The Sparkling One

Katie grinned. Francesca had many wonderful qualities, but she couldn’t sew for spit, and whenever she sewed there were always drops of red scattered on the delicate fabric. It was amazing that she hadn’t bled to death when she’d taken a quilting class a couple of years ago. But then Francesca was a hobby junky. If there was a craft/cooking/decorating class within a fifty-mile radius, she had taken it.



“I can get it out. Don’t worry about it.”



Katie glanced at her watch and frowned. Brenna was late. Maybe traffic had been bad up from the city.



“Let’s get started,” Katie said. “I’ll show Brenna the design when she gets here.”



She opened the sketch pad, exposing the drawing she’d done of Mia’s dress.



“It’s beautiful,” Grammy M said. “So delicate. Just perfect for you, Mia.”



“That’s what I thought.”



Their mother fingered the stack of lace flowers. “I love how you’ve scattered the lace over the dress.”



Even Francesca had to admit that the gown was lovely, before grumbling about the amount of work they were all going to have to do.



Mia, knowing her family, ignored the teasing and discussed hairstyles and shoes instead.



Katie reached for the first lace appliqué. “It’s pretty simple,” she said. “Outline the flower in seed pearls. Fill in the petals with beads. I did one over the weekend. It took me about four hours.”



Four hours she’d spent not thinking about how complicated Zach was and how much she hated that she’d enjoyed their kiss.



Silence descended. Francesca blinked first. “For one flower? How many are there?”



“About sixty or seventy for the skirt, a hundred and fifty for the hem, twenty-five or so for the bodice.”



“Then we’d better get started,” Colleen said, reaching for several lengths of seed pearls and bags of beads.



Just then Brenna burst into the room. Katie turned to chastise her for being late, but the stark expression on her sister’s face stopped her before she could start.



Their mother moved toward her. “Brenna, honey, what’s wrong?”



Tears pooled in Brenna’s dark eyes, then trickled down her cheeks. “Jeff l-left me,” she managed as a sob caught at her throat. “This morning. H-he says he wants a d-divorce.”



7



B y the time everyone stopped talking and Grammy M had prepared tea, Brenna’s sobs had settled into hiccups. The seven women huddled together in the living room, with Brenna sitting in the center of the green sofa by the window, flanked by her mother and Grandma Tessa. Katie sat on the coffee table in front of the sofa, Francesca next to her. They each held one of their sister’s hands. Mia and Grammy M hovered.



Katie felt sick to her stomach. How could this have happened? Brenna and Jeff were always so happy.



“Tell us what’s going on,” their mother said firmly. “Start at the beginning.”



“I don’t know when it started,” Brenna said, then pulled her hands free and clutched at the crumpled tissues on her lap. “I thought everything was great. I didn’t know—”



She squeezed her eyes shut, but that didn’t stop a tear from trickling out of each corner. She brushed them away impatiently.



She swallowed. “Jeff’s been working long hours, but he always does. His practice is new and he has to make rounds at the hospital. I never suspected…”



Katie gasped. No! She refused to believe it. Bad enough for Jeff to want a divorce.



“Another woman?” she asked in disbelief.



Brenna nodded and dropped her chin to her chest. “He says he’s loved her for a l-long time.”



Katie turned toward Francesca, who looked as heart-sick as she felt. Tears filled Francesca’s eyes.



“This can’t be happening,” Francesca whispered.



“It is,” Brenna said with a sob. “It hurts too much not to be real.”



Katie pressed a hand to her stomach. “Who is she?”



Brenna glanced at her, then shrugged. “I don’t know exactly. He didn’t say much, except…” Her voice thickened. “She’s a lot younger. Like twenty.”



Brenna sprang to her feet and slipped out from between the sofa and coffee table. She paced the length of the room, still twisting the tissues in her hands.



“I can’t believe it. I just can’t. I gave up everything for him. I loved the winery. I’m the only one of the four of us who gave a damn about it, and I walked away because of him. I worked hard, I supported him and cared about him, and he left me.”



Grandma Tessa half rose to her feet, but for once she didn’t chastise her granddaughter for her language. “Brenna, it wasn’t like that. You were getting married. Jeff was going into medical school. Supporting your husband the way you did is a sign of a loving wife.”



Brenna brushed away more tears and shook her head. “It’s the sign of a fool. I can’t believe I was such an idiot. I sacrificed my whole life for him and he walked out on me for a younger woman. I’m a twenty-seven-year-old cliché.”



She crumbled into a wing chair. The Grands and Mom headed to her side. Katie shared a glance with Francesca. Neither of them knew what to say. Katie had friends who had divorced, but that was different. Friends weren’t family. Friends’ husbands weren’t Jeff.



Francesca sucked in a breath. “We loved him like a brother,” she murmured. “We joked with him and confided in him. He betrayed us all.”



Katie nodded, but couldn’t speak. She felt as if she were going to throw up.



Grandma Tessa stroked Brenna’s hair. “I know it sounds like the end of the world, but it isn’t,” she murmured. “Married couples sometimes say horrible things to each other. Or do horrible things. Occasionally men stray. Time heals—we forgive.”



