Bella's eyes slowly fluttered open, "Come on baby rise and shine." Her mother said as she sat on the bed beside her. "You have slept half the day away and we want to spend some time together before you have to head back to the city."
"Just five more minutes," Bella murmured before rolling back over. A small stream of water hit her cheek. "I'm awake! I'm awake!" She sat up she scowled at the water pistol in her mother's hand and looked at the clock beside her bed. "Mum, it's not even seven o'clock." Another stream of water hit her and she squealed, "Okay okay I am getting up."
"Good, now have a proper shower and come down stairs for breakfast," Rosie smiled at her daughter still covered in golden glitter and looking like an angel, "It so good to have you home baby, let's enjoy it. Up, up, up."
Half an hour later Bella descended the stairs looking fresh and brighter than she felt. She held her hands held behind her back hiding her weapons. She walked into the back yard surprised that so little was left from the party the night before, only a few tables remained for those that had stayed and a large barbeque sizzled and popped as the catering staff cooked bacon, hash browns, eggs, pancakes and all the good things that made breakfast her favourite meal of the day.
Bella walked slowly toward her parents saying good morning to everyone as she went. Pulling her water pistols from behind her back she looked at them both and aimed her water pistols at them. Smiling sweetly she said, "That's a horrible way to wake someone up, you should be ashamed of yourselves. I am a grown woman." Her father pleaded innocence but Bella would have none of it. "I know it was your idea Dad." She grinned and pulled the triggers showing that the pistols were empty. "Next time you won't be so lucky," she smirked.
To much laughter she lowered the weapons and went to grab some food and juice. The morning seemed to go by quickly as people emerged from tents drawn by the smell of food and locals who had gone home the night before returned for breakfast. There was no sign of Mel, Kurt or Dianne yet and she tried not to be anxious about it as she joined the relaxed easy conversation at the table. Her Aunt and Uncle were staying a week and invited her to go back to Italy with them for a holiday when they returned. Her parents were enthusiastic but she only smiled "I don't know, I would have to discuss it with Mel," she paused before adding, "I do have a job now."
"Oh your father can speak to him, can't you Joe." Rosie said and a look of panic filled Bella's face.
"Rosie stop. It's Bella's decision. If she didn't work for a friend of ours she would have to discuss it with her boss on her own. It shows she is responsible. She is all grown up now as she keeps reminding us. Let her make her own decisions."
Rosie started to protest, but Joe ended the conversation with "Now, now my love..." and Rosie acquiesced.
The conversation ebbed and flowed around her and her thoughts turned inward focusing on Mel and what he might say to the request. She wished he was here to talk to. He had filled her world with his presence over the last few days and she felt strangely cast adrift without him close by. She chewed her lip once again becoming anxious about his absence until her mother interrupted thoughts by asking for help in the kitchen.
The kitchen benches were lined with almond biscotti and strawberry macaroons and on the table were cardboard sleeves that would fold into little boxes. Bella began making up small boxes and handed them to the other women to fill with treats to give the guests. Her mother and Aunt chattered around her as they worked, "You're such a good girl Bella. Your cousins never help their Mama," her Aunt lamented.
Bella laughed, "I just do what I am told because it saves the time I would spend arguing and giving in eventually anyway. It's very hard to say no to my mum... and get away with it."
"When she was a teenager, she argued all the time," Rosie nudged Lucia, "She wore all those black clothes and black make up. But I told her, 'What you do at home no one cares about, but what you do in public is something to be judged'." The women went off on another tangent about what young people thought was acceptable behaviour these days, while Bella fell silent thinking about what her mother said. Most people had a public and a private persona, why should she be any different.
Bella's constant daydreams of her Master were interrupted again as her Aunt spoke of Jim putting her arm around Bella's shoulder, "...like that silly boy last night drinking too much and saying bad things about our beautiful Bella. What you need is a nice man who will treat you like a princess not some silly boy who has learned no manners."
"Yes," Bella agreed, "but Jim was sweet to me in the beginning really. We have been together so long and I guess it was just easier to ignore his temper most of the time. I was never much of a party girl and he goes out drinking with his mates a lot so we didn't see each other so much since we graduated." She chewed her lip and thought of the man who wanted to spend his nights with her and her lips quirked in a half smile.
"What are you smiling at Bella?" her mother asked curiously.
"Just thinking about older men, some are very handsome don't you think? Like Daddy."
"You don't want someone old like your father. You are young and beautiful."
"Oh don't say that," her Aunt Lucia spoke up to Bella's surprise, "There is something to be said for age and experience. Lots of girls go for older men. All the better if he is rich too." Then she let out a peal of laughter.
The women were laughing listing off handsome movie stars who were their age and some of whom had young beautiful girlfriends or wives, Antonio Banderes, George Clooney, Andy Garcia and the list went on and on until Joe walked into the kitchen. "What are the three most beautiful women in the world doing in here?" he asked suspiciously as they fell silent.
"They are deciding on a sugar daddy for me, I think they have it narrowed down to John Cusack or Nicholas Cage, both of whom are married already or so I thought." Bella said with a giggle.
"A sugardaddy huh?" He winked at her. "I have heard worse ideas. It's definitely over with Jim then?" Bella nodded and her father smiled and put his arm around her shoulder, "Good."
"Come on ladies. Everyone is starting to leave. Lets get you back out there," Joe herded them out of the kitchen carrying the small pink boxes in arm loads.
