The Ingredients for Happiness. Lucy Knott
felt like forever, when truthfully it had only been two days, but with Amanda being busy at the café and Sabrina still in LA trying to get the boys a record deal, she hadn’t been hearing from them much.
‘Hey Lou, how’s it going? How’s galivanting around Italy with a drop-dead gorgeous Italian and eating cake the size of a football going?’ Amanda asked. Louisa could almost see her sister playfully smirking down the line.
‘It’s going swimmingly,’ Louisa noted, a smile creeping up on her face as she leaned back, resting against her office chair and eyeing up the dress in front of her. It seemed Amanda had been checking her Instagram – that was at least a good sign where her sister’s blog was concerned. Hopefully Amanda had actually started to understand how to use it.
‘Happy to hear it. So, what’s new?’ Amanda asked. Louisa hopped up on her chair, turning away from the dress that was distracting her from being one hundred per cent present with her sister. She had been waiting patiently to talk to Amanda over the past couple of days, excited to share the showcase news with her. The difficult hem on the dress could wait.
‘I’ve got an incredible opportunity coming up actually that I’ve been dying to tell you about,’ Louisa started, absentmindedly picking up a red pencil crayon and shading in a flared skirt on another design she was working on.
‘Oh yeah, me too, but you first. Tell me, tell me,’ Amanda sang. Louisa smiled; she sure did miss her sister – even the sarcasm and teasing she so often dished out.
‘So, Giulia got me this amazing opportunity to take part in Italy’s Young Designers Fashion Showcase, I still can’t believe it to be honest, but being here, well … I’ve been designing nonstop, it’s like all my passion has coming flooding back, inspiration is everywhere,’ Louisa gushed, pausing in her drawing to gaze out of the office window and into the pretty shop glittering with stunning fabrics and extraordinary pieces. She could just make out the edge of the Pasticceria Pansa sign to the right across the way from their shop. How was this her life now?
‘Lou that’s awesome. Oh, I’m so proud of you. Wow,’ Amanda said, a little breathless, which made Louisa’s smile grow wider. It meant the world to have her sister’s support. She hadn’t realized how much she had needed Amanda’s words to give her that extra boost of confidence. The dress she had been working on today had been bugging her, she just couldn’t get it right. Amanda’s words encouraged her. ‘Maybe if things are going according to schedule here, I can come and watch,’ Amanda added. Louisa shrieked at the thought of her sister coming back again soon. She knew Italy wasn’t far but understood work could get in the way. They had been used to Sabrina living across the world for four years and accepted each other’s dreams. Though Louisa’s cheeks flushed at remembering the times she hadn’t been so understanding of Sabrina being so far from home.
‘Thanks Amanda, that would be lovely. I’d really like that,’ Louisa replied, twirling her crayon between her fingers. ‘So, go on, tell me your news?’
‘Well …’ Amanda paused. If Louisa knew her sister this would be for dramatic effect. ‘I think everything should be set for March 23rd – our opening day, can you believe it?’ Louisa could have sworn her big sister actually squealed. ‘I mean the place is still a mess and I don’t have electricity yet, but you know, that’s the plan.’
‘That’s amazing Amanda, wow. This is a great day for good news. Wait …’ Louisa suddenly felt sweaty as she reached out for her desk calendar. March 23rd, March 23rd, why did it ring a bell?
‘Is everything okay Lou?’ Amanda questioned, her voice holding a hint of concern.
‘Yes, everything’s fine. Just one second,’ Louisa said hastily, flicking through the sheets on the calendar to a month from now. She cast her eyes on March 23rd. Staring back at her, written in bright pink marker and circled with stars either side, was ‘Italy’s Young Designers Fashion Showcase’. Her heart sank.
The showcase was everything her heart desired, but she hadn’t accounted for missing Amanda’s opening day. Just like Amanda had been dreaming of the day, so had Louisa. She couldn’t wait to witness her sister make her dreams come true and honour their grandpa’s dreams too. But she had been working on the pieces for the showcase day and night for a month now and had eagerly, and nervously, been counting down the days to make her entrance into the fashion industry. An opportunity like this was like gold dust. She was an unknown in the fashion world, but with Giulia’s help her designs had slowly been making their rounds within Giulia’s well-connected circle. She couldn’t possibly blow this opportunity and skip out on the showcase and nor did she want to – well, maybe just a little bit now that she had heard Amanda’s news.
‘Lou?’ Amanda’s concerned voice asked again.
‘I’m so sorry Amanda, but I won’t be able to make it. March 23rd is the day of the showcase,’ Louisa informed her big sister, feeling deflated, not only because she wanted to be at Amanda’s grand opening but because she had well and truly been floating on cloud nine at the thought of having her sisters at the showcase with her.
‘That’s okay, Lou,’ Amanda said, though her voice lacked the same enthusiasm as before. ‘You’ll just have to take lots of pictures and we’ll Facetime so neither of us miss out.’
‘Yeah, I guess,’ Louisa replied, shuffling off her stool and tugging the pins from out of the mannequin.
‘Sorry Lou, but come on, you’re going to kick butt at the showcase and my café will hopefully still be here when you’re able to come and visit,’ Amanda said. Louisa noted the slight wobble in her voice though Amanda tried to keep her voice strong. Louisa imagined her sister had plenty to be anxious about with opening her café so she didn’t want to sulk too much or burden her sister with feeling bad about not being able to get to Italy as soon as she had hoped.
‘Sounds good, Amanda. I’m certain it will be. They will be queuing for miles to get a taste of your food,’ Louisa said, a touch spritelier.
‘Thank you, Lou. Right, give my love to that Italian god of yours and I’ll catch you soon.’ They hung up after a chorus of love yous and Louisa willed herself to focus on the task of the disobedient hemline instead of the pity party her brain was conjuring up over not being able to be in two places at once.
*
‘Amore, you are tired no?’ Giulia’s perfectly shaped brows were creased in concern as she took in Louisa. Louisa had spent the past few hours trying to get the correct hemline on her lace piece, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was going to be missing out on a big day in her sister’s life.
In comparison to Giulia, who rivaled Sophia Loren with today’s choice of updo and fitted black dress with blood-red kitten heels, Louisa’s eyes were now dreary, her concealer creased from squinting and wiping at her eyes too much. She had kicked off her heels two hours ago and the chill that ran through her bones over what she was feeling had lent itself to her grabbing one of Luca’s giant hoodies that now hid her demure blouse.
‘Si, ma I’ll be okay,’ Louisa smiled at Giulia. Giulia wandered over to the dress Louisa had been working on and allowed her hands to caress the material as she studied Louisa’s work.
‘E bella. These judges at the showcase are going to be blown away by your pieces,’ Giulia breathed, in admiration of the outfit. Louisa felt inspired by Giulia; everything from her Italian fashion, the way her words came out like a song when she spoke and her girl boss attitude, made Louisa love her that little bit more. She could see so much of Luca in her and was starting to understand their family traits. Since starting work with Giulia a month ago, she had been taken aback with her kindness, her relaxed yet businesslike manner and how much passion she had for her work. It was contagious and something she also caught when spending time with Luca. Their upbeat attitudes and joy of both life and work had been rubbing off on Louisa. Compared to the stress of her old nine-to-five reception job – the harassed looks on her co-workers faces and the constant countdown for the weekend – working with Giulia was complete bliss. Every day was cause