Chapter Eighteen #2
In her ear, Leo echoed her earlier sigh. ‘You might be right. I’ll leave you with your sisters tonight. I’ll come in tomorrow morning to keep things ticking over while you go and do the legal stuff.’
It was what they’d already arranged, but there was still a wealth of gratitude in her voice when she said, ‘Thanks, caro. We’ll do the rest another time.’
After he’d rung off, Jade made tea – breakfast for her and Erin, with camomile for Rosalie – and placed the cups on the scarred kitchen table, where she’d shared so many meals with her grandmother.
She blinked at the granddaughters Mairead had never known: one small, like Gran, though ambitious and polished rather than funny and quirky, and the other more Jade’s height, if slenderer, and always ready with a smile.
Impulsively, Jade said, ‘I wish Gran was here to see us together.’
‘Yeah.’ Rosalie pulled a sad face. Then she gazed at the empty chair at the table as if someone was sitting there and raised her coffee cup. ‘To Gran.’
Erin echoed it wistfully. ‘To Gran, who Jade always makes sound so fun and lovely.’
A lump jumped into Jade’s throat. ‘She was. In a very . . . individual way.’
‘Ah.’ Rosalie’s eyes danced. ‘That’s where we get it from.’ Then she cocked a cheeky eyebrow in Jade’s direction. ‘Caro means “dear” in Italian. Are you and Leo . . . ?’
‘We’re seeing each other.’ Jade’s cheeks scorched.
Rosalie beamed. ‘Ooh! Knew it, last time we were here.’ She made sinuous motions with her fingers. ‘I could feel the sizzle.’
‘And also, I’d told you they were together in the past.’ Erin grinned. ‘Jade, you don’t have to babysit us tonight. We’ll be fine unpacking and stuff.’
‘And going out for pizza,’ Rosalie said. ‘You see Leo.’
Although her first instinct was to refuse, Jade hesitated. ‘Gran always expected me to be polite to guests. But you’re not guests – you’re sisters.’ Business partners, as of tomorrow. ‘Erin’s right. You don’t need babysitting. I’ll call him back.’ Happily, she dived for her phone.
She still suggested their evening be private, though. She and Sheenagh could kiss and make up another time.
On Tuesday morning, she only realised that there was something vital she’d omitted to tell Erin and Rosalie when they entered the commercial kitchen via the breakfast room just as Geneva entered through the back door.
After a busy week and then leaving them to their own devices yesterday evening, she hadn’t explained she’d employed Geneva, however temporarily.
And because she was limiting interaction with Geneva while she decided whether her mother would have a place in her life, she hadn’t warned Geneva of the existence of Joey’s other children, let alone their anticipated arrival.
Now she felt mean and rude to have sprung these introductions on everybody.
‘Buongiorno.’ Geneva’s eyes flicked between the women. They narrowed when they rested on Rosalie, making Jade wonder if she looked the most like Joey.
‘Buongiorno.’ Erin and Rosalie nodded politely.
Jade cleared her throat. ‘This is Geneva Gallo. She’s helping me over a tricky period while I replace Carlotta and Vittoria.’ She had to enunciate carefully to avoid stumbling over the next words. ‘She’s my mother.’
Erin and Rosalie’s mouths became Os of amazement, highlighting a resemblance between them that Jade hadn’t hitherto noticed. Geneva glanced at Jade, evidently understanding enough English to follow and be surprised.
Jade felt her entire head go hot as she switched to Italian for Geneva’s benefit.
‘And this is Erin Ferguson and Rosalie Beretta.’ In her peripheral vision, she registered Geneva’s attention whipping back to the others.
‘They’re Joey’s other daughters,’ she added, probably unnecessarily once Geneva had heard the name ‘Beretta’.
‘Wow. I didn’t realise . . . did you mention . . . ? No, you didn’t.’ The look Rosalie turned upon Jade was astounded. Or shocked.
Erin carried the awkward moment off with more aplomb. ‘Nice to meet you, Geneva. I’m Erin and she’s Rosalie.’ She shook hands with Geneva.
Collecting her wits, Jade added a short explanation in Italian. ‘We are inheriting Pensione Three Sisters between us.’
‘Sì, capisco.’ Her eyes still on Rosalie and Erin, Geneva gave a jerky nod. Tonelessly, she asked, ‘Where should I begin today?’
For a second, Jade’s grasp on the management of the pensione deserted her.
She pulled it back on like a shield. ‘Leo will be coming soon to work the kitchen with you, as I have an appointment. First, can you tie up the laundry bags and label them, then put them outside the back door? The van’s due around eight. ’
Geneva nodded. Steadily she helped herself to a tabard and gloves, then vanished into the laundry room.
