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