Bonus story : More than just colleagues : Part 16 : All Together

Patrick did not return to the depot the following morning.

The next morning, the large metal door was already open, but Patrick's office was empty, and there was no cup of coffee waiting on the corner of the desk. Karim was preparing the truck while Lucas checked his phone.

"Patrick isn't here?" Aldric asked.

"He's taking the day off."

"For what reason?"

"He didn't say. He just said he had something to take care of."

The workday went on without him. Karim took over some of his responsibilities, with Aldric helping him organize the loading.

Around noon, a notification appeared in their group chat.

Patrick: Sorry about today. I'll explain tomorrow.

Lucas: No problem.

Karim: Take care of what you need to take care of.

Aldric: We can handle the work. If you need help, ask.

Lucas reacted with a thumbs-up, and Karim did the same.

The next day, when Aldric arrived, Patrick was already in the office. He had a coffee in front of him. Several papers were scattered across the desk, along with a brown envelope.

Lucas came in a few minutes later.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Patrick said.

Karim arrived shortly afterward and set down his bag.

They began preparing the truck, but Patrick seemed less focused than usual. He read the same address twice, forgot a document in the office, and had to go back for it.

After almost an hour of work, Patrick finally stopped.

"All right."

Patrick placed the papers he was holding on a crate.

"I'll explain."

Karim stepped closer, and Aldric set down the blanket he had been folding.

"My father died a few months ago."

"I'm sorry," Aldric replied.

Karim nodded.

"Me too."

"I knew he had health problems, but I thought..." Lucas said.

Patrick shrugged.

"We knew it would happen eventually. That doesn't necessarily make things any easier."

He looked at the papers on the crate for a few moments before continuing.

"The problem now is his house."

"Does it belong to you?" Aldric asked.

"Partly. My sister and I inherited it together. We were planning to sell it, except there was some water damage in part of the house a few weeks ago."

Lucas grimaced.

"Seriously?"

"A pipe burst in one of the rooms upstairs. Part of the downstairs ceiling is damaged, two walls have taken on moisture, and the insurance company is asking for supporting documents."

"And that's why you left yesterday?" Karim asked.

"Yes. The insurance adjuster called me. There were still some documents missing, and apparently some of the inheritance paperwork hasn't been properly registered in their file."

Patrick picked up the envelope.

"Since yesterday, I've been calling the insurance company, the notary, the tax office, and a repair company. Every one of them asks me for a different document. When I call one, they tell me I need to speak to another first. When I call the other, they send me back to the first."

Lucas looked at Aldric.

"We know someone who's already fought this kind of monster."

"Emma..."

Patrick gave a small, tired laugh.

"Yeah. I thought of her."

Aldric looked at the papers.

"Why didn't you call her?"

"Because it's my problem."

Lucas frowned.

"And? Why should you have to deal with it alone?"

"You've helped us plenty of times," Karim said.

Patrick shook his head.

"It's not the same."

"Why? When a problem exceeds the abilities of a single person, asking others for help is generally more effective."

Lucas smiled.

"Aldric's version of: stop being an idiot and let us help you."

"I didn't say I was refusing help."

"You just said it was your problem," Lucas replied.

"Because it is."

Karim crossed his arms.

"And now it's a little bit our problem too."

"We're coming," Karim said.

"Where?"

"Your father's house. Your place. Wherever the paperwork is."

"Karim..."

"I'm free tonight."

"Me too," Lucas said.

Patrick looked at Aldric.

"I suppose you are too."

"Yes."

"You haven't even asked what needs to be done."

Lucas shrugged.

"We'll figure it out when we get there."

"If a task requires skills we do not possess, we can acquire them or ask someone who does possess them for advice."

"Exactly. And we know Emma," Lucas said.

Patrick ran a hand over his face.

"I'm going to end up with the whole group in my living room."

"Probably," Karim said.

That same evening, they gathered at Patrick's house, and Emma joined them as well. As soon as she entered, she realized the situation was more serious than a simple administrative issue. The living room table had disappeared beneath the paperwork.

Insurance letters, invoices, several statements, documents from the notary, and estimates from contractors.

Emma took off her jacket.

"All right."

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"Is it bad?..." Patrick asked.

"Not necessarily."

She stepped closer.

"But nobody touches anything for two minutes."

Lucas, who was already holding an envelope, put it back down.

"Understood."

Emma placed her bag on a chair and began examining the documents. She picked up the first sheet.

"Certificate of inheritance."

A second.

"Property ownership certificate."

Then another.

"Letter from the insurance company."

She looked at Patrick.

"Did you receive the adjuster's report?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

Patrick searched through one of the piles.

"Somewhere in here."

Emma closed her eyes.

Lucas smiled.

"I think we've just identified the first problem."

"Thank you," Patrick said.

Emma took several empty folders out of her bag.

"We'll start by sorting everything."

"Into what categories?" Aldric asked.

"Inheritance. Insurance. Repairs. Taxes. Bank. And one pile for everything we still need to check."

