Catnip [romance]

Maine Coon

Freya has never enjoyed packing up after a holiday.

Even with the help of a maid folding her blouses while she arranged her shoes in her suitcase, she sighed. "I think this is enough, grazie."

The maid quickly zipped up the suitcase, nodding at Freya before slipping out of the bedroom. Now, Freya was left alone. Packing her trinkets into her dark red alligator-skin Birkin, she stood up on her matching red Jimmy Choo suede pumps and shrugged on her Gucci wool poncho. She pulled her luggage bags across the floor and could barely manage to get all three of her bags out of the door. She groaned, giving up.

"You know, next time you shouldn't bring that much things for a three-day trip." Augustine commented as he saw his sister getting slightly worked up.

"It's not much," she told him. "This one has my clothes, this one's my shoes and this one's my jewelry and bags." She pointed at her luggage. "It's just how I arrange them and... how I don't have enough space to put everything into one bag."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Yeah, well, you need help with that?" He swung his Tom Ford overnight bag to the side.

"Please."

He shook his head, chuckling. He grabbed two of her luggage bags, leaving her with the lightest bag to deal with. "Come on, it's time to go, like you said last night. Max is already in the car waiting for us."

"He's that eager to leave, huh?" She laughed, grabbing her luggage bag as they walked through the hallways to the entrance hall. "He and Nonna still not talking?"

August shook his head. "Nope. Oh, and...," his voice turned lower, "neither Max nor I got anything from her. Did she give it to you?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I got it. She wants me to get to Brooklyn to deliver whatever it is in the manila envelope."

"I forgot how our family's involved in all of this," he admitted. "That's how we manage to stay at the top without much interference, huh? Every trip we had to here, Nonna would hand it to Madre. Now that we're not here with her, she'd to make one of us do it."

Nonna waited for the both of them to head out at the entrance hall. Upon seeing them, she gave the biggest smiles. "I hate that you both have to leave. Come more often, you two. Oh, and the next time I see you, Freya, you better bring that fine young man of yours."

Freya smiled back. "Soon, Nonna."

"And you, Augustine, when Clara arrives in New York soon, I expect you to pick her up and show her around town." Nonna said. "Now off you go. I will miss you."

"I'll miss you too, Nonna." He gave chaste kisses on her cheeks before heading to the car.

"I'll see you soon too," Freya said, but the older lady stopped her from going just yet.

"You got the package, yes?" She asked her granddaughter.

"Sì, Nonna," Freya replied.

"When you arrive, waste no more time and go to Brooklyn immediately when you step off the plane. Congratulate Alessio on behalf of me when you drop it off." Nonna instructed. "Now, go. Don't make anyone wait. Oh, and Max needs a girlfriend. Please."

"If you can't do it, I can't either. Mi spiace." Freya chuckled.

As if she knew, Nonna sighed. "It's fine, I guess. Ciao, fiorella."

"Ciao Nonna." She said, giving air kisses before they all left for the airport.

There was a feeling of dread and relief when she thought of New York. She missed the city but she wasn't as enthusiastic as well. She dreaded it because of Hugo, but on the other hand, she didn't because of Nathan. Oh god, she hadn't seen him for what felt like a long time. She really hoped that he was okay since the past few days she wasn't there. She knew how he wasn't particularly the best at handling the media on his own. She really missed him, but...