Today, Maturina has served me her special pasta, several kinds of bread, dried figs, camembert, her three-layered pastry, and Moselle wine. She appreciates my fondness for sweets.
I asked her to sit down with me. As usual, she declined.
“I want your company...everyone’s away.”
Boltraffio, Francesco, Salai and others had gone for the day. Another holiday!
“Are you homesick?”
Her sad face became a little sadder. She sat down and clasped her hands in her lap and stared at them.
“I think you should visit your people.”
She nodded.
“...But I couldn’t leave you.”
“For a month or two?”