But as she followed the steps of the recipe she’d carefully developed, based on the techniques Ciro’s mother had shared, she kept up a mental dialogue with an imaginary audience.

Aaaaaand… okayyyyyy! These look just about done to me! Here. (Pop a piece into mouth.) “Yum!”

The phone rang, interrupting her “show.” Deena glanced at the screen — Zev’s sister Shaina — and double-tapped her EarPod.

“Shaina Acker,” she charged. “You want to get yourself over here and try this insane Tagliatelle with Cremini Mushrooms. And then tell me if this show is worth a dime or if I’m a complete phony and the tour people will kill me.”

“If you send me that tagli-whatever over for supper, I can tell you in advance that your show is awesome and the tour people will think you’re G-d’s gift to humanity. But actually, I’ll be in your area soon, can I stop in to drop something off?”

“Sure.”

“Another thing…”

When Shaina hesitated, Deena’s stomach clenched.