Jade should have gone out to see if there were orders to be taken from the early guests, as she’d already heard voices from the breakfast room.
Instead, she exchanged uncertain glances with her wide-eyed sisters.
‘Sorry. I mishandled that. I should have warned you all separately before you had a chance to meet. I just seem to have been running round with my hair on fire all week.’
Rosalie touched Jade’s arm. ‘It’s OK. But it must be seriously freaky. When did she turn up? Are you pleased? I’m pleased if you’re pleased.’
‘Yes,’ Erin agreed, though frowning. ‘But are you? Will it work out, her being employed here? I’m not questioning your operational abilities,’ she said hastily, ‘but if you want to get rid of her, I foresee difficulties. I don’t know Italian employment law, but I presume that once she’s worked here for a wee while you’ll be stuck with her. ’
Jade repressed the instinct to snap that, though not always familiar with the corporate-sounding expressions Erin used, she did know Italian employment law – and that casual work was common in the hospitality industry.
Instead, she answered calmly. ‘I’ve no idea what to think.
Yes, she did just turn up. I haven’t offered her a permanent job.
I’ve made offers to two other people, who’ll probably accept or otherwise today.
I think I need a third person so I’m not constantly struggling if anyone’s off, and I’m tentatively contemplating Geneva for that.
But I’d already considered the downside.
’ Like how to sack your mother. She outlined how Geneva had arrived and asked not for money, but for work.
‘One more shock to add to all the others.’ She tried to sound jokey, but knew she’d failed when the others exchanged uneasy glances.
Rosalie glanced around the kitchen. ‘We came in to see whether you wanted to put us to work.’
Remembering that she hadn’t thought they’d be able to get up on time, Jade smothered a grin.
‘Thanks. I think we’re covered for this morning, so long as Leo arrives.
’ They’d only snatched a couple of hours for a meal together last night, tangling fingers over the table and discussing his fabulous good fortune at being solvent again, once the banks had processed . . . whatever banks processed.
He hadn’t suggested she return to Villetta Nascosta with him or that he stayed here with her. ‘You’re bound to feel emotional about tomorrow’s meeting with your notaio,’ he’d said.
‘The Legacy of Pensione Three Sisters?’ She squeezed his fingers to show that she appreciated his concern. ‘It sounds like the title of a book.’
‘Well,’ he answered thoughtfully, ‘it’s the next chapter of your story.’
Now, as if summoned by her reflections, Leo strode in through the back door, hair brushed back from his forehead.
‘Buongiorno, buongiorno!’ He grinned at Rosalie and Erin.
‘Welcome back.’ He dropped a hand to Jade’s waist and a kiss to her cheek.
‘I can cover this morning if Geneva and Yara are here. You concentrate on what you need to.’
Brightly, Rosalie said, ‘We’ll grab breakfast.’ Diplomatically, she and Erin left without lingering to chat.
Jade rested her head on his warm shoulder. He smelled of a herby soap or shampoo. ‘Everything feels weird. Geneva, Rosalie and Erin came face to face before I thought to warn them about each other.’
He gave her a quick, hard hug. ‘You’ve a lot on. Let me worry for you this morning. Just for once.’
Jade flung a glance in the direction of the laundry room from which Geneva was yet to emerge. Channelling Gran, she answered, ‘Aye, OK, laddie,’ making him laugh.
The appointment at Mary Smith’s office was at ten o’clock.
It was the first of September and the heat had turned hazy, as if the sun had tossed a gauzy scarf about its head.
In deference to the weather Mary wore a navy dress rather than a suit, though still decorated with strands of her hair at the shoulders.
The plants on her window ledge were dusty.
‘Would anyone like to see me privately?’ she asked, the bright morning light picking out the laughter lines around her eyes. ‘It’s not unusual for people to have last-minute questions and prefer privacy to ask them.’
Jade glanced at Erin and Rosalie, and they glanced at each other and then her. Rosalie’s hair was in a high ponytail, which fell to one side of her neck over her bird tattoo. Erin was stylish in a sleeveless top and white trousers. Erin and Rosalie shrugged and shook their heads.
Jade did the same because the will was the will, the law was the law, Gran was gone and everything was about to change, ready or not.
Solemnly, Mary took them through the legal process of identification and signatures.
Jade, Rosalie and Erin were almost silent unless directly addressed.
It was done shockingly fast. At the end, after shaking hands with each of them, Mary said, ‘I wish you all the best for the future.’