"Clear structure."

"You've just found your administrative soulmate," Lucas said.

"I can hear you."

"That was another compliment."

Karim picked up the first envelope.

"Where does this go?"

"Insurance."

For nearly half an hour, everyone passed papers to Emma before placing them in the appropriate pile. Patrick regularly found documents he had been searching for unsuccessfully for several days.

"Ah."

Emma looked up.

"What?"

Patrick was holding a sheet of paper.

"The plumber's estimate."

"Were you looking for it?"

"Since yesterday."

Lucas looked at the table.

"It was right in front of you the whole time."

Patrick sighed.

"Thank you for your support."

Aldric examined the estimate.

"Should this go with the repair documents?"

Emma shook her head.

"A copy goes with the repairs, but the original goes in the insurance file because they need it for the claim."

"So the same document belongs to two different categories. That considerably increases the risk of confusion."

"Welcome to bureaucracy."

Gradually, the chaos covering the table began to disappear. The pile of papers became six separate folders, and every document found its place. Once the initial sorting was complete, Emma took a blank sheet of paper and began making a list.

"Now we identify what's missing."

Patrick sat down across from her.

"The insurance company asked me for proof that I own the property."

"You have the property ownership certificate."

"They told me it wasn't enough."

"Who told you that?"

"Someone on the phone."

"Did they send you a written request?"

"I think so."

Lucas looked at the now neatly sorted pile of letters.

"'I think' is coming up a lot tonight."

Patrick gave him a look while Emma went through the documents. She eventually found a letter bearing the insurance company's logo and read it.

"Here. They're not saying the property ownership certificate isn't enough. They're asking for a copy of the certificate of inheritance as well."

"I spent forty minutes on the phone for that..."

"It happens."

Aldric examined the two documents.

"So we simply need to send both together. The problem was only imprecise wording."

"In part."

In his old world, a fortress could withstand an entire army because of its walls. Here, a file could remain stalled for weeks simply because one document had not been paired with the correct one.

Emma turned her attention back to her list.

"Next, they want the invoices for the emergency repairs."

Patrick pulled several documents from a folder.

"I have those."

"Very good. They also want photographs of the damage before the repairs."

"I have them on my phone."

"Perfect."

"But I haven't sent them."

"We'll do that."

Lucas looked at Emma.

"You just solved in five minutes what he's been trying to deal with for days."

"I'm starting to regret not calling her sooner..."

"You could have."

"I know that now."

Once they had identified the documents needed for the insurance claim, they moved on to the inheritance file. Patrick and his sister now owned the house together, but a tax letter had been sent to their father's old address. Patrick had only discovered it several weeks later.

"It's not a disaster," Emma said.

"Are you sure?"

"You simply need to reply and explain the situation."

"They mention a deadline."

"The deadline concerns the declaration, not the payment of this amount."

"You actually understand all of this?"

Lucas shook his head.

"Legendary skill."

"I agree," Aldric said.

Emma burst out laughing.

"Thank you."

"I have already observed several times that being able to understand these documents can prevent significant difficulties."

Patrick raised a hand.

"I agree too."

Emma created a new folder.

"We'll put all the tax letters in here. Tomorrow, you call this number. I'll write down what you need to ask."

Patrick picked up a pen.

"I'll write it down."

"No. I'll do it."

She wrote a few lines.

"First, ask whether the inheritance was properly registered as of the date of death. Then check which address they currently have on file. After that, ask whether this letter requires an additional response or whether the notary has already sent them the necessary information."

"All right."

Aldric had already seen Emma deal with difficult landlords, banks, housing applications, and various forms. Yet the scene remained impressive. She possessed no extraordinary strength. No magic. No weapon.

She could not repair the pipe or rebuild the ceiling. But she knew the rules. And in this world, knowing the rules could sometimes be as valuable as a sword.

Lucas, meanwhile, began taking photographs of the folders.

"Why are you taking pictures of that?" Patrick asked.

"To prove this moment actually existed."

"What moment?"

"The one where your paperwork is perfectly organized."

"It could serve as a record," Karim said.

Lucas raised his phone.

"See? He gets it."

Patrick shook his head. Once the documents had been properly sorted, Emma suggested they start making calls. It was already too late to reach some of the services, but the insurance company still had an evening helpline available.

Patrick placed his phone on the table and turned on the speaker. After several minutes of hold music, an advisor finally answered. Emma let Patrick speak first.

"Hello. I'm calling about claim number..."

He checked the sheet in front of him before giving the reference number. The advisor asked him for several pieces of information before confirming that the insurance company did indeed need the certificate of inheritance, the property ownership certificate, and photographs of the damage. Emma pointed to the three items laid out on the table. Patrick followed her gesture and realized they had everything.

"All right. Can I send all of that to you tonight?"

The advisor confirmed that he could. Patrick turned toward Emma, who immediately gave him a thumbs-up to indicate that everything was fine.

