The Twelve Zenati Pt. 07

They sat and made small talk about how the girls liked Darwin and the warmer-than-usual weather. Vivienne barely spoke except to agree that the weather wasn't much different for her in the Kimberley region.

"I've always been a summer girl," Marcella said enthusiastically. "So, I am loving being here where you name your seasons by whether they are wet or dry rather than hot or cold." She looked up as her lunch was placed in front of her and smiled at the waitress. "Thank you," she said keeping the cheerful tone in her voice.

"You said you've been shopping this morning?" Sera asked as the waitress moved away. "You should have waited for me. I know all the best places up here, but they are nothing compared to Melbourne. I love Melbourne shopping."

"Val made some suggestions when we saw him this morning." Marcella jumped in once again when Vivienne quickly pushed some food into her mouth so that she wouldn't have to talk. Marcella couldn't work out why Vivienne was so nervous, She was beautiful and accomplished, and it was obvious that Gideon was crazy about her.

"You're not very talkative, Vivienne," Tatianna said, placing her hand over Vivienne's as she went to take another mouthful. "Perhaps more talking and less eating would be a better idea for you," she said, as if giving kindly advice.

"Honestly, I don't know what to say. I wasn't expecting to meet you here today, and I feel a little off balance. Does Gideon know you are here?" Vivienne asked. If he had known that his mother would be at this lunch and hadn't told her, she wouldn't forgive him.

"He knew I was coming to the city. How could I not come when he told me he met his one?" she smiled widely. "I'm here just a little earlier than expected and must say you're not what I anticipated at all. Gideon was always so..."

"He knew you were coming but not to this lunch?" Vivienne asked to clarify before the woman could say anything else to directly insult her. She could feel Marcella stiffen beside her, as if ready to pounce and come to her aide. There was no need for them both to be on the bad side of this woman. Noah was obviously into her, and she didn't want her friend ruining her burgeoning relationship with the woman on her behalf.

"How could he know that I would be hungry when I arrived? I didn't even know I was hungry until I called Sera and she told me she had a lunch date with you," Tatianna laughed. "Luckily, she never minds me tagging along."

"Like I ever have any choice," Sera laughed and looked at her mother indulgently. "You'll find it is just easier to give in where Mama is concerned." Sera advised the two women, hoping they would take her eccentric mother for the meddling mischief maker she was, rather than be insulted by her.

"You came to meet Vivienne, but you made her guarded by the surprise attack. You can't blame her for not wanting to play nice when you didn't," Marcella said as she came to Vivienne's defence.

"You don't seem to have any trouble," Tatianna laughed.

"That's because I don't get intimidated easily," Marcella shrugged. "I'm a bitch, and I have no problem telling you that you just made it infinitely more difficult for your son to get her to accept his proposal, because now Viv is wondering if she can trust either of you to be upfront with her. It's a shame really, because Gideon is head over heels in love with her," Marcella spoke as if she couldn't care less about insulting this family matriarch. She was obviously once a table princess who still expected everyone to do her bidding, and Marcella knew those women well.

"You are delightful," Tatianna laughed merrily. "If a little thing like this lunch can drive a wedge between the lovebirds perhaps it's not fate or destiny or even a love curse that brought them together in the first place."

"Destiny? Fate?" Marcella rolled her eyes. "How about just pure attraction and compatibility? Gideon is in love with her. He won't be thanking you, either of you, any time soon for this little ambush." Marcella was indignant on Vivienne's behalf and included the brothers' sister, Sera, in her accusation, enjoying the younger woman's horrified look.

"Stop, Marcie," Vivienne said gently. "Let's just finish the lunch. It's not worth making a scene over."

"That's true," Tatianna said sympathetically. "It's entirely understandable that you wouldn't want to draw attention to yourself in a place like this, Vivienne. You must feel awkward enough already," Tatianna continued to make a dig about Vivienne's height and curvy figure.

"I've lost my appetite," Marcella said, ignoring the older woman and forcing her voice into a gentler tone as she heard the resignation in Vivienne's voice. She pushed down her anger with the woman sitting across from them down and spoke quietly. "I'm sorry Viv, I never meant to upset you by talking like that."

"You didn't upset me," Vivienne said and gave a weak smile. "I don't know how I let Gideon convince me to stay this city in the first place. You can't be mad at Tatianna for pointing out the obvious. If you're sure that you're finished, we might go then." She squeezed Marcella's hand. "It was lovely to meet you both," Vivienne said to the other two women, and Marcella could hear the professional tone and see the mask that Vivienne had donned to hide her hurt. "Maybe we'll meet again one day."

"Vivienne, wait," Sera said, seeing too late just what a mess her mother's appearance had made of things. "You've gone too far this time, Mother! This isn't a teenage crush. Gideon is a grown man who knows the difference between lust and love. He won't forgive you for this, and he won't forgive me, none of them will."

"I didn't say anything that her Mama wouldn't have said many times. That friend of hers did all the talking. She was the one who upset Vivienne, not me, and as I said earlier, if my coming to this lunch is enough to drive a wedge between them then I seriously doubt she was his one," Tatianna said dismissively and began to eat her lunch again, as if there was no problem at all with what had just occurred.

Sera stood to hurry after the two women but stalled, having barely moved from her seat as Marcella came back to the table and spoke in a low voice.

"You can act as superior as you like and you don't deserve to know this, but as a mother and daughter, I think you should know. Vivienne's mother never had the chance to say any such things to her, or anything to her at all, as she grew up because she died when Viv was a child. What you said was beyond heartless and cruel, and trust me, Vivienne is a better woman than your son deserves for doing this to her," Marcella hissed. Then she swung around and walked to where Vivienne was paying for their lunch rather than be called a gold digger as an added insult. Then they left.

*****