Chapter 16
16
ROSE
Ben parked the Citroen outside of Villa Paradise and Rose hopped out and was immediately greeted by Luna, who was waiting by the front door holding a glass of bubbles.
‘Are you okay after the accident?’ Luna asked, handing Rose the glass, looking between her and Ben, a deep groove marring her forehead.
‘Is the car fixed?’
‘The car rescue service came and I’m fine,’ Rose lied, finishing the drink in one, trying not to look at Ben.
‘Really?’ Luna raised an eyebrow as Rose handed her back the empty glass.
‘Shall I get changed and meet you somewhere?’ Rose asked, skipping up the steps, aware she needed time alone to digest what had happened and to work out what it meant, or at least how she felt about it.
‘We’re in the garden,’ Luna shouted after her, sounding worried.
‘Don’t you want to talk to me and Marco about the wedding first?
’
Rose winced and shook her head, aware of how odd this probably seemed.
‘I don’t think we have time.
’ In truth, her mind was too jumbled.
How could she talk about rules, or give advice about love after what had just happened?
She’d just kissed Ben Pearson, broken all her rules, wrapped herself around him when they barely knew each other.
Now she had feelings she couldn’t explain, an ache in her chest that wouldn’t go away.
How was she supposed to counsel anyone on restraint now?
Suddenly, all the things she believed and trusted were crumbling away – and she wasn’t sure how to find solid ground again.
She shouldn’t be attracted to a man like Ben, but she was.
She shouldn’t like him either, but did.
It had been easy to blame adrenaline or the effects of a fertility statue – but Rose knew she was kidding herself.
‘We could make time,’ Luna said tentatively, looking anxious.
‘I thought you were concerned we were rushing into things?’
‘Later,’ Rose promised.
Although she wasn’t convinced that she’d be feeling differently then.
Luna frowned. ‘Your mum and dad both called me while you were gone,’ she confided, looking even more concerned.
‘They were asking if you’d made a decision about their weddings.
’ She pulled a face.
‘Apparently, you need to choose between them which you haven’t mentioned to me.
What’s going on, Rose?
’ She sounded hurt.
‘Nothing…’ Rose sighed.
At least nothing she was going to get into now.
She had to make plenty of decisions, but for the first time in years, she had no idea which way to turn.
It was wrong – delaying and avoiding would only end up creating more problems – but for some reason, she couldn’t focus.
The clarity she’d spent a lifetime relying on was gone.
‘I’ll see you in a minute,’ she mumbled, before charging into the villa and up the stairs.
Rose could hear the buzz of women’s voices over the low hum of music when she wandered down the steps and into the garden twenty minutes later.
She’d showered, changed and done her makeup so felt less frazzled.
Her parents had both called while she’d been getting ready in her room, but she’d let them go to voicemail, still too conflicted to speak to either of them.
Usually, she hit her problems head on – it was another of her rules – but she still couldn’t seem to make a decision about anything.
What if all the rules she’d spent a lifetime creating were wrong?
What if she was all the things she’d been accused of over the years – na?ve, misguided even clueless – what then?
‘Rose!’ Luna said, suddenly jumping up from the table under the pagoda where she was sitting with Aurora, Elena and Francesca.
‘You look beautiful, leonessa ,’ Aurora said, getting up too so she could give Rose an enthusiastic kiss on each cheek.
‘We’ve been waiting for you.
’ She pointed to the table which had been covered with crafting equipment.
‘I’m happy we’re going to be able to catch up again.
’ She nodded at Rose.
‘There was a lot unsaid last night. Aldo has so many things he still wants to share with you.’
Rose’s stomach sank.
She wasn’t looking for more revelations – and despite not believing in Aldo, she was still a little afraid he could somehow read her mind.
‘You look stunning,’ Francesca chimed in as she indicated the chair opposite to where she was sitting.
‘The red dress really suits you. I am a genius,’ she joked.
‘You are,’ Elena agreed.
‘Thank you,’ Rose said, discreetly searching the area for Ben before taking the seat and perusing the bowls laid out in front of them which were filled with different coloured almonds, white tulle, pots of pink ribbon and cardboard hearts.
Wine glasses sat at each of the place settings, and bottles of prosecco and red and white wine were peppered in between the bulging crafting bowls.
‘Where’s Ben?’ Francesca asked, glancing around and Rose did too.
‘This is a woman only event, remember,’ Aurora said.
‘He’s with Marco, Leonardo and Cesare organising a big surprise.
’
‘A surprise?’ Luna asked, looking around.
‘What surprise?’
‘Now, it wouldn’t be a surprise if we told you that, would it, cara ?
’ Aurora chuckled.
Rose heard the demon let out a low growl and glanced around in time to see Isabella leading Coco around the house towards them.
She was carrying the pastry bag they’d hidden the statue in.
Rose had almost forgotten about it in all the excitement.
