“I was just bewitched by your look.”
“Don’t be silly. Don’t forget we have not to disappear in front of a smart couple such as Samantha and Phil. When I think about our commitment, I feel frozen. I want to be up to them. Be yourself, no matter what they say. I don’t remember to which song these words belong to. Anyway, you got the point: Be yourself. True friends will accept you as you are. I’m sure they are the right ones for us,” said Jill.
“I trust your female instinct, Jill. Sometimes I feel a bit stupid. Let me watch the clock. Oh, it’s nearly time for them to be here. Sure enough, there is a cabriolet arriving now. Yes, it is Phil and Samantha. Guess what, Jill.?”
“What?”
“Phil is dressed in a khaki tweed jacket and trousers and Samantha is dressed in pink. Just like us. Have a deep breath and confine your fears behind you. We are ready to go jet-setting.”
Jill and Araon were out on the pavement before Phil and Samantha could ring the doorbell. Phil accompanied them gently to the car and accommodated them in the back. “We are Phil and Samantha, as you already know. We chose a car without a hood to avoid air conditioning. Have a nice journey. I’m not the sort of man who magnifies his fantasy to break the ice. Actually, I don’t need it. It’s destiny that made us meet each other. First in the same train wagon, second parked in front of the hospital where Van der Baast works and, third, in the central station near the hotel where we are lodging. This means we have to be closer one to the other. I will never forget the sense of mystery that enveloped me when in the train wagon the six of us shrieked simultaneously, Van der Baast, when our phones rung. Van der Baast is famous worldwide. I guess you will have your baby delivered with his assistance. As far as I’m concerned, I wanted to introduce him to Samantha. She is so nosey to meet him. A lot of her friends consider him their doctor and, Samantha wishes to have him as her personal GP. I think he won’t turn down our request. He is such a loving man.”
“So you haven’t meet him yet,” said Jill pretending not to know anything.
“Not yet but I will take Samantha to his office before we leave Amsterdam. Now our priority is to enjoy ourselves in the Venice of the North. What about you? How long have you been living here?”
“Actually, we were born here. We would have liked to travel more but we had always to postpone the holiday of our dreams for the most stupid reasons. We have been to Miami for two weeks recently. It was so exhilarating!” said Jill with a proud accent.
“We will have the chance to travel together more often,” said Samantha.
“God wants it.” Said Araon.
“We are near the restaurant. Our little chat made time run quickly. Here it is: Tres Jolie., the restaurant we have chosen for our dinner. Please, go first,” said Phil letting Jill and Araon get out the car.
To enter that place was like a punch in the stomach for Araon. Jill, on her turn, was entranced by the environment. It was all light and air conditioned. Jill and Samantha sat next to each other, while Phil and Araon were one in front of the other. The menu of the day was for them as simple as that: macaroni, steak and strawberry ice cream. Between a mouthful and another while eating, words came easy from all four.
“I guess you love Paris,” said Phil to Jill and Araon.
“Yes, we had a brief visit to that city a couple of years ago,” said Araon.
“We can go there shortly for a weekend very soon. You are my guests, of course,” said Phil.
“Very kind of you,” said Jill.
“To oblige for us is a question of honour,” said Samantha.
Phil interrupted the conversation bluntly. “We are not concerned only with enjoyment, of course. For example, we are busy supporters of the Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation. We help them not only with money, but also with our presence in those places where children above all and adult as well, need our help.”
“That’s fantastic,” said Jill with admiration.
“I’m pleased to notice we have a lot of things in common,” said Samantha
“Scribbles and doodles are my best friends now. I get them as a chance to hide my bleak personality behind my diary notes. You can imagine the effort I put into doing well for others,” said Araon.
Meanwhile the night was lowering. It was the price they had to pay for the sake of their mutual friendship. So Jill and Araon asked Phil to drive them home. It was too late for them to stay out. At the arrival at their tiny flat in St. Luciensteeg, Phil gave a key to Araon. “It’s for your stay in London. I hope you ‘ll come to visit us there very soon,” he said.
