_Katherine's POV_
I stood by the large wooden table, carefully chopping onions while Maria stirred a bubbling pot of stew. The rich aroma of simmering meat and spices filled the air, wrapping the kitchen in warmth. Maria was humming a tune as she worked, her hands moving swiftly.
“You chop those onions any slower, girl, and we’ll be eating breakfast instead of dinner,” Maria teased, glancing at me with a smirk.
I rolled my eyes, placing the knife down. “Well, excuse me for not wanting to lose my fingers in the process.”
Maria chuckled. “You sound just like my daughter. Always full of sass but as slow as a turtle when it comes to work.”
I laughed. “Maybe she and I should start a club. The ‘Slow but Sassy’ club.”
Maria waggled a wooden spoon at me. “Oh, don’t you start giving her ideas