Had Ben handed it over when she’d been changing her clothes?
Was Marco’s nonna going to give Luna her present now?
Rose winced. This wasn’t the right time – Luna didn’t need the pressure of family expectations being laid on her, especially in front of a crowd.
‘We should start with a toast,’ Elena said, greeting her mother-in-law, holding up her drink and grinning at Luna.
‘To the bride.’ Everyone picked up their glasses and quickly toasted.
‘We will make the bomboniere together now. For those of you who have never made them before.’ She smiled at Rose.
‘You need to make a bag with the tulle and fill it with five almonds, then you will decorate them.’ She pointed to the pots on the table.
‘Why five almonds?’ Rose asked, studying the bowls.
‘Because they signify health, wealth, happiness, fertility, and longevity,’ Elena said.
‘So please ensure you include them all. We don’t want our bride and groom to miss out on any, do we?
’ She smiled.
‘Almonds won’t make a marriage happy, and it won’t make it last,’ Isabella grumbled as she pulled up a chair and sat, thumping the pastry bag down on the table in front of her.
‘There’s only one reason to have a wedding.
’ She looked meaningfully at the pastry bag.
‘ Nonna …’ Elena sighed before turning to Rose.
‘Isabella would obviously like to thank you for picking up the wedding gift for her. I’m sure Marco and Luna will appreciate it although she might want to wait until they are alone to give it to them.
’ She gave her mother-in-law a pointed look.
‘What is it?’ Luna whispered to Rose.
‘I was hoping for a crate of puppies or some special tea.’
‘My son might not appreciate either of those,’ Elena joked.
‘It is neither.’ Isabella frowned.
‘Do you want it now?’ she growled at Luna.
‘Why don’t we wait until Marco arrives?
I asked the men to join us after they set up their surprise.
They are going to help us make the bomboniere, ’ Elena told them.
The older woman frowned.
‘Usually, only the women make them.’
‘Today we’re trying something new.
’ Elena shrugged. ‘Why don’t we get started?
There are plastic gloves beside your plates,’ she said.
‘If you can pull them on, then Nonna , I’m sure you won’t mind demonstrating?
There’s plenty of tulle, pearl stems and ribbon.
Please be generous – we want them to look pretty for our guests!
’
Isabella got slowly to her feet.
‘I do this for Marco and Luna and the bambini to come,’ she said grandly.
‘Okay,’ Luna said carefully, glancing at Rose and looking worried as Coco hopped onto her lap and then curled into a ball.
Isabella delicately picked up two pieces of tulle.
Rose watched as she nimbly put two small circles together before making a pouch and filling it with five colourful almonds.
Then she pushed the edges together and twisted pink, white and baby blue ribbons around the top before tying them off.
She continued to work on it, gradually building it up with more strings of ribbon and adding pearl stems too.
Then she silently finished the whole thing off with a white heart which someone had written Luna & Marco onto in swirly gold lettering.
‘Now it’s our turn,’ Elena said as Isabella placed the party favour into a bowl in the centre of the table and then sat silently.
‘ Nonna made these for me and Leonardo when we married and now, dear Marco and Luna, it’s your turn.
’ Elena grinned as she took her seat too.
‘I’m going to need plenty of this,’ Francesca muttered as she sipped more wine.
‘I’m good at choosing and matching clothes and styles to people, but when it comes to craft, I’m all fingers and thumbs.
’ She picked up a couple of pieces of the tulle and Rose watched her work before picking up two pieces of the material too.
‘Take your time,’ Elena said when Rose cursed as one of the almonds skidded across the table.
‘That was the happiness almond,’ Isabella said sourly, earning herself an indulgent tut from Elena.
Rose carefully put the five almonds into the centre of the material.
Why did people believe in traditions like this?
Was it easier than putting in the work required to make a relationship thrive?
For years, her parents had hoped for a magic solution – a new partner, fiancé, husband or wife had been used like a sticking plaster – but fundamentally neither had been prepared to put in any hard work.
Investing in a new lover was easier than working on the relationship they already had.
No matter how hard Rose tried, they never listened.
Why did she keep expecting them to?
Did she really believe her rules could fix anything?
‘You look preoccupied,’ Luna said, nudging Rose’s shoulder and leaning closer.
‘Something wrong?’
She shook her head.
‘I’m just thinking,’ she said, studying her friend’s face.
‘You don’t look very happy either.
’
‘Everyone in this family is obsessed with babies,’ Luna complained.
‘Marco and I have barely talked about having a family. We want time to spend together without the pressure of knowing what comes next. I talked to him about asking everyone to lay off, but he doesn’t want to rock the boat.
’
Rose opened her mouth to offer help, to give Luna the benefit of her experience and rules, then shut it.
Was she really qualified to give advice on this?
‘Ah!’ Elena suddenly spotted something over Rose’s shoulder and clapped.
