as long as Inessa was nearby. Having entered her room, she was about to sit down and read, but she heard voices in the garden, and she decided to see who was having such a joyful time there; Inessa’s laughter was heard, which was quite rare for Olivia. They played. It was not a surprise to her that her mother loved her second, and it was a shame that no one except Olivia herself saw this. Even the father did not know everything that was happening. Tears welled up in her eyes, making them look like lakes after rain, when she saw her mother take Inessa in her arms, press her and kiss her. So much tenderness, so much love and all to her. At that moment, a feeling arose in the heart of the little man, which is characteristic of adults rather than children. Resentment and hatred. She threw the book on the floor and opened the window to let in some air. She was choking with wild resentment, with a nagging pain in her chest that she was not needed and not important to her mother. Her father wasn’t even there to calm her down. She knew that if her father had been at home, her mother would not have behaved this way, at least not in the garden. They would lock themselves in Inessa’s room and read fairy tales. How she wished her father was with her now. She knew that her father was not a fan of violent manifestations of emotions, being himself stingy with feelings, he made Olivia the same cold person. Although she was not particularly close to her father, she knew and felt his love. And yet, the feeling of being useless to no one did not leave her. Since childhood, she understood that there was no spiritual connection between her father and mother, although they hid this from her. They lived in the same house, but they lived like strangers to each other. All the evenings that the three of them spent, when Inessa’s mother enrolled her in a private school in England, in front of the fireplace, at dinner, in the library or on a walk, they talked about architecture, art, poetry, their tone was falsely joyful. There was only pretense and masks, masks, masks. Countless masks, replaced as often as the orchids on the tables were changed. Among acquaintances and friends, the family of Louis and Vanessa was considered perhaps the happiest. Only behind the pretense of adults, people did not see or feel the falseness that Olivia felt. She did not understand with her mind everything that was happening, but she felt the lie hiding under the smiles of her parents.
Was it sad? Yes, that’s exactly what happened. At first, the unsuccessful relationship with her mother did not burden the young girl’s life; moreover, to some extent it made it easier for her, freeing her from the pangs of conscience that she did not visit her parents, that she did not call so often and was interested in their affairs. They missed that moment, that important moment when they explain to a little person what is good and what is bad. When he is taught the secret of family relationships, the value of family. They show how important it is to be one whole, how important it is to be in a family, to keep this hearth and see to it that the fire of love, care and mutual understanding does not go out from the indifference, heartless words and malicious intent of envious people. There was this moment, but they missed it. Everyone was busy with themselves, with their thoughts, affairs, and they did not care about the development of the little man. And before leaving for the big world, they suddenly showed concern, forgetting that the little man had grown up, he was not interested in how he “should think,” he began to think and reason independently, and now he thought and felt, as it was convenient for him, so as he liked. They raised an egoist and a spiritual one. Even though she had a mother, father and sister, Olivia had no family. There was only a feeling of bitterness, loneliness and pain. Unbearable pain from the fact that there were people related by blood and yet infinitely distant. There were no family traditions, there was no hearth. Wasn’t at home. There was a physical home, but there was no mental, spiritual home where she could find peace. There was no fortress that would save us from adversity, from disappointment. She couldn’t trust anyone. She was so lonely. To the point of stupor, to madness. She didn’t know where to place herself; she was a “spiritual orphan.” No one, not one living soul, could understand her, and did she even need this understanding? To turn into an invisible spirit, which, like the wind, moved wherever it wanted, flew up to strangers and whispered into their ears the truths of family relationships, the truth of life, the truth of every day they lived, the smiles of loved ones.
It was not at all surprising that she calmly endured the months alone, at home.
Chapter 4 Sisters
The plane landed right on schedule, and Olivia set foot on Italian soil for the first time. Inessa’s flight was delayed, and so Olivia decided to wait for her sister in the coffee shop. Her phone rang, Louis was calling.
– Yes, dad.
– Hello daughter, have you arrived yet?
– Yes, I’m at the airport, Inessa’s flight was delayed, I’ll wait for her at Al Quattro canti.
– Okay, I sent the car for you, it will be there in about half an hour.
– Okay, we’ll call you later.
– Yes, bye.
Olivia ended the call and went to drink her favorite latte with a double shot of milk.
Taking coffee and a newspaper, she sat comfortably on the sofa, while listening to about incoming flights. 15 minutes passed and she heard that a plane from London had landed.
“Must be her plane.” A couple of minutes later the phone rang again, it was Inessa.
– Hi where are you?
– Hello, I arrived half an hour ago, I’m sitting, drinking coffee, come to Al Quattro canti.
– Okay, I’ll be there soon.
– Don’t rush, dad sent a car for us, but it will be there in only ten minutes.
– Fine.
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