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Finally, a slender girl with a mop of luxurious wavy black hair sat down next to Olivia, her eyes were brown, a snow-white wide smile shone on her face when she saw her sister. Both girls looked like young graceful panthers that had just descended to the ground to hunt, fragile hands with graceful thin wrists and fingers, as if they had been playing the piano all their lives, decorated with watches and bracelets, rings with fancy diamonds sparkled on their fingers. All the people who met them turned after them to once again admire their predatory beauty and grace. While Olivia was paying, Inessa called her father.
– Dad, I’ve arrived.
– Your flight was delayed.
– Yes, it was foggy in London, I think that’s why, but we’ve already met Olivia, we’ll go outside soon
– Now the reason for the delay is clear, but oh well. The main thing is that you both made it. The car is already waiting for you at the entrance
– Okay, see you dad.
– See you.
Inessa dropped the call, looking at her sister and realized that she was not in the mood to communicate. The whole time they were driving in the car they didn’t say a word.
While they were at the airport, the parents and servants at home were putting the finishing touches on before the arrival of their guests. Louis decided that lunch would include traditional Italian dishes. Vanessa was concerned that her daughters would like everything and walked through the rooms that had been prepared for them. She found that everything was fine and went down into the living room satisfied. Louis was also happy with how everything worked out. Finally, a car arrived and the parents came out to meet their daughters. Louis opened the car doors and helped his daughters out, first Olivia came out, then Inessa. The eldest daughter warmly hugged her father, the mother received a barely noticeable smile and a quick hug, the youngest daughter, on the contrary, rushed to her mother and hugged her tightly, and exchanged a glance and a nod of her head with her father.
– How was your trip? – the first question that the father asked his daughters.
“It’s okay, dad,” Olivia answered him for both of them.
– Great, come into the house, I’ll take your suitcases.
Inessa took her suitcase, making it clear that she would carry it herself; her father did not insist and took Olivia’s suitcase.
“What a wonderful garden you have, dad,” noted Inessa.
“And there are roses,” Vanessa spoke to her.
– It didn’t even raise any doubts, you took your roses from France, those rare ones?
– Yes, they are here too. They really like the climate here, I’ll show you after lunch.
“Okay, of course, mom,” her favorite answered, smiling.
Everything in the house was as Louis loved it, many beautiful things, the fireplace was also a decoration of the living room. Olivia appreciated the dining table, which was made of solid oak for twelve people. He stood in the middle of the dining room, surrounded by chairs upholstered in emerald velvet. The legs of the table and chairs were carved, and on the backs there were fleurs-de-lis, a symbol of the French House of Bourbon, which were present on the coat of arms of Louis the Sixteenth. The walls in the dining room were white, creating airiness and lightness, but one wall was black, decorated with a large round mirror from the center of which, like the rays of the sun, mirrored rectangles diverged. On the table stood three transparent vases with armfuls of white hydrangeas, their whiteness reminiscent of the tops of mountains covered with snow.
For lunch they prepared traditional Italian lasagna, then served meat and vegetables. When they sat down at the table, there were only drinks, bread and olive oil with balsamic vinegar. Their meal was accompanied by a conversation, during which the parents learned news from the lives of their daughters. Louis was interested in many things, Vanessa, on the contrary, remained silent for some time, then nevertheless asked several questions.
“You grew up so quickly that mom and I didn’t even have time to look back.” You live in different countries. Inessa, how are you doing in your studies? Olivia, I also want to hear your story about your successes.
While helping herself to vegetables, Inessa replied:
“I’m doing well in my studies, I’m looking for a home, but I think about that later, let’s talk.”
Olivia at that moment looked at her father and saw his surprise, because he had not told her that he and Inessa had talked about buying a house. Apparently, this news was also unexpected for the father, otherwise he would not have raised his eyebrows so much, only Vanessa took it calmly.
“Vanessa,” the husband turned to his wife, “how long have you discussed this with her?”
– In the last conversation on the phone, she simply said that she would also like her own house like Olivia, because she has been living alone in France for more than a year.
“Yes, I live,” the eldest daughter sharply inserted her word.
Louis, not wanting to argue at the table, raised his hand as a sign for everyone to be silent and said:
– I don’t want to hear arguments at the table, let’s stop this. Fruit and cheese will be served soon, we will discuss the topic of buying a house with your mother in the office after lunch.
After the father’s words there was silence, which he himself interrupted:
– Olivia, tell me how are you doing?
– I’m doing well too, I’m thinking about opening a restaurant.
– That’s good, we’ll talk about this later too, but now let’s get down to dessert.
They brought out various fruits and several types of cheese. Eight varieties of Italian cheese were brought out on a flat, beautiful dish, including the world-famous Parmesan, Gorgonzola, and mozzarella, as well as those that were better known in Italy, provolone, pecorino, and bra. Louis was very fond of Parmesan with honey and pear, Vanessa preferred pecorino with grapes and they washed down dinner with wine, of course. Their lunch lasted for two hours, having finished the meal, they got up from the table. Louis called Olivia into the office, and Vanessa and her youngest daughter decided to take a walk in the garden.