‘You’re here!’ When Rose turned, she saw Ben, Leonardo, Cesare and Marco walking towards them looking pleased with themselves.
‘What have you been up to?’ Luna asked, getting up to hug her fiancé.
‘It’s a surprise,’ Marco said, swirling an arm around her waist and tugging her close.
‘Give it a few minutes and you’ll see exactly what we’ve been up to.
’ He kissed her cheek.
‘Now you’re both here, you can have your gift,’ Isabella said, rising slowly and grabbing the pastry bag before ceremonially handing it to Luna.
Cesare winced. ‘Is this the right time, amore ?’ he checked.
‘Go back to your crosswords, old man, you’ve barely looked up from them for six months, so you have no idea what’s been happening under your nose,’ the older woman muttered.
‘Open it!’ she ordered, waving a hand at Luna who started to pull the gift from the bag, before tugging down the hessian sack and rubbing her hands over the statue.
‘Oh, um, I’m not sure you should do that,’ Rose said, waving her hand, but was silenced by a hiss from Isabella.
‘It’s beautiful,’ Luna gushed, holding the figure up so she could look at it properly.
‘Such an amazing piece of art.’ She glanced at Marco.
‘When I move to Bristol, I’ll make sure there’s a special place for it so we can see it every day.
’
‘What does it mean?’ Marco asked, squeezing Luna’s shoulder before looking suspiciously at his grandmother.
‘It’s not just an ornament, is it?
’ He sounded annoyed.
‘Isn’t it?’ Luna asked, her hand stilling over the stone.
‘It’s a—’ Aurora glanced at Isabella and winced.
‘Aldo says it’s a facility statue, is that correct, Nonna ?
’
‘Fertility,’ Elena corrected, shaking her head.
‘ Nonna …’
‘It is very powerful,’ the older woman said, gleefully pointing at Luna whose eyes had now widened to twice their normal size.
‘Touch it once and?—’
‘It will help you get pregnant,’ Elena finished off.
‘Oh, well, that’s not quite what I had in mind!
’ Luna exclaimed, immediately trying to shove the statue into Marco’s hands.
‘I can’t. It works on me too.
’ Her fiancé held up his palms looking panicked, leaving the stone figure teetering on the edge of Luna’s fingers.
‘Catch it!’ Luna shrieked, lunging forward as it toppled and plunged towards the ground.
Even Rose tried to step in, aiming to snatch it out of the air before it crashed onto the floor.
But she was too late, and it caught the edge of the patio and smashed.
The sound of stone shattering echoed around the garden while the family stood in shocked silence.
‘Oh god, I’m so sorry,’ Luna said, dropping to her knees and hovering her hands over the broken figure, clearly still worried about touching the pieces.
‘It is broken,’ Isabella said, her voice grave as she looked around at the family.
‘The magic is gone.’
‘I’m so sorry,’ Luna repeated, looking stricken.
‘It’s not your fault.
’ Rose knelt beside her friend and started to pick up pieces of stone.
‘ Nonna , we’re so sorry,’ Marco said, stepping closer to her.
‘It was an accident.’
‘The magic won’t work now,’ Isabella repeated, her voice shaking.
‘There is no time to get a replacement. I will not be at your wedding,’ she added stiffly.
‘This is a sign.’
‘It’s not a sign of anything, it was an accident,’ Marco insisted.
‘We’ll fix this, Nonna , it’ll be all right.
’
‘I’m not sure we want to fix this,’ Luna muttered under her breath as she helped pick up the remaining pieces, shooing away Coco who’d come to investigate the mess.
The dog let out a whine before scampering under the table.
‘It will take too long to fix,’ the older woman repeated, shaking her head.
‘It’s all just superstition,’ Cesare said under his breath.
‘It is so much more than that,’ Isabella snapped.
‘There is no reason for you to marry now and no reason for me to be at the wedding if it goes ahead.’
‘ Nonna ,’ Marco cried.
‘Isabella!’ Cesare said sharply.
But the older woman just shook her head and slowly wandered away from the table in the direction of the two cottages, before getting swallowed into the night.
‘What just happened?’ Luna asked her voice wavering, as she rose and gaped at Marco while the rest of the family huddled together and began to chatter to each other, their tones low and fretful.
‘Your grandmother isn’t coming to our wedding?
’
‘It’s a temporary problem, Nonna will come around,’ Marco soothed.
‘We have two days,’ Luna sounded hysterical.
Her mobile beeped suddenly, and she pulled it from the pocket of her dress, striding away from everyone before reading the screen.
Rose knew something was wrong as soon as Luna’s mouth dropped open and she paled.
‘What is it?’ she asked, going to stand beside her.
‘What’s happened?’
Her friend gulped.
‘Mum’s delayed again – she can’t find a flight and doesn’t think she’s going to get here in time for the wedding.
’ She swallowed shaking her head and turning to Rose, her eyes full of tears.
‘We’re going to have to postpone. ’