Delectable Benefits

Eight

Anya was shocked to see her grandfather standing in front of their apartment building. She got out of the car and practically flew into the old man's arms. "Papi!" She began to cry and sobbed his name several times.

Nick looked at the old man and saw this was the man who cared about his grand daughter. He saw Anya's eyes in the man as well as the love. Nick was surprised to find her grandfather was quite young. The old man looked he's barely reached his sixties. His skin was still smooth his hair still carried its natural auburn color. The old man also appeared to be at the top of his health.

"Why don't we all go inside first?" Nick suggested.

Anya was done crying and remembered her manners. "I'm sorry, papi, I missed you so much! Let me introduce my friends, Brandon Chadwick, he's going to get married soon, he'll also eat anything. Aunt Gabby, she's a hot shot lawyer, and my personal hero, Nick -"

"Nicholas Cole St. Antony, please call me Nick," he interrupted before Anya could say his fake name.

Aunt Gabby and Chadwick exchanged glances, it was a family rule never to give out your real name. "St. Anthony? You a member of that zoo of children with an army of maids but all of them seemed to grab onto their mother's skirt and hide behind their father?"

All three were shocked, Nick glanced at Aunt Gabby, there was smile on her face, "Yes, he is."

"Can your mother cook?"

"Not as good as Anya," Nick admitted.

Papi smiled and looked at his grand daughter. "My Anya, she is a gift from God's Kitchen. Can make anything I can do better. Your father is an idiot."

"Amen to that," Chadwick muttered.

"Come, let us head inside and there we will talk," Papi said and held his grand daughter's hand.

"You are living with a St. Anthony?" Her grandfather said. They were now standing inside the apartment and he was assessing his surroundings.

Anya nodded. "My apartment still doesn't have a door. I have my own room Chadwick is just nearby. I also have my own personal guard." Anya motioned to Mary who just came in after securing the perimeter.

"A bodyguard? Why?" Papi asked.

"Anya has gathered more than one enemy. She's received a threat," Nick said.

Her grandfather shook his head, "Tut... Tut... My Anya. Already receiving enemies before you pass the bar? You would make your grandma Boris proud."

Chadwick let out a soft a short laugh, Nick tried hard to hold his smile. Anya looked at them with a narrowed gaze. "I loved my babushka very much," Anya said.

"Come now, I'll make you your favorite pie," The older Santini said and finally headed to the kitchen.

"Will it have dancing bears in it?" Anya asked like she always did.

"No, Anya, it's just for one hungry bear," her grandfather said with a smile and pinched her nose.

Nick's mouth was watering by the time the pie was done cooling. They were all in the dining room waiting for the pie. Anya's grandfather had kicked them all out of the kitchen since they were all going to hamper the old man's movements. "If Anya can make a better version of this, God, I can die right after I taste it." Chadwick said with a groan. He was seated too close to the pie and was sniffing it little too close.

Nick gave him a look of disgust and watched Anya placed the pie on the table and next to it was as tub of vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup. She sliced the pie and into triangles and put them onto dinner plates. Then scooped ice cream and placed it on the pie. She asked Aunt Gabby to dribble generous amounts of the syrup on each ice cream and to give Chadwick the last piece.