The secret ingredient

When I got the call that my nana has passed away, I felt like I lost a part of myself. For most of my life, nana had always been there. My parents died in a car accident when I was in high school, and nana didn't hesitate to step up and take custody of me and my younger sister. She helped us weather the biggest tragedy of our lives with her love and affection.

Nana had a way of putting a smile on your face no matter what you were going through. I'm sure going to miss that. I turned over an envelope that I received in the mail to hear the reading of her will. Nana was a simple woman so I didn't anticipate receiving much from her which was fine. Her love was always sufficient enough for me.

I arrived at the attorney's office for the will reading and was surprised that I was the only one there. Well, not that surprised. My younger sister and I have been estranged since I left to go to college. We were close when we were younger, but have grown further and further apart over the years. After I moved away from home, I made time to visit nana on a regular basis. I would sit with her, knit and bake cookies while I updated her on what was going on in my life. My sister never took time from her busy life to visit nana and see how she was doing. I guess that is why I wasn't surprised to see her here today.

I questioned the attorney with my eyes and he handed me a little black book.

"All that was in her will, was for me to give you this," he said.

I took the book from him, running my hands across the worn leather. It looked like something my nana had for a long time. I held the book close to my chest, relishing the last piece of my grandmother I had left. I didn't open it until I got home because I wanted to be alone when I read her words or whatever message she'd left for me.

When I got home, I changed into some comfortable yoga pants, made some hot cocoa and sat in the living room ready to open my new prize. The first thing I saw in the little book was a recipe with a note from nana.

My dear Stephanie, you know that we always baked with love. I know these oatmeal cookies were always you and you sister's favorite. My final wishes is for you to find your sister and bake a batch of these cookies like we did when you were little girls. The ingredients along with where to find them are included in this book.

I closed the book and leaned my head back on the couch. I hadn't talked to my younger sister, Taylor, in over a year. Every time I'd reached out to her in the past, she was always too busy so I eventually gave up. But, nana meant the world to me and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't at least try to fulfill her last wish.

I would start the process by gathering the ingredients on the list. Then, I'd give Taylor a call. Nana's instructions on where to get the ingredients were very specific so I wanted to give myself plenty of time to make sure I did this right. I loved nana's oatmeal cookies and I didn't want to mess this up.

The next day I went on a wild goose chase picking up all of the ingredients nana had on her list. Her oatmeal was very specific and had to be purchased at a particular market in town. Her brown sugar could only be found at one small local organic grocer. I never realized how much effort nana put into making the perfect cookies for us as children.

I was down to the last ingredient on the list but I wasn't sure what it was. Nana just listed an address of where to get it. It was also off the beaten path, taking me forty-five minutes outside of town. Before I knew it, I found myself driving through a residential neighborhood I'd never been to before. I wasn't sure what my nana was up to.

When I got to the address she'd listed, I was sitting outside of a small ranch home. I wondered if this was a contact that grew their own garden or had a specialized ingredient for the cookies.

I shrugged. What did I have to lose at the point? I walked up to the house and rang the doorbell. I was surprised when I saw Taylor come to the door.

"Stephanie," her eyes widened.

It had been over a year since I'd seen my sister. She looked good. I couldn't help it. Tears welled up in the corners of my eyes and I reached out and embraced my younger sister.

"Taylor," I responded.

She stiffened when I hugged her, surprised by my actions, and then she wrapped her arms around me and returned the embrace.

"How did you know I lived here?" she asked.

I held up the little black book.

"Nana."

She shook her head.

"Taylor, she left her recipe for her oatmeal cookies and her last wish was for us to make them together."

Taylor smiled at me warmly and welcomed me into her home.

We laid out all of the ingredients that I'd gathered and commenced in making nana's cookies. The nostalgia of baking took us back to our childhood and I could feel nana there with us.

When the cookies were done, Taylor and I were both surprised at how amazing they turned out. They tasted just like nana's. As we were eating, I noticed a note that had fallen out of the special flour we used.

"What's that?" Taylor questioned.

"I don't know," I wrinkled my brow as I unfolded the paper.

It was a note from nana!

Congratulations on baking your first oatmeal cookies with your sister. You've made this old woman's heart proud. Bring this note back to the attorney that gave you my black book. He has a key to a safety deposit box for you both. In that box is $20,000 cash for you both. I didn't have much in my life but I wanted you to have this. My house is also paid off and it now belongs to you and Taylor. Do with it what you like. Just promise me that you'll do it together. I'll love you both, always.

Nana

Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked back and forth from the note to my sister. I wasn't crying because we both inherited $20,000 and my nana's house. I was crying because the secret ingredient to nana's cookies was love all along. I pulled my little sister in a tight hug, intent never to let go.