Of volume lineage

XI

 

Isabella

 

When I woke up the next morning, the shattered vase was gone, and so was Giova

Isabella Vigliano.

The name was unfamiliar to my tongue, the syllables twisting awkwardly.

Not a Vigliano yet according to my new husband, I grumbled to myself. No longer a Lombardi and not yet a Vigliano. Just Isabella.

Well, the second Isabella.

I wasn’t going to lay around all morning feeling sorry for myself. There was a plan in my mind that demanded to be fulfilled.

After showering and changing into a slimming black dress that ended just above my knees, I found my new family–family used loosely–in the kitchen. Marzia was packing her school bag, talking about something. Giova

“Good morning, Isabella,” she chirped when she saw me. “You sleep a lot.”

I swallowed my laugh. “Oh?”

“Daddy and I have been up for ages,” she explained. Then looked to her dad for support.

Giova

I scowled. “What’s for breakfast?”

“Marzia and I have already eaten,” he said.

“We had pancakes,” Marzia added helpfully. She glanced at the time and her eyes went wide. “Daddy, we’re going to be late!”

“Isabella will take you now.”

Oh, will she? I opened my mouth to rebut his claim, but Marzia turned her face to me, eyes wide and pleading. She looked genuinely afraid that she would be late for school.

My resolve crumbled immediately. “Let me grab my coat.”

Giova

Marzia was already halfway out the door when I returned. “Come on, come on. We’re going to be late.”

“How long does it take to get there?” She grabbed my arm before I could bend down to put on my shoes, forcing me to hop and skip to slide into the heels.

“It’s a seven-minute walk,” came Giova

“Enough that I could’ve dried my hair?” I asked. The soaked strands pressed against my neck, slowly dripping down my back. “Or had breakfast?”

“Breakfast is at 6, Isabella. Wake up earlier tomorrow if you want to eat with Marzia and I.”

I glared at him as the elevator rattled down to the ground floor. “You could’ve woken me up.”

“You’re not an infant. You’re more than capable of waking up on your own.”

Marzia jumped from side to side, her braids swinging in the same movement. She seemed unconcerned with what her father and I were discussing. “Did you know a blue whale is bigger than any known dinosaur?”

I pulled my eyes away from Giova

She nodded. “A blue whale is 108 feet.”

“Wow, that’s huge.” I didn’t know anything about whales but I did say, “The largest painting at the Louvre is only 10 metres wide. A blue whale would be 11 Wedding Feasts of Cana.”

Her eyes grew even wider. “That would be so much painting. My hand would fall off.”

A surprised laugh tore from my chest. “It would.”

The doors dinged and we stepped out into the marble lobby, decorated with leather couches and golden chandeliers. Heads swivelled away from us, everyone suddenly finding their newspapers and morning coffees extremely interesting.

Gustavo and Daniele waited by a parked car, both bowing their heads in respect. I spotted Giova

“Have a good day, my darling.” Giova

“No,” she grumbled. Then added, “Maybe.”

“Behave yourself, please.” He glanced at me briefly as he slid into the car, saying goodbye with a simple “Isabella” and bow of the head.

I didn’t bow back, just sent him a glare before turning to Marzia. She was already starting down the street, Daniele close on her heels.

“Come on, Isabella, or else I’m going to be late!”

I strode to her side, heels clacking against the pavement. Cold morning air ran along my skin, my wet hair not helping keep me warm. “What’s the matter with Mister Burrows?” I asked.

Marzia knew where we were going and led me through the throngs of people, a skip to her step. “He’s the meanest ever,” she exclaimed. “He won’t let me read the purple books because they’re for the big kids. But I’ve read all the blue books and they’re boring.”

“He should let you read the purple books,” I agreed.

She nodded. “I stole one and Daddy made me return it.”

I laughed then quickly reprimanded myself. I probably shouldn’t be encouraging thievery. “You should see how fast you can read the blue books. Challenge yourself.”

Marzia considered it, then her brows furrowed. “No. I don’t want to.”

“Fair enough.”

We reached a red bricked school with a huge sign that read Our Lady of Perpetua Elementary School for Girls. Girls in pinafores and pleated skirts ran up the front steps, their giggles filling the air. A small group of moms haunted the front gates, sparing me a few curious glances.

“No parents allowed in.”

“Okay, well…” I bit my lip nervously. “Have fun?”

Marzia looked like she was going to laugh but she tensed suddenly, gaze darting to the left. I followed her stare to where two girls around her age stood in a pair, both of them sending Marzia cruel looks.

“Who are they?” I asked.

“Hattie and Orchid. They’re in the year above me.”

What kind of name was Orchid? I would dwell on that later. Right now, I wanted to know why Marzia had gone so quiet at the sight of them. “Are they mean to you?”

“No,” she said quickly.

“If they are, you can let me know.”

Suspicion entered her blue eyes. “Why?”

“Because…” Why, indeed? I wasn’t Marzia’s mother, I was her father’s young wife. Marzia and I might be getting along for now, but we were still both very much strangers. “You can let me know. Okay?”

She nodded and opened her mouth to say something when the bell rang. Her eyes popped open like balloons. “Bye!” Then before I could blink, she had spun on her heel and fled into the building, scarf and bookbag flying behind her.

“Bye,” I laughed to myself.

Daniele had disappeared but I wasn’t stupid. He would keep to himself in the shadows for the day, making sure no one with bad intentions came near the school. I knew Daniele would be Vigliano employee of the month–Giova

Two women in their early thirties stepped in front of me, blocking my exit. The one on the left wore a turquoise yoga matching set, her ponytail sleeked back with no stray hairs. The second woman wore a blue power suit, pearls glimmering around her neck and a briefcase in her hand.