Chapter 1: Tennis Anyone?
Magdalena's hands were trembling, she was down on the antique brick floor in her parent's garden room picking up broken pieces of terra cotta. She was careful not to get broken sharp bits into her knees. Magdalena was so jet lagged that she dropped a gorgeous terra cotta pot filled with the her favorite Apple Blossom scented geraniums. The garden room was perfumed with the scent of cherry blossoms that her mother brought in from their orchard to force into huge flowering branches. They soared up to the ceiling surrounded by old reclaimed glass windows that allowed the sun to shine in on the plants for hours each day. There were also an abundance of scented orange blossoms, small fruit trees, boxwood, roses, a collection of scented geraniums, and a variety of fern, palm trees and flowers that her mother wintered over. The room was decorated with antiques from the Paris flea market, her mother adored the Marché aux Puces St-Ouen de Clignancourt and she filled this room with the treasures she found in Paris and all over the world. Magdalena could spend hours in this enchanted Garden Room listening to the bird sing, enjoying a cup of tea a glass of champagne in the evening and she often did, that is when she was home. The hot air balloon chandelier soared overhead from the high ceiling and casted a romantic glow over on the antique table. It was especially magical when they dined there in the evening surrounded by flowers and candles with the windows and french doors open onto their gardens and terraces. Scattered about the antiques were modern Missoni pillows and chic vases keeping the room looking interesting and fresh. She enjoyed curling up on the canopied French day bed against the 200 year old stone wall where a gold gilded antique mirror hung above it. She would read her foreign fashion magazines for hours here sipping homemade minted lemonade freshly made from her parents herb and fruit trees. She was surprised her mother didn't come in from the kitchen to see what caused the crashing sound, but she was probably too distracted. Her mom was developing recipes for a new cookbook she was putting together and she was under a lot of pressure with a deadline that was only days away. Her mother loved all things beautiful and spent 20 hours a day making sure she was surrounded by beauty. Magdalena's mother would never be upset the pot broke, she would in fact tell her that it was nothing, just some inexpensive pot she purchased down at a local discount chain store. Magdalena knew that would be a lie, everything in her parent's home had a story behind it. This pot was probably found outside of Volterra Italy and her mother probably spent an hour carefully selecting it than meticulously packing it in her carry-on bag, traveling home with it for over 9 hours without getting so much as a piece of dust on it. Now it was in pieces a mere memory. Gardening was the only creative interest Magdalena seemed to have much to her Mother's oblivious denial. She loved Fall when her parents would bring in all their fruit trees and tropical plants to Winter over and fill the indoor garden room and greenhouse with beauty and intoxicating fragrance. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate the life her mother had worked so hard to create, it was indeed magical, but why make a soufflé when she could buy it at a fancy restaurant in Manhattan? Perhaps as Magdalena got a little older she would develop some more of an interest in cooking but now she was focused on business and boys. One boy in particular, it was hard to call him a boy he was decades older than her and a fantasy of hers for a few years now. She dreamed of his hands on her body and his mouth on her lips and neck so much in fact that she couldn’t get him out of her mind. She wanted him to make love to her so badly it was all she thought about. If she had her way it would be a reality sooner than later. Of course she would have to keep this a secret from her parents, it would be scandalous and her father would be furious if he found out the object of her obsession. She thought for sure this man would make his move when he came out to visit her in Switzerland at school while he was on business in Zurich. After a long day on the ski slopes they went back to his hotel room and drank Champagne fireside, Magdalena’s entire body was on fire with such desire she thought she would explode. Every time his hands brushed hers or she felt his breath she could barely breath. She knew he felt it too but he didn’t make a move. That was certain to change soon enough she thought.
Magdalena had just finished college at Wharton School of business at the University of Pennsylvania and then went with friends for the summer to spend time in Barcelona. Prior to college she somehow with the help of her father convinced her mother to allow her to study in Europe her senior year. She spent a year at an all girl's school in Switzerland that had a view of Mount Blanc. Since she was an avid skier so this was the icing on the cake. Her father liked the idea that it was an all girl’s school, he had no idea that it is easier to meet boys at an all girl's school than anywhere else she had ever been. Her mother cried and there was a lot of drama but finally agreed to let her go for a year. Her mom flew to Switzerland at least 5 times ina year to visit her daughter. If looks could kill Magdalena surely would have inflicted a little pain and suffering when her parents showed up unannounced on most of these trips. Her dad just mouthed the words behind her mother's back that he was sorry and it was all her mother's idea. Her mother insisted she was there on business, which was crazy. How many trips to Switzerland does it take to perfect her fondue and raclette recipes? Top this off with the fact that her mother wasn't especially fond of skiing and all parties involved knew she was there to check up on her daughter but mostly because she missed her. These frequent visits meant Magdalena had to hide her boyfriend Antonio and often sneak in and out in the middle of the night to be with him. There was no way her father was going to approve of this Casanova.