After receiving the final instructions, Patrick thanked the advisor and ended the call. When he put his phone back down, his shoulders relaxed.

"So that's taken care of."

"Sent. Not taken care of yet."

"You're starting to sound like Aldric."

"That's worrying."

Aldric frowned slightly.

"Why?"

Emma burst out laughing.

They then sent the photographs and documents. Emma checked the email address twice before letting Patrick click the button.

"Sent."

Lucas applauded.

"An administrative victory."

Patrick looked at the screen.

"You can make fun of me, but I genuinely feel like I've won something."

"I understand," Aldric said.

The part concerning the repairs was simpler. Patrick already had two estimates. One covered the plumbing, while the other concerned the walls and ceiling. However, he did not know whether he could begin the repairs before receiving final approval from the insurance company.

Emma advised him not to sign anything until he had received written confirmation.

"You can ask the companies to keep their estimates valid for a few more days."

"And what if the prices change?"

"Then you'll deal with the insurance company. But if you sign now and they later refuse to cover part of the work, things could get complicated."

Patrick ran a hand over his face.

"I was going to accept one of them tomorrow."

"Then it's a good thing you waited."

Lucas looked at Patrick.

"See? We are useful after all."

Patrick smiled.

"Some more than others."

Lucas placed a hand over his chest.

"I'm hurt..."

Lucas had ordered several pizzas without asking anyone's opinion. When they arrived, Patrick initially tried to protest.

"I could have cooked..."

"We came to help you, not to watch you cook."

Karim nodded.

"Sit down."

"You guys are actually serious."

They took a break around the table. Lucas picked up a slice of pizza.

"So, how many administrative monsters have we killed?"

"None so far," Emma said.

"You're ruining the metaphor."

"We've mostly identified the problems."

Aldric picked up his glass.

"Correctly identifying an opponent is already an important step."

Lucas pointed at him with his slice of pizza.

"Thank you."

An hour earlier, Patrick had spoken almost exclusively about documents, deadlines, and letters he did not understand. Now, he began sharing a few things about his father. The house they were dealing with was the one Patrick had grown up in. His father had built part of the garage himself, and the back fence had been replaced three times over the years. It was also in that garage that Patrick had learned how to use a drill as a teenager.

"That explains a lot."

"Probably."

He also talked about his sister, who lived in another region and could not travel there regularly to handle the various procedures.

"She does what she can from a distance, but when it comes to the contractors and appointments, it's mostly me."

"That's a lot," Karim said.

Patrick lowered his eyes toward the folders lined up in front of him.

"And I thought I could handle all of this by myself."

"Bad idea," Lucas said.

"Thank you for that analysis."

"You're welcome," Lucas replied.

After the meal, they returned to work. Emma prepared a folder containing the documents Patrick would need to bring to his next appointment with the notary, while Karim checked that the estimates included all the necessary contact information. Lucas, meanwhile, created a shared digital folder so Patrick could save the photographs and the most important documents there.

"You know how to do that?" Aldric asked.

"I know how to do things other than lose my gloves."

"I never doubted that."

Emma checked that every document now had a clearly designated place, then created a short checklist that Patrick could use to mark off each step as it was resolved.

She leaned over to read the sheet.

"Insurance: documents sent. Notary: appointment to be confirmed. Taxes: call tomorrow. Repairs: wait for a written response."

"That way, you'll be able to see immediately what still needs to be done," Aldric said.

Patrick took the sheet and read through it.

"I like this."

Patrick looked at Aldric.

"You're going to end up rubbing off on me."

"Clear organization already seems to be one of your habits."

"Not when it comes to paperwork."

Emma closed the last folder.

"It is now."

Emma pointed to a stack of papers.

"These are the things that still require an external response. Don't touch them until you receive new information."

"Understood."

"And send me a photo if you receive a letter you don't understand."

"I don't want to bother you with that."

"Patrick."

"All right..."

Lucas raised his glass.

"Victory."

Karim checked the time.

"Almost midnight."

Lucas gathered up the pizza boxes while Karim stood to collect the glasses and Emma put several pens back into her bag. Aldric, meanwhile, closed the last binder.

"I don't really know what to say," Patrick said.

Lucas looked up at him.

"You can say thank you."

"Thank you."

Karim shrugged.

"It's fine."

"No, really. Thank you."

Patrick then looked at Emma.

"Especially you."

Emma smiled.

"I just sorted a few papers."

"A few papers that have been driving me crazy for days."

"You don't need to rank the help you received. Everyone contributed what they could," Aldric said.

Lucas held up an empty pizza box.

"Exactly. My contribution was essential."

"I'll make it up to you..."

Karim shook his head.

"There's nothing to make up for."

Karim smiled as he gathered his things, while Emma closed her bag. Patrick walked them to the door and thanked them once again before they left.

Emma and Aldric walked together to the metro station.

Lucas: Guys...

Three little dots immediately appeared beneath his name.

He was still typing.