Chapter 73
If audio player doesn't work, press Stop then Play button again
Laila woke up after two and a half hours of sleep. She felt flabbily, but the deep exhaustion had given way to a slight weariness. A strong coffee would wake the last spirits. But before that, Laila would convince herself that her valuable package was still well tied up. Laila picked up the cordless phone.
Summersby lay on the black slate floor where Laila had left him. She checked the vacuum cleaner cable. Everything OK. Laila walked happily into the kitchen and looked delightedly at the huge coffee machine. A real professional device. Espresso, Latte Macchiato, Capuccino - everything your heart desires.
Laila opted for a double espresso. Hissing and hissing, the dark broth poured into the white porcelain. Laila sniffed blissfully. Nothing smelled as good as freshly brewed coffee. The phone rang. Laila looked at the display and recognized Benedict's number. "Everything prepared?"
Ben reacted gruffly to the harsh greeting. "Yes, I am also happy to hear you." Laila sighed. He really did not deserve that. "Ben, I'm really sorry, but I'm pretty much done." Laila took a small sip of the hot brew. "Oh Laila, even if I wanted, I could not be mad at you for long." Listen, in about 30 minutes a gray delivery van will drive in. The two gentlemen are being expertly loaded on Summersby Do you look like a grieving widow? "
Laila looked at her naked body and thought about her jeans and the T-shirt, which turned cheerfully in the washing machine. No, she had slept for over two hours. She was to make sure she got things in the dryer, otherwise she would have to face the two men in the Eve costume. "Rather not." The two gentlemen will help you, they will provide you with the necessary papers and some pocket money, Summersby will travel in a coffin and he will sleep, so as not to be suffocated, he will put a mask over his face attach, wait - ... "
Laila heard a rustling of paper. "... hanging on a bottle of potassium permanganate." Luigi says the Germans used to carry them in submarines in World War II, to tell the least ... at least he'll arrive safely in America with a bottle volume of 14-16 hour. "
Laila drank her espresso again. "Ben, who are the two men?"
"Well, let's say they are members of La Familia, we do not need to know more, they are reliable, they have to offer you the all-round carefree package for the price they ask for, so, Laila, where is the journey going? ? "
Laila hesitated. Benedict became impatient. "Laila, where should the parents go? I have to ..."
"Yes, yes, I know, you will not be happy." Laila gnawed on her lower lip. She was sure she had made the right decision. "They're supposed to land in Huston, from there you have to take them to Cestahowa by car, several cars leaving at least 45 minutes apart." Laila explained the way to Dick's cabin, and Benedict drew in a sharp breath.
"Laila, I do not think that's a good idea." Laila laughed bitterly. "Our last assignment Benedict, you said it yourself, it's going by my rules or it's not working."
"Laila, I just thought, this place - are you sure you can handle this? I'm worried about you." Laila believed him that, above all, her welfare was important to him. But she had decided. She straightened her shoulders.
"Take her to Ben, everything will be fine, and then we'll have to talk - just the two of us." There's one more thing, I've been with my brother in California in the meantime. " Laila was silent. "It's quite possible that you will not recognize me directly if we ..." he cleared his throat "... when we meet at this place."
Laila tied her throat. "What have you done, Ben?" Her voice was nothing more than a harsh whisper. "Me, I - it was long overdue, I, I never had the guts, you ..." he said nothing. "Ben?"
"I've had that idea for years, actually, since we first met, and when you said you wanted to retire, I suddenly panicked, you could ..." he was silent again.
"What, I could step out of your life, Lord God, you're my only contact with a reasonably normal world, you're my closest confidant, you're my conscience, you ... I'll never leave you."
"Maybe it's not enough for me to be just your business partner and friend."
"Very funny, Ben, maybe you've chosen this role for yourself, I never ..."
"Let's have a good Laila, see you soon, make sure you're done with everything before the two men come in. See you later."
