Gaia sighed as she eased herself into a chair at Nonna's kitchen table. Sal's girls were watching as Nonna kneaded bread and called out instructions for Melinda to baste the turkey in the huge commercial oven on the wall across from the deep bay window behind the farmer's sink.

Sal and his cousins joined Harry, Nonno and Maria's brothers as they watched a football game on the tiny black and white television. She heard Giovanni turn on the radio and search out the broadcast there.

"Turn the volume down on the TV," Sal requested, "The radio broadcast is better."

Gaia smiled as she heard the excited description of a long touchdown interception. "I think I am finally beginning to understand how your American football is played."

"I've watched for years, and I still don't understand all the rules and how they work. I just know that the boys argue vehemently with the referees," Melinda said.

"There's the front door." Maria nodded toward Gaia, "That must be your friend, Maxine. Go let her in."

She pushed herself up and walked through the living room to answer the knock. Opening the inner door, she met Maxine's dark brown eyes with a smile, and gestured for her to come in. "I'll take your coat and put it with the rest. Boy's, introduce yourselves. This Maxine, Dr. Drury. But she is just my friend here. No medical questions please."

Bianca and Lirica raced into the room. "Are you really a doctor?" Lirica asked.

The slender woman answered, "I am. My name is Dr. Drury, I'm taking care of your friend, Gaia. Speaking of which, hang on a second." She went up the first three steps to the second floor and grabbed her coat. "I have something for you two." She reached into one of the pockets and pulled out two brightly wrapped packages. "Happy Yule, and Merry Christmas."

"Can we open them now, Papa?" Bianca asked.

"May we," Sal corrected, and nodded. "Thank you for thinking of them," he added as he stood to introduce himself. "I am Salvatore Leone. Those two are my daughters, Bianca and Lirica." He pointed to each in turn. "You can open them now or keep them for Christmas Eve after mass."

The girls walked over to the Christmas tree, and placed the identical packages on top of a large present with a huge dark blue bow. "We'll wait," Lirica decided.

Gaia turned and took Maxine's coat back as her friend met Sal's eyes. Hurrying up the stairs, she tossed it onto the pile on Melinda's bed and went back to watch Antonio and Vincenzo introduce themselves.

Giovanni followed introducing his brother and Harry before he asked, "Do you want to watch the game with us?"

Salvatore said, "You don't have to, the women are in the kitchen. Nonna has given us until half time before dinner will be served."

Maxine blushed under his intense gaze, and Gaia wondered if there could be something sparking between them.

"I'm more than happy to join the others. I'm so ignorant of the rules, I'll be lost in any case." Maxine made her way toward the hallway leading to the back of the house.

Bianca took the doctor's hand and tugged it. "Come back with us, I want to know how to be a doctor."

Salvatore shook his head, "She's been asking about that for the last year. Lirica, do you want to stay with me? I know you love to watch the games."

His daughter looked back and forth between her father and the pretty curly haired brunette, and said, "I can watch another game, I don't like the Giants or the Colts."

"Go ahead then, Lirica." Salvatore's eyes met Maxine's once more and Gaia watched as her cheeks turned rosy. She would have to ask her what was going on.

"Salvatore, is he married?" Maxine asked as they sat down at the table. The momentary silence brought deeper red to her cheeks as she covered her mouth.

"Mommy's in heaven. She went to be an angel the day we were born," Bianca said. "We turned ten at the beginning of September, just after school started."

"I'm so sorry," Maxine said.

"We don't have a Mommy, but Daddy does everything with us," Lirica added.

"But how do I get to be a doctor?" Bianca got back to her question.

"By studying the sciences. Biology, anatomy, chemistry and learning how to read and write properly. I went to university and med school with my brother." Maxine said.

"Is he a doctor too?" Lirica asked.

"He's a doctor, and he's my twin," Maxine said with a little sparkle of mischief in her eyes.

"Here's the potatoes," Nonna said as she handed a peeler to Gaia.

"Do you have a paring knife?" Maxine asked. "I'll help."

"We learned about bones and muscles in school, but they didn't tell us more than we have two hundred and six bones and a whole lot of muscles. Can I learn more of their names?" Bianca asked.

"I can give you an old copy of my anatomy textbook," Maxine said. "You can use that to memorize the bones in our skeleton."

Bianca's eyes got round. "Can I ask you if I don't understand?"

"Yes."

"You would do that for my daughter?" Salvatore's deep baritone came from the kitchen entrance.

"Of course," Maxine insisted as she ran her hand through her short curls. She bit her lower lip before tugging her ear and fiddling with the sapphire stud in the lobe.

Gaia watched as his eyes met her friend's once more, and he asked, "Can we meet for coffee soon? I would like to discuss what else I can do to help Bianca with her goals."

The doctor's eyes narrowed as she pondered her answer. "I'm working most of the days until almost New Year's Eve. Unless you have time before I go on shift?"

"Morning or afternoon?"

"Night, and I'll be there for a full day."

Gaia wondered if Maxine was trying to scare Sal away with her comments.

"We'll talk. We have your phone number in any case, because of Gaia. Instructions to call you if she goes into labor," Salvatore explained. "I can make it work."

Gaia chuckled as Bianca reached out to squeeze her twin's hand. She suspected if the girls had their way, Maxine and Salvatore were in trouble.