Natalia Patratskaya - Ruby Chef. Prose in English

© Natalia Patratskaya, 2018

ISBN 978-5-4493-7900-9

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

The summer was excellent – warm and sunny until mid-September. Autumn came gradually to a golden border on the trees. The islands of red foliage on maples appeared ingratiatingly and beautifully. Birch leaves were slowly spinning in the air. It was nice and while it was neat on the street. The rain had passed with thunder, but there was no thunderstorm. It’s cold. But the sun appeared and could not believe that it is not particularly warm.

Rimma longingly thought that she had to put on warm clothes to go outside. In the spring, extra clothes have to be removed, and in the fall you need to add something warm to the wardrobe every day. Do not want. Sunday. You can just look at the fall from the balcony and not go out. It turns out a kind of self-deception to extend the summer. In the evening there could be dances in the white tent, but last week they were not there, so she strongly doubted that they would be.

Now they dance some pair dances, which happen on weekdays, but she does not participate in pair dances. Something in her broke, and she did not want to tie her nerves for the sake of a random dance partner. But in her life there was a partner who strongly penetrated her essence, but she never danced with him. Strange? There was no reason. Not dancing man Shchepkin was friendly with a friend of Rimma named Olga. Whether there was anything more than friendship between Shchepkin and Olga, Rimma could only guess.

Rimma once called Olga to her, and she answered:

– Why should I go to you? I have grapes at home!

Rimma remembered this answer for the rest of her life. And now she was buying and eating grapes for three weeks, and even now the grapes were lying in the fridge. Autumn. Schepkin did not like to dance, he loved speed, cars. He loved to show off in front of women, possessing inexplicable charm. He always wore ruby cufflinks on his shirts, a ring with a ruby, and sometimes he inserted a tie into a clip with a ruby. The lilac hue of the stones clearly adorned it and gave it a certain masculine charm. If he was an actor, he would be loved by millions of women, and so only tens.

Rimma decided to invite Schepkin to her, and he answered:

– I’ll come for tea.

But the tea did not work out, right after his answer, her mother arrived without a call. Rima was not going to introduce mom to Shchepkin. And a coincidence is necessary, mother brought with her exactly grapes, as if someone had suggested to her. Although, my mother lived in the same area with Olga. It turns out that Olga heard the conversation of Rimma and Schepkina? So Olga was with him? Stupidity. Not before the investigation, Schepkin already went to Rimma. She left her mother at home, and she ran out into the street to meet Schepkin. And in time. He had already arrived at the curb at the entrance. She got a car to him.

– Rimma, and where are the gulls?

– It does not work seagulls, my mother arrived.

– Get to know mom!

– Not! She will take you seriously, then tortures you with questions.

– I’m a serious man!

– And smart, and beautiful, and charming! Not! Everybody likes you, even Olga!

– Are you jealous? Olga is my friend. We work with her, I work out the schemes, and she does the drawings on the boards.

– Friend or circle? There are so many vias on its boards! I saw your new book on new product development.

– Shut up. I buy a new apartment. Do you want to look at her?

– Go.

– And you can not guess in which area I buy an apartment?

– I guess in the new. There the houses are beautiful on the outside, but inside they are black.

– No, inside the apartment are white: the walls are white and the floor is white and there are no plumbing.

They drove through the old town, then turned onto a new bridge, and drove towards the new building. New houses near were brighter and more beautiful than from afar. The ground in front of the entrances was completely put in order. Green field for the game, colored playgrounds for kids.

Rimma and Schepkin entered the porch, approached the metal doors of the elevators. We took the elevator to the desired floor. In Shchepkin’s apartment, two workers fussed, they replaced windows. One tried so hard that the glass broke. The apartment was really white, and the house was built on new technologies from insulators and beautiful panels.

She got acquainted with these heaters at work, she had to make street blocks for large equipment.

Schepkin showed the apartment to Rimma, and then said:

– Note, I showed you the first apartment, but do not roll your lips! The apartment is only mine. It’s not worth talking about her at work, and do not say anything to Olga.

Rima after these words went out to the balcony and looked at the construction site on the other side of the house. At this time, the diligent worker broke another glass bag. Plastic windows began to do like a lock in the door: the larva and the sash. Rimma’s mood dropped. Gulls turned into bride.

Mom called and asked:

– Rimma, where are you?

– In the new building.

– Wait. I saw from the balcony with whom you left. I’ll pick you up. Get out in ten minutes.

Rimma involuntarily submitted to her mother and waved to Shchepkina, who was sorting out relations with the workers about the broken double-glazed windows.

Mother took Rimma through the store, she bought some groceries, drove Rimma to her house and went to her house, saying a few words:

– Rimma, I understand that you are passionate about Mr. Shchepkin. Olga told me that you are not indifferent to him. Not for you, he. Not for you!

Rimma got out of the mother’s car, and slowly went home to her, eating grapes with stones.

While Rimma was going home, she met a neighbor. Rimma had no children yet, but her classmate and part-time neighbor, Christina, at the age of 26, will soon give birth to a fourth. Who about what. Rimma attended college, studied at the institute and worked all the time. A classmate was older than her for a year and all the while giving birth. She gave birth to the first girl before the age of 18, then she had a real man and she would soon have a third child, and only her fourth. A man lived in their three-room apartment. 10. Christina’s family – 5 people plus another child who will be born soon. Yes, even the family of her mother, who gave birth to six children. Some of the children grew up and lived separately, the mother’s youngest son was the same age as his daughter’s son. In short, ten people lived in a three-room apartment.

Rimma lived alone. Her mother lived alone. Olga’s friend lived alone, she would have no children, she helps her brother’s children. And Rimma was so guarded by her mother that the case did not reach the men.

Rimma liked Shchepkin, but he was somehow elusive. And he lived alone, but he had a hobby: he loved apartments in different areas. You will not come to visit him, you never know where he is. In theory, he gets a little, but he knows how to make money besides work, he knows how to be friends with big people.

Exhale It is necessary to exhale. Rimme was the only one left. She realized that Schepkina must be forgotten. Let Olga stay with him.

Olga, as if she heard Rimma’s thoughts, called:

– Rimma, did you like Shchepkin’s new apartment?

– Normal.

– You feel sad? This is normal. Did you decide to leave it to me?

– I did not take it. How do you know about the apartment? He told me not to tell you about her.

– Naive, I know everything. He is my man, and you look at the truth of our relationship through the blinders.