The Ball. Erik Pethersen

I wait for the lift, I watch the numbers above the steel doors. Magnum P.I. stops on the eleventh floor.

      While on my way, I wonder what’s there. A notary’s office, I think, and perhaps a psychologist’s office. Being with a partner, unless it is an improvised couple therapy, I go for the first option. After all, he is setting up a company: he must contact a notary.

      When I get to the office, I am still speculating with my neurons dazzled by the memory of the phosphorescent green. He was going there too this morning. Anyway, as curious as I am to know where he was going, I don’t think the issue should be of interest to me. So, I focus on Serena, busy with another telephone conversation.

      I leave her fur coat in the closet, after replacing the lip balm in the pocket and after taking my cards. I then go to my workstation.

      Maddalena is no longer there: she usually leaves the office at 12:30 sharp, even when she arrives late due to her usual morning disasters.

      The last task of my day is to scan the sixteen checks. Given that each A4-size scan can keep up to four bank checks, I take the maximum amount of checks to be scanned from the stack and place them on the glass. I repeat the whole process three more times. When I turn to go back to my desk, I see Teresa walking past the glass wall with a smile.

      «Good morning Lavinia, have you collected them all?»

      «Sure Teresa, look how beautiful they are» I answer showing her the checks.

      She takes them off my hand and inspects them one by one and remains silent for a few seconds. «Really beautiful» she then says with a pleased expression. «Well done, Lavinia. I’m off for lunch, see you tomorrow.»

      «Excuse me Teresa» I interrupt her, as she is about to leave. «Just one thing: I found a leasing company you can register with as an intermediary to manage customer contracts. Can we register? I need to ask for a lease for a strange client who doesn’t want his wife...» I am trying to explain, while she interrupts me by replying: «Yes, sure, Lavinia, go ahead with that: sorry, but I have to dash because I’m late for lunch».

      «Okay, then I’ll go ahead with that. See you tomorrow.»

      I go back to my desk, while Teresa quickly disappears behind the glass wall, and I attach the pdf files of the scans to a new e-mail, addressed to the Ciapper administration department. After doing that, I take Marco’s plain grey envelope, which appears to me to be by far the one in the best condition, and I place all the cashier’s desk inside it.

      Ettore FinExtreme has already sent me the draft for the requested loan: I am delighted with his reliability and save the amortization schedule, without even opening it, in the folder of the couple, deciding to view it and examine it in detail tomorrow. I look at the time in the lower right corner: 13:07 pm. My working day at Sbandofin is over. I reach for the power button on the keypad with my index finger, but the sound of the phone interrupts my gesture.

      «Yup?» I say holding the receiver to my right ear: it’s Serena.

      «Sorry Lavi, are you going? Mrs Pardoli is asking for you.»

      «Yes, I am about to leave, no problem anyway» I reply a little puzzled. I then add: «Who is Mrs. Pardoli anyway?»

      «What do you mean, who is that? Marisa, the nymphomaniac, the one who tries to touch anyone that passes by, when she comes here!»

      «Right, I see. Can’t you call people by their own name?» I retort, grinning.

      I hear Serena laughing, I look up and see her down there looking at me and her amused face. «Yes, sorry, it was a too formal announcement: can you put her through to you?»

      «Of course, thanks.»

      «Lavi, by the way, if you are not in a hurry to get home, would you like to have lunch with me down below? We haven’t had a nice chat for quite a while.»

      «Yes, fine» I reply right away. «I’ll find out what she is looking for and I’ll be right there.»

      «Okay» Serena says, hanging up.

      «Good morning Marisa, how are you?»

      «Hi Lavinia, all is fine. Sorry, but I’m in a hurry: I was calling you because I need to buy myself a little thing, nothing much, a thousand euros. Can I drop by to see what we can do about that?»

      «Of course, Marisa, whenever you want.»

      «I have to open the shop at 9:30, can I come in early tomorrow morning?»

      «Sure, I’ll be here at eight» I say lingering a bit. «Are you looking for the usual consumer credit, right? Paying by instalments like we did a short while ago?»

      «Yes, sure, something like that. I’ll be there around eight am, before I go to the shop.»

      «Okay, see you tomorrow Marisa.»

      «Thanks Lavinia, see you tomorrow.»

      I hang up, picturing in my mind the nymphomaniac’s busty chest decorated with a coarse pendant full of synthetic stones.

2.3 USE YOUR ILLUSION

      2.3 USE YOUR ILLUSION - ONE

      The office is almost deserted: there are only the new girls having a meal in silence at their workstations, Serena and me. The four senior men slipped out of the office a few minutes ago, shortly after Teresa.

      I press the power button on the keyboard, grab the grey envelope and walk down the room towards Serena, walking close to the glass wall.

      «Girls, are you eating bean sprouts today too?» I inquire as I look at the four of them munching the yellowish worms away which overflow from four identical plastic tubs. They keep staring at their monitors while nodding their heads in agreement at the same time: this must really be a unanimous yes.

      I walk a little further and I get to Serena who is busy writing an e-mail while talking on the phone. I show her the grey envelope and place it next to the keyboard.

      Serena looks at me for a few minutes, she smiles and goes ahead with the call. «Yes, mom, the important thing is that he is well; I’ll pick him up at five pm from your place.»

      I am leaning against the first window of the many and I watch Serena’s profile, sitting with her back against the armchair. The legs are crossed: the left one is firmly on the ground with the heel, forcing the end into a rather tilted position. Her right leg is crossed over her left one and her right foot balances out her high heel shoe with her toes, swinging it.

      «So, I’ll see you later, mom... Okay mom... I’m going for my lunch now... Okay... Okay, bye... Bye, bye... Yes, bye.»

      Serena ends the call. «Lavi, this is the Ciapper envelope, right?» she then says in a softer voice. «Just one sec, I’ll send this e-mail.»

      «Yes, Sere, that’s the envelope. Take your time: I’m done. I’m here looking at you and waiting for you.»

      «You can avoid looking at me» Serena says, giggling as she speeds up her typing.

      «Sorry, I didn’t mean to put you under pressure or be indiscreet. I look out the window then» I answer, turning to the glass. I look down at the street and see some people walking along the sidewalk. I think one of these is Teresa: she is crossing the street, heading towards the bank square.

      «Here I am, Lavi» I hear Serena almost scream as she swoops over me from behind, hugging me by the sides.

      «Are you crazy?» I say out loud.

      «Sorry, it was a rush of affection» she replies, loosening her grip and moving to my left. She slides her right hand down my back until she moves completely away from my body.

      «That’s Teresa» she says, looking out the window.

      «Yes it’s her. She said she was late for lunch: she must be going to one of the restaurants near the bank.»

      «It could be»