‘Turning now.’ Ben steered them into a narrow road framed by lofty golden buildings which ran parallel to one another. Most had washing lines, which were full of colourful clothes that had been pegged out in the sunshine, strung between the high up windows. The socks, pants and T-shirts looked like odd-shaped flags. ‘I hope Aldo’s right about this shortcut,’ he said gloomily.
Aurora chuckled. ‘Trust me,cuore mio– my heart,’ she translated for Rose. ‘I trust him more than your Google Maps. Besides, he’s being most insistent – I think there’s going to be some kind of delay on the route you were going to follow, and we don’t want to be late, do we,pulcino?’ This time, Aurora spoke into the carrier which was still perched on her lap, and Coco made a cute chirping sound Rose had never heard.
‘Does that mean dog?’ she asked.
‘No. Little chick,’ Ben explained. ‘Aurora likes to give everyone their own unique nickname.’
‘Once I get to know them properly,’ the older woman told her. ‘This one’s feathers get ruffled easily.’ She smiled as she reached into the carrier and gave Coco a gentle stroke. ‘But underneath she’s as soft as one of your English runny eggs.’
‘Right,’ Rose murmured, drawing out the word. As far as she was concerned, the demonic shih tzu was more hard-boiled than soft to the core, so she’d stick with her nickname.
Ben nodded. ‘Aurora’s names are usually perfect. I don’t know how she gets it so right.’
‘The spirits guide me,’ the older woman said mysteriously.
What had Aurora called Ben back at the villa?Bello. Rose picked up her phone and searched, noticing the battery was fading. She’d spent too much time fielding emails on the plane. The word meant handsome, which she probably should have expected. Unfortunately, the moniker didn’t tell her anything new about him.
She stared out of the front window at the empty road. If a car was travelling the other way, there’d be no chance of avoiding it. Her heart thumped against her chest, registering her growing anxiety.
‘Tell me more about yourself,’ Rose croaked, aiming to distract herself as Ben took a left onto another narrow street. She could see wide fields of vibrant green grass and rust-coloured mountains in the far distance and hoped that meant they’d leave the village soon.
Hopefully, away from civilisation, the roads would be clear. For a moment, Rose wished she’d said yes to the glass of wine Aurora had offered her back at her villa. If she had, she’d have been able to probably sleep all the way to their destination, or at least it would have been easier to relax.
‘You know I’m a clairvoyant, but I used to work in Vegas in my younger days,’ the older woman told her. ‘I began as a magician’s assistant, but after a near-death experience when I was almost sawn in half, I began to hear my ghostly friends on stage, so I started to perform alone.’
Rose shifted her gaze to Ben and pulled a face, wondering if Aurora had fabricated the story, but he didn’t look at her. ‘You hear lots of voices?’ she asked carefully. She’d had a client once who’d said he could hear his mother talking to him – which had been a huge problem for his wife. Especially when he’d insisted on criticising her cooking before telling her the comment had nothing to do with him. After months of therapy, he’d finally admitted that he’d lied. So they could eat less vegetables, apparently. The marriage hadn’t survived the revelation.
‘I have Aldo with me always, and a few who appear from time to time when they’re needed.’ Aurora waved a hand as if talking to random voices was the most normal thing in the world.
‘Did you know these people when they were alive?’ Rose asked, curious as to whether the older woman really believed herstory, or if the fairy tale was simply an attempt to deal with a trauma from her past.
‘Sì, some. Aldo is my husband.’ She tapped a hand to her chest as her expression darkened. ‘He accidentally fell into a well and passed away on our fourth wedding anniversary.’ She cocked her head as if listening to someone. ‘Aldo thinks he was pushed by ourpostinobecause he was in love with me.’ She flushed. ‘But—’ She tutted. ‘I think he just had too much Chianti that afternoon.’
‘Your ex gives you advice?’ Rose steered them expertly towards a new topic. She didn’t want to get caught up in a marital disagreement about cause of death.
‘He is not my ex,’ Aurora said archly. ‘Butsì, he does give me guidance, he’s very perceptive.’ Aurora glanced at Rose and her eyes glittered as she moved her gaze to the back of Ben’s neck. ‘Veryperceptive.’ She sighed. ‘So haveyouever been married?’ The older woman waved a finger at Rose.
‘No,’ she said firmly. She couldn’t even imagine it. Probably because the right person had never come along.
Aurora nodded. ‘I was twenty-three when Aldo won my heart.’ She grinned. ‘He says I wasbellissima, and impossible to resist. How old are you?’ the older woman pressed. ‘It’s not me.’ She tapped a fingertip to her temple, her forehead creasing. ‘Aldo is asking. Forgive him, he’s nosy.’ Her smile was affectionate.
Rose widened her eyes. She wasn’t used to being on the other end of questions and wasn’t sure if she liked it. Especially when she was being quizzed by a so-called spirit.
Then again there was no harm in telling Aurora more about herself. Perhaps if she did, she could get her on side with her plans. Maybe Aurora would talk to her nephew and convince him not to be in so much of a hurry?
‘I’m thirty-one.’
Aurora hummed. ‘And our Ben, he is thirty-two, so you are perfectly matched.’ She smiled and Rose decided not to rise to the comment. ‘What do you do?’
‘I’m a relationship psychologist. A Love Doctor,’ Rose told her. ‘I give couples and single people advice.’ She waited for the older woman’s reaction. She was never sure how people would feel. Some tried to quiz her, others laughed. Many told her she was too young to have enough life experience to guide anyone on a romantic path. Especially since she’d never been married.
Little did they know her whole life had been about giving relationship advice. Acting as a buffer. She’d probably been the only seven-year-old in history to be used as an emotional sounding board. To have spent more of her life soothing and advising her parents on their various relationships than the other way around.
‘Aldo, I think that’s, what do you say?Too merciful,’ Aurora muttered, her cheeks pinking underneath her makeup.
‘Do you mean personal?’ Ben asked. ‘What does he want to know?’ He sounded amused.
Aurora tutted. ‘Aldo wants to know if Rose has had any serious relationships. It’s okay if you don’t want to answer. It isfine,Aldo,’ she added in a stern voice.
