The Red Box

by Laura Sgarella

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I’m just talking to myself. I guess in this same moment Araon and Jill are kissing each other with fond passion.”

  And he was right. Jill had a light headache. For the first time in her life she hadn’t seen other women’s envy for her. Definitely it was her friendship to Samantha that made her see the world with the necessary malice. She had a try and she succeeded in demolishing any bad feeling that overwhelmed her. Araon was next to her in the kitchen but she was so absorbed by her thoughts that he looked like a marble statue, motionless, silent and icy at the same time. Every now and then Sylvanus’ image ferreted through her mind in addition to the image of the big car with screws in the tyres. What a burden. She was indecisive whether to talk about this to Araon or not. To keep silent was her irresolute answer. A secret was a secret. Araon was still yawning while sipping the coffee with milk.

  The idea of a barbecue had an exhilarating effect upon him. Actually, once the guests were there, he never stopped talking about the business appointment they had to be prepared for. The two women, in their turn, were talking about good parenting. Both of them were not favourable to leaving the kids in a playschool. A babysitter was enough to help them. “Not that I have grudge…”

  Phil stopped Samantha’s eloquence reminding her it was Cinderella time to go back home.

  And now it was another day. Araon was a commuter of good manners. He never stopped watching Jill with galvanizing fear. He hoped she was happy, after all. “Sweetheart I missed you a lot last night when you were chatting to Samantha. I am even more possessive than Phil. I simply have not his power. He told me that one day Samantha smacked him because of his excessive intrusion in her life before they met each other. I swear this won’t ever happen to us.”

  “I will never smack you, Araon. You are so fragile and jealous. I caught a glance of you yesterday when you were sipping some wine. You looked like a baby who wanted to hide his caper to his mum. And Sylvanus was ignored by you with all your heart?”

  “Yes, Jill, why not?”

  “You know Sylvanus was one of the reasons for my lack of sleep this night. He phoned me just to tell me he feels very alone since Albert went to live with Ravina. He also confided in me that Albert and Ravina stopped arguing. But this is another matter. When I hung up the phone, I could perceive something fishy about Sylvanus. It is not the first time I nourish feelings like these for him. What about you?”

  “I consider him a great person. I wouldn’t be his friend otherwise. I think your pregnancy destabilizes your feelings. I understand you very well. Maybe sometimes you also feel a bit lonely. But we mustn’t spoil our beautiful moments here. We are in the most charming city in the world in company of the best friends we might ever have. What would you want have from life apart from this? I feel a bit awkward because I compared you with a white Lady Macbeth. Actually, it’s my love for you and for our little Rokin that pushed me to accept your suggestion to become Phil’s business associate. He suggested to me that I should extemporize when I am in front of the shareholders. He has learnt his job very well by himself. He did business at university but this is not the point. He has learnt his job from life. Now I’m waiting for his call. Did you and Samantha make plans for today?”

  “Not really. She told me that Phil wants to make a surprise for us.”

  “This is exactly what Phil told me. I wonder what are they doing now. They know the meaning of the word frantic by heart. They always experience it to the full. Fidgety and moron are the appellations that won’t fit them best. After all, we are having a big break.”

  “Yes, and I want to teach you how to wash the saucers. Yesterday the housekeeper made this flat perfectly clean. I have just to dial number five and she is here. Maybe I’ll tell her to come at five pm. By then Phil and Samantha will have come here to pick us up,” said Jill.

  “So you know everything. You see: it’s not that bad. Let Samantha take decisions in their private moments. Oh, the phone is ringing. It must be Phil.”

  Sure enough, from the other side of the handset a friendly voice reached him. “Hi Araon. It’s Phil speaking. Did my grin make you wake up early this morning?”

  “Yes, and me and Jill are still in the kitchen. Do you agree to meet us here in Mayfair at five pm?”

  “Exactly. I have called you to take a decision like that. Now I’m killing my boredom in my swimming pool room. Samantha is upstairs to embellish herself as much as she can. Blessed me. See you later as agreed.”