The connection was interrupted. Laila glared at the black phone. What the hell had Ben done? She would not recognize him. Shit, probably his brother, the cosmetic surgeon, changed Ben's appearance. God, why were men so stupid? As if Benedict's appearance had ever stood between them.
But this statement was not quite correct. Ben had made sure that his appearance was the reason why they had never come closer. Laila finished the cold espresso and began to dry her clothes. She did not have much time left.
****************************
It was already dawn when Dick and Laila stopped in front of the little hut. Laila knew she should not be wasting time unnecessarily now, before Dick might change her mind. So she energetically grabbed his hand and pulled him into the hut. She pushed him into the kitchen and asked him to open a bottle of wine.
Hesitantly he followed her instructions. Laila leaned in the doorway and looked at Dick, who held out two glasses of water. "I do not have wine glasses."
"Will go, do you have candles?"
"Yes, in the tool shed. Second wall cupboard from the right." Laila stepped in front of the hut and turned left. In contrast to the confusion and chaos in Dick's house, there was a most embarrassing order here. The work surface was pikobello clean. All the tools and utensils were in place on the wall, neatly labeled with Dick's awkward writing. Rotary hammer, belt sander, ax, tile cutter, etc.
Laila opened the second wall cabinet. A plethora of tealights was stacked there. At least twenty bags with 150 individual candles. Why the hell did you need so much of it? Sam grabbed a bag and went back into the house. Dick had already carried the bottle and glasses into the living room and stood undecided in front of Laila's bed.
He saw the bag in her hands and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "You're probably wondering why someone is bunkering so many tealights." Laila just looked at him. "Well, if you store candles for a while, they burn down more slowly." He filled the two water glasses to the brim with red wine. Laila came to him. Both raised the glasses and drank them quickly. Dick wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Before, before we do, I have to show you something."
"Dick, I do not know if that's such a good idea."
"Yes, it's important, come with me." He led her past the tiny study, the bathroom, and his bedroom. He stopped in front of a narrow door. "I've never shown that to a human." Laila was uncomfortable with the situation. "Then leave it at that."
"No, it's important that you do not think I'm as crazy as the three morons wanted you to believe." He opened the door. Laila suspected that this had once been the broom closet. The room was narrow and only 80 centimeters deep. At the end of the wall Dick had dug a wooden board against the wall. On it stood a photo in a silver frame. A young couple smiled solemnly in the camera.
Two burning tealights flanked the photo. Laila looked inquiringly at Dick. "That's Sandy, for many years I've been making sure there's always a light on here, I know it's crazy, but it's not an altar or anything, I, I, it's like an inner compulsion, I'm sure it you are doing so well, but I have the crazy idea that something terrible will happen when the flames go out. " Laila watched the photograph in silence.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Laila woke up after two and a half hours of sleep. She felt flabbily, but the deep exhaustion had given way to a slight weariness. A strong coffee would wake the last spirits. But before that, Laila would convince herself that her valuable package was still well tied up. Laila picked up the cordless phone.
Summersby lay on the black slate floor where Laila had left him. She checked the vacuum cleaner cable. Everything OK. Laila walked happily into the kitchen and looked delightedly at the huge coffee machine. A real professional device. Espresso, Latte Macchiato, Capuccino - everything your heart desires.
Laila opted for a double espresso. Hissing and hissing, the dark broth poured into the white porcelain. Laila sniffed blissfully. Nothing smelled as good as freshly brewed coffee. The phone rang. Laila looked at the display and recognized Benedict's number. "Everything prepared?"
