The Twelve Vitali Ch. 23

"The thing is, you are always so efficient, almost like you can read our minds, and I guess I have never stopped to think about how all of these changes must be affecting you. I'm not sure I understand enough about the contract you have with Matteo to think about it, to tell you the truth. So, as someone said to me recently, subtlety probably won't work if you need something or want something, because I'm not a mind reader, and they are men," she rolled her eyes dramatically towards the heavens. "Please be honest with me and talk freely, I promise nothing you say to me will go beyond this studio if you don't want it to," she said with as much sincerity as she could muster.

"I would never complain. Master Matteo has always been very generous and kind toward me," she began, but twisted her hands in her lap. "My life was very easy in the years preceeding this, he was not home often, he worked long hours, caring for Matteo was a joy. This year I have enjoyed having both Master Ricco and yourself to look after as well," she qualified. "I am finding it difficult, however, to cater to the three needs completely, as well as all the guests that have been visiting this week at various times of the day which stop me from the normal duties I would perform. I am afraid that I am letting you all down by not meeting all your expectations of me."

"Oh my God, you need help! Of course you need help, why hadn't I thought of that!" Cat was aghast. "I'm so sorry, you always seem to be one step of head of us in your efficiency. if you have lapsed in any way, trust me, we haven't seen it."

"I believe Masters' Ricco and Matteo are planning on having friends here tomorrow night, and I have concerns that I may not be able to handle the occasion on my own. I would hate to let them down, and I have been torn between what will be needed and admitting that I am not up to the task. Perhaps, just for the night, you could speak to someone about some added assistance so that the Masters are not embarrassed by the service during the evening."

"You are worried about them being embarrassed because they overworked you?" Cat asked in utter amazement. She knew that even though Theresa had a cook and a housekeeper, as well as maids, she organised everything that went on in that house herself down to the minutest detail, and, as Matteo's wife, she could be expected to do the same. This was her job, she thought, and she needed to look after Lisa, who was worth her weight in gold. Why hadn't the additional work and stress on the woman even occurred to her before?

"I would never knowingly or wantonly let the Masters down by not fulfilling my duties to the best of my ability. However, I believe there will be close to twenty-five men or more here tomorrow night, and I am only one woman," Lisa looked miserable as she made her confession.

"Can you leave this with me for an hour or two? I promise I won't say a word about our conversation to anyone. I will say I need more help because I am already asking so much of you. This conversation will not come back to you. I am so sorry, Lisa. I should have realised what was happening. You go and carry on with your duties and let me get you that help you need," Cat said adamantly, and she exactly how to go about it. When Lisa had left the studio, Cat picked up her phone and called Theresa.

"Mama? It's Cat... Yes, I mean, no, really.... Oh no, I feel quite fine, it's just I need your help and advice. I don't suppose you're at the HQ building already?... Oh, you wouldn't mind coming up to see me? That would be perfect. I don't know what I would do without you, honestly... Yes... I can do that... of course." Cat smiled and got to her feet and went down to the first floor where Theresa was supervising Stefano and Roberto, who were enjoying adjudicating the hunt items before points were added to team totals.

Since their conversation regarding Cat's enjoyment at having a mother figure who cared enough to argue with her and do all the work she had for her perfect wedding, Theresa had been only too happy to come to Cat's aid whenever she asked, and even when she didn't, on many occasions. It was a relationship Cat treasured now, and she had no qualms about admitting she was way out of her depth where household staff were concerned to the woman. She also had no problem rescuing Theresa from a terminally boring afternoon of supervising the collection of hunt items and tallying points, which her husband and his brothers seemed to be enjoying so much.

Less than twenty minutes later they walked back into the penthouse and took a seat in the comfortable living room. Lisa appeared almost immediately after they had gotten settled to offer refreshments, which made the segue-way Cat needed into the conversation she had to have easy.

"Lisa is amazing. It's like she can read our minds most of the time. I just love her," Cat said unashamedly.

"Good staff make life easy for busy women like us, I couldn't do half of what I needed to do without the people we have working for us," Theresa admitted, surprising Cat, who had never heard the woman praise her staff before.

