Chapter 23
June passed by - Jack was incredibly busy.
Training intensity was building up, with the launch now about nine months out.
Every day the crew spent long, hard hours doing intensive simulations, spacecraft operations, practicing specialized maneuvers, to ensure they could take over manually in case one of the automated systems failed.
The physical training had also increased, and it included weekly cognitive evaluations and health assessments to ensure the crew remained flight ready.
In addition, they had several trips to Florida to visit Kennedy Space Center.
Weekends were spent at home, relaxing and enjoying the precious time they had together, along with the girls when they were around.
Sloane and Piper had come up to Dallas for a week during one of Jack’s trips, and they had a wonderful time hanging with Angela and Madeline who were both home for the summer.
They visited the Bella Pelle office a few times and loved it.
They had been allowed into the lab with Luis, who helped them create their own custom product blends.
The girls even spent a day golfing with Big G at his club.
Bella called Jack that night to tell him all about it - apparently Big G had let Piper drive the golf cart — after she swore she knew what she was doing, and she’d almost taken out three golfers!
Big G said he saw race car driving in her future, which they all laughed about, because it was probably true!
Evenings were spent around the pool, playing with Daisy and Primrose, or going to the movies.
The day before they were due to go back to Houston, Bella booked them all appointments for manicures and pedicures, followed by afternoon tea at Cafe Dior in Highland Park Village.
They’d be heading off to summer camp - tennis for Sloane, dance for Piper - in a week, so Bella was happy to have the time with them before they left.
Angela and Madeline were heading to Los Angeles simultaneously, so Bella would go back to being an empty nester of sorts.
A few weeks later, Bella was in her office, wrapping up for the day when her phone rang, it was Jack calling.
“Hey you, I was just about to head home to pack and get on the road” she said.
She heard coughing and sneezing before he'd even spoken.
“That’s why I’m calling - I’ve come down with a bad summer cold. They sent me home, so I didn’t get anyone else sick. I’m so sorry babe, but I think you should stay home - I don’t want you to come down with this - it’s terrible.”
“Oh no, Jack, that’s awful. Are you taking anything? Are you sure you don’t want me to come there? I don’t mind. I worry about you being there on your own.”
“No, really, I’ll be okay. You stay there and I will see you next weekend. I’ll check in with you later though; I think I’m going to take a nap.”
“Well, if you’re sure. I love you.”
“I love you too,” he replied.
The next day Jack was lying in bed with Daisy - rousing himself occasionally to feed her and let her out and managed a few bites of food and juice - before returning to bed, burrowing back under the blankets to sweat it out. A few hours later a gentle hand on his shoulder gave him a small shake.
“Jack? Jack, are you feeling okay?”
“Bella - what are you doing here? I told you not to come, I don’t want you to get sick.”
“Oh please, I wasn’t going to let you be here on your own. I brought a few things. Do you think you could eat a little - when was the last time you ate?”
“I don’t remember - maybe some toast this morning? I’m not really hungry.”
“You need to eat. Do you think a shower might make you feel better? And some clean pajamas? That always makes me feel better. I’ll tell you what - you take a quick shower; I’ll change the sheets on the bed while you’re in there and get something for you to eat - I know just the thing.”
Jack pulled the blankets off, got out of the bed and into the shower.
Bella worked quickly to change the sheets, laid out some clean pajamas for him, and took Daisy into the kitchen where she got to work getting something together for him to eat.
A short while later Jack was sitting up in the bed when Bella returned with a tray that held a glass of juice and a bowl of something that smelled good even through his stuffy nose.
“Here you - just what you need,” she said, placing the tray on the bed.
“What’s this?”
“It’s pastina.”
“Pastina? What’s that?”
“It’s like Italian penicillin - every good Nonna has a pastina recipe. It’s what we have when we’re sick. Mine has a special ingredient - Calabrian chili paste. You’ll feel better in no time. Now eat up.”
“Yes Ms. Genovese”, he said, raising the spoon to his mouth and taking a bite.
This is pretty good. Bella watched him like a hawk, making sure he ate the whole bowl.
Satisfied, she took the tray back to the kitchen, closing the bedroom door behind her so Jack could nap undisturbed while she tidied up the house.
Waking up several hours later, Jack was surprised to see it was already dark out - I must have really been out of it - and that he was feeling better. Those nonnas know what they are doing. Getting out of bed, he went to brush his teeth, then wandered into the living room to find Bella.
“Jack - you’re up! How are you feeling? Here - sit down” she said, guiding him to the sofa and tucking a throw blanket to put over him.
“I feel better, thank you. Is there any more of that pastina left? I could use another bowl.”
Bella beamed. “Of course - let me go heat that up. I’ll bring it in, you stay here.”
