Chapter 5
IIt was Friday, and Bella had opted to work from home that day so she could prepare for the Houston trip.
One month had passed faster than Bella anticipated.
Everyone at Bella Pelle had fully committed themselves to the project.
Luis had perfected the formula, adding the ingredients that would hopefully protect the crew's skin as requested.
It had held up in stability testing, and the bulk product NASA needed for its own experiments had already been couriered ahead.
Jerome had finished putting the final touches on the slideshow Bella would present on Monday, just two days away.
Jerome and Carrie would accompany her for the meeting before heading back to Dallas, while Bella stayed in Houston to take part in individual meetings with various teams and the crew who would be going on the Diana IV mission.
Pulling her suitcase from the closet, Bella laid Spotty Dotty (her suitcase had polka dots) on the bed and pondered what to pack. Houston in the summer meant hot and humid weather. Her phone rang, interrupting her thoughts. It was Dr. Campbell.
"Hi, Dr. Campbell. How are you today?"
"Please call me Phil, Ms. Genovese."
"Only if you call me Bella. I'm looking forward to meeting the team on Monday. How can I help you today?"
"Well, Bella, there has been a slight change in plans regarding your presentation. You will be speaking to the full Human Research Program team, so we will need extra filled tube samples to hand out. Is it possible to get more before the meeting?"
"It shouldn't be a problem. It's not quite noon, so the lab is still open, and we always keep extra bulk product and fill components on hand. I sent twenty-five tubes. How many more did you need?"
"There will be 150 people in the meeting."
Bella had been in sales before starting Bella Pelle, so she was always comfortable speaking to groups of people. Still, the thought of speaking to 150 of the smartest people on the planet was daunting.
"Of course, Phil. It's not a problem. I'll call the office and get that arranged. I was planning to drive to Houston, so I can bring them with me if that's okay. Is there anything else I should bring?"
"Sensible shoes, Bella. You'll be doing a lot of walking," he replied before saying his goodbyes.
Humph. Sensible shoes, she muttered to herself as she walked into her closet. Looking at her options, she realized she didn't have as many sensible choices as she'd thought and wondered if she had time to hit the shops before leaving.
A quick trip to Nordstrom to procure the aforementioned sensible shoes was a success.
Bella found several pairs of cute trainers she could pair with both jeans and dresses, as well as a gorgeous pink dress with a sheer floral overlay that she simply had to have.
Bella was only 5'3", so she typically wore heels, but she could see the wisdom in flats if a lot of walking was involved.
Back home, she packed carefully for the NASA week, then turned to the more enjoyable task of choosing her concert outfit, remembering at the last moment to add the friendship bracelets the girls had made for her for the Eras Tour.
The bracelets spelled out the names of her favorite Taylor songs.
Taylor had incorporated the Surprise Songs section of the Eras Tour into the new tour, but this time with the full band instead of just herself with a guitar or piano, so Bella was hoping one of her favorites might be played at the Houston show.
Realizing more time had passed than she'd thought, she grabbed her purse and Primrose and headed over to her parents' house.
They had a family rule of Sunday dinners together, but since Bella would be driving to Houston on Sunday, everyone had agreed to move this week's dinner to Saturday evening.
Angela and Madeline were both in town for a change.
They were leaving in the morning to spend some time in Los Angeles with their dad, so tonight would be the last night they were all together for a while.
Arriving at her parents' house, she noticed Angela's car was already in the driveway.
Madeline didn't drive. Having grown up largely in London, where public transportation was readily available, she'd never really seen the need to learn.
Lifting Primmy out of the car, Bella walked to the door and let herself in.
"Sono arrivata! Ciao, famiglia!" Bella called out as she entered the kitchen, where everyone was gathered. Italians consider the kitchen the heart of the home, so she knew exactly where she'd find them.
A chorus of "Bella!" and "Mom!" greeted her as she stepped inside. After quick hugs all around and letting Primrose out into the backyard, Bella settled onto a stool at the kitchen island.