"The thing is, I was hoping Lisa could do a few things for me tomorrow before the wedding, but Matteo, or I should say Ricco, is having twenty-five friends here. She is just one woman and would never ask for help or say no to anything we asked of her," Cat sighed. "She had one man to look after before I came along, now there are three of us living here. On top of that, we have a steady stream of visitors and guests, and I'm amazed that she still keeps on top of everything. I'd like to get her some help now that not only has the home doubled in size, but her duties seemed to have been tripled, and I don't want to worry Matteo with it because he is so busy. This should be something I can do, isn't it?"

"It probably hasn't even occurred to him that he is working one of his best assets to the bone," Theresa said disapprovingly. "Men don't think about things like that as long as their needs are being met." She seemed to consider Cat. "After this weekend you will have a lot more duties yourself, and a lot more visitors here. The older women, particularly, will judge you on how you run your household. This was an oversight on my part, I'm afraid, I should be preparing you better for your future role as Matteo's wife and the mother of the next generation of Vitali."

"There is so much happening with the gathering and the wedding and ...." She lowered her voice to a whisper, "The table."

"We are living in a momentous time," Theresa agreed. "Still, I pride myself on being on top of every little thing, and this has been a gross lapse on my behalf." She seemed to be thinking through the situation. "I found Lisa for Matteo, and I will find her some help. I expect Ricco has left his housekeeper with Jacobi, and Maryanne will have need of both of them, I have been interviewing for Lucca recently, I wouldn't like to leave him without the woman I chose. Let's go into Matteo's office and I will go through some of the applicants again."

Cat was in awe of how fast Theresa's mind could work when she bent it to a task, and she wondered if she could ever be that knowledgeable and efficient. She followed silently and asked questions now and then to try and understand what Theresa's thought process was. They would need a steward and added security, which could come from the watchmen and at least two other women, a decent cook, and, as well, a maid who could work under Lisa, who would continue to run their household and liaise with Cat on a daily basis. Once they chose a home for their family and to raise the children they would need additional staff, but they were not urgent additions and could be dealt with over time.

Cosimo and his wife, Angela, had arrived, along with Salvatore and Sonya, at the summons from Theresa, and within an hour several candidates for each position sat in the kitchen with Lisa, who was overwhelmed with the speed at which Cat had begun to fill her request for additional help in light of the Gathering and wedding events. By the time Matteo and Ricco arrived to change for dinner their penthouse was full of people.

"We only left you alone for a few hours, what happened?" Matteo looked around incredulously.

"I'd love to explain, but I need to speak to Logan," she looked toward the foyer where the young cousin had just appeared. "Theresa is using your office, I hope you don't mind, maybe if you go and see her, she can explain," Cat laughed and shook her head before gathering Logan and taking him to her studio, shutting the door on the chaos she had created.

"You know, I should have learned by now that if I ask for help, with what I think is a small problem, the Vitali family make it a production with a cast of hundreds," Cat laughed as Logan looked at her questioningly.

"Is that how you ended up with Matteo solving so many of the impossible clues?" Logan laughed.

"Yeah, I just wanted help with one or two so I could contribute more to our team, and suddenly he's calling breakfast meetings and we are racing around the city to get as many as we could this morning. Did you find many of the ones he left for you to do?" she asked.

"A few," he nodded. "Tate let me know she did too, we're going for a drink after dinner to talk about it."

"I'm sorry Matteo took over this morning, he can be pretty bossy at times," she smiled crookedly.

"Don't be, that was awesome. You have no idea how many people are trying to find out everyone's team number so they can narrow down ours and where we are in the standings. I've been holding back some of our items and tasks so that we don't jump too far ahead too early. That way, if anyone does work it out, we still won't be a threat. Then, with a few days to go, we'll just fly past them all. So what did you get today?"

Cat spread out her list that she'd been using that day and listed off items as she pulled them from the envelope folder she'd been using. Most were from the end of the list and worth a lot of points. When she was done, she put them all back into the envelope and pushed it toward him, explaining that Matteo had also solved a few other clues during the morning they had been hunting. But she wouldn't have time to try and get them until next week.

"Who's trying to find out what number we are?" she asked, tilting her head.

