The Red Box

by Laura Sgarella

  “But what will happen to our little Rokin when she comes to life? Do you think paparazzi will be waiting outside the hospital? I’m not sure. But do not worry too much. Phil will teach me how to face this new situation. He is a busy man. He concludes a business affair per week. His mobile phone is full of appointments and his high lifestyle is the outcome of the international accolade. I don’t know what or next deal will be. For the moment I enjoy these moments with you.” Out of the blue Jill became pale. She was slavering. “What’s up sweetheart?”

  “I do not know Araon. I feel weird. I am the happiest woman under the sun but I don’t know how to cope with this new situation. Who knows if Samantha has read these magazines? But at the end of the day I think that these are funny, aren’t they?”

  “Yes, Jill. They are funny, that’s it.” And the two started laughing.

  “Let’s toast to our celebrity status Jill. In the fridge there is some bitter drink. Exceptional for the occasion.”

  “Yes, Araon. It’s the best thing to do.”

  “They sipped the drink similar to champagne and chuckled tenderly all the time. Their life had reached a new turn and they became more united in the bond of love. Jill had never considered Araon a fragile creature and now she saw him stronger than ever.

  They spent half the morning into their room. They were willing to be kissed by the light of the sun but they had to postpone their intentions. Araon was nosey about the ritual Jill had been talking about. She had threatening nights recently and he could deny they were bearer of nasty hostility. “Tell me, Jill: what is the dream you have been talking about this night?”

  “Nothing special. That funny woman obsessed me with the idea that her husband ashes had been stolen. One day she reached my home all sweaty and she made me repeat strange words while agitating a cruet every now and then. I don’t know why I saw her in my dream tonight. Maybe because we have discovered we have been haunted by paparazzi. Every fake move will turn against us.”

  “But they won’t follow us everywhere. They are all perched somewhere out of the gates waiting for somebody to go out. From what I see they haven’t written anything private about us.”

  “Sorry darling. I am all stinking. A quick shower is what I need now. Afterwards we can go out if you want.”

  “Yes, Jill. I will also have a shower. Meanwhile I’ll call the limousine driver so that he’ll come to pick us up in twenty minutes.”

  “Perfect.”

  “Nothing was more refreshing than the candour of that water. Jill and Araon were on the same level now. They were ready to watch the world in disdain if they were forced to do it. Luckily, the limousine arrived on time.

  “A beautiful tour of London, sir?” asked Araon gently.

  “Yes, definitely,” said Jill just not to be silent with lack of grace.

  “Some music?” asked Araon.

  “If you fancy darling. I want to lay on these soft cushions. They seem to be made on purpose for the enjoyment of my pregnancy. If you don’t mind, I’ll have a cup of coffee.”

  “Me too.”

  “Thank you, Araon. You are the quickest waiter I have ever met.”

  “Yes, Jill. And I am also annoying sometimes. Does the name Ian McEllen suggest anything to you?”

  “Oh, Araon. I’m still sorry for yesterday’s conference. The most important thing is that you have enjoyed yourself.”

  “No, I don’t mean this. There is a copy of People in the car. We are on page ten, two gorgeous Dutch on enjoyment. It says. I don’t know the meaning of it. I only see we are starting a brand-new life. And we have to be used to it.”

  “It will be easy, Araon. There are people who deal with gossip on our behalf. They know when to denounce the journalists or not. But now let me sip this coffee properly. I hope I have not become a coffee addict. Two cups per day are more than enough.”

  “Are you still frightened by the fact that the old lady came to meet you in Luciensteeg?”

  “Frightened is a big word. I’m just concerned. I simply need to be calm and quiet and not to be involved in this kind of stuff. Why are you asking me about it now? We are proceeding with a good speed.”

  “Sorry, Jill. I only want you to forget it. Oh, let us have a look. We are close to Selfridges. Do you want to stop and have a look inside?”

  “I simply think that Phil has provided us with anything we need. Thank God Samantha and he are very clever at finding solutions to make their friends happy.”