Ben reacted gruffly to the harsh greeting. "Yes, I am also happy to hear you." Laila sighed. He really did not deserve that. "Ben, I'm really sorry, but I'm pretty much done." Laila took a small sip of the hot brew. "Oh Laila, even if I wanted, I could not be mad at you for long." Listen, in about 30 minutes a gray delivery van will drive in. The two gentlemen are being expertly loaded on Summersby Do you look like a grieving widow? "
Laila looked at her naked body and thought about her jeans and the T-shirt, which turned cheerfully in the washing machine. No, she had slept for over two hours. She was to make sure she got things in the dryer, otherwise she would have to face the two men in the Eve costume. "Rather not." The two gentlemen will help you, they will provide you with the necessary papers and some pocket money, Summersby will travel in a coffin and he will sleep, so as not to be suffocated, he will put a mask over his face attach, wait - ... "
Laila heard a rustling of paper. "... hanging on a bottle of potassium permanganate." Luigi says the Germans used to carry them in submarines in World War II, to tell the least ... at least he'll arrive safely in America with a bottle volume of 14-16 hour. "
Laila drank her espresso again. "Ben, who are the two men?"
"Well, let's say they are members of La Familia, we do not need to know more, they are reliable, they have to offer you the all-round carefree package for the price they ask for, so, Laila, where is the journey going? ? "
Laila hesitated. Benedict became impatient. "Laila, where should the parents go? I have to ..."
"Yes, yes, I know, you will not be happy." Laila gnawed on her lower lip. She was sure she had made the right decision. "They're supposed to land in Huston, from there you have to take them to Cestahowa by car, several cars leaving at least 45 minutes apart." Laila explained the way to Dick's cabin, and Benedict drew in a sharp breath.
"Laila, I do not think that's a good idea." Laila laughed bitterly. "Our last assignment Benedict, you said it yourself, it's going by my rules or it's not working."
"Laila, I just thought, this place - are you sure you can handle this? I'm worried about you." Laila believed him that, above all, her welfare was important to him. But she had decided. She straightened her shoulders.
"Take her to Ben, everything will be fine, and then we'll have to talk - just the two of us." There's one more thing, I've been with my brother in California in the meantime. " Laila was silent. "It's quite possible that you will not recognize me directly if we ..." he cleared his throat "... when we meet at this place."
Laila tied her throat. "What have you done, Ben?" Her voice was nothing more than a harsh whisper. "Me, I - it was long overdue, I, I never had the guts, you ..." he said nothing. "Ben?"
"I've had that idea for years, actually, since we first met, and when you said you wanted to retire, I suddenly panicked, you could ..." he was silent again.
"What, I could step out of your life, Lord God, you're my only contact with a reasonably normal world, you're my closest confidant, you're my conscience, you ... I'll never leave you."
"Maybe it's not enough for me to be just your business partner and friend."
"Very funny, Ben, maybe you've chosen this role for yourself, I never ..."
"Let's have a good Laila, see you soon, make sure you're done with everything before the two men come in. See you later."
The connection was interrupted. Laila glared at the black phone. What the hell had Ben done? She would not recognize him. Shit, probably his brother, the cosmetic surgeon, changed Ben's appearance. God, why were men so stupid? As if Benedict's appearance had ever stood between them.
But this statement was not quite correct. Ben had made sure that his appearance was the reason why they had never come closer. Laila finished the cold espresso and began to dry her clothes. She did not have much time left.
****************************
It was already dawn when Dick and Laila stopped in front of the little hut. Laila knew she should not be wasting time unnecessarily now, before Dick might change her mind. So she energetically grabbed his hand and pulled him into the hut. She pushed him into the kitchen and asked him to open a bottle of wine.
Hesitantly he followed her instructions. Laila leaned in the doorway and looked at Dick, who held out two glasses of water. "I do not have wine glasses."
"Will go, do you have candles?"
"Yes, in the tool shed. Second wall cupboard from the right." Laila stepped in front of the hut and turned left. In contrast to the confusion and chaos in Dick's house, there was a most embarrassing order here. The work surface was pikobello clean. All the tools and utensils were in place on the wall, neatly labeled with Dick's awkward writing. Rotary hammer, belt sander, ax, tile cutter, etc.
