by Nanette Fox
Whispering like conspirators, “Tim? Yes, well probably just as much as you. But I guess because you were all involved with Isaac, then traveling overseas, and for the last years or so somewhat self-absorbed, you missed him growing up.” Rebecca paused.
“Tim has just qualified as an architect. He is around six years younger than us so that puts him at 25 maybe 26. Last I heard, he has gone back home to live, however I believe he is still with that red-haired Victoria girl.”
Isabella’s curiosity piqued, “Oh, an architect and still with that Victoria person.”
“Julia is probably the best person to ask, Tim is her brother!”
Tim emerged in the hallway with a steaming mug in his hands, “You girls, gossiping about me?” He looked less distressed and even managed a stunning smile that made his eyes sparkle as he said it.
Isabella smiled back, immediately offering an apology. “I am so sorry; I really didn’t recognize you.” He winked at her and said, “All good.”
She then had a brainwave. “Are you doing anything this afternoon?”
“Why, what did you have in mind?” he replied somewhat anxiously.
Isabella replied, “I was working on the next quarterly catalogue for the gallery this morning and was frustrated with the styling, as an architect you might be able to give me some creative design input.”
He gestured with his hand holding his coffee mug toward the gallery spaces, “I don’t really know much about ceramics and glass.”
Isabella waved her arm, shushing his concerns, “In fact your input would be quite valuable. If you are almost finished with your coffee, I can give you a tour of the gallery.”
For the next hour, they spent a companionable look through the gallery spaces, and Tim was pleasantly surprised at how relaxed he felt in Isabella’s company. Both of them felt an unexpected chemistry. He made some suggestions about lighting changes to best emphasis a timber cabinet with a glass exhibit. He talked about tweaking one of the display areas for better customer flow. She listened intently. Looking up into his stunning face, her own face reflecting the admiration she felt, her blue eyes sparkled like expensive gems.
They moved to her office, she removed her much-loved hat, hung her coat and looking in the mirror on the door of the coat cupboard, brushed her hair. Tim watched her, admiring her very slender form, she was about 5’ 8" he guessed. Her colouring was beautiful, naturally blonde hair, a sort of honey blonde with very soft waves, sun-kissed skin. She was beautiful; but there was an air of fragility about her. Turning aside for a brief moment, he pondered his attraction to her. Pulling a face, he reflected, she is like a sister, but not, and shoved the thoughts away. He removed his leather jacket tossing it over the chair near the desk. His muscles rippled under the designer shirt he wore. She swallowed: this was one very tall, very well built, sexy person. She thought to herself, when did this happen?
“Well, that’s better, let’s get to showing you these mock-ups; with your architectural and design flair, I am sure you can give me some hints.” She explained about the quarterly catalogue as they poured over the photos and text she was building as a draft. They spent some time discussing the features and design. Isabella explained the concept, a booklet that if it was left on a table or a counter, people would feel compelled to pick up and flick through. This would achieve continuous free advertisement. As they worked, they caught up with each other’s goings on. Not in detail, just a leisurely chat between old friends, a laugh, a joke here or there.
Tim mentioned his need for some part-time work, Isabella had the solution; Tim could replace her at the gallery on the weekends, on Sundays, but where possible full weekends. Isabella also suggested the idea of an ‘architect’s desk’ in the spacious, yet empty, office areas of the gallery. Isabella could see advantages for both the gallery and Tim. She explained it would give the gallery design credibility and for Tim his name would get around the many interior designers dealing with clientele who were seeking to develop dream homes. She had made him laugh when she said, “Many people think about the comforts for inside their shell before they consider whether it should be soft or edgy on the outside.”
She said, “It’s true, I get clients wanting a beautiful glass sculpture in the foyer, but they haven’t yet got around to signing off with a builder, yet alone an architect.” In a few short sentences, they had solved some of Tim’s current stresses. Tim relegated the earlier dramas of his day to the dark recesses of his mind, and whilst still feeling emotionally jittery, began to relax and enjoy the involvement in the task at hand, and find he was grateful fate had brought him here this afternoon.