"The competitive ones like Kalum. Mostly Lucca, Sebastian and Chase are working as much on working out everyone's number to see who the real competition is as they are on the real clues. It's a good distraction for them, really. They are all used to being the best at what they do, especially since Matteo hasn't been playing for a few years. He always beat everyone at stuff like this," Logan laughed, "and this year he will again."

"I don't think he wants people to know how much he helped me," she chewed her lip thoughtfully. "Only you and Tate know, and I guess Kalum, from their phone call last night. Next week is going to be so busy for everyone, so it won't hurt to show them what we've got points-wise," she grinned.

"You're not leaving for your honeymoon?" Logan asked.

"We have to stay for the gathering, and there are so many events that Matteo and I will have to attend next week, along with all the cousins as well. I doubt any of us will have much time for hunting," she admitted.

"If this is what your place looks like on an average day, it is a wonder you and Matteo have time to get anything done," he chuckled.

"It's not always so bad," she laughed good-naturedly. There was a tap on the door, and Ricco opened it and stepped inside, giving Cat a look that was part amused and part annoyed.

"Such a brat," he shook his head at her, making Logan look between the two of them.

"I highly doubt that," Logan said, immediately coming to Cat's defence.

"That mess out there is her doing, and she is hiding in here with you while Matteo cleans it up," Ricco raised his eyebrow at his cousin.

"Sounds like she made a smart move to me," Logan smirked. "Besides, Matteo signed up for this sort of stuff when he convinced her to marry him."

"What he said," Cat gave a soft laugh.

"I dare you to say that to him," Ricco challenged them both.

"Perhaps not tonight, he seems a little busy right now," Logan said easily, making Ricco chuckle.

"You think?" Ricco shook his head. "Go help him, please, Cat. You got him into this situation."

"You realise that I'm not the one who invited twenty-five men here tomorrow night and expected one poor woman to cater for them all?" Cat asked, unsure if either Ricco or Matteo had been told why she had caused the kerfuffle in the next room. "If either of you breaks my Lisa, I will never forgive you! Speaking of which, I should go and check that she is coping with this influx of people."

"Shit, it's all my fault then," Ricco admitted, suddenly feeling guilty that he hadn't been clear that he had caterers coming to service the evening and help with what he'd asked Lisa to do for him. "Fine, I'll go save him. Your parents are out there," he said to Logan, "you should come and help me."

"You're not using me as a shield!" Logan held up his hands.

"Want to bet?" Ricco chuckled. "Come on, you're stuck in this mess too, now, because Matteo wants to see you about a project he wants you to manage."

Surprisingly, most of the people who had been milling around in the living room had left by the time Cat emerged from her art studio with Ricco and Logan. Cat went into the kitchen to apologise to Lisa, not having realised how quickly her request would escalate, while Ricco and Logan walked into the offices to see Matteo.

Half an hour later Cat left Lisa with several candidates, telling her in confidence that honesty was beyond important in her appraisal of the women because of her lack of experience. When she found Matteo and Ricco, she found herself faced with several men all sitting in his office and seeming to be waiting for her, and she entered the office nervously.

"We should go down for dinner," she said quietly.

"You're right, again," Matteo said gruffly. "Gentlemen, could you come back at nine?" he asked the men who stood in his office, including Logan in his invitation.

*****

Matteo invited Logan and Tate to sit with them and talk about the hunt and if they'd managed to find any of the missing items from the list.

"This doesn't look good," Lucca said, pulling up a seat at their table.

"Why? Is there a new rule that you can't discuss the list with non-competitors I didn't know about?" Matteo asked with a smirk.

"I thought you said you were retiring from being a hunter?" he accused.

"I have," Matteo shrugged. "That doesn't mean I'm not interested in seeing the list, especially as my wife's wedding underwear is on it."

"So, you're not going to help them?" Lucca asked.

"Well, I don't really think I'll have any time after tonight with the wedding this weekend, but, now that you have pointed out how much you would love a real challenge, I might see what I can do after the wedding," he chuckled. "Unless, of course, you want to answer Cat's questions yourself and save me from weighing in. Some of these seem pretty hard." He baited his brother, deliberately not lying.

"Alright, you stay out of it, and she can ask me for three hints to the impossible clues," Lucca negotiated.

