[i]"Merda!"[/i] Analise called out loudly from the kitchen of their small home in the heart of Harlem. She had gotten slightly distracted while cooking and a light smoke filled the room quickly. Throwing open the window, she fanned wildly with the newspaper her husband had left on the counter earlier that morning during breakfast time. Her dish; Parmigiana di Melenzane was a little dark around the edges but nothing the woman couldn't recover. All the flavors of her home region were to be layered one upon the other. The dish consisted of fried eggplant, tomato sauce, mozzarella, parmesan and basil, and when done just right would make even the busiest man stop for seconds. It was a shame the only important men in her life we’re always a step above being just that. 

Busy.

Ana gave a small smile to Priscilla; her daughter in law. [i]“Don’t let anyone know eh? Our little secret.”[/i] she let out a laugh, fanning still. She wiped her damp forehead with her forearm as she watched the girl pick up the items for the table from the cabinet. Analise liked Priscilla quite a lot, it was apparent she was with Jones for him, and not just for the money. She watched her exit through the swinging kitchen door, revealing the scattered group of men and a few woman accompaniments that had tagged along. Most were related to Antonio in some fashion: friends, cousins, and others she had no idea who they were. Analise always fed them heartily though, a person could never leave the Lombardi house hold without a full stomach. 

The sound of the door was always a heart dropper. The woman held her breath as the sounds of fidgeting in the other room caused the sound of her heart beat to triple. One second, two, seemed like several before the door was open. Alas, a squeal of joy escaped from Priscilla’s lips. That meant it was safe, her only son had returned from another night, and things would be okay for now. Grabbing the tray, Analise used her hip to open the door, [i] “Dinner is ready, come-a get it!” [/i]