The headache

Chapter 27 of the thriller An Irretrievable Step.

An Irretrievable Step

Chapter 27

Ray did not have any problems in renting a room at the central room boarding house, it was the end of the tourist season and he was given one the best rooms that they had. His meeting with Joe on that very night was to take place at the 'La Fatta Ignorante' restaurant at the district of Testaccio at ten pm as usual.

This peculiar restaurant name suits so well my disconcerted feelings… He thought amused.

He dedicated the afternoon hours to a preliminary tour, to know how to get there.

'It's a bloody headache,' Joe muttered thoughtfully after hearing Ray's detailed report on his last two weekends in Florence. 'You're assuming the situation from your own point of view, without taking into account her parents' point of view…'

'Don't you think that her parents may wish to get rid of her?' Ray insisted stubbornly, after all it was him alone who experienced it, while Joe's assumption is based on what he has told him.

'Those well to do families in the periphery have marital ties agreed upon, and maybe the family with the intended fiancé' had some other thoughts, so you've been exploited Ray, to force that other family to make up their minds.' He made a short pause while watching Ray's face, whether he has any reservations, but Ray had sense enough to keep his mouth shut.

'I can't be sure of course of what I've estimated right now, based on what you’ve told me.' Joe went on trying to find the right solution to Ray's problem. 'To sum it up you did well over there and your two last weekends' experience will be useful to you in the future, as for their daughter, well the Japanese you've dated in Milan would have been a better choice; but both cases are too complicated and out of the question Ray; so don't phone that Florentine wench and don't write to her. If she'll run away and find you here in Rome, we might refer to it seriously… Every plan is a basis for changes, but between you and me I don't believe it will happen.

'I may serve as a married man too, it's a possibility then?'

'Well it's a possibility and I'll get you an answer in our next meeting I guess. In any case if the answer would be positive, one of our female pros will accompany you.' Joe cleared his throat and added right away: 'If sharing your life with someone you hardly know, and you wouldn't have thought of it in other circumstances suits you…? Well, enough with it, have you met any adherent of your faith in Florence?'

'No I haven't and I didn't find any such churches there, I've visited the Duomo many a time during the weekends mostly.'

'Except during the two last week-ends when you messed around with seniorina Bianca Conti.' Joe remarked with a short laugh, watching Ray's smiling and embarrassed face.

'I did attend a service at the Duomo with her entire family members.'

'As I've already said these two last week-ends in Florence were a very useful experience, but you'll have to visit both their churches here in Rome to decide which one you'll visit regularly, and there you'll get in touch with your mutual faith adherents.'

'Okay but what am I supposed to do here? I'll be surely asked that question by the first one with whom I'll get in touch with?'

'You're a businessman who looks for an opening, so try to find an established partner in one of the two churches. It's your turn Ray to get things moving, and here's a banker's cheque on one hindered thousand dollars of the U.S. Bancorp, so open up an account in one of the Banco di Roma branches with it and keep it liquid.'

'It's a lot of money, but okay I'll do it and I'll find an opening in the best possible way I'm able to,' Ray remarked perturbed, he did not expect that turn of events to take place so soon. 'Does it mean that it will take quite a while till we'll meet again?' He added worried, the burden of responsibility seemed like a threat to him.

'We'll meet in two weeks time at the Ristorante Nirone at 10 pm as usual, now don't rush; don't offer an advance of more than ten thousand bucks and only after signing a contract in the presence of a lawyer that you'll choose.'

The first thing that Ray did on the next day was to leave central room boarding house near the Vatican and rent a furnished room apartment at Via Appia Nuova, not far from the Coptic church of San Marco in Via Tuscolana, and not too close to that holy edifice.

He did not expect a visit from Bianca's father, but if he is wrong and they will be looking for him; after all he did not took any precautions and he could not know whether Bianca took the pill, thus as Bianca and her parents knew that he is staying in boarding houses, the best way to avoid unexpected visits was to change address and be close to one of the Coptic churches in Rome at the same time.

He opened an account in the nearest branch of the Bank of Rome to his new address, and visited the closest shopping mall to get the food staffs and groceries that he needed for his daily life in this bustling city.

While having a light lunch in his room he thought of his parents and his previous life, realizing how he missed them and his friends back home. The easy life that he led in Milan and Florence made him forget his past and now with that burden of responsibilities, which he had no idea how he shall cope with, he felt he needed a break of several days at least. He didn't think of Tami at all, if there was some one that he really missed it was Bianca. He never told her that he loves her, but he saw her smiling beautiful face vividly in his mind's eye, and giving up the possibility of seeing her again distressed him.

The only way left to me to keep on, is to visit the Coptic Church and focus my attention in my relevant tasks. He thought with a wry and cynical realization.

@ Haim Kadman 2014 �" all rights reserved.