01

The sudden click from the turning of the door knob, made Francesca looked up from the file on her desk as the door to her office suddenly burst open and than slammed closed as her mother walked in announcing her present. She knew instantly that her mother was up to no good by the smile she wore as she crossed the room taking a seat in one of two black leather chairs in front of her desk. Francesca sat back smilingly shaking her head. Here we go she thought. « What’s up mother ? »

« I need a favor. »

Francesca watched her mother closely not wanting to miss a beat. She mimicked her mother’s actions as she crossed her legs and looked her mother squarely in the eye. « No ! »

« Francesca, you don’t even know what it is that I want. » Francesca looked into her mother’s chocolate brown eyes similar to her own. An instantly knew that she needed to approach with caution.

«  No ! I don’t want to be a part of whatever you and your friend or friends are cooking up. »

Rising from her chair Francesca walked around her desk and leaned back on it crossing her arms and her ankles as she faced her mother . « I know this is one of your schemes. » She gave her mother a chastising look. « I’m not looking for a man. I comfortably single. »

Francesca watched as her mother stood up squaring her shoulder. Her mother was nerver one to give up a fight. And this was a fight to her mother. And Giana would do whatever she needed to do to find her daughter a husband and get her started on making babies. Francesca took a deep breath she had to be calm when dealing with her mother. Being the only child didn’t have it’s perks. It was a lot of pressure on her to start a family. It was hard making her mother understand that her business was her husband and her baby right now.

Mom please . I don’t need a man right now. Giana stood in front of her daughter. She had to get Francesca to understand that life was short and she needed a husband. But as usual her stubborn daughter had suspicions . She was very astute when it came down to her attempts at matchmaking. She was too much like her. That’s why she had to be on point and not just two steps ahead Francesca but five to get results. « Francesca. Darling, I’m not scheming. » Although she was for Francesca’s own good. So a little white wouldn’t hurt. At least she hoped.

« Yeah. Haha right tell me anything. » Francesca smiled at her mother not believing anything she said «  We both know that anything that involves one of your friends’ usually ends with me on a date with someone’s weird son, crazy nephew or a sexual deprived brother. No thank you. »

Francesca gave her mother an identical look to her own. She was determined to win this face off with her mother. She was not going to be subjected to any strange men who had trouble finding women. So this face off was to let her and her mother know that she had enough. «  YOU SERIOUSLY CAN »T DO THIS FAVOR THIS FOR ME ? »

« Absolutely not. » Francesca shook her head no and watched as her mother’s eyes began to tear up. Ooo her mother was smooth. Now she was switching her tactics and turning on her infamous water works. If it wasn’t one thing it was another with Giana. She had a bachelors in theatrics. Smiling Francesca watched as her mother switcher her tactics and changed into character. Typical Giana Moretti pulling her conveniently placed hanky from her sleeve. She hated when her mother resorted to tears because next came the labor story. Plain and simple manipulation her mother was a master. She had a knack for making the innocent feel guilty.

«  How could you turn me down Francesca ? Your, own mother. What happened to our mother daughter bond ? »

« Mom please your acting like nonno (grandfather) all hands and fingers. »

«  Now you mock me and poppa. Does familia mean anything to you ? I was in labor for two days. Pure agony. » Francesca wanted to laugh as her mother mimicked her nonno when he use to give a long worn out speech using her hands expressively as he talked. Giana was truly his daughter holding up her two perfectly manicured fingers to emphasize her speech. One finger holding a three caret canary yellow diamond ring that her father had given her for their twentieth wedding anniversary. As the Chief of Police wife she didn’t even have to work. She worked because she like to keep busy as if matchmaking wasn’t work enough. When she had offered her mother a job three years ago while she started up her business little did she know that the woman would become a permanent fixture. Not that she wasn’t a great receptionist / secretary she was still her mother. A busy body, snoop and a want to be matchmaker with delusions of a talking psychic fish named Bobbie in her dreams.

« Stop it mom ! Please ! «  Francesca threw up her hands in exasperation. « Why me ? Hun. »

« Because I told Cella that you’re the best darling. Francesca your number one in this city. You’re worth every dollar you get paid and Marcella is willing to pay you well. »

« So this is not one of your schemes to get me a husband ? »

« No ! Of course not. » Francesca let out a relinquishing breath and headed back to her seat. Ungracefully she plopped down closed her eyes and let her head rest back. Her mother followed suite sitting back down. She knew her mother could tell a white lie without squirming under pressure she had witnessed it firsthand growing up . A renowned shopaholic she was good at working figures and hiding the evidence. « You promise that this is not one of your attempts at match making. »

« I promise. » Francesca felt the goose bumps the minute her mother uttered the words.

«  Let me see your fingers and don’t cross your legs. » Francesca opened up one eye and looked at her mother as she crossed her heart.

« Okay now tell me about this Cella Binochi. » She would listen to what her mother had to say evaluate the situation and decided how she would handle it from there.

« Marcella Binochi is the wife of Vincenzo Binochi the former CEO of Binochi Tools and Construction. Their son is Angelo he took over the business about three years ago. Robert DeLuca is his friend. It’s so wonder you never meet Angelo being that he knows Robbie « 

«  So Marcella wants to hire a maid service for her son. Why can’t he do this himself ? What’s his real problem ? »

«  He’s a momma’s boy Francesca. » Gia looked at her daughter in disbelief. «  She cooks, cleans and she still washes his clothes that’s what we do for our boys and he’s the only boy and the baby. »

«  Dah. He’s the spoiled son. News flash mother the man is probably capable of finding his own maid service so why is his mother doing it ? »

« The thing is, Marcella husband Vinny is tired of her taking care of Angelo. He craving that extra attention since his retirement. »

« Then Marcella, should stop treating Angelo like he’s a baby and let him be a man and find his own maid service. Then she could take care of her man. « 

« That’s why she wants’ you Francesca. »

« Wants’ me or the service I can provide ? See that’s what I’m talking about. »Francesca pointed at her mother.

« Francesca stop being paranoid. »

« You make me this way with your matchmaking. Where did you meet this Marcella Binochi ? »

« Now I’m under interrogation. «  Gia threw her hands up in surrender. »Fine, In my spin class. » She lied. « Don’t look at me like that Francesca. » She pointed back at her.

Francesca shook her head in discuss . « Tell me how I’m looking at you mother ? »