Anna’s Trattoria was generally closed on Christmas and Easter, because she wanted to spend the holidays with her family, so this was the last lunch service before Christmas. The Trattoria was full of people who took their time, after eating, to stop and wish Anna, Silvia, Jennifer and Bruno a happy Christmas.
Bruno, the Italian cook who was very popular because of his constant smile and of his characteristic way of alternating Italian and English words while he was talking, came out of the kitchen and started singing: “We wish you a merry Christmas” in his deep baritone voice. Everyone cheered and congratulated him on his rendition of the popular song and on his invariably delicious dishes. He went from table to table with his: “Buon Natale! Auguri! Merry Christmas!”
When the restaurant was empty, Bruno left with his wife Sheila, and Jennifer with her husband, Lieutenant John Steele. Silvia and Anna tidied up, helped by the children. They had been trying to learn from their mother who the protagonist of the last story was, but Silvia didn't want to ruin the surprise, and she had refused to answer.
When everything was clean and tidy, Anna said: “Are you ready, children?”
Giulia and Mario nodded eagerly, and they went upstairs with Silvia and Mark. Mark had never listened to his mother-in-law’s Christmas stories, but he liked them, and he enjoyed the cozy atmosphere that Anna was able to create.
Anna led the children to the nativity scene, and she pointed at the statue of an old man in front of a tiny house. He wasn't a shepherd, and he was sitting on a bench. Next to him a woman was standing, and they looked as if they were waiting for someone.
Anna started: “When I was a child, more or less your age, my mum let me help her set up the scene for the first time. I remember asking her who this man and this woman were, and her answer surprised me… Can you guess who these two people are?”
Giulia thought for a few moments, and she answered: “I don’t know, granny! Who are they?”
Mario shook his head, and they looked expectantly at Anna, who was reliving her own curiosity, when her mother had revealed the identity of the two figures.
“My mum told me that they are Joachim and Anna. Do you know who they are?”
Mario shook his head, but Giulia answered:
“I know, Granny. Anna was Maria’s mother, and Joachim?”
“Joachim was Maria’s father. They were Jesus' grandparents. When I set up the nativity scene with my mum for the first time, my grandfather had just gone to Heaven, and I still remember that, for me, this little statue has remained the image of the grandfather who is waiting to see his grandson for the first time…”
Silvia felt tears coming to her eyes, because her father had died when she was a teenager, and he hadn't had the joy of seeing her children. She knew he would have enjoyed spending time with them, and she had called her son Mario after him.
“Wow”, Giulia said. “Did Maria take Jesus to her father?”
“This is not something that is written in the Gospel, but I think Anna and Joachim certainly spent time with their grandson, and this is my mother’s story:”
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and then Add to home screen.