  “See you later, Phil.”

  Jill made a funny gesture with her hands. “Sorry Araon. It’s my anxiety,” she said.

  “That’s fine. What if we went for a walk in Hyde Park? I want you to enjoy the squirrels coming around. It will be a great experience for your growing tummy. But I talk too much. I still hold The Independent in my right hand and I haven’t read a single line in it,” he said.

  “Strange, isn’t it?”

  “I always want to be connected and know everything that happens around.”

  “But I still see in you the same guy who forced me to wear this golden ring ten years ago. Ten years. This is history, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, Jill. Our bond is forever. But now hurry up. We must avoid a brunch and to have a sandwich with salami as a diet for our lunch.” And they laughed sonorously together.

  Mayfair was totally unknown by them. They were so resilient in finding the way to the park. They trusted their instinct that drove them to the right place. Jill forced herself not to think of the big car with screws in the tyres. Those moments were supposed to be for herself and for Araon., the love of her life.

  Soon afterwards the two of them reached their flat. “Five p.m. What a tricky word,” said Jill to herself. There must be a hint of friendship in that word. It was the perfect number for friendship. She was all alone in the kitchen. It was one of those private moments that allowed her creativity to thrive. Here came the image of the big car with the screw in the tyres. There was also a hand looking for aid. Nothing else. It was a kind of help after some well-known voluptuous pleasures. But why did she need to be such a daydreamer? Every time Araon was not with her she stumbled into the voracious thoughts that pestered her. She picked something from the sink and pretended to smoke.

  “Darling, it will harm you and your baby.” Araon appeared on the scene

  “But you see? I am only pretending. This is not a cigarette.”

  “Sorry Jill. I was just concerned. But don’t make me believe it doesn’t hide a secret whim.”

  “But I won’t go any further.”

  “This is not what I expect from you. But why are you all alone in the kitchen? I did a few steps on the ladder just figuring out to be with you.”

  “You are starting to be tamed by our acquaintance, I guess.”

  “How nasty. I simply needed to move my little desperate feet.”

  “I know you well, Araon. Look: the clock reads five pm. Phil and Samantha will soon be here with their surprise. We have little time to choose what to wear. Hurry up. We have not to disappoint them.”

  Araon went into the bedroom and watched Jill with the brink of an eye to make sure she was not pretending to smoke. Jill was the perfect mistress to a guardian angel. Yes, Araon sometimes called her mistress as a form of affectionate feeling. He had no time to squander himself with meticulous allegation. After all, Phil and Samantha were already there. He heard the horn of the car outside. Jill made the last tour of the flat to be sure the keys were in their right place. There was only the key of the kitchen missing. It was an expedient from Phil to increase their need of intimacy. She had just remembered to dial number five to let the housekeeper come to clean the flat. Unfortunately, she was also bearing in mind number 123, the GP’s number. She was anxious to welcome their friends into the flat before going away. but she had no time for these proofs of affection. She would have liked her husband to be as fragile as Phil was. Yes, the one who deserved a smack for exces
s of intrusion. But Araon was not like that. He was confident and somehow domineering and he had always taken Jill’s love for granted. Bombastic was the last word he uttered before he went to bed the previous night. A word without any link to the circumstances. It was his awkward way of being creative. Phil’s friendship had increased his sense of self-esteem. Not that he had lacked confidence in his life. But now it had been magnified. Jill had no feelings of guilt. She loved her husband for what he was. She had also got some benefit from her attachment to Samantha. She saw herself in all the splendour of the after thirties’ life. “A surprise!” that was what slid into her mind. She just hoped it was not something dangerous.

  ZZZZZ. A piece of noise followed Phil’s second warning with his horn. A paper arrived below the entrance door. “We are here for you. Love, Phil and Samantha,” it said. Jill, all excited, went into the bedroom to push her husband to be quick.

  He was in front of the mirror finding traces of his age in his forehead. Hopefully, he was a blessed one. “Araon, Araon, have you heard how many times Samantha and Phil have tried to say they are waiting for us outside?”