Her gentleness and searching looks gave him a sense of caring that he hadn’t felt for some time. As a teenager, he hadn’t regarded her much. He’d thought she was beautiful and had told his mate Simon so. She was Julia’s friend, and someone, who although she had stayed with his family often, he didn’t really know. He hadn’t followed her ups and downs in life. Obviously, David his older brother, his sister Jules, together with their parents had always kept him updated with her life. Tim hadn’t always listened, absorbed in his own activities.
This afternoon, she was almost like a warm blanket comforting him at a time of great stress. She sat close. Smiling and touching his arms or hands briefly as they moved the various items around on the mock-ups. She left his side to answer the phone on her desk and when she came back, resting her hand on his bicep as she looked over his shoulder at the drawing board, he was shocked at the sudden magnetism he felt. He also observed the wedding rings prominently worn. This surprised him as he remembered Isaac had died some three, if not four years ago. It occurred to him, there was no reason he couldn’t be involved with someone else new, his relationship with Victoria, he thought irrevocably broken.
They were sitting side by side talking about the balance in pictures and photos when she suddenly jumped up and went over to her shelving, picking up a small framed picture which she put in front of him. He looked at it and smiling put his hand on her knee, she put her hand on his hand and said, “Do you remember?” Isabella rested her head on his shoulder, looking down at the photo said, “That was the best gift I have ever received, ever, for any birthday or for any reason!” She lifted her head from his shoulder, now though she was holding his hand in both of hers on her knee. They were just looking at each and smiling. His other arm had been leaning on the table with his fingers touching the framed photo. He lifted his arm and touching her cheek brushed her hair gently behind her ear.
“You know I have an aversion to chocolate sauce these days,” he whispered.
His Izzy said tenderly glancing up at him, “I love chocolate sauce.” He was never sure later in life, if it was just then or earlier when Isabella suggested going for a country ride on the back of his bike that their relationship first started.
Chapter 4
Brothers
The peaceful afternoon came to an abrupt end as at 5.30 his brother bounded into the office. David stopped in his tracks at the sight of his brother sitting next to Isabella, so close, holding her hand in his hand on her knee. “Mate, what are you doing here?” It was his brother, but, if Tim wasn’t mistaken, there was a hint of jealousy in the question. Tim bristled a little, quickly answering that he had stopped to check-out the gallery. After talking with Isabella, she offered him a position working in the gallery at the weekends. Isabella had also suggested that he establish an architecture desk within the gallery, as he started to build his business and sought clients. David looked doubtful and sputtered, “Why? What?”
Tim glowered darkly, typical Dave, he isn’t the least bit concerned with my life. David frowned as he received confirmation of the arrangements from Isabella. Tim felt somewhat triumphant, Isabella was enthusiastic about the continuing working relationship, and ‘old bro Dave’ was definitely put-out. Tim never felt he had battles to win over his brother. The age difference of eight years had always been a big hurdle. Now they were grown men; it dawned
on Tim he was no longer just ‘little bro’.
Rebecca standing in the doorway of Isabella’s office, observed the brothers. Both tall, good-looking men she had often considered them worlds apart in personality. David was jovial, consistently the life of the party, secure in his skin but quite a superficial person. Tim was difficult to know, intense, brooding, and rarely seemed happy. Yet, she saw almost the opposite in that moment. David seemed on edge that his brother was there. Tim just looked more at peace, calm and relaxed than the distressed person who had walked in the door a few hours ago. What she also noticed was that Tim couldn’t take his eyes off Isabella. The two men joked about, clapping each other on the back, shaking hands as Tim said goodbye. It was as if they hadn’t seen each other in weeks. Rebecca reflected although the Martinelli family was close, life was strained of late, after the unexpected death of Marco, their father. Tim didn’t know why but he took a chance giving Isabella a gentle hug, a fleeting kiss on her lips, and holding her head on one side, whispered “Thank you, Izzy”. He would enjoy seeing her tomorrow. He could almost feel the daggers in his back. His brother was not happy.
