TS3 Chapter 19

 Chapter 19

January 20^th, 2016

Zurich  

Konrad put his mobile back in his jacket and huffed. Typical of Ferdinand; deserting at the first sign of trouble. It was just lunch. 

'Why do women think that things go better if we are in front of a food plate?' Konrad asked himself as he followed the Königshalle maître to a private room instead of his usual table. 'Monika thinks there might be trouble.'

'Five minutes late. Typical of Guntram.' Konrad sat and took the menu from the man's hand and saw the waiter stiffly standing in a corner, waiting for his order. “I'll order when my h... guest arrives.” Konrad said and set the menu aside. 

'What could he want? I know it's the divorce but if he threatens me once more, he's going to know a side of me he has never seen before.' 

'He must be quite out of himself after the London experience. I could do a lot in an hour and a half.' Konrad wanted to huff but he kept his face straight. 'One big romp with the Arab and he becomes the most idiotic person in the world. Like a horny teenager.' 

'I'm sure he wants to argue with me because he can't have his toy in Zurich. Well, he should take a plane on weekends and leave me alone.' 

'Just like his uncle.' 

'No, not like him. Roger was never telling me what he was doing and when he did, it was to hurt me. He really loved to do that.' 

'And it was my fault for allowing it. I should have sent him to hell after the first time I caught him cheating with that tramp.' 

'No, Guntram makes it in grand style; he announces it beforehand.' 

“I'm sorry for my lateness,” Guntram said coldly as he entered in the room and interrupted Konrad's brooding. “I thought we were meeting at the bank but Ferdinand sent me here.” 

'Another plot. It's getting quite annoying.' “It's all right. I just arrived.” 'Ten minutes before you. My, he looks great. What Am I thinking? He's the worst kind of cheater!' 

“I'll have the same as the Duke,” Guntram returned the menu to the waiter without opening it. The waiter seemed to be disoriented and looked at the Duke for guidance. 

“The usual,” Konrad grunted and glared at the man who dashed away, looking for divine guidance from the maître. 

“Lobster and venison today?”

“It's less lobster and Bambi and more greens on the plate nowadays.” Konrad replied and ignored he knot growing inside his throat. 'He still remembers it.' 

Guntram chuckled. “Well, I think it's for the best. We are not getting any younger.” Guntram looked at Konrad and smiled. 

'Must have been a hell of a romp if he's so nice to me.' Konrad thought as a pang of jealousy bit his heart. “To what do I owe the honor?” he asked with a slight touch of irony in his voice. 

“Goran thought that it would be good that we prepare tonight's dinner.” Guntram said without any preambles but held his tongue when the sommelier entered to serve the wine. He waited for Konrad to try it and for the man to leave the room. “Di Matei and Gorgazali are open to accept your proposal.” 

“Did you speak with them?” 'I was joking when I said he should fix it! Those two want blood!' 

“They passed by my flat this morning at seven, we spoke long and they're willing to form a new alliance with us.” 

The first course arrived and Guntram was silent while Konrad collected all his thoughts as a probable truce solved many of his problems. 

“Is it true?” 

“We'll meet tonight for dinner. Didn't Monika tell you so? I asked her to clear your agenda for tonight. They want to lay down arms and we should take advantage of that. All what we need is a generous full pardon from their Hochmeister and you can place all the blame on the conspirators whom you already dispatched.” Guntram said coldly. “You don't need to alienate more people with more public executions. We have to return to our former status quo. This nonsense has lasted for too long. Goran agrees with me.” 

“Is Goran talking to you at all?” 

“We signed our peace treaty this morning too.” 

“Is this the moment when I start to feel like King Duncan?” Konrad used irony to hide his surprise at the dramatic turn of the tide. If Guntram was talking with Goran again, then he might become more sensible and follow the Serb's lead.

“You've got a big, snoring dog in your bed. Sebastian can defend you from night intruders.” Guntram replied calmly. 'Come on! I fix your shit and you start seeing plots everywhere?' 

“It's surprising that you and Goran are on speaking terms again.” 'Goran swore not to talk to Guntram ever again if he was with the sheik.' 

“If I can understand the reasons behind your deeds and forgive you for the sake of our children, I can do the same for a very good friend like Goran.” Guntram replied and minded his salad. 

