May's face was a mask of horror and humiliation. Her sister watched her as she struggled to tuck in the tears that were threatening to fall from her creamy eyes. Arya felt a mixture of satisfaction and pain as she assessed the fake smile that spread on her twin's face.
Their pampering session was soon over and they had already changed into their clothes when the men came to meet them. "My baby is as radiant as the moon". Ross flirted with his wife as he gently stroked her nose. Liam kissed May lightly and held her hand and looked at her painted nails up close. "This color is just perfect", he said sincerely. May let out a soft sigh and said while pinching her nose," have you two even showered? You smell like something the horses chewed and spat out". "It's true", Arya agreed, waving her hand close to her nose. "No, we smell like bravery", Ross said proudly as he playfully tried to gab Arya . She ran way out of the spa giggling like a little girl. May simply looked at Liam briefly and walked out of the spa, her expression cold as ice.
"Let's call this final honeymoon date, 'pizza and love' or 'pizza under the Tuscan stars", Arya said excitedly as she took a bite from the slice of pizza her husband gave her. It was a special pizza treat by Giovanni. He and the other Palace workers worked five hours to pull off a pizza-themed dinner party for the couple's final evening in Tuscan. The courtyard was transformed into a royal Pizza Hut; stonewalls and towers served as a majestic backdrop, vineyards and greenery spread as far as the eye could see. The couples sat at two separate tables that were candle-lit. It was an intimate but elegant occasion. Pizza, fresh from the castle's wood-fired oven, spread its mouth-watering aroma throughout the castle.
The tomato sauce worked in harmony with the mozzarella cheese and vegetables to create a flavor explosion on their taste buds. The assorted toppings gave the meal a colorful look.
May's sequin dress and heavy diamond jewelry gave her a queen mother look. She wore a dark shade of red lipstick , sparkly eye shadow and thick eyeliner which added to her mysterious, dark feminine aura. She'd been quiet throughout. Arya's words kept echoing in her head. Hurt and anger weren't the only emotions she was battling with at the moment, she also felt embarrassed; after spending nights worrying about her sister's relationship, it was a rude awakening for her that her marraige was the one suffering.
Liam was sitting opposite her, making comments about the pizza, the tang of basil leaves and the gluey texture of melted cheese. May had zoned out. Liam looked up to examine his silent wife's face." You look ravishing tonight babe",he said as he rubbed her hand gently. The wedding ring on her finger distracted him for a moment. Liam looked closely at it ,admiring May's slender finger and how the ring fitted perfectly as though it was carved on it. Their marriage took place on such short notice that he didn't have the luxury of spending days selecting a perfect design for his elegant wife. He'd simply chosen the most expensive one from the varieties he'd been shown. Liam took a slice of pizza from his plate and fed it to May. She closed her eyes as she relished the spicy-sour taste that attacked her taste buds. It was delicious! Liam smiled at her expression. She loved it, he said to himself. May said calmly, still under the influence of the delicious pizza she had just tasted,"This is the best thing I've tasted off Giovanni's menu". Liam smiled and moved close to May, his nose brushing her face; his perfume, Tom Ford's Black orchid which he'd sprayed generously, wafted from his pulse points. He tilted a little and licked the tomato sauce that smeared the side of her lower lip.
May's breath stopped and whatever was present in their surroundings ceased to exist too. She was mesmerized by this simple gesture by her timid husband. She told herself that she would allow herself to enjoy this moment even if the world was about to end. She closed her eyes as she subconsciously inched closer to Liam, her lavender and rose fragrance sending him into a trance. The knowledge of where they were or who was with them had eluded them;they were only aware of themselves , their entire being had found a new reason for existence. Just as their breaths came together as one and their hearts moved in sync, Liam's phone buzzed, abruptly ending their little trip to dream land. It startled and annoyed May, who also felt grateful that it had cut the unworthy distraction short. Her sour mood soon replaced her love-struck face. Liam muttered sorry to his wife, who was obviously pissed off. She felt stupid for participating in that silly romantic show. She had bigger fish to fry. She touched her necklace that laid luxuriously round her slender neck, pretending to adjust it, while saying 'its fine', under her breath. She excused herself and left the table, leaving Liam open-mouthed. He was about to excuse himself from the dinner table, when she announced her exit, and he guessed that she had purposely done so. He couldn't help but feel that May was upset about something, but he couldn't tell what made her mad. He went upstairs to make a phone call.
Arya and May were having a chat by the fireplace. They'd just ended a video call with their parents, who were having a staycation at their mansion. They glowed like young lovers. Arya and May teased them so much that they quickly blew them kisses and said goodnight. "I guess Momma and her husband are reliving their honeymoon. They don't even seem to miss us", Arya said with a cute pout. "Well, our wedding was hectic. They deserve a little pampering", May said after taking a sip of herbal tea from a teacup.
"Good evening signore, may I join you?", Lucia interrupted them, with a polite smile. She was an old woman ,a little over ninety. Even in old age, it was obvious that she was a beauty queen in her youth. She must have turned heads with her eyes that were still gloriously blue and now gray blonde hair. She was the oldest member of the castle's crew. Her grandmother and mother had served as lady-in- waiting and duenna respectively for Italian princesses in the past, thus she had so much awareness of the politics of royal life as lived by women of nobility, as well as the unique ways in which women acquired and maintained power subtly; how they dressed, carried themselves and effortlessly seduced. During her few interactions with the twins, they'd always seen their mother in her, a much more experienced version.
"Of course, Lucia, please sit" Arya said with a friendly smile, pointing to the vintage chair opposite her. I just wanted to give you these gifts as souvenirs from me. I hope you both come here for a second honeymoon", Lucia said sweetly, giving each twin a parcel. They thanked her profusely and promised to cherish her gifts forever. But Lucia wasn't done. "Come with me, you two", she said to them. They exchanged quick glances and stood up to follow her excitedly.
She took them to a room that seemed isolated from the rest of the castle. A rose and tulip mixed fragrance welcomed them as they entered the room. It was opulent and spacious ; a four-poster bed stood in the middle of the room, a dressing table that had handmade trinkets. A music box was on a table, porcelain vases and figurines also featured there. There was also an old crystal chandelier and candelabras. It was a typical princess's room, not in today's world though, probably the nineteenth century!
The young women exchanged looks as they carefully studied the contents of the room. "Come on girls, here's the best part", Lucia called as she headed for the closet. It contained vintage dresses, evening dresses, ball gowns, tea dresses and so much more. Lucia explained what each dress was worn for. She also showed them jewelry and shoe collections. All these looked expensive but very, very old-fashioned. The tour was soon over, and they went back downstairs.
"Lucia dear, why did you take us up there?" Arya asked curiously, while May nodded in agreement. "It's simple. The things I showed you belonged to a princess that lived a hundred years ago. She is now gone and all the things she probably showed off and felt proud of are now outdated. The same thing will happen to me and you. We must enjoy every moment we have and love the people we've been blessed with. We must prioritize our happiness as long as it doesn't harm others". Arya and May held Lucia in a warm embrace and thanked her for the gifts. They said good night to each other and each of them went upstairs to meet her husband.
May strolled across the living room as she made her way to their room. She was so tired she couldn't wait to take a warm bath and hop in bed. She took the first step into the room, and she saw Liam on his phone, talking in a somewhat hushed tone, but she could still hear what he was saying, it was crystal clear,"Yes Tatiana dear,I've promised myself that we'll enjoy this ". He paused briefly and said "Of course May has no idea, she'll never know". The parcel Lucia gave her, slipped from her hand and fell, hitting the carpeted floor, noislessly. May took two steps backward ,turned around and left the room in tears.