"Is there anything I can help with, Mom?" she asked.
Mary Genovese was a lovely woman whose hair was still more blonde than gray. She stood stirring a large pot of sauce made from Big G's homegrown tomatoes.
"Maybe help the girls set the table? Dinner should be ready soon," Mary replied.
"Are you having wine with dinner, Mom? Should I set out a glass for you?" Angela asked.
"No wine for me. I'm driving but thank you."
Bella wasn't much of a drinker. She enjoyed the occasional Aperol Spritz, glass of prosecco, or dirty martini, but never when she knew she'd be driving.
"I'll have a glass!" said Madeline as she laid out the cutlery.
"Ha, nice try. You're only eighteen."
"I'm eighteen, and in the UK, you can drink at eighteen."
"Well, you're not in the UK right now, and the drinking age in Texas is twenty-one, so it's a big no."
Angela burst out laughing, and soon everyone joined in.
They finished setting the table just as Big G came in carrying a platter of pasta, followed by Mary with the bread and Madeline with a large bowl of salad.
"My bellissima girls, all in one place! I must have someone upstairs who likes me to bless me with such beauty in my life," he declared as they sat down to eat.
Big G never missed an opportunity to tell people how proud he was of his family.
"What time are you leaving for Houston, Bella?" her mom asked.
"Have you checked the oil in the car? The air pressure in the tires?" asked her dad.
"Do you have your road-trip playlist ready?" Madeline added.
"I didn't realize this was the Spanish Inquisition!" Bella laughed, never one to miss a chance to quote Monty Python.
"Yes, yes, and yes. Everything is good to go. I'm planning to leave around nine in the morning so I can account for traffic and still have plenty of time to get settled into my hotel before Monday."
"What hotel did NASA put you in? Maybe I sold them their mattresses. You want to make sure you get a good night's sleep."
"You're going to smash it, Mom. I just know it," Madeline said.
Angela chimed in. "I'm so excited for you. Do you know for sure they're taking the cream into space, or are they still evaluating it?"
"They mentioned eight months of testing, so we won't know for sure until after that. But even if NASA passes on it, it's still an amazing moisturizer that we can launch as part of the Bella Pelle line. It would just mean bringing it to market sooner."
"I'd love to write about the whole thing if it works out, if that's okay. I think it would make a fantastic story."
Angela was heading into her sophomore year at Smith College with dreams of becoming a writer. She had already made connections and written a few magazine articles. Bella was admittedly biased, but she thought Angela's work was excellent.
"Have you received your invitation to the Discovery Dinner & Dance yet?" Big G asked.
"The what?"
"Mom, it's a huge NASA party every year," Madeline explained.
"All the companies they work with get invited to mingle with astronauts.
It's basically a giant schmooze-fest, but it looks really cool.
I've seen pictures online. Are you going?
You should make connections so when I finish hospitality school, they can hire me to run their events. "
Madeline would soon be heading back to the UK to begin studying event management. She had an incredible eye for planning parties, menus, and themes.
"I haven't received an invitation yet, and you know I'm not a big party person, so we'll see."
"Mom, how could you have been a rock-star wife and not love a good party? That makes no sense. I swear you were the most boring rock-star wife ever."
Everyone laughed because, honestly, it was true.
"Phil told me all the vendors NASA works with are invited," Big G said.
"You have to go if you get the invitation.
It's usually in November, but they give plenty of notice.
You should be getting yours soon. You'll go there and knock those space guys on their butts.
The stars in the sky have nothing on my baby girl. "
"Your dad is right, Bella," Mary said. "If nothing else, it's good networking. You've invested a lot in the company, and a lot of people depend on Bella Pelle for their livelihoods. You need to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way."
"Okay, okay, I'll go if I get the invitation. Now, is it time for dessert? Because I've got room for one of Big G's cannoli."