  “Yes, Jill. These are the longest minutes in my life. Now it is five past five. I hate delays and I don’t know what accident has happened to make our friends wait for us for so long.”

  “You know, I had my favourite coffee in excess today. I have to make sure that when we go out, I won’t take things with caffeine. Samantha wouldn’t stand a dreadful situation from my side.”

  Eventually they were outside. They apologized for their delay of five minutes and entered the car who presented them with a dash of humour. They didn’t mention the surprise as if it was a sort of blasphemy but Phil looked visibly hilarious. “Here we are my friends,” he said. “I apologize for my double horn. I guess you have enjoyed the coffee of the afternoon already. I’m talking to you Jill. You should be careful about your health.”

  “You guessed Phil. I have to indulge in caffeine-free products from now on. Just to be funny: I still have in my mind the grin of your’ s that woke us up today.”

  “I see. And I hope you will enjoy our vintage car. By the way this is not the surprise. Now just concentrate yourself and bear in mind a place you would like to visit,” said Phil at last.

  The merry company managed to rush to the ultimate experience. “Now guys, I would like to make you enjoy a 3d experience. We can visit the ruins of Pompey. Here in London there is an exhibition of the memories of disappeared civilizations worldwide. Do you get the surprise?”

  “Why not,” answered Araon in a way that provoked tenderness.

  “No, my dear. The surprise is another one. In those 3d animation there will be images of us four in the city. Do you appreciate this act of courage?” Phil said.

  “I have absolutely no idea,” said Araon pretending to be busy with his own inner self.

  “It means that we have been noticed somehow. We will be the object of interest of paparazzi. I simply hope you will enjoy it all. Don’t ask me now how could I manage it all. There are hundreds of men working for me for these sorts of matters. It is not clean stuff. This is a memento we have to be cautious with all the time. Sorry, I didn’t want to frighten you. There is little Rokin sleeping into Jill womb. Everything else is a secondary matter.”

  “Yes Phil. I am an understanding person,” said Jill.

  The two women enjoyed the travel silently. They didn’t mingle their fairytale with Phil’s funny jokes. It was all so easy.

  “Nous sommes,” said Araon.

  “What?” answered Phil.

  “Nothing to be worried about. He speaks French whenever he finds himself in a situation that makes him feel an absolute stranger,” said Jill.

  “You are cool Araon. But, please, do not speak French tomorrow in the presence of the British Airways shareholder. It will cost us millions of pounds,” said Phil.

  “Sure not. But now let experience the 3d thing,” said Araon.

  “Well, apparently we have been noticed by paparazzi as a group of four. They happened to learn that we have become business associates in a span of one month and this is incredible. We have been awarded as the people of the year. Don’t ask me how the paparazzi found all this information about us. Anyway, it’s their job,” said Phil.

  “From what I see, things are becoming very interesting. I will get used to this lifestyle very quickly,” said Araon.

  “Oh my God. The police stop.”

  A policeman gestured to Phil to stop the car. “Show me your driving license and the insurance, please.”

  “Here they are.”

  “Let me see. Everything is fine. You can go.”

  “Thank you.” Hopefully Phil was driving at a decent speed. They now arrived at the place of the party. A man told them that there were not enough parking places inside but when he recognized Phil Morris, he let them go in.

  “Good morning, Mr. Morris. Sorry about the misunderstanding,” he said.

  Phil answered with a smile. Jill and Samantha were soon attracted by the crushed- ice drinks. They would have liked a lemon one just to forget that they were sweating. Most women refuse these drinks for the fact of not being able to fit their dresses any longer. But it was not Jill and Samantha’s case. The four mingled with the people inside being very close to the dancing floor. Jill saw in her mind Sylvanus crying. She transferred her sense of guilt for dismissing Sylvanus complaining for loneliness as second-class matter. Was that the reason why she saw the big car with the screws in the tyres?

