“You need an enterprise beyond growing arugula. Sometimes things happen in life and you will have to carry your family. You’ll need money to do it.”
“I don’t care about money,” Anina shot back. “Can we talk about something else? I thought we were going to have fun today.”
A wave of shame washed over Anina. Her grandmother was trying. Nonna had prepared for this special visit and planned how it all would go. She reached for Matelda’s hand and patted it gently. “Thank you for doing all this for me. I don’t know what to pick. Will you help me?” Anina held up a small gold religious medal.
“That’s a miraculous medal.”
“Is it yours?”
“It belonged to my mother. I used to know the significance. I can’t remember now. But it will come back to me. By then, we won’t care. Old age is terrible.”
“There has to be something good about getting old.”
Matelda thought about it. “Sleeves.”
Anina laughed.
Matelda held up the medal of Santa Lucia. “There’s a story to go with this one. It also belonged to my mother.”
“I want to hear it.”
Anina lifted a small envelope out of the box. A one-carat Peruzzi-cut ruby fell out of the envelope and into the palm of her hand like a tiny red gumdrop. “Whoa.”
“That is the Speranza ruby. My grandfather insisted his friend from Venezia was the best gem cutter in Italy. You could have something made with the stone if you like.”
Anina put the ruby back into the envelope. “I had enough trouble coming up with a design for my engagement ring. Let’s leave this for someone with an imagination.”
Matelda removed a dowel with three rings from the box. She lifted a thick gold band off the dowel. “This band belonged to my mother’s mother, Netta Cabrelli. This was her wedding ring.”
Anina tried the ring on. “I can’t get it past my knuckle!”
“Nonno will size it for you if you want it. There’s plenty of gold there. She was smaller than you, but to me, she was a giant, and not always a gentle one. There’s a photograph of her on my nightstand.”
“I’ve seen it. It’s scary. People photographed in sepia always look miserable.”
“Because they couldn’t move. They had to hold still in order for the photographer to get the picture. But that’s only part of the story. Netta Cabrelli was stern for other reasons.”
“What’s this?” Anina held up a vintage timepiece set in a carved rectangle of green aventurine stone.
“Where did you find that?”
“It was at the bottom of the case.”
The pale blue oyster-shell face of the watch dangled from an embossed gold bar pin. The 12, 3, 6, and 9 on the face were set with a jewel baguette.
“I thought I left it in the safety deposit box at the bank.”
“Is it valuable?”
“Only to me.”
“The filigree on the pin would make a great ankle tattoo.”
“You have a tattoo?” Matelda groaned.
“Mama told me not to tell you.”
“Where?”
“I have a heart on my hip.”
“You already have one in your chest.”
“But the one on my hip is cute.” Anina held up the aventurine watch fob. “Nonna, I want this. May I have it?”
“Pick something else.”
“You said I could have anything in the case.”
Matelda handed Anina a dainty ring, a cluster made of briolette rubies set in yellow gold. “It will look lovely with your diamond. Your grandfather made it for me for my fortieth birthday.”
Anina slipped the ring onto the middle finger of her right hand. “It’s stunning, but it’s too much, Nonna.” She returned the ring to the case and picked up the watch fob again. “Why is the face on the watch upside down?”
“So my mother could read the time.”
“Why would she have to read the time upside down?”
“Because she was often using both hands to do her work. She wore this on her uniform. She was a nurse.”
“Did I know this? I don’t believe I did. You don’t talk about your mother. Why?”
“I talk about her.” Matelda folded her hands in her lap. “You don’t listen when I tell stories. You kids are too busy on your phones.”
“Are you all right? You look pale. Do you want to reschedule? We could do this another day.”
“It’s too late.”