Forever (65 page)

'But. . . she does not even speak
Portuguese!' he countered.

'So? She'll do fine.'

'How can you be so sure.'

'Because I sense it.'

'But dealing with the shopping, the
telephone and electric companies, caterers, part-time help,
last-minute dinnerparties -'

'- will come in handy for when she's on her
own,' Stephanie completed flatly.

'But. . . we do not know the first thing
about her!'

'What do we need to know? I trust my
instincts.' She put a hand on his chest. 'Please, Eduardo. She
risked her life for Astrid! This is the least we can do!'

He stared at her with curiosity. 'You want
this quite badly, don't you?'

She nodded.

'Well, perhaps there is no harm in hiring
her temporari -'

She threw her arms around him and kissed him
noisily. 'You won't be sorry,' she promised huskily. She looked at
him with sparkling eyes. 'I owe you one . . . no, make that two
-'

He smiled, in that case, you can repay me
with the pleasure of your company this weekend.'

'But you enjoy that pleasure every weekend
anyway! What makes this one so special?'

'Because it will be different. After what
happened to Astrid, I think it would do us both some good to get
out of the city. We will fly up to Ilha da Borboleta.' He smiled.
'Besides, you are overdue to see it. Each time Zaza calls, she
keeps asking me when I will bring you. She misses you.'

'And I her.'

'Then it's settled?' He was waiting for her
reply.

She smiled, it's settled.'

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Perhaps it was a case of misery loving
company; they had, after all, met under the worst of possible
circumstances. Or maybe it was because birds of a feather flocked
together. Whatever the reason, Stephanie and Barbie took to each
other like ducks to water. The fact that they both spoke the same
native language had more than a little to do with it, but it went
far deeper than that: they were expatriates in a strange country,
and female at that. With whom else could they share cultural
reference points from 'back home', or communicate idiomatically, or
make puns and tell jokes without having to explain the
punchlines?

Despite the horror of what had happened to
Astrid, and the grief it engendered in Stephanie, Barbie's arrival
perked her up, made her feel lively and at home like nothing else -
not even Waldo's arrival - had done. She realised more than ever
that when she hadn't been at work or with Eduardo or Lia, she'd
been feeling lonely, isolated, rather friendless and blue.

Now, suddenly, that had all changed; she and
Barbie were chattering like magpies before they left the hospital.
Eduardo took a taxi back to the office, leaving his chauffeured
limousine at Stephanie's disposal so she could accompany Barbie in
safety and comfort to the inexpensive hotel in Santa Teresa where
she was staying.

Stephanie didn't know when she'd had such
pure, unadulterated, innocent fun. While the driver waited
downstairs, she ran into the fleabag with her new friend and helped
her pack and lug the cases, both of them giggling breathlessly,
caught up in the adventure of it all.

Yes, Stephanie thought, having a girlfriend
with whom I can share little secrets, play little tricks on, and
laugh about things with, makes all the difference, all the
difference in the world . . .

But Barbie kept expressing concern during
the ride to Stephanie's apartment. She said: 'I really appreciate
what you're doing, Monica. But I promise, if I don't work out I'm
giving myself walking papers! No way am I gonna be a chain around
your neck!'

'You won't be,' Stephanie interrupted.

After the car pulled up in front of the
apartment building, Barbie got out slowly. She stared up at the
luxury highrise in amazement. 'Wow-eeee!' she breathed. 'And right
on Copacabana beach!'

She glanced across the car roof at
Stephanie.

'God, Monica, you must be loaded to be able
to afford this!'

'Don't be too impressed,' Stephanie advised
her dryly. 'The apartment came with the job.'

Barbie was floored by the apartment. 'I've
wondered what these ocean-front places were like,' she marvelled as
Stephanie gave her a tour of the duplex, 'but I had no idea they
were anything like this\ It's . . . it's like something out of a
movie!'

They went outside on the lower terrace and
watched the surf roll in.

'With a place like this,' Barbie said, 'no
wonder you love it down here! I wouldn't want to go back to the
States, either.'

