When scenes and people filled her head, Jade could work until her fingers cramped and refused to hold a pencil or brush. She spent the next day fueled on cookies and the diet soft drinks she liked to pretend balanced out the cookie calories.
For three days she rarely left her drawing board. Lily had a key, so it wasn't necessary to run down and let her in every time she dropped over for a visit.
And Lily was always happy enough to dash down to open the door for Mrs. Jenna or one of the other neighbors who stopped by. At one point on the third evening, enough people were in the apartment to have put together a small, informal party while Jade remained coloring in her big Sunday strip.
Someone had turned on the stereo. Music blared, but it didn't distract her. Laughter and conversation rose up the stairs, and there was a shout of greeting as someone else dropped in.
She smelled popcorn, and wondered idly if anyone would bring her some.
Leaning back, she studied her work. She had a quick and clever hand at drawing. She could paint—quite well, really, she mused—if the mood was right. The strip gave her an arena for her own brand.
Flushed with the success of three days' intense work, she picked up the phone as it rang and all but sang into it. "Hello?"
"Well, well, my beautiful Rosalie."
"Father!" Jade leaned back in her chair and stretched cramped muscles.
"I can't wait to see everyone again Dad. It's been too long since last fall. I miss you."
"Well then, why do you have to wait until summer? We're right here, after all."
"Maybe I'll surprise you."
"Rosalie i need to talk to you about something."
"What's the matter Dad?..is everything okay?"
"We need you back here in spain, it's for the good of our family business."
"But Dad, i still have six months before i come home to Spain. This wasn't part of our deal Dad."
"I know dear but something came up...King Frederick Leonetti of italy has appointed our company to design a new set of royal jewelry and crowns with the gems of the old ones."
"Wow Dad, that's huge"
"Yes it is and you're going to be our creative designer...you have to come up with wonderful jewelry designs for the Royal family....i need you now more than ever dear, its just for a few days. You have to go to Italy to see the Royal Jeweler."
"But Dad... I don't think..." Jade was cut off by her Dad.
"No buts dear, you have to do this for us...please, your meeting with the King's royal Jeweler will be two days from now..Get ready dear."
He hung up the call.
****
Jade walked on the busy airport of Rome finding her way to the exit terminal trying not to collide with other people. This time in italy is not the best time to conduct business when you will be joining a mob of tourists finding their way out of the airport. Everyone was eager to find their way out of the airport, she still can't believe that she agreed to this.
"Hotel De Russie." Jade told the cab driver as she slid on the passenger's seat at the back of the car.
As the car sailed its way on the road she settled back on the chair, closing her eyes while trying to relax her muscles.
An hour later, after the gruesome traffic in the streets of Rome she finally arrived at the luxurious hotel.Striding on the lobby she looked for the man her father said she should meet here.
Jade stopped from her tracks when a middle aged Italian man approached her.
She noticed him sitting on the lounge chair in the lobby before he got a glimpse of her. He was probably the man she had to meet here.
"Are you signorina Rosalie Garcia?" He asked in a slightly accented English.
Jade nodded as she extended her hand in his direction. "Yes I'm Rosalie but you can call me Jade....and you are?.."
"Franco Famiani"
She smiled and then shook his hand briefly. "Pleasure to meet you."
He led her to the secluded part of the restaurant inside the hotel. They placed their orders before talking about the business. She pulled out the portfolio from her hand bag inorder to show him the sample designs she made.
Mr Famiani looked at her designs meticulously, his intense eyes carefully scanned every detail of each design. "Did your father tell you that you'd also be creating a new unique design with a new Gemstone for the future Italian princess?"
Her heart skipped a beat at his revelation.Italian Princess??
"Umm... Mr Famiani I wasn't aware but i will start working on it after this meeting...is she young?.."
The middle-aged man smiled kindly "No...but she'd be just like you..there is no new princess yet but the queen requested the design for the future wife of the prince."
"Alright sir, uhm...my sample designs does it meet your standards sir?" Jade asked.
He nodded, closed the portfolio and handed it back to her. "Your Designs are pretty impressive signorina." He said honestly, clearly impressed with the designs. "You are a renowned jewelry designer after all. I'm sure the King will agree with me."
"Thank you sir, it was nice meeting you. I'll contact you once i have drafted the design for the future princess."
"Looking forward to it." He shook her hand briefly.
Jade nodded again before taking her leave. She already booked a room here at the hotel all she wants to do now is rest. She dug out her phone from her bag and dialed Ruby's number.
After a few rings she heard her sister's familiar voice.
"Hello?"
"I'm done with the meeting and he loves my work."
"It's good that the Royal jeweler loves your work,that's great so when are you meeting the king for his approval?" Ruby asked.
"Actually i didn't meet with the Royal jeweler. It was the King's private secretary that attended the meeting. What do you mean by meeting the king?...well i thought his private secretary will finalize the deal and bedsides we haven't finalized the deal yet."
"Why?...He wants you to change some designs?." Ruby asked.
"No, its not that. He loves the designs and he said the King would love them too."
"So then why isn't the deal finalized?"
"Ruby it turns out i was supposed to draft a new design of a crown for the future princess." Jade said.
"Future princess?? He is having another female child soon?"
"Of course not, it's for the future wife of his son."
"Alright then you should start working on the designs, I'll talk to you later."
"Bye." Then she hung up.