Tim stopped to chat to Rebecca as he made arrangements to come back in the next day to find out about the weekend work. Tim was already planning in his mind to take full advantage of the opportunity to set up ‘his desk’. Rebecca was just simply lovely, always smiling and very talkative. She was tall like Izzy with shiny brunette hair, brown eyes, and freckles across her nose. He would enjoy being a colleague. He turned to bid Izzy goodbye and thought he caught an exchange of annoyed glances between Izzy and his brother.
He thought to himself, Izzy is obviously Dave’s latest love interest, this week’s interest at least. His brother seemed to have an endless stream of girlfriends. Fleetingly, he also remembered his brother being involved with her a number of years ago. He remembered his mother taking an intense dislike to ‘Isabella’ at the time and reflected that after she hadn’t been as frequent a visitor to the family home. In a word, it was puzzling. What, he wondered, was happening now?
Chapter 5
Past History
The women had grown very close in their early teenage years. Their bond developed as young children and flourished as teenagers. Their love and respect for each other extended into each other’s personal lives. Isabella had been devastated with the loss of both her parents about the time of her sixteenth birthday. They were killed in a car accident. Her two closest friends’ families became the secure anchor for her.
At sixteen, Isabella had brief contact with an elderly great aunt, and there was an uncle, her father’s older brother, both of whom lived in the United Kingdom. Uncle Robert was doting of his niece. It was his considered opinion, as an older confirmed bachelor, he couldn’t take on the care of the young teenage girl. As the Legal Guardian, he found solace in the fact Isabella could live comfortably, to finish her secondary education, in a place she knew surrounded by a network of two families she knew so well.
Rebecca’s parents welcomed Isabella as a foster daughter. They asked the Martinelli family to share a little of the care. It initially seemed a wonderful solution to Isabella; living between the homes of her best friends. Rebecca’s family was close; Rebecca was an only child. Rebecca was intelligent, organized but above all she possessed a soothing steady personality which balanced Isabella’s anxious ways. Rebecca’s parents took Isabella into their home as if she was their own; she was the second daughter they always wanted. Julia’s family, too, was also very supportive of Isabella at such a distressing time, giving her shared care and guardianship she desperately sought.
Isabella had come to rely heavily on the love and considered advice of her friends: they were more like sisters, finding a bond none of them could break. There were always ups and downs of course. One of the most difficult times, some eight years ago, when Julia’s family had been distant to Isabella as she announced her impending marriage. The story was that Julia’s brother, David, it seemed, was left in emotional turmoil. David, two years older, was apparently totally enamoured of Isabella. He had played the role of a defeated Romeo to the hilt.
A stunning looking man, tall, dark-haired and with piercing blue eyes, he could chat and flirt with ‘the ladies’ but found difficult the commitment of a long-term relationship. No one in the Martinelli family seemed to recognize at that particular moment in time Isabella just wasn’t the right woman to ignite his desire for commitment. In fact, an outside observer could clearly see they would never be a good match. He was black and white, needed someone who would be straight up and tell him how it is, if truth be told a little boring; she was all the colours of the rainbow, complex and interesting, a very sensitive soul. They were close friends; they could have a light flirty relationship but neither wanted the other for the long term.
There was a breakdown of the relationship between the three women with Isabella meeting and marrying Isaac within a matter of months. It had left Isabella shaken to the core when the ‘girl triangle’ weren’t fully supportive of her decision to be with Isaac. She was a woman who relied heavily on the support of her close friends. Isaac wanted to dominate Isabella as his possession, his beautiful trophy wife and gradually eased her away from the daily contact, leaving her exposed and vulnerable. Thankfully, the relationships had mended, particularly after the accident.
