DREAMLAND
“Maybe I have not come to the place
I was going to, but once I happened
To be there where I would like to be.”
Life wisdom*
I
She was standing nearby the window absent-mindedly opening and shutting her mobile phone cover over and again. The gloomy grey morning was reflecting her mood. She was exhausted with another row and humiliation that had taken place the previous night. The decision made right now seemed vain and hopeless. “Why am I doing this?” She asked herself. “I’ve got a great deal to do!”
“How can I tell this at all to the man I’ve seen one and a half time?” Though she felt if she did not do that, she would never know, understand and miss something important in her life, which could help her to regain herself. She was very excited and could not think straight. She was afraid that her words would not be caught properly as she had to speak shortly and precisely according to his intelligence and education. Besides, she needed to drift him away from the main point of the conversation, which would enable to reduce his attention to let him catch her message. Having thought over several times what she was going to say, she breathed in deeply and pressed the mobile call button. “Take it easy. Don’t worry,” she tried to calm herself down. “Good Lord! Help me!”
Long buzzing was coming as if through the time, passing all her troubles. Her heart was beating frantically. She closed her eyes almost losing her self-control when suddenly a calm and quiet voice replied,
“Hello! Valentine is speaking!”
“Hello! I am Maria Denisovna. Do you remember me? I’m a customer of yours.”
“Of course, I do.”
Due to the noise on the line, she thought him driving. Getting worried, she asked him,
“Am I disturbing you? I can call you back later.”
“No, hold on. I’m listening.”
She was hesitating for a moment, then, she breathed in deeply and finally dared,
“I want to ask you for two things: the first one is on business, the other – personal. Are you ready to hear?”
“Yes. Go on.”
“I remember you once said you could help me with selling my car. I would like to sell my Opel. Is it possible?”
“Sure.”
“What do I need to do?”
“You need to give our expert the car registry certificate to estimate the price.”
“OK! I’ll call you back later to inform of its data.”
“That’s fine.”
Self- control did not leave her. Her voice sounded briskly and she decided to continue talking.
“Now there’s a delicate request.”
“OK. I’m listening to you,” he said.
After a while, as if estimating the situation, she moved to the main point.
“It occurred that I’ve fallen in love with you! What’s more, I have kept my diary in the computer file. Unfortunately, my husband accidentally has read my records. I realize I am stupid to keep them. However, taking into account his fiery temper, I have to warn you about that. In case of his sudden arrival, please, try to solve the problem tactfully. I’m sure you’ll manage.”
There was silence on the opposite side of the line. It was a long pause… She was about to think he did not understand who was speaking.
“Am I right to think you’ll manage?” She asked him again.
As though being awakened from embarrassment, he hesitated to utter,
“Sure…”
“Well, then that’s OK,” she encouraged him. “As for selling my car I’ll call you back later. Is that OK?”
“Yes.”
“Good bye!”
“Good bye.”
Having switched her mobile off, she was staring out of the window, calming her emotion down. Trying not to think about her decision correctness, she tried to imagine and recall his face features and their last meeting…
* * *
Then, in the auto show where she arrived with her husband, Yegor, to have her car officially checked up, Valentine welcomed them with a big smile.
“Good afternoon! We are ready. Let me have a look at your documents. Then you may leave your car for servicing.”
After shaking hands, the men went to arrange maintenance papers. However, the shining glitter of foreign car models and the new tires’ smell, which make the masculine part of the human race crazy about cars, softened Yegor’s firmness making him stop nearby a new model of Outlander. Valentine noticed his interest and after a moment, they were energetically discussing technical characteristics of the car. Maria was standing nearby, dreaming of returning home as soon as possible. She was sick and tired of the recent intense work. She was suffering from a splitting headache and slight shivery.
All of a sudden, Maria caught Valentine’s glance. As she realized she looked bad, she covered her face with her hand putting her palm on the forehead. “I desperately need a painkiller,” she thought and asked,
“Have you got...?”
“Here it is…”
To her great surprise, she saw Valentine giving her a tablet of a painkiller.
“What’s that?” She asked herself. “Is it a skilful work with a customer or a talent for guessing someone else’s thoughts? In any case, it’s incredible!”
Twenty minutes elapsed after she sat down to a small table for a cup of coffee. The hot drink and the medicine taken put her in a good mood.
However, a little bit bored she decided to walk around the show room.
On the left and right, there were some new cars of various makes and colors. In the well-adjusted light, they looked really attractive and shiny. Nevertheless, Maria was wandering absent-mindedly among that ‘life festival’, deeply absorbed in her thoughts about her routine work problems.
“Yegor’s gone with the foremen to the workshop,” Valentine said approaching her behind. “Would you like to see a peculiar car?” He asked showing her by nodding his head to follow him.