Jill was as if she was hit by a stone. The exhilarating proposal of Phil caused in her a strong form of embarrassment. Anyway, she said to the couple that she was entranced by the gift. And they waved goodbye looking forward to seeing each other again.
Jill, at home, was absolutely lyrical about the day. She had spent the evening in a dreamlike suspense. No fright split her personality any more.
“They are so special, so smart, so humble. They are everything,” she said.
“I am also enthusiastic. I am already thinking of the way we can pay attention to them and to present them with something that can make their generosity fade. I know it’s an impossible endeavour but it’s worth taking,” said Araon.
“A nightdress hand made from me for Samantha,” said Jill.
“A box of well renowned cigars for Phil,” said Araon.
“Cigars? They are very unhealthy and it sounds a bit rude to give them as a gift,” said Jill.
“No Jill. Englishmen collect those pieces of wonder. But I can change my mind if you think it’s the case. A diary. Yes, a diary with a lock where he can keep in custody all his working appointment and secrets.”
“That sounds a bit better. You know, Araon, I am so excited that I can hardly fall asleep. The comparison with a muse such as Samantha thrilled me. Look at this. It is a book on Adolph Hitler. Do you know why I am always reading books on history? Because I have a memory lapse on the subject. When I was a student, I had a very weird teacher. He let us decide the score of our test by ourselves not depending on our performance. Not all the time was my testing a success but I got prized anyway. The headmaster was totally unaware of that practice and history wants that I am now a bit ignorant on this subject.”
“But darling you are a sort of genius in my opinion. You have a lot of subjects of discussion leave alone history. Above all, I believe that Phil and Samantha have been impressed a lot by your chatting. A well-educated person is the appellative that suits you most. I feel a dwarf when compared to you,” said Araon.
“Now darling let’s go to bed. A tiring day is what I expect it will be tomorrow. Unfortunately, Phil and Samantha are going back to London very shortly and we will miss them a lot. I know they expect us to go and visit them in London in the foreseeable future. I cannot believe how our life is changing,” said Jill.
They turned off the light before getting into bed and waited for a surprise to arrive the following day. Interesting night that was.
Over the long haul, Samantha and Phil would find the most precious friends in Araon and Jill. Here they were in their hotel penthouse waiting for the booked vintage car to get them. Samantha was as smooth as ever after the long pampering she had while waiting for Phil to be ready to go out. They sipped the usual coffee with milk and enriched their breakfast with chocolate croissants and discussed plans for the near future. “Samantha would you mind inviting Jill and Araon to the Royal Albert Hall concert to be held in ten days? After all, as far as I understood they have never been to London:”
“I think they will be entranced by the gift. I am also looking forward to the day when they’ll come and visit us at our Holland Park house. We have not to waste time. We have to buy the tickets for the concert and the flight quite early in advance if we want to avoid disappointment.”
“I’ll do it immediately once we are in London.”
“What luck. It’s the first time in my life that I
go out with some friends and I am not bored. They deserve some entertainment and, of course, they will oblige when we talk about the concert to attend,” said Samantha.
“They have a very high IQ as well,” said Philip.
“What? Have you checked it?”
“No, it happens automatically. It’s a sort of defence I have against people. Anyway, Jill has an IQ of 180.”
“Gosh, she is a Goddess.”
“Don’t be so sure. Our IQ. can improve with the exercise,” said Phil.
“One thing is certain, motherhood makes here more vulnerable and sensitive. The strong intelligence is useful to her to protect her own baby against external calamities. She reacts well whatever happens in her life.”
“Yes, it’s the fruit of her womb that makes her abundantly serene against reaction of peril,” said Phil.
“Oh, my goodness. That’s thriving and thrilling. Shining is not a matter of fact in front of these adventures,” said Samantha.
“We can spend all our day talking about Jill’s IQ. Now let’s be more grounded on heart. Do you remember we pledged to Mark and Rose that we would go to their riding school? It’s better we do it now before we go back to London,” said Phil.