“Sit down,” he pointed to the sofa with his hand, Olivia obeyed her father and sat down.
– Tell me how you are doing with the store, and we’ll talk about the restaurant right away.
– Dad, everything is fine with me, and honestly, I flew here to rest, maybe we can talk about business, then we’ll talk?
– It’s better to finish business conversations first, besides, mom and I have prepared a very busy program for you, then we simply won’t have time to talk.
– Okay, let’s do it now. The store is doing well, so I thought about opening a restaurant. The other day before the flight I saw Daniel, he sent you warm regards.
– You say the restaurant is a good business. And do you have enough capital to open?
– Yes, my money is enough for me.
– You will also say hello to him, and I will also send him a couple of bottles of balsamic. I became a co-owner of another business here.
– Dad! When will you rest? – Olivia was indignant.
“I have no peace in this world, maybe in the next.” You know very well that I cannot sit idle.
– I know of course. Take care of your health, please. How are you and your mom doing?
– Okay, everything is fine. We often walk, talk, go to the opera and museums. Vanessa still wants to go to the Capuchin Museum, but we can’t get there yet.
– I’m glad you’re doing well. Inessa became a beauty, you noticed how she stretched out.
– Yes, she grew up, and she still has immeasurable love for her mother.
– They are so similar to their mother.
This was probably the first time Olivia called Vanessa mom instead of mother. The grievances of childhood and the words of adults fall deeply and wound to the very soul. And this did not escape the attentive gaze of the father.
– Yes, you’re right, Inessa is very similar to her mother, only her eyes look like mine. But she gave you both luxurious hair, apparently Inessa did something with it, it became wavy, it didn’t seem like it was like that before.
“I don’t know and I don’t want to know what they were,” Olivia rudely interrupted her father’s speech, “I’ll go into the room,” she got up and left the office. Louis was amazed at this change of mood, but did not even have time to say anything before she left the office. He also went out and met Vanessa and her youngest daughter. They were returning from the garden and it was obvious that the time spent together had benefited both of them. Inessa chirped something to her mother about her friends and London. This is how the sisters’ first day in Italy went. Then their parents, as promised, did not give them even a day of rest. Louis loved to plan everything, and Vanessa gave instructions a month before his daughters’ arrival to find places that she would like to show them. In the coming days they visited both Garibaldi’s garden and the sea square. Vanessa included in the list exactly those places where she and her husband most often walked on their own, so that the children would have an idea of how and where their parents spend time. And for one evening, Louis booked a box at the opera. They decided to go with their daughters to the opera at the Massimo Theater, which was the largest in Italy and famous for its excellent acoustics. Their whole family loved the opera, and Vanessa really enjoyed going to such an event. Before getting ready for the theater, she always visited a beauty salon, and this time she decided to take both daughters with her.
– My girls, before the theater I would like to go with you to a beauty salon. Olivia, you should come with us too,” she said this in a velvety voice, but it hurt Olivia’s ears with its pretense. Nevertheless, in order not to upset her father, she agreed.
– Okay, I’ll go with you, I’m waiting for you on the street.
Louis understood that she was doing this only out of respect for him, and, going out into the street with her, he said:
– Thank you for agreeing to go with them.
– What else can I do? I know how important all this is to you. I’m not even talking about her. I understand that you invited us both here to improve our relationship, in my opinion, you don’t see the obvious at all, I’m sorry,” she took her father’s hand, realizing that it was difficult for him to listen to this.
– Yes, you’re right, that’s exactly why I called you. After all, you don’t fly to each other.
“She and I are strangers, accidentally brought up in the same family.” I’m already sick of this pretense, not only mine, but our entire family’s. You and mom, your relationship collapsed a long time ago. Why should we pretend?! I don’t understand, I don’t see the point. It’s time for you to come to terms with the fact that we will never communicate,” Olivia exclaimed in her hearts.
– Olivia! You say terrible things. Just think about the fact that there is no one dearer to her, and never will be. You must talk, understand each other and forgive childhood grievances.
At her father’s words, she grinned sarcastically and added:
– Are you kidding me now?
– I’m talking seriously.
– Better think about your mother. As soon as I see it, Inessa, her favorite, won’t know how her mother is doing. She lives in London and doesn’t even think about those who pay for her studies.
– Calm down, why are you saying that now? After all, I helped you when you decided to stay in France, you are not fair to us.
– Not to you. Only to her,” Olivia turned around and went into the house. When she entered the house, Louise was carrying chamomile tea on a tray to Vanessa’s room, they encountered Olivia at the door, and from the anger that gripped her, she shouted at the housekeeper and overturned the tray of tea. Louise stood rooted to the spot, not understanding what happened in a split second. Louis ran after his daughter, looked at the broken cups and teapot and followed his daughter into the office. He knew her violent temper, especially when she was taken out by talking about her mother. Inessa came down from the second floor, and, seeing that Louise was collecting broken dishes, asked:
– What happened? Did the father turn the tray over?
