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Authors: Charles Brett
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cord. Caterina smiled to herself at this infelicitous tennis image. She returned her attention to Felipe.
"... talking with our audit teams handling the CE and ServiArquitectos accounts. Today each company reported it had received large return payments, for exactly what we had suggested be repaid. No questions; just the full refunds. In all, the two payments amounted to almost a quarter of a million euros, which is a nice 30 per cent fillip for us before the weekend."
Emilia and Caterina glanced at each other. Two large payments for exactly what had been asked. That didn't sound right, especially after what they had learned this week and last regarding the way that monies tended to dribble into the three existing ORS clients. They remained silent.
"Neither of you look particularly pleased." Felipe sounded slightly offended. "May I ask why not?"
Emilia responded with her biggest and most winning smile.
"Sorry, Felipe. We got stuck in the Metro and were anxious to get here. Of course it's good news. Congratulations! That'll make your bosses in the US happy with you."
Caterina admitted to herself that Emilia's best smile response looked like it would dig them out of their embarrassment. They were still having to remind each other they were outsiders in ORS, though it was beginning to feel otherwise.
Appearing more relaxed, Felipe thanked Emilia before saying, "It's good, isn't it?" Listen, I was talking with Ana earlier. The company owes you some sort of treat. Let's all go out this evening for dinner and for some music afterwards. What d'you think?"
"Sounds great! Caterina? We don't have anything planned, do we?"
Caterina was less overtly enthusiastic: "What about Davide? Are you including him?"
"Of course I'm including him. It would be crazy not to. Didn't Davide arrive with you?"
"No," replied Caterina. "He stayed home to do some thinking. I'm not sure he's planning on coming in today. Hasn't he called?"
"Ana will know if he has. I'll ask her to make arrangements, perhaps somewhere in Barrio Salamanca or maybe Huertas, which is apparently where the best fun is. Shall we plan to meet about nine for a drink and then dinner?"
Without waiting for confirmation he headed towards his office.
"Well done, Emilia! For once your big brazen smile worked in our favour. Raining on his celebration would not have been in good taste. Plus we now get to go out and do something different for a change."
"You think Davide's a tad dull? Stop, stop, stop, Caterina! Don't overreact! I know you, remember. I'm only teasing. But does it mean I may dance with Felipe if I smile right?"
"Or with Ana. I saw your eyes light up at the mention of her inclusion. You may have been gently pursuing Felipe – by your standards – but whenever Ana passes you fail to disguise your interest from me. She's good-looking and under-thirty, if rather taller than you, though I know that makes no difference to your 'selection criteria'."
"No comment. Or, what about both of them together?"
"Emilia, control yourself. I know you're capable of a threesome but remember Felipe is probably very Tex-Mex conservative, while Ana always behaves as if she was brought up properly."
"So was I. It just didn't stick, despite Mum and Dad trying to convince me to become a good catholic-breeding engine. Anyhow, we've been through this too many times before. Changing the subject, what do you think about that coincidence of payments? Curious, no?"
Caterina nodded in pensive assent as they entered their shared office.
Friday, 10 days later: Soria
A week later than she and Alfredo had originally planned, because her darling husband had been insistent she join him when visiting his tedious relatives, Marta was again enjoying driving her car with its top down. After more than two hours driving the turn-off for the pueblo of El Rollo was further than she expected. To her surprise, on leaving Soria, the landscape was initially more like the American West though this
"... talking with our audit teams handling the CE and ServiArquitectos accounts. Today each company reported it had received large return payments, for exactly what we had suggested be repaid. No questions; just the full refunds. In all, the two payments amounted to almost a quarter of a million euros, which is a nice 30 per cent fillip for us before the weekend."
Emilia and Caterina glanced at each other. Two large payments for exactly what had been asked. That didn't sound right, especially after what they had learned this week and last regarding the way that monies tended to dribble into the three existing ORS clients. They remained silent.
"Neither of you look particularly pleased." Felipe sounded slightly offended. "May I ask why not?"
Emilia responded with her biggest and most winning smile.
"Sorry, Felipe. We got stuck in the Metro and were anxious to get here. Of course it's good news. Congratulations! That'll make your bosses in the US happy with you."
Caterina admitted to herself that Emilia's best smile response looked like it would dig them out of their embarrassment. They were still having to remind each other they were outsiders in ORS, though it was beginning to feel otherwise.
Appearing more relaxed, Felipe thanked Emilia before saying, "It's good, isn't it?" Listen, I was talking with Ana earlier. The company owes you some sort of treat. Let's all go out this evening for dinner and for some music afterwards. What d'you think?"
"Sounds great! Caterina? We don't have anything planned, do we?"
Caterina was less overtly enthusiastic: "What about Davide? Are you including him?"
"Of course I'm including him. It would be crazy not to. Didn't Davide arrive with you?"
"No," replied Caterina. "He stayed home to do some thinking. I'm not sure he's planning on coming in today. Hasn't he called?"
"Ana will know if he has. I'll ask her to make arrangements, perhaps somewhere in Barrio Salamanca or maybe Huertas, which is apparently where the best fun is. Shall we plan to meet about nine for a drink and then dinner?"
Without waiting for confirmation he headed towards his office.
"Well done, Emilia! For once your big brazen smile worked in our favour. Raining on his celebration would not have been in good taste. Plus we now get to go out and do something different for a change."
"You think Davide's a tad dull? Stop, stop, stop, Caterina! Don't overreact! I know you, remember. I'm only teasing. But does it mean I may dance with Felipe if I smile right?"
"Or with Ana. I saw your eyes light up at the mention of her inclusion. You may have been gently pursuing Felipe – by your standards – but whenever Ana passes you fail to disguise your interest from me. She's good-looking and under-thirty, if rather taller than you, though I know that makes no difference to your 'selection criteria'."
"No comment. Or, what about both of them together?"
"Emilia, control yourself. I know you're capable of a threesome but remember Felipe is probably very Tex-Mex conservative, while Ana always behaves as if she was brought up properly."
"So was I. It just didn't stick, despite Mum and Dad trying to convince me to become a good catholic-breeding engine. Anyhow, we've been through this too many times before. Changing the subject, what do you think about that coincidence of payments? Curious, no?"
Caterina nodded in pensive assent as they entered their shared office.
Friday, 10 days later: Soria
A week later than she and Alfredo had originally planned, because her darling husband had been insistent she join him when visiting his tedious relatives, Marta was again enjoying driving her car with its top down. After more than two hours driving the turn-off for the pueblo of El Rollo was further than she expected. To her surprise, on leaving Soria, the landscape was initially more like the American West though this
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