In the remote corner of the show room, there was a sporty Lancer Evolution in bright yellow exposed on a dazzling display.
“Do you like it?”
“Superb!” Maria answered slowly.
“In fact, it’s not for driving around a city,” Valentine added as if cooling her excitement.
“It’s really gorgeous! How often do they buy them?”
“I wouldn’t say often. They prefer classical models.”
“I see… Do your sales depend on a season?”
“Yes. Now they are declining.”
Crinkling her nose, she nodded.
“Real estate is being acquired badly at the moment too. Supply is much over demand, though there is a season increase. We are selling the land for apartment block in your area. It’s not far from here.”
“To be honest I’m not happy,” he uttered sadly…
“I was brought up in here. As if it was yesterday when I was skiing, driving in a sleigh with my friends. However, nowadays there are a lot of new buildings and apartment blocks on the area. Nature is retrograding...”
Deep in thought, he got silent.
Maria looked in his light brown eyes. Their smooth shine calmed her down, filling her with harmony. She was touched with something warm in him…
“Gosh! He’s feeling the same…”
“It’s amazing,” she thought and remembered her favorite house in the Moscow suburban of Podolsk, where it was so marvelous in her childhood surrounded by the virgin nature. Of course, she was very upset with civilization invasion, with its buildings and wide-scale constructions. Despite her occupation, she was still romantic.
She was pleased that there was someone else with the same perception of the world.
* * *
…Maria was still standing nearby the window, being deep in thought. All of a sudden, a mobile call interrupted her reminiscence. Startled, she looked at the mobile screen in her hand. The ring came from the office.
“Hello!” Maria said deliberately in a business manner.
Her secretary’s voice sounded worried, asking,
“Maria Denisovna! We all are worried! Will you come today? What shall I tell the clients?”
“Yes, Ira. I’ll be there in an hour! Wait for me! …”
Maria walked quickly towards the door and locking her apartment door, whispered to herself, “What’s been done that’s been done. Stop thinking about it!”
The fresh autumn wind cooled her hot face. She wanted to stretch her arms out to feel the natural force in the whirl of falling leaves. She was desperate to forget her troubles just to be happy because of the autumn, because of the new day, because she found HIM…
* * *
Two days elapsed… In the tense work, Maria tried to drift away from her personal troubles. Meetings with the customers, negotiations took almost all her time.
Having put aside a pile of papers and enclosed the agreement, which had just been prepared for signing, in a file, she took the keys to Opel from the table intending to drive to the customer – developer’s office.
Maria took her purse out of the handbag. She absent-mindedly opened it to check everything inside it. “Here is the registry certificate. I wanted to call Valentine again regarding selling my car…” Thinking of it, she tried to make up her mind about selling the car. She was nearly confused with her reflection, hesitating until she stopped herself. “OK,” she thought, “I’ll make up my mind later. Eventually I just want to remind him of myself, moreover, to hear him.” With a quick motion, she took a business card out of the table and started dialing Sokolov’s phone number.
“Hello! I’m listening.” Maria heard the familiar voice.
“Hello! Maria Denisovna is speaking.”
“Good afternoon,” Valentine replied in a calm and confident voice.
“I’ve found the registry certificate and I am ready to give you my car data. I’m calling about selling my car,” she reminded him.
“Right. I remember. Hold on. Just a moment. I’m taking down!”
She articulated each item and added,
“I wonder how quickly it can be sold and how much I’ll get.”
“Well, I’ll find out right now and call you back immediately. Is that your contact number in my mobile?”
“Sure. Thanks a lot.”
Having hung the receiver up, she felt excited and, looking at the car keys, she thought, “It’s strange. Shall I really have it sold?”
Maria returned from the developer to her office long ago where she was negotiating with a customer. Seeing his number on her mobile screen, she left the room apologizing into the lobby.
“Hello!” She replied softly.
“Valentine is speaking. Can you talk to me?”
“Yes.”
“Our firm will help you. Your car will cost around ten thousand dollars.”
“I think the price suits me.”
“By the way, we’d prefer an advance payment,” he said embarrassed.
“That’s OK. What shall I do next?”
“Well. It’s really simple. Would you write down our expert’s contact number, then drive your car to his place and he will do everything himself. His name is Peter.”
She wrote down the given telephone number and said briskly,
“Thank you, Valentine. Thanks a lot for your help.”
“You’re welcome…”
“Bye.”
“Bye.”
Having arranged the meeting with the expert for the next evening, Maria hung the receiver up and called her personal assistant.
“Andrey, will you arrive at the garage tomorrow morning at ten o’clock? Remember to wear the uniform.”
