217 Babel Street | Lobby
VViv Gilllis eyed Julietta suspiciously. "Are you trying to damage your own mailbox?"
"No. No, I'm sorry. I was just hoping for..."
"Yes? What?"
Julietta couldn't answer for a moment. She always felt uncomfortable in the caretaker's presence, as though she were being watched, examined, judged even. "I'm waiting for a parcel. A very important delivery." She thought of Mr Carson. He'd looked at her again today, at work. Nothing had passed between them. No words. Just the look, a nod almost, a slight movement of the head. It could mean anything. Anything at all. But then again, he had trusted her with this task.
"A parcel?" asked the caretaker.
Julietta nodded. "I was hoping it would turn up today."
The caretaker smiled. "Something did come today. I had to -"
"It came? You never said -"
"I had to sign for it. You don't mind that, do you?"
"No, no."
"You wouldn't have got it otherwise, would you?" The caretaker disappeared into her office. Julietta couldn't believe it. The stupid woman had said nothing before, when she was looking in the mailbox.
"Here we are. Safe and sound." Viv Gillis came out into the lobby, holding the parcel.
Julietta took hold of it. The packaging looked a bit worn, the sticky tape creased, layers of wrapping paper shredded her and there. Had the caretaker opened it? Or tried to? Had she been inside, seen the contents, stolen something?
The two women stared at each other. One of them smiled.