Chapter 36

The apartment seemed to be teeming with people. The painter and his apprentice were there, the owner of the furniture shop, a plumber and an electrician. Plus Mary, of course. Even with 7 people there, the empty kitchen seemed large.

"We needed your approval of a few things before we let the Italians loose tomorrow, " Mary said. "Colours OK?" I nodded yes. "Lamp OK?" I looked up. A large, extremely beautiful copy of a Tiffany lamp had been hung from the ceiling. "That's where I have planned to place the glass table."

"It's beautiful, dear, but..."

"I know. It looks a million and it costs a million. Just imagine what it will look like when we're eating here." Her smile was naughty and very persuasive.

"All right, dear, let's keep it. You're probably right, nothing could look better. But will there be enough light?"

The furniture dealer intervened: "The elements of the kitchen have built-in lamps all over, to light all working areas. By the way: I have brought you a gift, you might like to use: When I was packing your marble tiles the other day, I found these 23 blue-flamed tiles, same size and thickness." He opened one of the boxes, which were placed in the living room. "One of the carpenters who arrive tomorrow is a specialist in marble floors. If you leave it to him, he'll make you a very Italian and very stylish floor with these tiles in a pattern among the white ones."

"Wow, " Mary exclaimed, "it's getting better and better. I love them." She hugged the dealer and pecked a kiss on his cheek.

In the end we agreed, that as Mary had made all other decisions about the kitchen, she would be the one to receive the Italians at 7 o'clock the next morning. There was no need for me to be there, as Mary was the only one of us who spoke a little French, which was the only foreign language they would understand.

When they had all left we sat down for a little while. Mary told me that the real estate agency had called this morning. There is a potential buyer for our house. "Can you skip lunch tomorrow and go home? I forgot I'd have to be here, and I said I could be home at 12 o'clock?"

"No problem. Alice fixed the computers today, so tomorrow will be pure routine. She can handle business on her own. How much time do you need here? Will it be OK if I set a take-over date for one month from now?"

"That would be fine. I think we can move in here in two weeks."

"I can hardly wait."

"Not me either. Look at the kitchen floor. The carpenter and the plumber have installed floor heating. We shall be able to walk barefoot on our marble floor!"

"That's luxury! All about this place is luxury!"

"Yes, my love. Will you please take me out somewhere for supper? I haven't prepared anything at home."

"Sure. Unless you are in the mood for a pizza."

She smiled lovingly at me. "Lovely naughty you! I'm afraid I'm too exhausted tonight. Today has been quite hectic. But some other day I'd love a pizza."

Friday morning Mary dragged me out of my sleep as she left. "Remember the real estate agent at 12, dear. Call me if there is any result. I bought a cell-phone yesterday. I left the number on the kitchen table."

Phew. All this nest building sure sparked her efficiency. I decided to call my father from his heavenly whereabouts.

"How are you, son?"

"I'm all right, but Mary is so occupied by the new apartment that she's hardly here; in her mind, I mean."

"Sure. She's doing a fine job as far as I have followed her."

"Yeah. Good thing I've got Alice, though. She seems to be a hot number. Yesterday she said I could drag her into the archives and fuck her, any time I want to."

"Wow. That's some offer!"

"Yes. Let's see how much is in it. I'll take her up on her offer this morning. I've thought we might share her. You know, before she gets too familiar with my way of doing things, she might as well get familiar with you, too."

"That's a very generous offer, son. I'd love that. You don't have to, you know. You've already given me more than any dead person deserves."

"And you haven't been bragging, have you?"

"Well, I have to admit I have, son."

"As long as you can keep them off me, it's all right. I wouldn't like the idea of a thousand spirits looking on. By the way, what do you think of my small company?"

"A splendid idea. Like I told you, it's a business which is just about to explode, and any medium sized software and service business can give you back your money five- or tenfold within a year or two."

We talked business a little more. I asked him, if he might find a little information about the potential buyers of our house. I wanted to use mind control to get a good price, but on the other hand I did not want to rip off people who could not afford it. He promised to see what he could do. "Call me when you're going home in your car. I might have something for you."

Then I said: "I'm horny as hell this morning. I'm going to make a pass at Alice before noon, but hang around in the afternoon. If she's game for a repeat I'll let you have my body. I'll hang around to watch you, in case she wants me to do what you've done, at a later date."

"That's fine, son. I'll be on the alert."

At the office the first couple of hours were quite busy, because plans for two new products were on the drawing board, and we had to provide estimates for some of the planned parts. At half past ten I told Alice that I had to go home during lunch hours to meet the prospective buyers of our house. "I'm sorry, because I had looked forward to the lunch-break, especially since yesterday."

"Well, Sir, what's wrong with 'before lunch'... or 'after lunch'?"

"Or before and after lunch?"

"Oh, dear, might be delightful, in my humble opinion."