“Two days ago you were shouting that he's just a simpleton bigot we should return to Banja Luka.” 

“I don't think he wants to go back.” Guntram replied acidly and Konrad patiently waited for his answer; looking at Guntram right into his blue eyes. “Very well!” Guntram huffed, unable to hold the inquisitive look. “We agreed on many things.” 

“Such as?” Konrad signaled the waiter that he could bring the second course. 

“Altair and I broke up. I will never see him again, so that should make me a good boy in front of Goran's eyes.” 

“May I ask why?” 

“It doesn't concern you.” Guntram replied and began to slice the venison in small pieces, obsessively, without eating them, only watching the dark pink and deep red brownish shades of the meat.  

“I think it does,” Konrad observed the microscopic slices on Guntram's dish. 'He's truly nervous if he starts with that again.' “We are supposed to be in the middle of a divorce and a court's battle because of that man. I'm still looking for money to pay your share of this marriage.” 

“I'm not divorcing you,” Guntram said so quietly that Konrad didn't hear him. 

“Sorry?” 

“I'm putting the divorce on hold for the time being. But I will continue to contest your custody rights over Kurt and Kostya.” 

“Are we not divorcing?” Konrad's back hit the back of his seat. 'Thank you Goran.' “What are we now? I'm a bit lost.” 

“Forced business partners. I'm here speak about tonight, not about “us” because there's no “us” any more.” Guntram cleared his throat. “I'm here because Di Mattei wants your cousin Albert's paws off of his pie and because he will never take orders from a brat like Armin. We have to find an elegant solution so Di Mattei is happy again with the Lintorff family.” Guntram felt much better once the stormy waters of his relationship were left behind and the deep ocean of business opened in front of him.  

'Pressing him to talk will only alienate him.' Konrad drank some mineral water and tried to remember what had Guntram just babbled. “Isolating Albert may cause a lot of unrest within the family, but I'm willing to hear your case.” 

* * * 

Guntram de Lisle's diary (cont.) 

January 22^nd, 2016

“It went relatively well,” Konrad told me after our merry crowd went home; Di Mattei, Gorgazali, Ferdinand, Michael and Goran. I can only attribute to Jean Jacques' extraordinary cooking skills that we didn't kill each other during dinner. 

“Well for you. I'm stuck with Di Mattei and your cousin Albert.” I replied acidly. 

“Keep distance from Elisabetta and everything will be fine.” 

“Of course, I will. She hates me.” 

“No, she doesn't. Loathing is a more appropriate term.” Konrad told me. I guess somebody got the wine to his brick head. “We have peace and that's all what matters.” 

“For you.” 

“You offered your Gandhi services.” 

Look who's funny now! I wanted to kill him. “Do any of you stop for a second and think about my career? I'm a painter not a diplomat.” 

Konrad seemed to ponder something for a while and for a brief second I believed in the inherent kindness of the human race. 

“No,” he shrugged and drank his bloody cognac. I hope you choke on it one day.  

“I'll call my driver. Good night.” I said. 

“We still need to talk.” He sat in his favorite sofa at the library and that meant he was business. Lucky me! He poured himself another glass. Who's the one with a drinking problem? Not me. That was one of those moments when I wanted to ring for Dieter and ask for a large Coca Cola to ruin his Napoleon as he hates its smell. 

“It's quite clear. I have to fly to Rome tomorrow and break the news to Albert. I'll drop unannounced so he can't call “mummie dearest” and she hits me with a plastic hanger.” 

“It's beyond any possibility that Elisabetta keeps a plastic hanger in her dressing room. You're quite safe in that sense. I'd worry more about letter openers or scissors.” 

He didn't catch the irony. It's for the best. “You should fire Albert.” I told him.

“He's my cousin. I can’t do that to him. But that's not what I wanted to speak about.” 

Great, it's settled then. I have to tell Albert that he has to retire, choose a successor that isn't Armin but someone Di Mattei likes (after all, all new capital comes from him) and inform him about the audit his dearest cousin Konrad wants to make in his bank (honestly, that money cave looks like the Monte dei Paschi on a good day)

“Please tell me what is in all this for me because I fail to see it.” 

“Fixing the problems that arose because of someone from your family?” He retorted obfuscated. 

