‘Are you going to get her soon, Steve?’
‘What did you say dear? Yes, it has been a long time, nearly a whole week. So you better leave now to miss the traffic. I’m making all her favorites’.
The door closes giving me some time and space to really start cooking. He will be back in about an hour. On the menu today is Cottage pie and a mixed berry crumble. I am starting with sweating the onions that I have bought pre-chopped, and I am peeling all of the potatoes. I would have bought peeled potatoes as well but they didn’t have any in stock, but I guess it is a very special occasion. I don’t normally enjoy cooking, but today it is a real pleasure. I am not going to be around for long in this life, unfortunately, and we won’t see each other for quite some time, so this meal is very important to me.
The meat is now browned, so I am adding tomato puree and the stock whilst boiling the peas and carrots. I add them to the mince and I am portioning it into three individual dishes, and the potatoes have just started boiling. As they boil I am giving the downstairs a quick hoover. I want everything to be perfect.
Now it is time to mash the potatoes, she doesnt like any lumps and her potatoes are always so perfect. So the lumps have finally vanished, and I am adding the butter and milk, and I am portioning them into two of the dishes. I add my special seasoning to the rest of the potato and put that in the last dish ready for them to be cooked later. Even my husband doesn’t know what is in it. (and he never will). I mark that one so I don’t get them confused. She will love my special seasoning, I just know she will.
I am adding the berries into ramekins and separately mixing the butter, flour and sugar, letting it run through my fingers before incorporating the two elements and bunging it in the oven.
I have a few minutes to spare before they walk through the door to throw a dress on and brush my hair.
The door opens and I smell her perfume first, then I hear her… show time!
‘Darcy, hello how are you love?’ I say, giving her a warm hug and a kiss.
‘I am good dear, ooh you just reminded me, I was meant to send you that diet, wasn’t I? Sorry, I will remember next time’.
The evening is going well, and I am telling her how I have dyed my own hair for the first time when she recommends a company that will get the colour just right for me and coconut oil that will stop my hair from being so dry. She is always so helpful and she knows so many wonderful things.
We have all just sat at the table and we are happily tucking into our cottage pie which has been beautifully browned on top.
‘Ooh Mercy, this smells to die for’
‘ Oh thank you. Let’s hope so. Tuck in everybody’.
She coughs at first, then she coughs again, after a short while she starts guzzling water. It all happens in seconds, her wheezing then the gasping.
‘You found my special seasoning, have you?’ I ask her.
My husband is shouting ‘Mum, oh my god. Call an ambulance, Mercy. Hurry’. I am just sitting and watching it all happen, and enjoying my supper. Well, it is delicious. That’s the thing with mothers-in-law, they can say what they want to you and you have to smile and take it. Well, I guess you can do that, or you can always kill them…. I told you I was going away for some time. So, I will see you in fifteen to life. Ta ta for now.