Magdalena's heart was broken by Antonio, he turned out to be exactly what her father thought, a two timing womanizer. She picked up the pieces and came home and got a fabulous education at the Wharton Business School. She ended up being the one to break many hearts during her college years, Magdalena had long gorgeous auburn hair that cascaded in shiny waves down her back, her big brown doe eyes made men melt, she had silky soft skin and always smelled both amazingly sexy and sweet at the same time, her insanely perfect body at 5’8” came complete with curves like a Ferrari, she was able to get any man she wanted. The best part was her intelligence, she wasn’t only gorgeous but a smart young business woman from a very wealthy family and the icing on the cake was how insanely kind she was. Magdalena was very focused on her studies as much as she loved men she loved the idea of making money and being a huge success even more. She and her mom planned that after college Magdalena would come to work at her Mother's company La Maison Parisienne. Magdalena's mom had started this business in her early 20’s and she was hoping to have more time to spend traveling and visiting her sons and focusing more on her books and writing. Her oldest brother Julian is a talented photographer in New York. Her middle brother Christian is a writer who sold his book to be made into a movie for millions of dollars and then married a Rocket, Her baby brother Riley lives at home and travels the world with his parents and his private tutor. Her dad is quiet and mellow and her mom who is in her 50’s has a cocktail party at least twice a week, works out everyday and still runs her company. She will be the first to tell you she can still fit into her size 2's. She looks at least 10 to 15 years younger than she is and acts it too. Magdalena’s dad adores her and loves the excitement as long as he can go to sleep, he doesn't care if she stays up all night. She often does, laughing and drinking cocktails with their uncle Christopher until the middle of the night. He isn't really their uncle but one of her parents dearest friends for over 30 years. The have have been the best of friends forever, he is family and they love him very much.
Magdalena had to hurry up and change and sneak out of the house. Her moms longtime driver Eddie would be at their home any minute now. Her father had a very important business party they were hosting and he was sending all of them out to Bergdorf Goodman's to buy gowns for this occasion. Her grandmothers loved eating in the Bergdorf restaurant that was decorated so luxuriously. It has been freshened up over the years but continues to remain classy and elegant and the food was delicious.
She told her dad she couldn't go because she was playing tennis with her friends. Magdalena loved to shop but she just got back from Spain and felt like getting some fresh air more than being cooped up in a car driving into the city. Her dad isn't happy with her about this, at least not today. Her father told her that her mother and grandmothers missed her terribly while she was away in Europe all Sumer and they were looking forward to spending the day with her. She was feeling guilty and knew her father was right. If she hurried she could fit it all in, finish tennis, shower and be off to the city for some shopping.
Magdalena hurried upstairs to her gorgeous bedroom filled with a king size emerald green tufted velvet headboard, D Porthault crisp sheets and decorative pillows, a leopard throw fur blanket was at the foot of the bed and the fireplace was lit. There were modern touches mixed with the finest chicest from all over the world. Her mother had crystal Kate Spade bowls filled with water and floating white peonies. A modern glass vase filled with pink garden roses were placed next to Magdalena’s bed. The large gold and crystal chandelier was on and it made everything in her room seem magical. The french doors leading to her private balcony were open and a soft scent of late Autumn clematis drifted into her bedroom. She opened the doors of a giant hand painted Parisian armoire that secretly opened into the most fabulous dressing room a young woman could ever dream of having. Her father had it made for her as a gift on her 16th birthday. Inside was a tete a tete round sofa in a scarlet red velvet and endless racks of meticulously organized clothing all hung on gold hangers with chic black fabric. A mannequin stood in the corner near an elaborate white baroque mirror. Magdalena currently had the mannequin draped in a light blue fur coat over a purple silk dress with little pink hearts on it, she topped it off with a necklace her mother had designed for her company. The mannequin’s head was decorated with a crown of red Tess garden roses that her mother purchased at the flower district in NYC. She went over to the section in her closet that carefully contained her well organized collection of tennis and workout outfits. Magdalena stepped into a short sexy white tennis skirt topped off with a preppy fitted Lacoste shirt and of course her socks had the cutest little navy blue pompoms on the back that peaked out from her new balance tennis shoes. She was off to play tennis with her friend and apres tennis she looked forward to the clubhouse and enjoying one of her favorite drinks, The 40 Love Cocktail. She didn’t have a lot of time and needed to get going, their driver would be picking them up for NYC.
Magdalena dreaded this trip not because she was tired and jet legged but the real reason she didn't want to go is that her father wants her to tell her mother something, something that she knows will devastate her and she is terrified....God she hoped Christopher was at the club.