  Jill and Araon looked at each other as if they were strangers. “These things happen.” Araon was trying not to disclose his inner feelings to his other half. I am the half part of the apple of Jill, he thought again. At the end of the day neither of them resisted the temptation to enter the big department store. The air conditioning encompassed their need of good health. They stopped at the first floor where jewels and cosmetics were on display. Araon didn’t miss the occasion to present Jill with a couple of pearl earrings with diamonds. Jill was on the top of a happy pile. And it wasn’t the end yet. They went on the escalator which drove them to the designer clothes department. Jill was astounded to notice that most of those dresses were similar to the ones Phil had left for them in their Holland Park House room. Her wishes were clandestine so far. She didn’t want to show off too much. Anyway, Araon made her feel to be like a queen. Araon was very careful not to hurt her pride. Yes, she was a proud woman. It was a small downside she had been carrying on since her girlhood. Sometimes she felt miserable. She saw Araon as the victim of a blessing in disguise. On her turn, she also noticed Araon’s flaws. He was a man who lacked compassion. Phil’s friendship and generosity helped him a lot to go out from that tunnel. They were happy now. They had always been happy anyway.

  Jill was sporting a brand-new haircut. She constantly needed Araon’s approval. She was leaning towards mysticism as if she was at their first appointment. And Araon didn’t miss the occasion to please her. Not with a present this time, but with a simple gesture of love. He noticed a woman who had just passed by with a trendy wig. He had the temptation to make comparisons between Jill’s natural beauty and the woman’s artificial one. His tongue was at its proper place, though. “Darling, when did you find the time to go to the hairdresser? We are always together. Just to say that you look terrific.”

  “Thank you Araon. If you put your brain under strain, you’ll remember that we have departed one another for an hour the other day. I thought you were too absent-minded to notice it. You were so concerned with reading gossip about us. Be quiet. We are in the limelight.”

  “I wonder if you believe in kismet. Success is written in the stars as we know. It’s funny to hear me talking like that, isn’t it? You are not stronger than me, apparently. This because I hear you talking in your sleep. It’s appropriate that I make sure the old lady won’t affect your mood any longer. By the way: have you contacted the doctor yet?”

  “No. I needn’t do it. I have been in touch with Van der Baast before we left Amsterdam and he found me in a very good health. He gave me an appointment for the second week of September, exactly when we go back from London.”

  “Sorry, Jill. Sometimes I feel and idiot with my questions. Do you know exactly the departure time of Phil and Samantha?”

  “Not really. But they let us free to contact them whenever we need it if I’m not wrong.”

  “The fact is that he has electronically linked his alarm clock with my wristwatch so that I know exactly if he is sleeping or he is free from some commitments. I’ll phone him now if you want to.”

  “Of course I want it. Go ahead.”

  “Let me check the number. Here it is. Phil, Phil this is Araon. Can you hear me?”

  “Of course I can. What are you doing now?”

  “I am in Selfridges with Jill. We were exactly thinking of you. What are you doing right now?”

  “I am at the seaside with Samantha. There is not a no swimming area but we are frightened that sharks can come along. And to add on to
p of it Samantha is annoyed by all these women bathing topless; which means we will go back to the hotel very soon. We are not complaining. Our honeymoon is lovely and our mutual love is thriving. I trust you are well as well. I can suggest something for your agenda. There is the Sci-Fi London Film Festival these days. The cinema is in Leicester Square. I guess you love the subject and so does Jill. But if the weather is exhausting you can do a tour of my house and stay in the room you like best. You are the boss over there now. And don’t forget Jane’s candour. She is a committed housekeeper.”

  “For the moment we are enjoying our trip with the limousine. We have absolutely no idea how we will spend this afternoon. Beware you and Samantha are on top of our thoughts. And our little Rokin as well.”

  “Nice guy. But don’t forget I am not a brand of cigarettes. Can you see how funny life is sometimes? Hopefully nobody makes irony on my name. Oh. Samantha is asking me to say hello to Jill and you on her behalf.”

  “The same with us.”

  “So stay well and keep in touch.”

  Araon perceived a feeling of relief after his conversation with Phil. The menace of a paparazzi assault abandoned his mind. Phil’s way of doing always stirred heavy waters. Jill and Araon had mixed feelings. They had two choices: whether to carry on the tour of London by limousine or to go back to Holland Park House soon. Jill sorted out the dilemma by starting to kiss Araon on and on.

  “You know Araon I have been kissed by Cupid’s dart today.”

  “I’m happy with all this glamour, Jill, only because you are happy as well.”