Laila opened the second wall cabinet. A plethora of tealights was stacked there. At least twenty bags with 150 individual candles. Why the hell did you need so much of it? Sam grabbed a bag and went back into the house. Dick had already carried the bottle and glasses into the living room and stood undecided in front of Laila's bed.
He saw the bag in her hands and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "You're probably wondering why someone is bunkering so many tealights." Laila just looked at him. "Well, if you store candles for a while, they burn down more slowly." He filled the two water glasses to the brim with red wine. Laila came to him. Both raised the glasses and drank them quickly. Dick wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Before, before we do, I have to show you something."
"Dick, I do not know if that's such a good idea."
"Yes, it's important, come with me." He led her past the tiny study, the bathroom, and his bedroom. He stopped in front of a narrow door. "I've never shown that to a human." Laila was uncomfortable with the situation. "Then leave it at that."
"No, it's important that you do not think I'm as crazy as the three morons wanted you to believe." He opened the door. Laila suspected that this had once been the broom closet. The room was narrow and only 80 centimeters deep. At the end of the wall Dick had dug a wooden board against the wall. On it stood a photo in a silver frame. A young couple smiled solemnly in the camera.
Two burning tealights flanked the photo. Laila looked inquiringly at Dick. "That's Sandy, for many years I've been making sure there's always a light on here, I know it's crazy, but it's not an altar or anything, I, I, it's like an inner compulsion, I'm sure it you are doing so well, but I have the crazy idea that something terrible will happen when the flames go out. " Laila watched the photograph in silence.
Laila woke up after two and a half hours of sleep. She felt flabbily, but the deep exhaustion had given way to a slight weariness. A strong coffee would wake the last spirits. But before that, Laila would convince herself that her valuable package was still well tied up. Laila picked up the cordless phone.Summersby lay on the black slate floor where Laila had left him. She checked the vacuum cleaner cable. Everything OK. Laila walked happily into the kitchen and looked delightedly at the huge coffee machine. A real professional device. Espresso, Latte Macchiato, Capuccino - everything your heart desires.Laila opted for a double espresso. Hissing and hissing, the dark broth poured into the white porcelain. Laila sniffed blissfully. Nothing smelled as good as freshly brewed coffee. The phone rang. Laila looked at the display and recognized Benedict's number. "Everything prepared?"Ben reacted gruffly to the harsh greeting. "Yes, I am also happy to hear you." Laila sighed. He really did not deserve that. "Ben, I'm really sorry, but I'm pretty much done." Laila took a small sip of the hot brew. "Oh Laila, even if I wanted, I could not be mad at you for long." Listen, in about 30 minutes a gray delivery van will drive in. The two gentlemen are being expertly loaded on Summersby Do you look like a grieving widow? "Laila looked at her naked body and thought about her jeans and the T-shirt, which turned cheerfully in the washing machine. No, she had slept for over two hours. She was to make sure she got things in the dryer, otherwise she would have to face the two men in the Eve costume. "Rather not." The two gentlemen will help you, they will provide you with the necessary papers and some pocket money, Summersby will travel in a coffin and he will sleep, so as not to be suffocated, he will put a mask over his face attach, wait - ... "Laila heard a rustling of paper. "... hanging on a bottle of potassium permanganate." Luigi says the Germans used to carry them in submarines in World War II, to tell the least ... at least he'll arrive safely in America with a bottle volume of 14-16 hour. "Laila drank her espresso again. "Ben, who are the two men?""Well, let's say they are members of La Familia, we do not need to know more, they are reliable, they have to offer you the all-round carefree package for the price they ask for, so, Laila, where is the journey going? ? "Laila hesitated. Benedict became impatient. "Laila, where should the parents go? I have to ...""Yes, yes, I know, you will not be happy." Laila gnawed on her lower lip. She was sure she had made the right decision. "They're supposed to land in Huston, from there you have to take them to Cestahowa by car, several cars leaving at least 45 minutes apart." Laila explained the way to Dick's cabin, and Benedict drew in a sharp breath."Laila, I do not think that's a good idea." Laila