Her eyes hooded, Stephanie kept looking out
at the ocean, wondering what Barbie would say if she told her how
homesick she was, how she'd rather be in Manhattan - or
Montana.

'Come on, Barbie,' she said. 'Why don't we
go inside. I'll check in with the office and then I'll help you get
unpacked.'

They spent the rest of the day getting
Barbie settled in. And half the night reminiscing about 'back
home'.

'Colonel Valerio? This is Lia Cardoso
again.' 'Yes,
Senhorita?
' 'You asked to be kept informed -'
'Yes, yes. What is it?'

'Ms Williams just called. She said she will
be out for the rest of the day.' 'So?'

'She said something about breaking in a new
housekeeper.'

'What! Who -'

'I don't know yet, but I'll let you know as
soon as I find out.' 'Damn! This could screw up a lot of things!'
'Perhaps, Colonel, I could be of some help?' Lia offered.
'How?'

'I could try to frighten whoever it is off
-' 'Goddammit!' The Colonel was furious. 'Just do your job!' He
slammed down the phone.

'I'm late, I'm late!' Stephanie charged into
the office the following morning wearing a white, black-trimmed
Chanel jacket-dress, white tights with big black polka dots, and
black-and-white patent leather shoes with gold coin buckles. On one
lapel shone a gold doorknocker brooch, and she wore matching gold
doorknocker clip-on earrings. 'I'm late!' she called out again as
she trotted, heels clicking, past Lia's desk, her briefcase held
like a weapon in front of her. 'I'm very, very late -'

Lia laughed. 'For the first time ever!
Listen, since when is oversleeping a crime? Slow down. There is
absolutely no rush. Your calendar is clear until this
afternoon.'

Stephanie stopped in her tracks. 'Is
it?'

'It is.' Lia nodded.

Stephanie let her briefcase drop to the
floor and blurted a laugh. 'Then why am I running?'

Lia smiled. 'You tell me. We even have time
to enjoy our coffee.'

Retrieving her briefcase, Stephanie went
over to her desk. Behind her, Lia popped up from her swivel chair,
picked up the silver tray she had already prepared, and carried it
over to Stephanie's desk. The two of them had made it a habit to
arrive in time to enjoy a ritual cup of fresh brew while going over
the day's schedule.

Stephanie was glad that, despite her
tardiness, today would be no different. She liked the period of
transition a cup of coffee gave her. Liked the way it primed her
gears, got them turning.

Setting the tray down, Lia went about
pouring two bone china cupfuls from the silver pot. 'Did you see
what arrived?' she asked, glancing at Stephanie. She set the pot
down and picked up one cup by its saucer and held it out.

Stephanie dumped her briefcase and bag on
her chair, took the coffee, and sipped it gratefully as she looked
around her desk. Yesterday afternoon's accumulation of mail,
telephone messages, memorandums, and faxes were arranged in neat
stacks. It couldn't be that.

Then it caught her eye. Right there in front
of her. Precisely centred on the blotter, what at first appeared to
be a silver plastic credit card, but which closer inspection proved
it wasn't.

Stephanie's heart gave a leap. It was her
security clearance card - like the one she had watched Dr
Vassiltchikov use to unlock the door of the lab aboard the
Chrysalis
! She picked this one up and looked at it. The
silver background had a large wide number 2 on it, and embossed
along the bottom was her name, MONICA WILLIAMS, along with a
20-digit row of letters and numbers. She turned it around and
looked at the back. It was entirely covered with black magnetic
tape.

Keeping her excitement subdued, Stephanie
sipped her coffee with nonchalance and tossed the card back down.
'Can't use this to go shopping anywhere, huh?' she murmured.

'No,' Lia agreed, 'I'm afraid not.' She
paused in the middle of stirring her coffee. 'But with that
security access card, you can do everything but shop. You better
put it away immediately, and guard it as you would your wallet.
Believe me, when one of those gets misplaced or stolen, it causes
no end of difficulty with all the computer reprogramming that is
required.'

Stephanie put down her coffee, took the card
and slipped it inside her Wallet, and put her wallet back inside
her bag. 'There!' she smiled, giving the bag a few pats. 'All safe
and sound. I'll guard it as I would the crown jewels.'

