From That Moment

Chapter 2

"Hey Lia," her aunt Gianna looked up from the table where she was making ravioli. After the intense run with Anu, it was good to be back in Gianna's cute little bistro. Zia Gianna's was an Italian cafe in the North End of Boston, known for homemade pasta of every type and exquisite tiramisu. 

"Hi Gianna." Lia gave her petite aunt a hug, smelling basil and rosemary. Gianna looked up, her green eyes smiling as usual. "How was school?"

Lia placed her backpack on a small table in the back of the kitchen, and washed her hands in the large sink.

"It was mostly good."

"Only mostly?" Gianna laughed. "My brilliant niece going to MIT, I think you should be ecstatic every day! How many people would love to have your brains?"

"You're too kind." Lia blushed. Gianna always saw the positive in everything, she was the most optimistic person she knew.

"How can I help?"

"You could set the tables," said a deep male voice. Paulo walked over to Lia, drying his hands on a towel. His dark hair framed his masculine square jaws and piercing green eyes. An earring decorated one of his ears. Girls swooned over him, but to Lia he was like a cousin. She teased him sometimes about his absurdly perfect features - he had the fullest lips and longest eyelashes she had seen on a man. 

"Hey Paulo." Lia reached for the checked tablecloths, stereotypical for an Italian joint. 

"It smells amazing in here." Lia inhaled. 

"Oh that's your aunt's butternut squash ravioli," said Paulo. "She has the secret touch with those. Even I can't make them as good."

"Don't be silly." Gianna turned to look at her assistant. "You're brilliant in the kitchen. I'm so glad I was able to get you before you ended up in trouble somewhere."

Paulo shrugged. He came from a rough family, and he had been living mostly on the streets when Gianna had met him. She decided to give him a chance, and it turned out that he was a fantastic cook. He wasn't easy to work with, he had lots of chips on his shoulder, but Gianna had a calming effect on him. Lia admired her Aunt for seeing the gifts in even the most unlikely people.

Lia walked into the front of the restaurant. The cozy spot had become her home since she had moved in after her college graduation. She had spent the summer working with Gianna, getting ready for grad school. 

"Here, let me help you." Gianna followed her. They laid the tablecloths on each table, ten in total. "Lia, what's up? Something's on your mind."

"I'm okay, but I just ran into someone that I never expected to see again. I have to work with this person, actually." Lia sat down, wiping her hot forehead. "I was really excited about starting today."

"I know you were, that's why I'm asking." 

Gianna sat down beside her. She poured Lia a glass of water from the pitcher that was sitting on the table. Lia sipped the cool water slowly and she and Gianna sat in a comfortable silence. 

"So?" Her aunt broke the silence, when she saw that Lia was finished with her water. 

"It's just... I'm just reliving the most humiliating moment of my past. Kind of dampens my excitement about the lab."

Gianna moved closer to her and hugged her. The comforting hug calmed Lia and she leaned on Gianna and watched the fan blades spin madly on the ceiling.

"Can you ladies come in here, I can't make these raviolis all by myself." Paulo peeked through the door, his green eyes surly. 

"Wait a minute, just do what you can." Gianna replied, not in the least stressed.