  “When I am on my own, I think how life would be without you with the result of the image of a catastrophe. And I start crying. But whenever I stretch my arm just to check if you are in bed next to me, I finally feel good.”

  “Jill, you should consider that I am the lucky one, not you. Any man would marry you. But I am not sure how many women would marry me… This car was going too fast, doesn’t it?”

  “It’s your wishful thinking, Araon. Now come next to me and let me lay my head on your knees.” Useless to say the car speeded up.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

  “Good Heavens it’s early,” Araon shouted at the beginning of the brand-new day. Phil was on the phone, this time with a viva voce, since the complaining of Samantha and Jill who had been left out during the conversation between the two men.

  “Hi Jill, hi Araon. Nice day, isn’t it? Me and Samantha are playing a Mensa game. Have you have ever heard of Mensa? It’s a society that aims to improve the intelligence of people. I would suggest to you that you should subscribe to it as soon as possible. It’s fantastic, you will see. There are puzzles that have to be disentangled. Listen at this: what is a red box? You have to tell me what it is but not what is not.”

  “A nose bleeding,” answered Jill.

  “OK,” said Phil.

  “A metal detector” said Araon.

  “OK,” repeated Phil.

  “A bloody injustice,” said Samantha.

  “OK. For today it’s enough. Don’t forget to think over it and to give me the answer when you are ready. By the way: what are you doing now?” said Phil.

  “Well, I’m reading the newspaper and Jill is reading a book. She is telling me she has been struck by a sudden headache and a stomach pain. Oh, she is telling me it was a question of just five minutes. Thank God it’s finished. And to tell you the truth, I feel sad because of the today news. It talks of a fire along the coast of Wales. It’s the tricky game of a pyjamas war. Jill is reading a book called The Red Flowers. It talks of a young bachelor who consumes his life in disdain, surrounded by dozens of women who would marry him. At the end he marries the ugliest and most stupid of all. It’s a book she picked from the shelves of our room in Holland Park House. She says to you a massive thank you. I hope we are not spoiling the blessing of your stay.”

  “Samantha and me are walking along the shore forgetting about Mensa. No sharks are annoying us. We have devised a game to fight our mutual jealousy. We decided to choose the queen and the king of the beach. The queen is a tall woman with a significant plait. Very, very slim. The king of the beach is a tall, muscular man with curly hair, hooked nose with a bit of paunch, typical of one who drinks beer and makes no gym. B fore marriage I was the jealous one. Now even Samantha is jealous of me. We swore to each other that we would work on this flaw and try to overcome it as soon as possible. We do not spoil this beautiful scenario with wrong sentiments. Now we will go to have a drink. It’s blistering hot. Regarding your situation, I warn you to beware of the traffic when you are out. These are the most crowed days of London in the year. And keep in touch. If you have any questions regarding Holland Park House; don’t hesitate to call me. I leave you alone.”

  “Bye to you,” the four said aloud.

  “Phil is like a demon for me Jill.”

  “I don’t understand you Araon.”

  “Oh, it’s nothing meaningful just not to stay silent. I see you are crossing the desert of all the dilemma with your thoughts. Shame. To be brief: what are the plans for today?”

  “You see I nourish my intention swinging into this rocking chair. Do you like me when I crack jokes? Sorry I need just half an hour of silence and I will be with you. But what are you doing?”

  Araon had picked a candle from the bedside table drawer. “It’s a candle we are supposed to light in the night to make the environment more romantic. That’s why I told you that Phil is a sort of demon for me. He devises thousands of expedients to keep people’s attention alive. I believe sincerely that you want that vibe tonight.”

  “We will see,” answered Jill surprisingly amazed. “Don’t make me trust just my instinct as regard as our today’s plans,” she added.

  At this point Araon grabbed some biscuits with a cup of coffee, confident that Jill would do the same. And then a nice tremor-inducing shower was his next move. Maybe Jill would be annoyed by the current water, not so much by Araon singing out of tune. He had then to choose the appropriate perfume and moisturizing cream. When he went back to the room, he realized that Jill had disappeared. She was not in the toilet. Sure, she was not looking for a wrangle. Where in the world was she? Araon decided against doing the tour of the house looking for her.

  And he was right. Jill arrived in a rush with a hot-dog in her hands. “Am I late, Araon?”

