A Masterpiece Gone

Chapter Twenty-six

"Mum, please don't cry," Jessie begged into her screen from the backseat of her limo, incessant horn honking blaring from the other side of the highway so early in the morning.  "All I did was put on some more extravagant make-up and did my own hair."

Rose beamed from the other side of the FaceTime screen.  "You're just so beautiful and blissful," she commented.  "I worried so much that after your father and I flew back home you would maybe fall into a slump and although I have heard your voice a few times since then, it does your mother good seeing your face.  You are going to look gorgeous on the cover next month."

Jessie's heart fluttered.  "Thanks so much, Mum.  I'm not sure how Vogue is going to dress me.  I know John presented me with some options he asked our contacts here to fetch, but I think I yes-ed him to death because he kept going on with all these upcoming dates for things I may or may not do when I fly back to the UK."

"Don't get overwhelmed, love.  You're doing great where you are now and will be able to manage everything when you get back home," her mother encouraged.

"I know," Jessie agreed in spite of what had been lying heavy in her mind for the past few days.  As a green road sign caught her eye, she finally realized she was going to lose her mother in the tunnel in about fifteen minutes.

Before she could alert her mother of their impending interruption, Rose broke the silence first.  "What's wrong?" she questioned with crinkled eyebrows.

"I just realized that once we hit the Battery Tunnel, I'm going to lose you," Jessie explained apologetically.

Rose shook her head.  "It's not that.  Something's overwhelming you that you're not telling me," she insisted.  "I saw it flash in your eyes for a second before you agreed with me."

Jessie chuckled.  "Mum, I'm fine," she told her, though she knew she should just surrender now as her mother would press until she caved.  "Well, there's one thing.  I really wanted to keep it to myself, but perhaps being you're a mum you could help.  Just please don't tell anybody."

Although puzzled, Rose smiled.  "Certainly, love.  My lips are sealed.  What is it?" she asked.

Without going into heavy detail or revealing her woes regarding her relationship with Brendan suffering even more as a result, Jessie expressed her concerns about Gianna and Riley living in such a tight space to save money even if it was temporary and Riley being so antisocial with children her age. 

"Oh, dear," Rose responded apprehensively.  "This is such a complex situation, especially since your father and I had the utmost pleasure having spoken to Gia and meeting her in person."

For the first time in her New York life, Jessie was thankful that traffic was now coming to a slow by the Prospect Expressway entrance ramp.  "The whole thing has made me completely snap out of my post-tour funk reminding me how much worse other people have it," she added.  "But I feel like a helpless bystander, Mum.  I want to help, but feel like I can't or maybe I shouldn't, especially since I'm not sure Gia knows what I know.  I know it's not my business, but I don't want to see people suffer."

Rose reflected for a moment before letting out a long exhale.  "What I am going to tell you is not easy for me to say," she ultimately admitted.  "Unless you see anything alarming like either of them malnourished, you may just have to let things lie.  I'm saying this from experience with you.  It was right for your father and I to get involved after you and David broke up because you were not even taking care of yourself, but this second time around we caused more harm than good even if all of us are in a much better place right now."

Jessie felt so conflicted.  She appreciated her mother's honesty and knew her words were one big touché, but it still didn't change the fact that Jessie felt unresolved regarding Gianna and Riley.