*
Now with the gallery a common ground, they all work together. Isabella travels extensively within Australia and abroad, meeting with artisans and antique dealers to acquire her display and saleable stock. She is the financial owner of ‘Magari’. Isabella has a degree in Art History from Cambridge. She also studied marketing and business. Later on, completing a thesis specializing in Ceramics and Glass as Art. Adding to her many credits, Isabella’s work history includes a number of prestigious museums and galleries abroad.
With Julia’s mother, Ruth, being an accomplished artist, Julia’s true interest was in Studio Art. However, Julia was an impatient person and the consistent dedication to her craft as an artist didn’t come easily. Marco, her father, encouraged her to go into a business that satisfied both her creative side and her thirst for travel. Julia majored in Fine Art at University. She now travels extensively abroad as a buyer for her own Import Export business and during her travels sources items for display and sale for the gallery.
When Isabella established the gallery, it was logical to find the connection to Julia’s already established business. Rebecca’s dedicated knowledge of business administration, with an MBA to her credit, made her the obvious choice to work as Isabella’s personal assistant, with responsibility for the gallery on a day to day basis. Rebecca also assists Julia with the administration of her business using the gallery as an office base.
The two businesses benefit from the talents of all three sides of the triangle. Isabella and Rebecca work extensively on the business and financial health of the gallery; Julia is the creative muse. Equally Julia works quite independently but trusts Isabella and Rebecca to work on her business interests when the need arises. Julia can easily work with Rebecca at the gallery if Isabella is travelling. Their friendship bonds extend to a strong professional trust and respect for each other. Isabella, now quite independently wealthy, ensures Rebecca is well rewarded for her support of both businesses and has everything she needs.
After Julia’s recent declaration she will marry her Italian boyfriend, Antonio and live in the wine-growing regions of Tuscany, Isabella already worries and feels at a loss as to how she will continue without the artistic and creative advice of her beautiful knowledgeable friend.
Chapter 6
Isaac
Isaac Thompson had truly swept Isabella up and into a tremendous romance! He was the one! She was just 24 years old; he was the dynamic head of a marketing firm aged 36. He was an Englishman living in Melbourne but had extended a wide-reaching business empire into many countries. They met abroad and continued the romance on their return to Australia. During a busines
s buying trip for Julia’s Import Export Business, Isabella and Julia flew to Malta searching for special items of beautiful M’dina Glass. The girls sightseeing in Valletta stopped for lunch in the main square. The restaurant had an alfresco area. They were approached to share; Isaac and his English friend Charlie asked to join their table. It had been a riotous lunch that extended to dinner and continued with lots of partying and fun for the duration of their stay.
Julia had not taken to Isaac immediately. She found him difficult to trust. She was a naturally protective sister, and knowing her brother’s affection for Isabella, found herself objecting to him strongly. What also worried her, Isaac seemed swept away by Isabella’s stunning looks and ‘bought’ her like a trophy, like a beautiful piece of art to take home and put on a shelf or display on a wall and take for granted as time wore on. Rebecca’s opinion, after meeting him on their return to Melbourne, was mixed. She found him too controlling of Isabella’s life, she worried about his explosive temper. The dislike of Isaac extended to the parents of both women as seeing such a beautiful naïve young girl so swept up and ‘head over heels’ with the quite worldly man brought to the fore their protective instincts.
Both families felt they had been entrusted with the welfare of Isabella. They thought of her as one of their own, facing many sleepless nights of tossing and turning, as they considered and reflected on what they believed Isabella’s parents would have wanted for their daughter. Andrea and Thomas Stewart who moved to Australia for Thomas’s academic post at a University were older parents. Isabella was their treasured, unexpected gift. Both sets of parents were very close to Andrea and Thomas, meeting them through the girls’ childhood schools and endless rounds car-pooling for ballet, horse-riding and netball. The mothers met and become firm friends, later the fathers bonded over fishing and bushwalking activities.