  “Not really. I was just concerned. You told me you needed a rest and I understand you wanted to stay on your own. I didn’t know where to look for you.”

  “I went into the kitchen for a continental breakfast. Not that I hadn’t appreciated your biscuits; I simply wanted more. The puzzle concerning the red box was like a sting in my head. I need to recover some strength.”

  “Good. Now let me know where you would like to go right now,” said Araon.

  “I need your complicity. I know you are nosey to know more about this house. Phil has left all the rooms unlocked not just to allow Jane to clean the house from day to day but also to allow us to admire it as a whole.”

  “I hope you are not referring to the top rooms, the den of the bodyguards.”

  “Sure Araon. I swore to myself that I wouldn’t go there any more. There are some rooms we have not explored yet: the billiard room and the gym. Which one do you prefer?”

  “I am not very good at playing billiards and I am very awkward at doing gym. You have to say the last word.”

  “OK. I choose to go to the gym. Rokin will come to life after fifteen minutes labour if I exercise regularly. This is what I know from my mum. Of course, whether that’s true or not it’s a nice thought.”

  “I wish you good luck. The room is exactly the floor beneath us.” And the two started their journey into the unknown pleasure.

  Samantha and Phil couldn’t find a better end of August during their honeymoon. They were enjoying the benefit of a stroll along the shore. They didn’t resist the temptation to play Mensa games.” “You know, Samantha what the red box is like. Actually, yo
u have to tell me what it is not.”

  “The safe soiled with blood. The anguish of my past life,” answered Samantha.

  “Good. You got the point. The meaning of the riddle is hidden in the psychological side to it. To disconnect any subtlety about your past experiences serves a purpose. It expands the vigour of your being. It is all right.”

  “Yes Phil. Oh it’s too late. I guess a plunge in the stormy sea will do. We can also enjoy ourselves with snorkeling,” she said.

  “Yes, it’s true. But first let me call Jill and Araon, by viva voce, of course. Actually, I was waiting for him to do it first. But I break this rule. I’ll do it first,” said Phil.

  The line was busy for a while. “Hi Araon, this is Phil and Samantha, of course. I hope you are enjoying yourself with that white elephant that Holland Park House is. Don’t take me seriously. Tell me: is there any news?”

  “We are waiting for an inspiration concerning what to do to arrive soon. We do like Holland Park House a lot even though it’s a maze. I trust you are well as well.”

  “Actually, the sun is dazzling us. I was playing Mensa games with Samantha. I have stupid puns to show you as well. You see, a man never leaves his wallet far from himself, but, accidentally, he finds out some money is missing from it. Sure, nobody stole it, otherwise he would have realized. It is the last of a series of mystery that infests his life. Where do you believe the money is, dear Araon?”

  “Well I don’t disdain the possibility of a miracle, a spiritual experience. God takes the man’s money away to teach him not to be attached to material things. You know where anything else fails, just pray,” said Araon.

  “You are amazing Araon. Sure, you are a spiritual man even if you are not good at disentangling puzzles. A wiser mind would have linked the misdeed to some agreement with the bank. A sort of invisible, electronic way of purchase. You pay with your card part of the sum of money you owe to the seller and the other part of money will be put into the seller’s account straight from the bank in a way which is invisible to you. For example, if you have to buy a ticket for a gala night which costs one thousand pounds you will pay simply two hundred pounds and the rest will be taken automatically from your wallet in a way that is invisible to you. Apparently, this operation is useless but we have not to miss the point. It’s a device that pushes people to spend less. It’s a brand-new piece of technology. I made some score to qualify your friendship from zero to ten. You have scored ten in all your experiences. That’s it. I wish you to enjoy yourself Araon. It’s great to be here talking to you. You know I am a simple person and I make distinctions between friends and acquaintances. I don’t know why but you entered the top list of my mates immediately. You filled up my heart in the warmest way. Samantha knows I never lie. We are honeymooning gracefully with the ultimate thoughts of you. When I purchased the Mayfair flat for you, I did it with my best intentions. I have immediately appreciated the genuine sense of spirituality of you when we first met each other. Oh, let me see. Samantha is not scared by sharks. She is enjoying herself jumping among the waves. She hears the distant voice of you and she is telling me to say Jill hello on her behalf. Actually, she is coming. Wait a minute and she will be with you,” said Phil.