Fragile Paradise. Liliia Urazgulova

be a grandmother?

      – As I understand, yes, how is your deal? What did you decide with the chateau in Bordeaux?

      – I haven’t decided anything yet, I need to fly and look…

      – You’ll fly after my opening.

      – Yes, most likely, a detailed analysis of both the soil and the vineyard is needed.

      – Yes, this is a serious matter, it takes time. Well, okay, we’ll call again.

      – Yes, in touch, have a nice day!

      – Bye to you too!

      After talking to everyone and finding out that everyone was doing well, she decided it was time to go back to the studio and do her own thing. In the evening there was a call from my mother.

      Having reached her studio, the first thing she did was ask her assistant if anyone had called her:

      – Beatrice!

      – Yes?

      – Did they call me?

      – There was a call from Dijon, Madame Saint-Etienne de Grasse called.

      – Mom called, I’ll call you back from the office, thank you!

      The mother’s unexpected call aroused interest, and she decided to call back immediately. The beeps were ringing, but my mother did not answer the phone. A minute later they answered on the phone:

      – Yes, I’m listening.

      – Hello Mom, you called me at the studio while I was at lunch, did something happen?

      – No, I wanted to know how the preparations are going for your opening of the studio, and to clarify whether you need help with the wine?

      – Yes, with wine, I just wanted to ask for help.

      – Okay, the wine will be delivered two days earlier.

      – Great, how are you doing mom?

      – I’m doing as well as possible.

      – I’m glad that everything is fine with you, we’ll call you then during the week.

      – Yes, we’ll call you, all the best, bye.

      – Bye!

      Melisande dropped the call, and she felt a little sad that conversations with her mother were limited to business only, and there was no hint of the warmth that was there before.

      Many years later, when Pierre was already living in Rome, he recalled his conversation with his grandfather, and his heart was filled with warmth. After graduating from the lyceum and university, he started working in one of his grandfather’s companies, and after working there for 5 years, he decided that it was time to open his own chain of wine stores. Wine became his passion, he could talk about it for hours, taste it, and of course, following the example of his grandfather, he began to collect his own collection. In Rome, Pierre had two apartments, one was next to the Castel Sant’Angelo, the other was on Corso. He lived in the second apartment because his favorite gym was located next to it, which he went to three times a week to keep himself in good physical shape. He had a chain of wine boutiques and indoor casinos in several cities, including Rome, Milan, Paris and Marseille. The wine shops were supplied from the vineyards of his mother, Olivia Saint-Etienne de Grasse. The wines presented in his stores were only of two grand classes cru (highest) and premier cru (first), it promised a special pleasure for the people who idolized this drink. Red Burgundy wine made from Pinot Noir with the sweet taste of raspberries, cherries and strawberries delighted the tastes of the most demanding people, and white wine Chablis was created from Chardonnay grapes. These are the kind of wines that Melisande should have had at the opening. The Côte d’Or region was considered the heart of Burgundy, and translated from French meant “Gold Coast”.

      Chapter 2 Time to part ways

      In France, Madame Saint-Etienne de Grasse had a magnificent chateau with vineyards in the Côte d’Or region, which produced the best and most expensive wines of Burgundy. Olivia lived in France all her life and, unlike her father, had no plans to move anywhere. She was born on the outskirts of Beaune, but spent her childhood and youth in Lyon. When there was talk about her parents moving to Sicily, Olivia decided to move to Dijon. At first, Louis thought that she would move with them, but he did not take into account the fact that by that moment she had grown up and was ready to make important decisions herself and bear responsibility for them. However, Louis was a man who was difficult to convince of anything, and he decided to set a condition under which Olivia could remain in France and live independently. Since his communication with her was limited in time throughout his life, he could not even imagine that his daughter would be against moving with them. He thought that she would take it as something inevitable, but it turned out that he was wrong. One autumn evening he decided to talk to her seriously about the future. Olivia sat near the fireplace and read another book; she also loved to watch the firewood crackle and the flames dance in the air.

      “Olivia,” Louis addressed her softly, “let’s go and talk in my office before dinner.”

      She realized that the conversation would be serious, since her father called her into the office. It was always like this with them: they discussed everything related to business or any changes in life in a strictly closed office, lined with collections of weapons from different times. From the office there was a door to the rich library that Louis collected throughout his life. Not only Olivia loved to spend time there, but also Vanessa. Louis and his daughter entered the office, and he looked at her and pointed to a chair for her to sit down. He stood near the window, looked out of it for about two minutes, then sat down at his luxurious work desk. It was custom made from solid oak with an original tabletop decorated with handmade inlay, and the drawers in the cabinets were lined with velvet. Louis loved beautiful things very much and spared no expense on them. He also taught his children and grandchildren a love of beauty and careful handling of things.

      “Olivia,” he looked carefully at his daughter and continued his speech, “you understand that this is a serious decision and I need to make sure that you are ready for an independent life.”

      – Yes, dad, I understand everything.

      Louis raised his palm, signaling to his daughter that she should listen to him without interrupting. Olivia fell silent.

      “I know that you are a free-thinking person, convinced of the success of any of your business, but as a father, I worry about you. As a person with life experience, I must warn you about the difficulties that may arise when you are left here alone. You know that I have always supported people who have aspirations and desires. I will help you, but I want you to know that at any moment you can move to Sicily with your mother and me.

      Olivia liked the course of the conversation less and less, but she listened to her father without interrupting. Realizing that he says all this with the best intentions. When her father finished speaking, Olivia decided that she could express her opinion on all this.

      She looked at her father, and he realized that he would listen to her now:

      – I see you want to tell me something.

      – Yes, dad, you’re right. I’d like to speak up.

      – Okay, I’m listening.

      – You know my love for the country in which I was born and raised, and I never allowed the thought that I would need to leave it. I love Lyon, Paris is sometimes pleasant to me, but not so much that I visit it more often than necessary. Everything here is dear to me, everything breathes my childhood. The fact that you chose Italy to move to, I think, is no coincidence. You’ve been preparing for this move for quite some time. You built your life your own way, achieved everything you wanted, you are an example of a person that many people want to emulate. And I am among them, I want to be like you so that you are proud of me. And I want to build