Returning a few minutes later with a bowl for him, she excused herself to the master bedroom, telling him she'd be back — she just wanted a quick freshen up.
Jack had just finished polishing off the pastina when he heard Bella's voice from the doorway.
"And how is the patient doing?"
Looking up, he saw Bella standing there in a sexy nurse costume - where the hell did she get that?
- with her strappy high-heeled red sandals on.
He dropped his spoon — it hit the bowl with a clatter - I must be hallucinating.
He put his hand to his forehead. No fever, I’m not hallucinating.
Walking over to him, Bella leaned over to take the bowl from him, giving him a good look at the low-cut top of the costume, smiling seductively at him.
Placing the bowl on the coffee table, she moved and the next thing Jack knew she was straddling him on the sofa.
“Bella, you’ll get sick.”
“Captain, I’m the nurse here - and right now I have the exact cure for what ails you. Now you let me do my job.”
“Yes ma'am, I will be the model patient and do exactly what you tell me.”
Jack returned to work a few days later, feeling a million times better, while Bella went back to Dallas, smug in the fact she didn’t get sick.
“Jack! You’re back - we didn’t expect to see you so soon. You must be feeling better”, said Margie when he came walking into the briefing room.
“Yeah Jack, you had a serious case of ‘man - flu’”, snickered Elena.
"Feeling great, thank you. Let's just say I now know exactly what I need next time I get sick.” he replied. “Okay - bring me up to speed on what I missed - and I want to go over a few of the system checks today. Who’s first?” Getting down to business, the crew updated Jack on everything he'd missed, then headed off to the model capsule to go over the checks he wanted to work on.
Back in Dallas, the Bella Pelle team were at the office, preparing for a significant day.
People Magazine had reached out - wanting an interview with the team - with a focus on the company growth, and of course the NASA connection.
The PR firm they used had set the whole thing up and a reporter, along with a photographer, were coming in from New York, where they would give her a tour of the facility before moving to the conference room for the interview portion.
Carrie and Jerome had set up a wonderful display of the limited-edition jars of Astra Seta on the marble table and prepared a company bio for the reporter to take back with her to New York.
Bella had dressed carefully, knowing photos would be taken.
She’d chosen her lucky DVF red print wrap dress, with Gucci Lady Horsebit high-heeled sandals in a metallic gold, her trusty Speedmaster watch, and the charm necklace Jack and the girls had given her for her birthday.
Hair down in loose curls, understated makeup and her signature red lip completing the look.
Brooke Stafford arrived promptly at 10am with her photographer.
After greeting them in the lobby, they started the tour, with Carrie and Jerome taking the lead, keeping the conversation going while explaining the day-to-day operations there.
After the tour they headed to the conference room, where the interview would begin in earnest.
“So, Bella - may I call you Bella? - tell me how Bella Pelle came to be?” Brooke asked?
Quickly warming to the subject, Bella launched into the story behind the company, her vision for the brand and more, the photographer moving quietly around the room as she spoke.
"Wow — you really took your grief and channeled it into something extraordinary.”
“Thank you Brooke, but it was a team effort - we wouldn't be where we are without Carrie and Jerome - they are every bit as responsible for our success as I am.”
“Of course. And now you’re dating the Diana IV mission commander, Jack Calloway. Rock star wife to astronaut girlfriend - tell us about that.”
Bella raised an eyebrow and said nothing — and held it until Brooke started to visibly squirm. “I mean, that’s something the readers would love to know about.”
“I’m sure they would Ms. Stafford. If that’s the whole angle you want this article to take, then I’m afraid we are done here.
I thought this article was to focus on Bella Pelle - our story and how we came to be associated with NASA for the upcoming mission.
My personal life isn’t up for discussion, nor is Captain Calloway’s. ”
“Of course — we just thought it would make a lovely addition. It's such a feel-good story.”
‘Thank you for your understanding. Now, shall we get you loaded up with products to take back to New York with you?” And with that the interview was over.
That night during their FaceTime call Bella filled Jack in on the day’s events, and Jack got his first taste of the volcano temper - Bella delivering an epic rant. Jack said nothing, just let her vent and get it all out.
Finally, she ran out of steam, asking “Did I overreact? Am I being silly? What if they write an article badmouthing me?”
“No, I think you handled it brilliantly. And no one could badmouth you, how could they?” he replied.
“Thank you. I probably did overreact - but it triggered something in me. When Jasper died the music press were relentless - asking for details about what happened - they wanted salacious dirt. There I was trying to grieve and instead I was being asked for quotes.”
“It’s okay Bella, really. You did good.”
“You think so? I guess I’m just protective of what is ours - I don’t need outsiders to know our business - that’s for us.”
“You’re very fierce, you know that?”
“Why Captain - that’s the best compliment I’ve ever received.”