Most people had to struggle to find a regular job. Yet, he suddenly felt unfit for the role and wondered whether it would have been only a question of learning those managerial skills his father mastered to perfection, or that was something he was supposed to have as a natural gift.
With a slow movement, shivering from the cold, he closed the windows, as the world with its noises and struggles came to him as a barely audible muffled sound.
Once again, the silence dropped like a heavy curtain on the room.
“I need to sleep now. Tomorrow I will think about the rest, and perhaps Mom will help me, guiding me to this new life.” He walked to the writing table, and grabbing one sheet of paper, he started to make a list of things he needed to solve.
The first one being the work situation, second his academic career. Should he quit or try a part-time working schedule to fulfill at least the bachelor’s degree? Another thing was to start the process to obtain the insurance money and secure the funds.
“Another important thing is to have a chat with Irina, and straighten up things as well with her. I wish I could say I would marry her, but if I told my mother I have a relationship with the daughter of the woman who stole her husband, it would cause a deeper scar in her heart,” he whispered, glancing at the ceiling as if to find a solution to solve his life from that bundle of emotions, complications and bureaucratic matters, clogging his mind making him unable to think clearly.
He closed his eyes, hoping to receive any sort of help or enlightenment but nothing arrived. The siren of an ambulance from afar reached his ears and forced his eyes to open. He remained frozen for a moment to follow the wailing of sirens as it faded away.
That sound, closely related to that of the Police cars had his heart pounding in his chest. He wondered whether this feeling would have accompanied him for the rest of his life, or will there come a time when he could listen to Police cars arriving without fearing them.
Time would have provided an answer, and probably it would have taken some time to fully recover from that feeling.
“I need to sleep, before I lose my mind.” He stood from the chair and decided to get some sleeping pills.
***
The morning after, Maurizio reached the address of Berenice exactly on time, and the presence of the Forensic Police car, parked in front of it, gave him the idea to go and check what was the situation going on there. That was the perfect chance to kill two birds with one stone. He could have a chat with Leonardo about the reading he witnessed the previous day and having a visit with Berenice, hoping none of the two actions would have resulted in a waste of time.
He would have generally taken the elevator to reach the top floor, but in that occasion, he considered climbing the stairs, to get another perspective of the building and about the people living there. The building was not very tall, only four floors, but those seven flights of stairs felt like one hundred, and Maurizio reached the floor breathless.
Leonardo was coming out from Calvani’s apartment at the same moment as Maurizio placed his hand on the wall to sustain his body, which wanted to collapse.
“Getting old?” he chuckled.
Maurizio glared at him. “Not today. The morning started to piss me off already, don’t you get into it, too, please!” His voice, still gritty from the climb.
“We’re a little edgy today.” Leonardo raised his hands in mid-air, and went to the elevator, “by the way, for your information, it works.”
A loud growl forced Leonardo to flee inside the elevator to escape Maurizio’s rage.
Drawing a deep breath, Maurizio turned his eyes to the apartment where Berenice stood, tapping her foot on the floor, a disapproving frown darkening her features. “Detective Scala, I wish to remind you this is a respectable and civilized neighborhood, and these types of sounds, belonging more to a caveman than to a civilized human won’t be tolerated.” Her voice echoed in the hall through the staircases, and Maurizio felt like a child caught by his mother doing mischief.
Pursing his lips, he peered at her. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Moretti, you’re right, I should have behaved in a more considerate way.”
Berenice’s features relaxed at his apologies, and a smile brightened her eyes. “Well, let’s not think about it anymore, I have something you might be interested to know,” she said, inviting him into her apartment.
Closing the door behind him, she inspected the room as if she wanted to make sure nobody was in earshot. When she was sure she could speak freely, she commenced. “You see, I remembered Luciano, the son of Mr. Calvani, had a girlfriend. I’ve never seen her, but I know she visited him here every now and then, so I can’t say who she is or what she looks like. One thing I do know for sure is she’s a foreigner, and her name is Irina.” She guided him to the living room, inviting him to have a seat on the same couch where they had a chat the first time.
Glancing around, Maurizio started to feel the environment familiar, as much as the scents of the old furniture, together with the aroma of the coffee she obviously just brewed for him.
“I’m going to get the coffee, a morning without it is not even closely acceptable,” she giggled as she walked with fast little steps toward the kitchen.
When she returned, she was carrying a tray with biscuits and sweets