The housekeeper shook her head and she realized that this was the work of her sister, she ran into the office to find out what had happened, and when she ran in, she found her father and her older sister talking in a raised voice. Louis, seeing his youngest daughter in the office, shouted to her:
“Now is not the time, Inessa, go away,” he pushed her out the door and locked the office with a key from the back.
“Great! So we went to the salon,” thought Inessa.
She went up to her mother and said that they would go to the salon together.
– Mom, let’s go together, Olivia is arguing with her father.
– What? Why?
– I don’t know, he kicked me out the door. I don’t intend to wait for her. Let’s go,” she took her bag and they went down to the car. Vanessa and Inessa left, and in the office there was a tense dialogue between the father and the eldest daughter:
– Olivia, calm down, please. She yelled at Louise, broke the dishes…
The daughter looked at her father and said in a firm voice:
– You can just leave me alone. What do you need?! What do you all want from me?! You can just leave me alone – shouting this, she grabbed the key from the table, opened the door and went up to her room. There were tears in her big green eyes, just like once in childhood, and again pain pierced her.
Louis was shocked by his daughter’s words, he even forgot how to speak. This was exactly what he had told Vanessa in France. That sooner or later it will come back to haunt them that their daughter was raised by strangers. He realized that his daughters would not be able to find a common language, neither now nor later. He understood that this was his failure as a father and Vanessa’s as a mother. As he grew older, he increasingly came to the conclusion that the cocoon opens one day, and here is their cocoon, in other words, the opportunity to reconcile the daughters was long lost, and it was impossible to return back the time when childhood grievances could be forgotten. The constant lack of attention from her mother developed in Olivia a persistent feeling of uselessness for her family; her father, always busy with business, still found time to communicate with her, but her mother, who abandoned her when she was very young, now evoked only a feeling of hatred. They never made it to the opera that day. Louis did not want to go without his eldest daughter. Vanessa decided to spend this evening in the company of Inessa at home in the living room. She sat and waited for her youngest daughter to come down. Inessa was in no hurry, the feeling in this house was strange, because she was not used to staying with her parents for so long, especially when they had Olivia. Their relationship was formal and devoid of any kind of emotional contact. At receptions they pretended that they had a warm sisterly relationship, they were the ideal of mutual understanding, and many family friends set them up as an example for their daughters. However, all this was just a screen, a skillful play by two actresses. Vanessa did nothing to improve their relationship, Louis was busy ensuring their future and therefore did not delve into the intricacies of their communication. Finally, Inessa went down to the dining room and sat down next to her mother. Vanessa took her beloved daughter’s hands in hers and asked softly:
– What’s on your heart? What’s in your soul? I, too, was just as young and carefree, and fluttered through life, and I have something for you.
Inessa looked at her mother and was so touched by these questions that she could hardly hold back her tears.
“Mom, dear mother,” the daughter turned to Vanessa in a whisper, “everything is really great with me, you don’t need to worry about me, okay?”
– Fine. Let’s go,” she stood up and led her daughter by the hand into the library.
– Why are we going there?
– I want to show you one thing, but no one else should know, in general, do you understand me? – the mother looked carefully into her daughter’s eyes to make sure that her daughter would not tell anyone about this.
– Nobody will find out, Mom, I promise you.
When they entered the library, Vanessa pointed her daughter to a chair and said:
– Sit down.
Inessa sat down, and her mother walked along the shelves with books, reached the windows, closed the curtains, and turned on the lights. The daughter began to fidget in the chair, showing with all her appearance that she was impatient to find out the reason for their being here.
– Mother! What did you want to show?
– Be patient!
“Okay,” Inessa lowered her eyes guiltily, and her mother began the story.
– Once upon a time, a very long time ago, I happened to visit an extraordinary place, and I have a reminder of it for the rest of my life. It’s here,” she placed the ladder against the shelves and climbed the steps. I took out a very ordinary book, which was a little shabby over time, but overall looked good. Inessa was silent. Mom handed her a book with the words:
– Open it.
The daughter raised her head and looked into her mother’s eyes, as if she wanted to see the answer that in this book, Vanessa looked distant and lost in her thoughts. When Inessa began to slowly open the cover of the book, a chill ran down her mother’s back, as if she was reliving her emotions of those years. At that moment, a knock on the door distracted them. Louis was outside the door.
“Come in,” Vanessa did not want to arouse suspicion and therefore decided that Louis, seeing the book in his daughter’s hands, would think that they were talking about art and would not interfere. She whispered to Inessa not to open the book when her father came in. The daughter nodded and at that moment the door opened and the father came in.
– Did you interfere? – he asked kindly.
“We are talking about the fashion of past years, no, it didn’t interfere,” the wife answered with a smile.
– Fashion is interesting, but I think I’ll take my leave. What kind of work do you have in your hands, Inessa?
Vanessa reacted instantly and replied:
– It’s about court style, corsets and fluffy skirts, you’re unlikely to be interested in that.