"If you can get the same deal from Sebastian for Logan, and Chase for Tate, I will give these back and pretend I never saw them," Matteo countered.

"Hints, not answers," Lucca reiterated.

"Sure, but they get to pick their questions, I don't want you all giving the same hints to the same questions, or I might have to help Cat out next week after all," he said as if this would be a hardship to him. "With Dopey, Grumpy and Happy, here, you know Kalum could use the help, and he won't be getting much from Mia. She's more competitive than I am."

"Wait! Am I Dopey or Happy?" Tate questioned.

"Cat did something incredibly silly today, so she gets the honour of being Dopey," he smirked.

"Aww, isn't he just so romantic? You can see how I fell in love with him when he uses such cute names for me," Cat said dryly.

"Aww, Dopey, you know I love you," Matteo kissed her cheek and wrapped an arm around her.

"Good job, Lucca," Ricco chuckled. "Only you could cause the sickeningly in love to fight two days before the wedding."

"Deflecting there, Ricco?" Cat pierced him with a narrow gaze.

"It was worth a shot," he continued to chuckle. "I think I'll go see Chase about helping out Tate. Coming, Lucca?"

"I am," Tate said. "I have no idea what's going on here, but that's not unusual," she laughed. "Logan just texted me what I need to do. You're our captain, after all."

"I think I'll leave you to talk as well," Logan excused himself. "I'll come up at nine; I'm assuming you would have told her by then?" He raised an eyebrow at Matteo.

"Tell me what?" Cat asked.

"Shit! Thanks, Logan," Matteo shook his head. "Let's take this argument upstairs," he grumbled.

"We aren't arguing," Cat frowned.

"Not yet, but I am pretty sure it's coming. Do you want me to grab the great arbitrator?" He asked.

"Scared to tell me whatever it is alone?" Cat asked.

"Kinda, maybe," he admitted. "I don't what to fight about this, Cat. I was hoping to do it Monday, but plans change."

"This, what? What did you want to do on Monday when it was too late for me to run away and save myself from marrying you and inheriting your crazy family?" she said in a teasing way and narrowed her eyes.

"Let's go," Matteo said, standing and holding out his hand to her. "Before you really insult someone other than Logan, who we all know is crazy."

"I'll let your arbitrator know you've gone upstairs and that I fear only one of you will come back down," Logan chuckled.

"Thanks, but I'm tougher than I look," Cat laughed.

"I'm not worried about you," Logan winked and chuckled as he walked away.

"This must be bad," Cat said, starting to worry as they walked toward the elevators.

"Not at all, but you did open a can of worms today, and there are expectations and consequences that come along with that," Matteo said in a calm voice as he bent to kiss her reassuringly.

"Can of worms?" she asked.

"A can of worms," he nodded, guiding her onto to the elevator.

"If you're talking about Lisa, could we talk about it where she can't hear us, please? I think I might have already upset her," Cat said quietly. "I did try to apologise for interfering, but she didn't say anything, and I feel just awful."

"Good, you should feel bad, that will make what I have to say easier," Matteo said, considering her. Cat seemed more concerned about facing Lisa than any consequence he could come up with, and the pieces of why this had happened today began to fall together. Stepping off the elevator, he waited for a beat, and, on cue, Lisa appeared to offer her service. "Follow me, Lisa," Matteo said, and placed a hand on Cat's back, walking her toward his office.

"My future wife decided to take a hand in the running of our household today without consulting you, I understand, and I would like to apologise on her behalf. I want to assure you that her actions in no way reflect my opinion of you, which, as always, is nothing but of the highest order," he said formally. "I have no idea why she couldn't just wait two days until she was officially Mrs. Vitali and then talked to both of us. Once we were married, I had plans to bring in the extra staff needed and expected of a family of our standing with yours and Knox's assistance. There will be consequences, I assure you," Matteo said with a perfectly straight face.

"I'm so sorry, Lisa, I was just trying to help, and it all escalated so quickly. Please forgive me for interfering," Cat said, willing Lisa not to say anything about their earlier conversation. "I'm so inexperienced, I couldn't have known he, Knox, and yourself had plans to handle all of this, and I sincerely apologise." Lisa seemed to consider the situation for a long moment and visibly straightened before speaking in response.