  Albert was vivacious to most when Ravina accepted to go and live with him with the condition that he would marry her soon. But for Sylvanus, there were no women on the horizon. But what was worse, Albert’s discussion with Ravina had affected Sylvanus’ mood badly. Selfishness was the attribute that Jill gave to herself simply because she was enjoying herself to the full at the party with Samantha, Phil and Araon. She gently touched her husband’s foot with a soothing caress.

  Araon blushed. What was she doing? She was seeking her husband’s cuddles in the middle of the crowd. Araon was a man of eccentricity but enough was enough. He wanted to avoid quarrels with Jill among those guests and he turned his face towards a group of beautiful women. This time it was Jill that had to compromise with her jealousy. “Well, Phil how do you feel?”

  She changed mood. “I overcame my doubts in an instant. I proudly don’t feel to be the protagonist of the day. Maybe you and Araon are the ones.”

  “Are you kidding?” intervened Samantha.

  “Why, sweetheart?”

  “You can see everybody is watching us. And not just for the sake of giving an overall judgment about the way we are dressed. They want to intrude on our privacy with the blink of an eye.”

  “Yes, Samantha. I just want everybody feels at ease here today. I do not know how the world of paparazzi can affect our lives. Would you like to see yourself in a gossip magazine?”

  “That’s all,” answered Samantha, leaving Phil speechless.

  “So you are ready to live with me. This is what I want to know.”

  “Are you sure there is nothing else you wanted to say, Phil?”

  “Well, I confess that paparazzi have been chasing us since the first days we have been going out together. And they are doing the same with Jill and Araon. I simply made it possible that you wouldn’t read tabloids. I’m letting you know this just now because I was frightened about a trauma of all of you.” said Phil.

  “But this is fantastic, Phil. This means I’m jet-setting now. I’m sure Araon agrees with me,” said Jill.

  “I’m happy about your enthusiasm. Are you ready to dance with Araon now?” said Phil.

  “I don’t know. I’m frightened that the slightest movement would harm my baby,” said Jill.

  “You have only to stay in the middle of the dance floor and imitate awkward movements. That’s it. It’s all for the joy of the people who are watching us now,” said Phil.

  “OK, I’ll try. Come on Ara
on,” said Jill.

  The four found themselves involved in a copycat sort of dance. The music, the drinks, the people: Jill had the temptation to examine her soul. She suddenly fell victim of all those overwhelming images of the big car with the screws in the tyres. And now she also saw the image of a finger and a hand asking for help. What was her mistake? Why didn’t she talk about this with Araon? A secret was a secret and her rebellious mind stopped working all at once. Araon was watching her with desire. Unfortunately, Jill didn’t consider those moments precious for any kind of intimacy. All those bloody paparazzi! Araon dismissed those fears as fragility from Jill side but he respected her at the end. Phil and Samantha were moving arm in arm at the rhythm of the music. So Araon and Jill followed suit.

  Jill stopped dancing for a while to go and get her lemon crushed-ice drink and the one for Samantha. “We are free now” implored Phil.

  “Just get on the sofa and chat about tomorrow. Just kidding, of course. It is not our business day,” said Phil to a cautious and as lavish as ever, Araon..

  CHAPTER FIFTY

  “Je suis tres.”

  “Araon!” interrupted Jill.

  “Sorry, darling. I just wanted to say that I am very delighted to be in your presence now. My name is Araon.”

  “And my name is Phil Morris as you know.”

  “It’s a pleasure. I am Mark Smith. I know a lot of people believe I am French. It’s my fault. I don’t make my name appear everywhere. And these two beautiful ladies?”

  “I’m Jill.”

  “I’m Samantha.”

  “Great. We can start now. As you know I’m here to sell you shares of the British Airways and you can put them on the market. I always bring with me a tape with an anthem not to be confused with a smuggler. I’m joking, of course. Just to break the ice. Have you got anything to say?”

  “Yes, sir. I would like to buy the shares at the price of a million. Me and Araon will each have half of them.”

  “I see. We can conclude here as far as I’m concerned. You are quick-thinking, moderate and determined as I like it. To conclude I would like to offer you a fresh drink. It’s what needed with this weather.”