'Seriously, Monica. That card is your single
most important document here at Grupo da Veiga. It can give or deny
you access to any and all of our facilities. Your level-two
clearance means you have access to anyplace but those requiring
level one.'

'Gotcha. Who has a level one, by the
way?'

'Both Senhors de Veiga, Colonel Valerio, and
perhaps five others.'

'What have you got?'

'A level three. So you see, you are one
above me. Oh, and carry yours on you at all times. If you forget it
at home and travel to one of the facilities, they cannot make any
exceptions. If you don't have it, you can't get in. Period.'

'I see. I really had better guard it with my
life.'

'That's the idea.' Lia deftly switched gears
and poured them each a second cup. 'Now, tell me all about your new
housekeeper.'

Stephanie shrugged. 'What's there to tell?
She's temporary, and I'll have to wait and see if she pans
out.'

Lia nodded, if she doesn't, let me know.
Grupo da Veiga maintains several VIP apartments around town for
visiting dignitaries. They're empty half the time, but fully
staffed. I'm sure I can get you a housekeeper from one of them if
you need one.'

'I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, Lia.'

'Oh, and one last thing.'

'What's that?'

'Well, it isn't important. I mean, it's
personal. One of the women on my all-girls volleyball team called
me. Her son is sick, and she has to stay home with him, which means
she has to miss our playoffs on Flamengo beach after work today. In
other words, we're short one person. I was wondering if you would
like to fill in for her.'

Stephanie groaned. 'Oh, Lia! I'd love to,
really I would! But I can't. Not today. I promised the new
housekeeper I'd help her shop for some appropriate clothes.'

'I see.' Lia couldn't hide her
disappointment. She picked up the coffee tray. 'Well, another time,
perhaps,' she said, moving off.

'The next time,' Stephanie promised, 'I'll
drop everything.'

But the next time rolled around two days
later and proved just as inconvenient. As noon approached, Lia
suggested, it's so beautiful outside. Since neither of us has a
luncheon appointment, why don't we buy some sandwiches and have a
picnic in the park out back?'

'Oh, Lia,' Stephanie sighed. 'I forgot to
tell you, I've already made plans for lunch.'

'That's all right,' Lia said. 'Don't worry
about it.'

The phone rang and Lia answered. She called
over to Stephanie, it's for you. Line three.'

Stephanie punched a button and picked up the
receiver. 'Hello?'

Eduardo said, it's me.'

Stephanie glanced over at Lia, who was
making a production of looking too busy to eavesdrop. She lowered
her voice and said, 'Yes, Senhor de Veiga?' Trying to sound crisp
and formal and businesslike.

He laughed. 'Why so formal?'

'Because I'm wearing my business hat.'

He chuckled softly, then cleared his throat.
'The reason I called,' he said, getting down to business, 'is I
have your memo in front of me. The one detailing your proposed
visits to the various plants and facilities.'

'Yes?' Stephanie was silent for a moment, is
there a problem?'

'No, not that I can see. I was only
wondering why you wanted to focus on genetics first, and charities
and foundations at the same time.'

She couldn't very well say: Because genetics
is the logical place to search for the key to eternal youth, and
charities and foundations piqued my interest because of its
association with CRY.

Glad she had thought her argument carefully
through before she'd even written the memo, Stephanie now said:
it's the logical place to start. You see, genetics is not only
exciting, since it's on the very cutting edge of technology, but in
the long run it promises to yield the most radical benefits for all
mankind. I think we can get incredible mileage out of the future by
cashing in on it today.' She paused. 'Can you think of a better way
to prove "We're building better tomorrows"?'

She waited, but he did not speak.

'And the same goes for charities and
foundations. That division, more than any other, will polish the
entire de Veiga family of companies, give the greedily perceived
big corporation an altruistic shine.'

She held her breath, waiting for his
response.

'Hm,' he murmured.' "Family of companies". I
like that!'

Thank you! she thought fervently.

'And you wish to start visiting the
facilities on Monday?'

'It's time I got started.' She paused and a
note of worry crept into her voice, is that inconvenient for any
reason?'