Past imperfect
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"I swear to you, nephew, men should be paid by the hour for the time they spend waiting for their wives to finally get ready.”
“Oh, I see you're cheerful today!" Vincenzo winked at him.
“Of course I am! Today a cute ragazza made me double my profits! And it only cost me a basket of food and two bottles of wine!"
“Really? How did you manage it?” Vincenzo was surprised.
“I mean that! A Russian interpreter. She played piano in my restaurant all evening. Can you imagine? The guests didn't want to leave.” Giuseppe was excited and waving his arms like a windmill. "And I told everyone, we need to hire a musician. Let him come at least once or twice a week. My guests were singing, with their arms around each other. That's why I run this restaurant.”
But Vincenzo wasn't listening. He clung to one phrase like a pit bull and jumped on the chair.
"Uncle! I desperately need a Russian interpreter," the guy shouted. "Did she leave you her phone number?"
"I'm not so young and attractive that beautiful girls give me their phone numbers," laughed Giuseppe, patting his belly.
"Oh, the devil!" Vincenzo said in serious frustration.
Giuseppe looked at his nephew with some regret, the nephew who thinks about his job even at four in the morning on New Year's Day. It's scary to think – even on a night like this, the poor guy has no other business than to take his uncle to the airport. Or maybe he and this Valeria will work out? Giuseppe squinted and decided – well, why not?
“She said the name of the agency where she works and also, she said that her boss was a stingy donna. Try contacting her… Look up the name of the agency on the internet. What if it works! The interpreter said that her boss, she would get an employee out of vacation if the client offers good money.”
Giuseppe was glad that that money definitely wouldn't be from Vincenzo's pocket.
"What’s the name?" Vincenzo asked, hope lighting up in his eyes.
"Hermes."
Chapter 4
The morning started with a phone call. Lera pulled her right hand out of the warm cocoon of the blanket, groping for the ringing phone and looking at the display with one eye. It was Irina Konstantinovna calleding. Lera automatically answered the call and muttered sleepily:
“Yes? Irina Konstantinovna, I'm leaving now the house going out already soon yeah…”
“Where do you think you're going?” there was a laughter on the other end. ” You’re supposed to be buried in the wilderness, covered in snow. And your phone should be off. You must be sitting on a tree since new year chimes, waiting for a call from your beloved boss!”
While Irina Konstantinova was practising philology, Lera woke up and realised where she was. "Oh damn! I’m a mess" she thought. Other thoughts flashed through her mind: "earrings", "security cameras", "police". In alarm, Lera jumped out of bed.
“Did you find out who brought the earrings?”
“Pfff, I beg you!” The boss snorted. “Those ones who work in security offices are normal people too! They were drinking champagne yesterday, just like you, and they had no time to search for our oligarch Romeo.”
Lera's face fell.
"I'm calling you about something else," the boss said, and added sarcastically: "since your phone is working so well there on the pine tree".
Lera pounded her fist on her forehead: "Damn it, damn it! She is calling about a job! She’ll make me work now! Definitely! That's what it is! Why didn't I throw this phone into the Tiber last night?!"
“There's a job for you!” Irina Konstantinovna said happily.
"That's great!” Lera thought. “And I can't refuse after the escort organised by her. It's rude… But it's worth a try."
“Irina Konstantinova, I'm not sure…”
“Come on, everything could be done on the phone. Hopefully it won't be for long if the client isn't an idiot.”
“Which is very rare…” Lera muttered.
“Hold it! Stand down! The client is your breadwinner, drink-winner and blessed mother! Respect and honour him right after your boss! I will pay double the rate! As we always agreed!” The boss quickly added, softening her tone.
“Irina Konstantinovna, it's the morning of the first of January…”
“So grab the client before he comes to his senses!”
Lera sighed. The whole verbal pas de deux was meaningless. Irina Konstantinova, who smelt the scent of possible profit, and the great white shark who smelled blood behaved in the same way. Pushing ahead, with no chance of changing course. If the boss called, it wouldn't be possible to politely get away with a refusal, and Lera asked fateful:
“What should I do?”
“It's nothing difficult! To instil in an Italian a love for Russian speech.”
“What?”
“Gah, they're making a movie there.” Irina Konstantinovna said. “Something about bandits. Or about the police? Anyway, I don't know. No difference. So, the main character has to say a few phrases in Russian and now they only have access to Italian interpreters because the Russians are all on holiday! And they don't want their hero to say something stupid. In short, they need a native. Well, they asked us…”
“I see. Do I need to teach someone how to speak some phrases on Russian without an accent?” Lera asked thoughtfully.
"Yes, that's right. And that's all we have. For an hour a day until they finish some scenes. They say it’s for three or four days. On the phone." Irina Konstantinovna replied lightly.
"Irina Konstantinova, it's going to be really hard to do it on the phone. He needs to watch our articulation…" Lera began.
“Well, what can we do? We can't refuse!"
“Of course not, Irina Konstantinovna! You will definitely not refuse them if they pay!" Lera grumbled to herself and asked: “Where are they working?”