Violetta kissed him and took out the chandelier earrings she was wearing and put in the delicate studs. ‘They are divine, and so are you,’ she said as she kissed him.
As they went up to the guest room, Violetta was a little disappointed. Had she expected an engagement ring? Surely not, after such a short time together. Not everyone was Frank and Grace. But still, what did it mean, she thought, as she undressed for bed.
She lay under the covers while Jeff unpacked his overnight case. She wondered what she would have said if he had asked her to marry him. She had no idea, she had never thought about it before. Marriage seemed so far away once and now she felt let down somewhat. She sighed and rolled over in the bed.
‘You OK?’ Jeff asked, as he climbed into bed next to her.
‘Fine, just tired,’ she said, and rolled over to her side, her back turned towards Jeff.
Jeff lay still and then rolled over onto his side. ‘Goodnight,’ he said.
‘Goodnight.’
And they slept, Violetta dreaming of Jeff buying her every sort of jewel in the world except the one she wanted.
When she awoke, Jeff was still sleeping and she crept out of the room and went downstairs in her pyjamas and socks. Birdie was sitting at the kitchen table, eating a grapefruit.
‘You hate grapefruit,’ said Violetta, looking at her plate.
‘I used to, I like it now,’ said Birdie, looking up at her. ‘You look about twelve years old in the morning.’
‘Thanks, I think,’ laughed Violetta, as she poured herself a cup of coffee.
‘Violetta, we need to talk about a few things,’ said Birdie, as she put down her spoon.
Violetta sat next to her mother.
‘Sure,’ she said as she sipped her coffee.
‘I have been thinking about Pajaro.’
‘OK,’ said Violetta.
‘I honestly don’t have any memory of it at all. I don’t know why, and it doesn’t interest me in the slightest,’ she said, looking at her daughter.
Violetta said nothing, waiting for Birdie to gather her thoughts and find her words.
‘But it seems that I was quite good at it,’ she said without a hint of arrogance.
‘You were the best, Mom,’ said Violetta, touching her mother’s hand.
‘Maybe, but from what I hear you are doing a wonderful job.’
‘Thanks, Mom,’ said Violetta, blushing.
‘That’s why I’m handing it over to you and putting the company in your name,’ said Birdie, picking up her spoon again.
‘My name?’ asked Violetta, shocked.
‘Yes,’ said Birdie, with a finality in her voice that dared Violetta not to argue.
‘But what about Carlotta and Gracie?’
‘Grace wants to do her own thing now she’s married. And Carlotta won’t have time. She hates fashion anyway.’
‘What do you mean she won’t have time?’ asked Violetta, looking at her mother.
‘Well, I may have suffered a brain injury but it hasn’t rendered me stupid,’ said Birdie, pursing her lips. ‘How many weeks is she?’