“What’s happened? Are we going to the meeting?”
“No. We’re going to choose a car.”
“A car?” He stunned in surprise, then he added, “You’ve got already one, haven’t you?”
“Yes, I have, but I’d like to replace it. Will you help me, please?”
“Do you know what make you want to buy?”
“I think so. Nevertheless, I want you to estimate its technical characteristics as a man. Also, please, do this thoroughly as if you were buying for yourself. OK?”
“OK. Why should I wear my uniform?”
“You’re asking too many questions. We must always look smart at work. Besides, men look much better in uniforms,” she smiled slightly.
At the bottom of her heart, Maria was happy to see Valentine again. In addition, the most important for her was that she would have a chance to check if she was wrong. At first, she needed to check herself and make sure that the chemistry between them was not accidental. Apart from that, she did not care whether he was married or had a lover or just a girlfriend. If she felt him again, the rest had no meaning. Then, it happened and nothing would change what was going on.
As everything was getting out of time, beyond the reality…
* * *
The next morning was peculiar. The passing autumn smelled in the cold fresh air. There were still last leaves on tree branches. The ground was wet because of heavy raining and the grass was getting faded. The fading nature seemed gloomy. However, the sun, this shiny sun did not want to surrender to the coming winter… It was shining brightly, trying to keep the remaining warmth, tenderly stretching its radiant rays towards the earth that was gradually getting cold…
Squinting from the sun, Maria was overcoming a non-asphalted piece of the road leading to an underground parking space. Deeply sinking in the wet soil with her high- heeled shoes, she was trying to tiptoe, but the too high heels did not let her walk easily. The slight cold wind was blowing into her short leather cloak, penetrating more and deeper beneath her blouse, persistently cooling her body. The weather was encouraging and rejoicing.
Finally, having got the garage, she saw her assistant Andrey.
“Good morning, Maria Denisovna!” He greeted her.
“Good morning.”
“Are your plans the same?”
“Yes, they are. Let us start. Here are the keys. Will you drive the car out?”
* * *
The automobile sales center was nearby and they got it soon.
Having glanced over Andrey and being satisfied with his looks, she told him to follow her.
At the entrance she stopped and turning reminded him,
“Do not forget to be careful. Choose as if for yourself!”
“Do not worry. We’ll see and arrange,” Andrey calmed her down.
When she entered the show room, she glanced around looking for Valentine. Unfortunately, he was not there.
“Are all my efforts really in vain?” Maris wondered. “Maybe he’s got a day off today?”
All of a sudden, Andrey distracted her from her reflections by asking,
“What are we choosing?”
“That car over there!” She waved her hand towards an Outlander.
“It’s solid!” He said slowly.
Having approached it nearer, he started examining it with great interest.
Confused, Maria was standing, not knowing what to do. Finally, she took her mobile out of the pocket and dialed Valentine’s number.
“Hello. Maria Denisovna is speaking,” she uttered briskly. “I’ve brought you a customer. We’re in the show room and don’t see you.”
“I’m coming.”
In an instant, he was as if emerged in front of them.
“Hello!” He widely smiled at Maria.
“Hello! Let me introduce to you one of my employees,” she introduced Andrey.
Trying to gain her self-control, she went on,
“We’d like to choose a car. Could you tell us about Outlander, please?”
“With great pleasure,” Valentine replied and opening the front door, he suggested getting into it.
“Go ahead, Andrey,” said Maria pointing him by glance to the opened car door.
The men were thoroughly examining and discussing the car data, trying it inside or walking around it several times. Maria was watching them. Finally, she stopped next to the boot appraising its capacity.
“As you see,” said Valentine, “when the boot is open you don’t need to stoop as it is designed for tall people to prevent them from hitting their heads.”
“Yes, you’re right,” replied Andrey, “but there’s little space in the boot.”
“Well, let’s try it in motion.” Maria suggested interrupting their dispute and turning to Valentine asked,
“Can we do that?”
“Sure. We’ll do a test drive. I’ll be right back. I’ve got to fetch the keys. Then he added addressing Andrey,
“Are you going to drive?”
“Yes,” the latter nodded.
‘Then, can I have your driving license?”
Ten minutes later the three were driving the new Outlander with a distinct sign Test Drive on it around the neighborhood.
The men were sitting on the front seats. Valentine was driving confidently showing its advantages, dynamics and maneuverability. Maria was sitting behind Andrey. She took that seat on purpose so that she could see Valentine’s eyes in the rear-view mirror. For the first time since they met, she tried to look in them in a new way. She wanted to catch his eyes, feel his emotions, read his thoughts…
She might have gone into her female fantasy but dodging down uneven rough roads did not let her relax. Numerous turns made her cling to the seat. She was swaying from side to side in the moving car. It might have been escaped if she had been sitting properly, leaning against the back. Then, she would not have been able to see his eyes in the mirror.
