“What an unhealthy fashion. Everyone’s is so skinny…”
“Skinny is good. Clothes look great on skinny people. More glam, if you will”
“It may very well be. Yet, it is the clothes that they have to take off regularly, my apologies for being crude.”
“I don’t get it…”
“What kind of men is actually attracted to skeletons? That’s what I’m talking about”
“I didn’t even get it. Sasha, Sasha…,” Eva was laughing. “A lot of men prefer that type of figure.”
“To each, their own, I guess…. As for me, I’m a true connoisseur,” the driver friendly objected.
“Whatever. Let’s change the subject,” asked Eva, having laughed once again. “Look what a nice day it is today! I just can’ be at home on a day like this.,” Eva exclaimed. “Tell me when will another day like this happen again!”
“No idea. Do I look like a weatherman?” Sasha replied indifferently. “So, where are we headed? Home or your mom’s?”
“Do I look like I’ve gone crazy? Mom’s? Don’t be ridiculous, she will kill me…”
“As if she knew you spent the night out…,” Sasha started to laugh but then a seriously expression overshadowed his face. “Or… Does she?” He turned around and looked at Eva in the backseat. “I didn’t tell her anything….”
“I know man, don’t worry. She knows nothing about last night. She thinks I was studying for my exam all night long. Perks of having your own place. Don’t worry about it.,” Eva yawned.
“Let’s go!”
“Where?”
“Downtown”
“Where downtown? Red Square or what…?”
“Why not? I haven’t been there in a million years. The only times I see it are from a restaurant or driving in a car. I want to walk!”
“By yourself?”
“Well, everyone else is stuck at that exam now. Elly will sleep till three, after last night. And we have dinner plans anyway… not until nine, though…,” Eva was thinking aloud, “…I kinda need a late breakfast. Let’s head over to ‘Pushkin’!”
“Got you,” Sasha replied in a serious tone and started the car. The black shiny Mercedes S class made its way onto the street and immediately stuck in traffic. Eva reached into her armrest compartment for cigarettes and a lighter.
“Do you know when are we having the fridge installed here?”
“Not so sure they even will. It’s kinda pricey. You know, when you order a new car it all gets installed initially… custom order. In our case, everything will have to be rebuilt. The guys responsible for your dad’s fleet said the price didn’t get approved yet, and they doubt it ever will. They’re kinda scared to approach him with that.”
“Approach who?”
“Your dad.”
“Oh… I see. Then we will wait for the Jewish Easter, as Elly says.,” Eva concluded with disappointment in her voice. “I told you, we have to find a service center ourselves, I’d pay myself.”
“You know I can’t… without Vadim’s knowing.”
“Who the hell is Vadim?”
“Office utilities chief for your dad.”
“Right,” Eva grinned, “…course, when it comes to buying a new car for yet another slut of his, it’s no problem. And when it’s a fucking fridge in the daughter’s car – the only daughter, I will say, – hell, no!”
Sasha went silent while Eva’s outrage grew.
“You know, Sasha… you kinda live thinking you’ve got everything, but in fact, you ain’t got shit. I hate this! I guess I do need to start seeing a shrink, or else I’ll go nuts.,” Suddenly Eva’s phone rang. The car screen ID’ed comical “Elly. Danger”
“She not asleep?” Eva wondered.
Meanwhile, Sasha seemed relieved Eva’s friend had called. He didn’t like the occasions on which he would hear something about his employer that he was not supposed to hear. The last thing he wanted was to witness, or be in the middle of a family fight. Nothing good comes out of this. The family will always make up and blame you for having said something. And you kinda always do say something! It is easy to catch yourself eagerly agreeing that your employer is either too greedy, having failed to give you a rise after five impeccable years of service. Even if you do manage not to say a word, an innocent nod will get misinterpreted to the point where you will find yourself jobless.
“Where the hell are you? Not again!” Eva appeared to be talking to her phone that was sunk somewhere at the very bottom of her purse.
“You want speaker on while you’re looking for it?”
“No way. Elly’s calling. She will say something that I will have to kill you for if you hear it,” Eva laughed. She finally found the phone in her Birkin purse and having disabled the car connection, answered the phone. “I swear to you I thought you’d sleep till five!”
“Please, not that loud,” begged the sleepy voice on the other end.
“Why aren’t you asleep?”
“I wish I was…,” the sleepy voice replied.
“What’s up?”
“I got woken up…are you sitting down?”
“I am in the car”
“Where the hell are you going at nine in the morning?”
“I just got done with the exam. Headed to Pushkin for late breakfast. Want me to pick you up?”
“How long do I have to get ready?”
Eva looked up at the driver.
“Sasha, we gotta pick Elly up. How long till we get there?”
“well, well, well… Here we go….”
Inside her head Eva wondered whether he will ever knock it off.
“Well, if there’s no traffic, maybe twenty minutes…” the driver said.
Eva got back on the phone.
“See you in five. Get ready quick I’m not gonna wait for you like last time.”
Sasha glanced over at Eva thought the rear-view mirror, clearly surprised.
“I guess I’ll have to skip make up then. I bet you’re all done up, though?” her friend asked.
“I haven’t even slept since last night! Got home, showered, changed and was off to college.”
“Girl, you’re crazy!”
“See you soon”
“Ok.”
Having finished the phone conversation Eva smiled to herself. She then noticed the surprised expression on her driver’s face, looking at her through the mirror.
“What?”
“I said twenty….”
“Come on, man. Do you actually believe she’ll get ready in twenty minutes? We’ll be waiting just as long, I’m telling you —” Eva said with regret in her tone. “I wish I hadn’t invited her, though. Now, I feel I am gonna be late for breakfast. All I wanted was to have a normal breakfast, after a night at a club. Not at five in the morning.”
“I don’t remember you ever having a normal breakfast,