Page 66 of A Very Italian Wedding
‘It has,’ Rose said carefully. ‘At least for now.’
‘It’s awful,’ Deborah wailed. ‘I feel like it’s all my fault. I lost my mother’s necklace and then Luna decided to call the whole thing off.’
‘I know,’ Rose soothed, pacing to the edge of the pool. ‘But everything’s going to be okay.’ She was going to make sure of it.
The older woman ignored her — too caught up in her own unfolding disaster. ‘I’ve called the taxi and train company, but either they haven’t found the necklace yet or no one’s handed it in.’ Her voice wobbled, the emotion in it almost tangible. ‘I double-checked in the hotel too, but I can’t find it anywhere.’ She sobbed, which was out of character for the normally calm and efficient scientist. Rose went to sit on a bench beside the pool, the one she’d seen Marco and Ben talking at just a few hours ago, trying not to go over everything she’d heard. Analysing it, remembering all of Ben’s denials — how she’d ignored them — wasn’t going to help fix anything. ‘The necklace has been in my family for generations. Luna was supposed to wear it tomorrow. She’s devastated,’ Deborah sniffed.
Rose sighed. ‘I’m going to put everything right. But first, I need to tell you none of this is your fault and second, I’m going to sort it, so you don’t have to worry about a thing.’ She pulled a face because she had no idea if she could really pull it off.
Her stomach was already in knots anticipating what she was going to have to do this afternoon, the familiar fear gnawing at her insides. She was terrified, but knew she had to finally face her fear and move on. ‘You didn’t cancel your flight, did you?’ she checked, praying the older woman hadn’t got around to it.
‘No.’ Deborah sighed. ‘I’ve spent all morning trying to track the necklace down.’
‘Don’t cancel,’ Rose ordered, momentarily shutting her eyes as a wave of relief rolled over her. At least one thing had gone her way. ‘Catch the flight, but don’t tell Luna you’re coming yet.’
‘Why not?’ Deborah asked, sounding surprised.
‘Because I’ve got a lot to do before I convince her to go ahead with the wedding,’ Rose confessed. ‘And she’ll just tell you not to come.’
‘But what about the necklace?’ Deborah asked. ‘She needs something old, borrowed and blue. She won’t marry Marco without it. How are you going to solve that if I can’t find it?’
‘Leave it with me,’ Rose said, smiling as she drummed her fingers on the bench. ‘The Love Doctor has a plan.’ And for once it had everything to do with bringing a couple together again.
Rose paced around the Citroën clutching the car keys like an amulet. She could do this. Shewasn’tafraid. It was time to move beyond the memories of her childhood. To finally release herself from the things that had held her back for so many years. Her rules, anxieties, prejudices, everything had to change. Starting with this.
She took in a long breath as she reached for the door handle on the driver’s side and almost jumped out of her skin when Coco suddenly barked.
Rose spun around, expecting to find Luna, but instead she saw Aurora standing on the driveway in a glittery orange dress. She looked magnificent.
‘Leonessa,’ the clairvoyant said approvingly. ‘Aldo told me I’d find you here. You are finally facing your demon,si?’ She nodded at the car as the shih tzu came bounding up to Rose and growled.
‘Which one?’ Rose asked dryly, keeping one eye on the dog’s jaws. ‘And where’s Luna?’
‘She is sleeping in my room,’ the older woman soothed. ‘She’s upset and I said she could hide away in there and lick her, what do you say,wombs.’
‘I think you mean wounds,’ Rose said.
‘Perhaps.’ Aurora nodded, looking serious. ‘Aldo says you are going to fix the wedding,’ she added, her gaze travelling back to the car. ‘You have places to go?’
Rose nodded, feeling a fresh bubble of anxiety climb up her throat. ‘I’ve not got much time,’ she croaked, before turning and opening the driver’s door. Coco let out a delighted bark and immediately scrambled onto the passenger seat. ‘Get out!’ Rose demanded, skirting around to the other door and yanking it open. She signalled to the dog that it needed to move, but Coco simply growled.
‘It seems you will have some company on your journey. Perhaps you two need some time alone?’
‘I don’t know why,’ Rose muttered. ‘She hates me.’ She signalled to the dog to move again, but Coco didn’t budge. ‘I haven’t got time for this! If you’re coming, you need to get in the back,’ Rose muttered angrily, slamming the door. If the dog wanted to come, she wasn’t going to try to move her — she valued her limbs too highly.
She turned back to Aurora. ‘I need you to speak to Leonardo, Elena and Francesca, to tell them to make sure everything’s ready for the wedding tomorrow. Marco already knows.’ Rose walked around to the driver’s side again, expecting the older woman to ask her more. ‘It’s going to go ahead.’
‘Already done.’ Aurora grinned.
‘How? I only just decided,’ Rose asked, but Aurora simply tapped her temples. ‘Aldo…’ Rose muttered. Or just powerful intuition.
‘Of course!’ the older woman chuckled. ‘Oh, and I just saw Isabella and Cesare walking towards the olive grove. I believe you had something to do with that too?’
Rose shrugged.
Cesare had obviously finally persuaded his wife to go and look at the new olive tree shoot, but Rose doubted that would fix things between them. She only hoped the older man would listen to the other advice she’d given when they’d spoken earlier. Getting Isabella to agree to go to the wedding was one of the finaltasks she had to complete, but she wasn’t convinced Marco’sNonnawas ready to let go of her resentment yet.
‘It’s not the time to worry about that now,’ she muttered, taking in a deep breath and climbing into the car before moving the seat backwards and forwards to get it in the right place. She switched on the engine and saw Aurora wave. Rose felt her chest grow heavy.