Samantha made no objections. She enjoyed her trip in the vintage car without roof as she had never done before. “Can you see, Samantha? We can breathe fresh air without the same amount of pollution as in London. Isn’t that terrific?”
“Yes Phil. But are you sure we are going in the right direction?”
“No problem. The address is in the very outskirts of Amsterdam. Mark is a lucky man. He has a long story to tell. I left a message on his tape to make him abandon his melancholy. He is clever enough to get the point. Anyway, we are going to his realm. He is a hero of a rags to riches story.”
“I am a bit too restrictive, maybe because I’m enjoying the travel. I feel so comfortable in this car that I believe I will make strong efforts to get out when we arrive at the school,” said Samantha.
“Would you like some music?” said Phil.
“Only if it won’t disturb you,” said Samantha.
“My drop of tear. Why don’t you trust me sometimes?”
“And then let music overfill the vibe,” replied Samantha.
After a quibbling journey, they finally arrived at Mark’s place. Mark was thrilled to see them. He let them park their car in a niche of the place and introduced them to the premises immediately “I’m very enthusiastic that you are here today,” said Mark.
“We just came to say goodbye. We are leaving shortly this evening and who knows when we will be able to see each other again,” aid Phil.
“Very shortly, I guess. Come here, there is a gift for you. This is a portrait that a jockey has done for me,” said Mark.
“You should keep it with yourself. The jockey who presented you with it won’t be very happy. The best gift you can do is to be with us now,” said Phil.
“So you have enjoyed Amsterdam?”
“A lot. I think Samantha will ask me to bring her back here again shortly.” said Phil.
“Do you want to mount a bay? It’s my new special gift for you,” said Mark.
“Let ladies go first. Are you ready Samantha.?”
“A bit. I mean, I’m so nervous.”
And Samantha was tottering up and down. In the middle of her ecstasy she realized it was already time to go.
“So we’ll see each other soon?” said Phil.
“Yes indeed. And I also say goodbye on behalf of Rose. She is working now and I have not heard from her on the phone yet,” Mark said while the couple rushed to the car.
Phil showed to Samantha two flight tickets for London.” It’s because you were suffering a lot of nausea on the ferry,” he said.
At the hotel their luggage was ready to be brought with them to the taxi towards the airport. Samantha was thrilled and safe in the arms of the so fragile Phil. Phil Morris.
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
“Je suis tres joli. Je suis un coupier. Je ne suis pas un fumeur.” What a distress. Samantha has used their glass as an ashtray. You can see it very well in the kitchen. Araon woke up once in a blue moon. He felt awkward about his French but his priority was to go in the kitchen to check if somebody, that is Jill, has smoked a cigarette. To his delight there were no ends of smoked cigarettes. He used to see the chain smokers as people involved in a spoof. But it was just a dream. What worried him most was his French. How could he cope with ordinary situations once in Paris with Jill and their newly acquired friends? He was not able to pronounce properly a single word in French. But there was something more. Dreams sometimes reveal to people, truths hidden who knows where, he thought, still bearing in mind the content of his dream.
There was a certain Maja who was the only friend of Ida Itch. Maja was eighty-four years old. She was able only to read the numbers and the letters of the alphabet. She was absolutely ignorant upon any subject and her only daily activity was to pray and pray. She lived in Amstel 10, close to Amstel dam. Her flat was empty, containing just a piece of furniture, a kitchen and a table. She was living on the subsidies of the government, the gentle part of five hundred pounds per month. She didn’t report the disappearance of her friends for a question of negligence. Maybe her friend had abandoned her, she thought. Araon was thinking of his dream all the time. When he woke up, rather late, Jill was not obviously there any more. He got the usual tasty breakfast and he felt so lonely. He was an adorable husband who used to enjoy the beginning of the day filling up his empty stomach. He shaved after a quick shower and he went on his way to Amstel with a wallet in his right pocket and the flat door keys in the other pocket. He even didn’t go to check if Jill had taken the car. He was concerned with his wife’s health and how driving would affect it during those sweet moments. On the other hand, Phil, that powerful man, was the tenant of his mind. He hoped that his friend wouldn’t investigate his past and find out there was a dangerous secret that had not been disclosed to the police. There was a constant in his mind: why did Phil and Samantha want to contact Van der Baast? He would digest anything as powerful as an elixir just to prevent his friend to expose him to a damned truth.