Brenna made a sound that was either a strangled sob or a very scary laugh. “Don’t get your hopes up, Grandma Tessa. There’s no way I’m ever forgiving Jeff.”



Their grandmother clucked her tongue, then pulled her ever-present rosary from her pocket and kissed the cross. “Don’t say such things. You weren’t raised to be so cruel. Your husband will come around. I think you two need to talk about having babies. That will makes things right between you.”



Katie felt her grandmother’s advice was poorly timed, at best. Not to mention overly optimistic. Her mother didn’t take it so well.



“Mama Tessa,” Colleen said, glaring at her mother-in-law. “For once leave babies out of this.”



“But bambinos—”



Grammy M pulled her granddaughter close. “Ah, my poor darlin’. The pains of the world seem bigger than usual today, don’t they?”



Brenna clung to her. “You don’t understand,” she said harshly. “There aren’t going to be any babies. There isn’t going to be any marriage. Jeff told me he already filed for divorce, and when it’s final, he’s getting married. To the bimbo.”



A fresh storm of sobs overtook her. Katie rubbed her temples, fighting a sudden headache. Even Mia was subdued for once. This couldn’t be happening. Not to Brenna. Not to the family. Francesca was right. Jeff had betrayed them all. She wanted to kill him.



Brenna raised her head and looked right at Katie. Anger glittered in her eyes. “I want you to call Zach.”



Katie stiffened. “What?”



“I need a lawyer and I want a good one. You said he’s a shark. That’s what I want. I want Jeff to suffer.”



Grandma Tessa winced. “Brenna, please. Do you have to be so hasty?”



Brenna ignored her grandmother. “I mean it, Katie. Will you help me?”



Katie’s first thought was to protest. Zach was ruthless. He was a take-no-prisoners man who would stop at nothing to win. Not to mention she wasn’t ready to face him after that kiss. Then she thought about her sister and her pain. Ruthless sounded about right.



“I’ll call him right now.”



“Good. Tell him I need to see him as soon as possible.”



Manna from heaven, Zach thought when he hung up the phone. So much for Katie’s promise that Marcelli marriages never fell apart.



He buzzed Dora, his assistant, and had her clear his calendar for the afternoon. Right after his eleven o’clock partners meeting, he would head north.



It was nearly one when he finally drove onto the freeway and close to three when he exited. Tidy rows of grapevines stretched for as far as the eye could see in every direction. A fancy sign at a T-intersection directed tourists to the public buildings of the winery and indicated that the facility was open for tasting seven days a week, even in winter.



Zach turned the opposite direction and soon found himself driving under the massive arch over the road that led to the main house.



The three-story, pale yellow hacienda stood on the crest of a small hill. His first visit had been at night, when he’d been unable to appreciate the vivid colors of the main structure and the surrounding buildings. Flower boxes hung from several windows. The red and orange blossoms matched the tile roof. Wrought iron provided counterpoint, the gleaming black metal scrolled and swirled in intricate patterns forming balcony railings and lampposts on the driveway.



He pulled up to the side of the house and parked. Katie must have been watching for him because she was on the front porch even before he’d closed his car door. Her expression was both sad and wary. No doubt she thought he was going to say “I told you so.”



Zach didn’t believe in wasting breath on the obvious.



“Thanks so much for coming,” she said by way of greeting. She hurried down the front steps and crossed to stand in front of him.



“I won’t say it’s my pleasure to be here,” he told her, taking in the troubled expression darkening her eyes and the way she bit on her lower lip. Her lashes were damp and spiked. She’d been crying.



“It all really sucks,” she admitted. “Everybody liked Jeff. I know Brenna’s the one he’s divorcing, but we all feel kicked in the gut.”



“I’m sorry,” he said, and realized he meant it. “This is never easy on anyone.”



“You would know.”



He put his arm around her. “I know it’s a cliché, but time heals. It’s going to get worse before it gets better, but it will get better.”



She glanced at him. “Promise?”



He thought of her promise that Marcelli marriages lasted forever, but didn’t mention it. “Absolutely.”



She looked like a grown-up version of Alice, after her journey to Wonderland. A headband held her long, wavy hair away from her face. She wore a simple cotton dress, matching cardigan, and sandals.



“Staying calm is important,” he said. “Brenna needs that. She’s in shock and it’s going to be a few days until she fully comprehends what’s happening.”



Katie shook her head. “Brenna’s not the only one in shock.” She glanced up at the house. “We should probably go in.”



She led the way into the house. All the Marcelli women huddled together in the living room, not saying much as they sewed. Only Brenna stood separate from the group, her back to the room as she gazed out the window.



Zach watched the flash of needles through lace. Nearly invisible thread hooked beads, securing them in place. Light caught the iridescent pearls, glinting off them like sunlight off dew on a spiderweb. He stiffened slightly, seeing these women as spiders, weaving a trap to snare his son.



Mia glanced up and saw him. “Zach! You’re here.”



She rose and hurried toward him. The grandmothers rose as well, but stayed in place, as did Francesca. Colleen moved across the room.



“Zach, thank you for coming.” She touched his arm. “We appreciate you driving all this way to help.”