Feeling uncomfortable, she sat nearer to the edge. “It’s awful!” She thought. “You might bob up and down!” In addition, her mobile suddenly rang up. The call was urgent from the partner. However, she failed to focus on the conversation. Her hand holding the mobile was moving up and down. All her attempts to press it against her ear were in vain. She did not hear the words clearly. Dropping the mobile, Maria clang to the front seat with her both hands and balancing continuously with each turn, she simultaneously was trying to move her mobile closer with her feet. At last, she bent over to lift it when suddenly a sharp turning put her literally on the seat.
“Crazy driving!” She thought. “I can’t look in the mirror! I can’t see his eyes! It’s high time to take wing and fly!”
At last, the car drew up. Valentine calmly offered Andrey to swap the seats.
“Try it yourself.”
“OK,” Andrey agreed…
When they started again, Maria took more suitable for her position because Valentine was sitting in front of her and she could not see his face.
It had taken a total of forty minutes before they returned to the automobile sales center. Maria liked the car, but she could not make up her mind after such an experience. Besides, she had another objective by visiting.
“I think we’ll buy it,” she uttered with hesitation. “I need to think it over and first of all I’ve got to sell Opel.”
“Take your time,” replied Valentine.
Parting with him, she added,
“I’m going to your expert this evening.”
“Fine. Good luck.”
“Bye.”
Smiling they parted.
…It got dark when Maria and Andrey arrived at the sales center where the expert was working. She dialed his number and said,
“Hello, Peter. I am Maria Denisovna. We arranged the meeting today. Valentin Sokolov recommended you.”
“Hello, Maria Denisovna. I remember. Unfortunately, I am a little bit busy now. Sorry. Could you wait for a short while, please? There is a caf; on the first floor. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Fine,” she replied confusedly as she did not expect such a suggestion.
“Thanks a lot! I’ll be right back in five minutes!”
“Well, he must be kidding,” she thought.
The show room was crowded. Customers, shop assistants, managers and just curious visitors were wandering around making fuss. She went upstairs to the caf;, found a vacant table and took a seat for a cup of coffee. She was a bit nervous about waiting as she was too short of time and her plan to call at the construction site on her way was frustrated.
In a few minutes, she redialed Peter’s number to remind him of herself and specify the place of meeting.
To her surprise a young nice-looking man came up to her and politely said,
“How do you do! I am Peter.”
“How do you do!” She replied looking at him in surprise. “How could he identify me?” She wondered.
“I saw you getting out of the car,” he promptly said.
“He’s lying,” Maria thought, “it’s too dark outside to see her car drawing up. Besides, the parking space is over the corner. I suppose my appearance was described in detail ...”
“Let’s have a look at Opel.”
“OK,” she said and added ironically,
“Have you got a torch or something else?”
“Something else…”
Having examined the car, they returned to the show room and came up to his desk. Peter offered to take a seat.
Having thoroughly looked through the documents, he smiled and said a bit slowly,
“We can buy it at the price of $9.5 thousand.”
“No. $10 thousand,” Maria corrected firmly.
“It costs $10,000. Otherwise it’s not interesting!” He replied waving his hands.
To which Maria shook her head. There was a pause.
“Well. OK. It is only for you. Do you agree with the price of $9.7 thousand?”
“Yes!”
“Well, then, I need to have your general warrant of attorney to enable me to do the required transactions.”
“Can I do a copy of your passport?”
“Sure. Go ahead.”
Returning her documents, he asked her,
“What are you buying instead?”
“I haven’t decided yet.”
“I hope with our company?”
“I’m not quite sure…”
“You should buy with us, of course,” he emphasized.
Maria decided to play a bit and smiling asked,
“Do you normally gift something to your customers when they buy with you? For example, discounts or extra equipment or something else?”
“Sure!” Peter exclaimed, looking in her eyes and then, whispered,
“I’ll tell him…”
With that phrase, she realized his awareness. A little bit embarrassed, she looked down but having pulled herself together, she replied briskly,
“Please, do tell him!”
Then she thought, “Of course, he told him everything.”
“These men are not different from women!” She gently recalled Valentine.
When parting with Maria, Peter looked in her eyes and said coquettishly,
“Next time remember to bring the warrant of attorney, two key sets and the car, of course.”
Then, in the fresh air, Maria breathed a sigh of relief and got into the car keeping silent.
“So, are you selling your beauty?” Andrey interrupted her silence.
“No,” she replied with a deep sigh and added,
“Let’s drive!”