Page 27 of Angel's Whisper

“Rosa,” Isotta whined, pushing her bottom lip out into a pout.

“Forgive me, ma’am.” Rosa smiled, trying to quell her laughter. When she got her giggles under control, she continued. “So, you’re going to be gone four days. You need a casual outfit to travel in, to and fro, and one backup, just in case. So, that’s,” Rosa paused to count on her fingers. “That’s seven casual outfits total.”

“I need six more then,” Isotta speculated. Isotta focused all of her attention on the rack in front of her. She retraced her steps, picked up a few outfits she’d just returned, and searched for more.

“Three minutes left,” Rosa reminded Isotta as she combed the rack.

“Oh shoot! Okay,” Isotta contemplated. “Three minutes and three outfits left to find. She scoured the rack. Nothing stood out to her. Nothing was perfect. Nothing demanded selection.

“One minute and counting,” Rosa uttered.

Isotta put her thoughts and her eyes in high gear. She had to pick three outfits, and she didn’t have a clue where to begin. She scrambled, pulling a pair of wide-leg black pants, and then racing to the other end of the rack and pulling a white balloon blouse. Then, she pulled a maxi dress, multicolor, that would cross over from day to evening.

“One more,” she thought to herself as her eyes moved to the next rack.

“Twenty seconds.”

“Yikes! Rosa, come on. I need more time than that!”

“Sorry, Ms. Isotta. You don’t have more time.” Rosa was firm with the countdown because they still had a ways to go to get Isotta fully packed up.

Isotta counted down in her own head as her eyes darted back and forth for the last outfit. Jeans, she thought. I’ll find a pair of jeans, or maybe a dress. Jeans, dress, Isotta went back and forth.

“Five, four, three,” Rosa reminded.

Isotta literally lunged for her casual dress section and pulled whatever she could get her hands on.

“Done!”

“Excellent,” Rosa applauded. “Now, when I return from placing these in your luggage, it will be time to select evening gowns.”

Isotta smiled and breathed out a huge sigh. As she breathed, Isotta strolled over to her finer dresses and her evening wear outfits. She thought she’d get a head start on making her selections. She thought about her level of excitement in picking her outfits. Isotta just hoped that that same level of excitement would be present while she was actually on vacation with her husband. Her husband, wow. Isotta thought about how many times she actually referred to Massimo that way. Not many.

“Alright, Ms. Isotta. Are you ready to select your evening wear?” Rosa asked. “We really need to have a few moments to pick your lingerie and to make sure your makeup and cleansing products are packed as well, so we don’t have a lot of time to spare.”

“This is so much pressure.”

“The time pressure?” Rosa asked.

“No,” Isotta answered. “The desire to make the perfect selections. They need to be perfect, Rosa,” Isotta sighed.

“And why is that?”

“Because Massimo and I have hit a rough patch. I know that sounds odd since we’re still technically newlyweds. But I didn’t know him. I don’t really know him. So, playing his wife has been a struggle for me. I still reminisce about running away and going back home where I know everybody, where I know I’m safe,” Isotta explained, plopping down on the backless settee that sat in the middle of her closet. “This is our chance to get to know each other. To court, like we didn’t have an opportunity to do before. This is our chance to reset and figure out what works for us and what doesn’t. At least, I hope that’s what happens.”

Rosa made it over to where Isotta sat and sat down next to her.

“I knew something was wrong the other morning when you left the house so abruptly. I didn’t want to push or pry, but I hoped when you were ready, you would share with me what had you so upset,” Rosa reflected. “I’ve known Mr. Massimo for a long time.”

Isotta’s eyes lit up when the housekeeper made that revelation.

“You have?”

“Yes, for a very long time,” Rosa affirmed.

“Tell me what you know about him,” Isotta encouraged. “Please.”

“Massimo was a sullen child and remained with his sullen tendencies even to this day. He’s not very verbal, very vocally communicative, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have anything to say,” Rosa explained. She adjusted herself on the seat, and then she continued. “Massimo was only focused on inheriting the kingdom if you will. He understood that he had to marry in order to do that, but that was an aside, a sacrifice to get to what he was due.”

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