“It's a pity that you don't have power to rise the dead to fix yours.” I fired back. 

Konrad sighed and I sat in front of him. “I don't want to speak about the past. We both know what happened and we both agreed to let it go. This is the last loose end we have.” 

“Hopefully,” I mumbled and waited for what he had to say. 

“In the restaurant, you weren't able to tell me the reasons of your... break up with this man.” He started and my blood boiled. 

“I was able to, but I chose not. Can you respect that? We aren't friends or anything like that.” 

“Temper, temper,” he mumbled. “I'm entitled to know the reasons. Do you have anyone else “in the closet”? I'm concerned about my children's stability.”

“No, there are no skeletons in my closet. Can you tell the same, Konrad?” This is too much!

“Why this sudden change of heart?” 

“I'm voluble. You said so.” 

“Guntram, you have a heart of stone.” I was shocked by his words. “For you to fall in love takes a lot of work from the interested party. For as long as I know you, you were in love with me, Repin and now this man. I've seen many crawling after you, but you didn't waste a look on them. Overnight, you fall head over toes for a Muslim you met in a plane, want to move in with him and spit on the Order's face. Why is that? Is this some sort of childish punishment you're imposing on me? To bed the kind of man I despise the most? Should I be concerned for your sanity? After all, you have passed incredible life trials over these two years.” 

“Why are you asking me this? You won't get full custody of my children!” I shouted. 

“It's not about the damn custody,” He shook his head tiredly. “I only want to asses your state of mind.” 

“I'm perfectly lucid, Hochmeister.” I forced myself to calm down though I would have gladly smashed the brandy bottle over his head. “It's a mix of practical and emotional reasons.” 

I spilled the beans. All of them. Konrad as the biggest stone in any man's shoes since the beginning of time, religious differences, spying (or not), doubts, my own paternity and practical issues, meaning papers, money and moving out of Europe. 

“Why Am I first in the list? One might think that I still hold some importance in your life,” was all what Konrad asked me after I spoke without interruptions for over twenty minutes. Why? Because you're an asshole! 

“It was the first thing that came to my mind.” I told him. 

“No other reasons?” 

“What do you want me to tell you? Shouldn't you be upset that you're quite famous now? Your cover is blown. Up to the souvenir traders in Medina know about the Order.” 

“It's been known since some time. You didn't answer my question.” 

“I don't know.” 

“No ulterior reasons?” 

“Why should be any? Do you think that deep inside my heart I still love you and that I'm looking for a way to crawl back to you? Are you expecting any drama from me?”

“The question you should ask is if I want you back at all. I can't look at you and overlook the fact you were with Repin and this... Altair.”

“Welcome to the club. I had to turn a truly blind eye regarding my uncle, Stefania and Marcello. Well, at least I know about those two. Ah, let's do not forget that parade of boyfriends when we broke up the first time. Congratulations, you're still leading.” 

“We agree on something. We both hurt each other.” 

“Living with Constantin this time had nothing to do with you. I was finally able to let go of you and you know something? Perhaps you're right when you say you got in the middle.” 

Konrad looked hurt. 

“As I told my late father, I should have thrown that book at you when you rammed your way into that bench. Our beginnings were bad and I should have followed my brain instead of my heart.”

“I always followed my heart regarding you.” Konrad told me. “Even now.” 

“Let's keep this civilized and be business partners. For the boys' sake. I'll move back to my flat and visit them in the afternoons.” 

“You can stay in the cottage or here. I'm not pushing you out.” 

“Will that not be odd?” 

“Ours has always been an odd relationship.” 

“So this is it?” I was truly tired and I couldn't believe that we were ending 15 years just like that. Well, is there any other way? 

“This is it. Good night.” 

I left the library and asked the driver to take me back to Zurich. I have a plane to catch in the morning and at least I'll have the satisfaction of shaking off two Lintorffs in one day. 

I hope Altair is fine with his relatives. I remember he said something about going to hunt with falcons in Saudi Arabia. A big family party. I hope they don't ruin his life. 

Why do I always make such lousy choices? 

Why didn't I go away when Konrad behaved like an animal the first time? 

I've been wanting to walk away from him since I met him and each time I'm more than ready to go, he kicks me out and I come back crawling. 

Reverse psychology works wonders on me. 

I go to bed now.