Her family looked around at each other until her grandmother spoke. “Well then, I guess I’d better get to work. I’ll need their information, but then again, if they’ve already been accepted to the international ball in New York, it should be a piece of cake. We’ll handle the fees and such as a thank you for all that you’ve done for our Gia.”
“Thank you for thinking of my family.” Let’s see how Pop works his way around this one. I know why he didn’t push hard for the girls to attend that particular ball when nana brought it up, but for Gianna, I’m sure he’ll give in grudgingly.
Gianna was still pawing through the first tome, and there were about six more waiting. “Who is this? She looks like mom a little.”
“Oh, that’s Elena and Daniel; she’s my favorite cousin, though I haven’t seen her in a while. Those two met that night for the first time and fell in love. There was some talk because they’re distant cousins, distant enough that it shouldn’t have mattered. But harsh words were said between the two families, and next thing you know, one day they were both gone. That was more than half a century ago.”
“Didn’t you try to find her?”
“Oh, we did, in the beginning, but nothing ever panned out. It’s as if they disappeared off the face of the earth. Later, when computers became a thing, we tried again. There are many we found with our last name, but none of them so far have been relatives.”
They went back to their chatting until I noticed Gianna was starting to wilt. “Where is the room you have made up for her? She needs to rest a minute.”
“How did you know?” The old woman had tears in her eyes.
“It’s what grandmothers do.”
She had the servants show us to a room that would swallow the one Gianna was staying in, in my family home.
It was decked out for a princess and nothing less. “Stay with me.” She grabbed onto my arm with a very strong grip.
“I was planning to, don’t worry. Why don’t you lie down and take a nap? You look beat.” She looked at the canopy bed with the brocade bedding like she was afraid it would fall in on her.
I walked over and removed her sweater, leaving her in the undershirt I’d insisted she wear. “Sit!” I helped her onto the side of the bed and lifted her legs one at a time to remove her knee-high boots before laying her back on the pillows. “Sleep, I’m right here.”
I turned to the slightly open door where I’d heard and sensed a presence to find her grandmother watching us. “Is she okay?”
“Yes, she’ll be fine.”
“We’ll call you down to dinner in a little while then.” She pulled the door a little bit, not closing it all the way but close and walked away. Gianna was out cold by the time I turned back to her. I guess the built-up tension had finally done her in. Great, I can use the time to get started on some stuff.
If that old lady can get past Draco, and my money is on her, I may not have to wait as long as I’d thought to get things started. Crap, unsecured location, dare I risk it? Nah, I’ll wait until we get back home. I pulled up the bedside chair close to the bed and sat to watch her sleep.
Though I’d have been more comfortable lying beside her, I didn’t want anything to mar her first reunion, and grandma looks like the ‘not under my roof unless you’re married’ type. I could faintly hear voices coming from downstairs and was sure they were picking everything apart.
I’m glad I’d dressed her this evening because even if my girl doesn’t know, I’m sure her grandmother and aunts had recognized every designer she was wearing, from the Hermes riding boots and silk scarf to the Chanel bag and beret.
She woke about an hour later, looking well-rested and just in time for dinner. “Do you need to freshen up?” I had to ask because we made a deal not to unpack her overnight case until I was absolutely sure she would be okay here.
“No, I’ll just wash my face.” She walked into the en suite bath to take care of that while I stretched.
Downstairs the family of women was gathered, and I was about to suggest leaving now instead of later for the hotel room I’d rented, but Gianna was back to being a vine. I looked at her, and though there was no fear, she was still not comfortable, so these ladies were gonna have to deal.
It didn’t turn out so bad, except Gianna had to keep watching me to see which utensil to use until I caught on and started signaling her before each course. Of course, Becky, the sewer rat, couldn’t be bothered raising her in the style her mother would’ve, but what’s Felix’s excuse?