Chasing Reality.

23 - The Finer Things of Life.

Mr Dante ran a tired hand through his salt and pepper hair and placed his transparent frames back on his face, which not only improved his eyesight but also made his brown eyes brighter.

He studied himself closely on the mirror before tossing the crumpled paper towel into the waste bin. In the silence of the private restroom, he made a mental list of all he still had to do today:

Make final clearance for the shipment to the new Modern Art Gallery of Milan.

Meeting with Mr Lutz(that thinks he knows art better than me. Ha!) to plan a new art inspired building for his client.

Meeting a novice artist that Irene, my ever-missing secretary(who still hasn't brought his coffee and documents yet) wouldn't stop talking about.

Accompany Milo to Vinci to inspect the sculpture Almira had been working on.

He congratulated himself with a smile for being so organized–most times he's usually not, since his secretary off doing god-knows-what. Sometimes he wonders why she still has this job then remembers he's the godfather of both her children and her husband is his favourite nephew. He even beats his son, Milo, on the favourite list.

He sighed deeply and scratched his well-kept beard that matched his hair, "Guiseppina wouldn't kill me for coming home late, would she?" he asked the silence but this reflection answered him back with an amused smile on his face as he thought of his wife, She makes my job analyzing art and instructing young artists of every field sound like a piece of homemade lasagna. That woman is a spitfire. I'm sure she wouldn't be too mad besides Rosa is there to act as a shock absorber, I'm sure they're already laughing about me right now.

He needed to work faster, so he'll go home to his lovely wife faster. He cleared his mind and did one final touch up before strolling out the door.

He found his son, Milo, hunched over his laptop, as usual, staring intensely at the screen. "Dad, I think we should at least consider Toni's latest piece. Trust me, it would attract a lot of attention, Instagram is already going crazy for it, next thing you know, buyers would start naming prices."Milo, as usual, was rambling about a new piece made by a new artist or young blood, as Dante usually calls them.

Dante released a heavy sigh and trotted to his desk, the black mahogany gleaming in the late morning sun, spreading out its legs that were carved as cherubs at the edges, with its wings spreading to the sides of the table; carved by Dante himself, it was a stunning piece fit for Buckingham Palace.

Dante completed his office by taking his dark brown swivel seat. He turned his gaze to the streets below him, very few cars moved past this area, even fewer people walked by but seeing as Florence was such a tourist centre, people would always lazy around, walking, talking, laughing. It is still a surprise to many how he got his hands on an estate just outside main Florence, the answer; he has lots of influential friends. When he was young blood himself, in the late '70s, he remembered telling his friend, who was the heir of a winery and was a child of one of the most important families in Tuscany. Being good friends, he was secured a beautiful estate in the countryside, giving him a breathtaking view of the Apennine mountains.

Now five decades later, he was running one of the most prestigious art schools in the world, ranging from dance to sculpturing, and he wanted nothing more in the world. . . except for Milo to stop talking.

". . . what about that French girl, we could ask her if she would be interested in selling one of her sculptures, If you don't want Toni, at least you'll want Claire. I'm positive-"