The Witch of Little Italy by Suzanne Palmieri

at Anthony. He was trying not to look at her. She watched as he pretended to flip through a Sports Illustrated magazine. “Itsy gets me a subscription every year,” he said.
    Mimi, who’d begun to crack a smile, jumped from the sofa, hurtling Elly toward Fee once again. “Damn Anglos! Always mixing me up with those mix and match names!” She paced to and from the Christmas tree mumbling. “Cooper Smithbaker, Smith Cooperbaker, Baker Coopersmith … could have been any of those.” Mimi walked to the kitchen. “Did you have coffee?”
    “No. The smell made me nauseous.”
    “I’ll have some,” said Anthony.
    “I’ll make a fresh pot,” yelled Mimi over her back.
    “ Well, I’m taking my books and going!” yelled Fee, winking and motioning her head toward the door at Itsy. Itsy nodded and wrote a note. She gave it to Elly. Merry Christmas.
    Elly stood up and kissed both her aunts. “Merry Christmas to you, too.”
    “And God bless us, every one,” laughed Anthony when the door closed.
    The two sat in an awkward silence, both trying to start conversations and failing miserably. Anthony laughed, “I guess we have to get the hang of this,” he said, scratching his head.
    The smell of fresh coffee wafted through the apartment. “Mmmm, that smells good now,” said Elly. And it did. It smelled like the coffee in the best coffee shops. Dark and rich.
    Mimi was back with a tray. Three coffee cups.
    “How did you…? Okay, I’ll stop asking, I guess,” said Elly.
    Mimi nodded. Anthony laughed.
    “Okay, so if you have ESP … who was crying in your apartment this morning?” asked Elly.
    “You heard it again?” asked Mimi.
    “Yes, clear as day. But I looked around and there wasn’t anyone here.”
    “Ah … Maybe you hear the baby in your belly already? Or maybe your Sight is very strong,” said Mimi.
    “Sight?”
    “Didn’t you ask how I knew your Anglo’s name?” There was a sparkle in Mimi’s eyes. “I guess it’s the same as what you call ESP.”
    “Well, I don’t think my baby is big enough to cry yet.”
    “Maybe it was Zelda Grace?” offered Anthony.
    “Who is Zelda Grace?” Elly leaned forward almost tipping her coffee.
    Mimi sat back into the cushions and sipped her coffee, “Well, Zelda was Bunny’s daughter. She fell out the window and died years ago. Your Great Aunt Bunny, our oldest sister, was such a good mother, and such a beautiful woman.” Mimi started to cry a little. She made the sign of the cross. “No more, no more of this. It’s time to clean up.”
    Babygirl
    Clean up … clean up … At first Babygirl thought living with her grandmother would be too hard. Like going back into the past and trying really hard just to survive. Babygirl and Mimi did chores every day. It was so different than living with Mommy where there always seemed to be a maid or a mess.
    There was nothing modern or magical at all to help out with the cleaning. No garbage disposal, no dishwasher, no dryer. Everything took much more time than necessary. And then there was the bathroom issue. There was only one and it didn’t have a shower, only a big old claw-foot tub.
    “No shower, Mimi?” she asked while scrubbing Comet against the tub. Enjoying the strong smell of the bleach crystals.
    “Why do you need one? A bath cleans you the same way, no?”
    “No dishwasher, Mimi?” she’d asked.
    “Only lazy, stupid people wash dishes twice.”
    “No garbage disposal, Mimi?”
    “No, I don’t want garbage in my sink! Do you? It belongs in the pail, not the sink.”
    “I love you, Mimi.”
    “I love you, too, Babygirl!”
    *   *   *
    “Are you okay?” asked Anthony. He was sitting next to her now and had his hands on her shoulders.
    “What happened?” asked Elly, shaking off his hands.
    “I don’t know, it was weird, like you floated off for a few seconds.” He sat back in relief. His concern warmed her from the inside out.
    “It’s strange,” she began. “You know I