laughed bitterly. "Our last assignment Benedict, you said it yourself, it's going by my rules or it's not working.""Laila, I just thought, this place - are you sure you can handle this? I'm worried about you." Laila believed him that, above all, her welfare was important to him. But she had decided. She straightened her shoulders."Take her to Ben, everything will be fine, and then we'll have to talk - just the two of us." There's one more thing, I've been with my brother in California in the meantime. " Laila was silent. "It's quite possible that you will not recognize me directly if we ..." he cleared his throat "... when we meet at this place."Laila tied her throat. "What have you done, Ben?" Her voice was nothing more than a harsh whisper. "Me, I - it was long overdue, I, I never had the guts, you ..." he said nothing. "Ben?""I've had that idea for years, actually, since we first met, and when you said you wanted to retire, I suddenly panicked, you could ..." he was silent again."What, I could step out of your life, Lord God, you're my only contact with a reasonably normal world, you're my closest confidant, you're my conscience, you ... I'll never leave you.""Maybe it's not enough for me to be just your business partner and friend.""Very funny, Ben, maybe you've chosen this role for yourself, I never ...""Let's have a good Laila, see you soon, make sure you're done with everything before the two men come in. See you later."The connection was interrupted. Laila glared at the black phone. What the hell had Ben done? She would not recognize him. Shit, probably his brother, the cosmetic surgeon, changed Ben's appearance. God, why were men so stupid? As if Benedict's appearance had ever stood between them.But this statement was not quite correct. Ben had made sure that his appearance was the reason why they had never come closer. Laila finished the cold espresso and began to dry her clothes. She did not have much time left.****************************It was already dawn when Dick and Laila stopped in front of the little hut. Laila knew she should not be wasting time unnecessarily now, before Dick might change her mind. So she energetically grabbed his hand and pulled him into the hut. She pushed him into the kitchen and asked him to open a bottle of wine.Hesitantly he followed her instructions. Laila leaned in the doorway and looked at Dick, who held out two glasses of water. "I do not have wine glasses.""Will go, do you have candles?""Yes, in the tool shed. Second wall cupboard from the right." Laila stepped in front of the hut and turned left. In contrast to the confusion and chaos in Dick's house, there was a most embarrassing order here. The work surface was pikobello clean. All the tools and utensils were in place on the wall, neatly labeled with Dick's awkward writing. Rotary hammer, belt sander, ax, tile cutter, etc.Laila opened the second wall cabinet. A plethora of tealights was stacked there. At least twenty bags with 150 individual candles. Why the hell did you need so much of it? Sam grabbed a bag and went back into the house. Dick had already carried the bottle and glasses into the living room and stood undecided in front of Laila's bed.He saw the bag in her hands and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "You're probably wondering why someone is bunkering so many tealights." Laila just looked at him. "Well, if you store candles for a while, they burn down more slowly." He filled the two water glasses to the brim with red wine. Laila came to him. Both raised the glasses and drank them quickly. Dick wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Before, before we do, I have to show you something.""Dick, I do not know if that's such a good idea.""Yes, it's important, come with me." He led her past the tiny study, the bathroom, and his bedroom. He stopped in front of a narrow door. "I've never shown that to a human." Laila was uncomfortable with the situation. "Then leave it at that.""No, it's important that you do not think I'm as crazy as the three morons wanted you to believe." He opened the door. Laila suspected that this had once been the broom closet. The room was narrow and only 80 centimeters deep. At the end of the wall Dick had dug a wooden board against the wall. On it stood a photo in a silver frame. A young couple smiled solemnly in the camera.Two burning tealights flanked the photo. Laila looked inquiringly at Dick. "That's Sandy, for many years I've been making sure there's always a light on here, I know it's crazy, but it's not an altar or anything, I, I, it's like an inner compulsion, I'm sure it you are doing so well, but I have the crazy idea that something terrible will happen when the flames go out. " Laila watched the photograph in silence.