Anyway, he was at his destination. What a joy to see that there was a number 10 like in his dream. His heart beat strongly when he read on the door the name of Maja with the only blemish that the surname was deleted. At first sight he could guess that there weren’t many tenants in the building. Maja was living on the third floor where the curtains were shut and a terrible stink came out of it. Standstill: who knew what. Araon was in despair and it took him five minutes to decide how to proceed. At a certain point, an old lady arrived.
“What are you doing here, dude? This is my address. I don’t welcome strangers at home. I am a long-life spinster and this has affected my character deeply. There were police in my flat recently because they wanted me as a witness at a trial of one of this building’s tenants. But apart from the police, I don’t want to deal with anybody else in my life. Please go away, otherwise I will expose your evil doing to the public. Have I been clear?”
“Yes madam. I just want to assure you that the only thing I am nosey about is the dam of this headquarters. Amsterdam is a fairytale city for me,” said Araon.
“Yes, but I catch you reading the names of the tenants of this building.”
“Just nosey. That’s it. I wish you a nice day.” Araon considered himself the hero of a victory.
His dream told him the truth. It wouldn’t be difficult to organize an investigation on Maja with the help of Van der Baast. It was time to contact him. But as no surprise Van der Baast did it first. The phone rang: “Hi Araon. It’s your companion of adventure calling.”
“Hi my dear. I was just thinking of you. Well tonight I had a dream about an old lady who was a friend of Ida Itch during the last days of her life. The dream said that the old lady lives at 10 Amstel Road. I am here now I just came to sort the truth out. The dream was true about
the address given and about other meaningful details. My choice to have a glance over here was not accidental. I am a curious believer of Freud and the interpretation of the dreams. But I had a small accident: when I arrived here, the old lady saw me reading here name in the address list and she got very annoyed. You are the only one who can manage to get a clue very soon. I trust your eagle eyes for details. What do you think of it?”
“Yes Araon. I’m nearly sure we are close to the truth.”
“So let us not waste time. I’m looking forward to hearing further news on the vicissitude.”
“That’s fine. But there is something I have to say to you: lately I have been receiving mysterious emails in my computer at the office in the hospital. So far, I have ignored them. Maybe they will be useful to us. Who knows…Anyway, now I breathe the air of freedom. I am going to have a holiday with my wife far from the frantic hours at the hospital. Our destination is Greece. Useless to say that it is my wife who organized it all. When I come back to Amsterdam, we will meet eye to eye and discuss any single detail of our proceedings. Now I need a break. My brain is exploding. It has been nice to have had a chat with you.”
“As wished my friend. See you soon.”
Araon had learnt a big lesson from his friend he could compare to a sibling. And it happened that he was focused on health concerns regarding Jill. Hopefully she was not smoking but she was undergoing a time of great distress. His blessed wind drove him back home to wait for Jill to come. Anxiety was what he was doomed by hereafter. Jill was not a troublesome issue. But she was there looking for enduring love and attention. Araon fetched a bottle with bleach and cleaned the bathroom, suspicious that Jill lately neglected health regulations. His moment of attendance made him almost furious. Jill was very late and for no reason. He patrolled the house as a policeman, checking any niche but there was no odour of Jill. It was one pm. He got a sandwich and a pint of beer for the happiness of his stomach. he dialled Jill’s number but her phone was off. This was a strenuous mystery. He decided to rummage in their little library to figure out what was the agenda of the day.
The Red Box Page 59