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Chapter 25
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Chapter 25
“What a bastard! Probably met with his ex secretly, and Armageddon arranged for me for an innocent meeting with an old friend. Hypocrite and bastard! No, I just have to tell him everything!”
Puffing with annoyance, Kira again reached into the sofa cushions for the phone.
June 25, 2015
13:50
“I would have said so right away…” these words still sounded in Kirill’s head. – I would say, come to my mind then! But … sorry, dear, I just came up with it.
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He slipped the phone into his trouser pocket and returned to the meeting. The department heads looked at him in bewilderment, but no one said anything. Father, meanwhile, continued to selflessly broadcast about grandiose plans for the future.
Cyril knew his father’s speech as well as he himself – he helped to write.
Did Goldilocks call? Nathan whispered in Kirill’s
ear.
He nodded.
– That’s what I see that you have turned pale, – here Nathan got a menacing look from Alexander Demyanovich and fell silent.
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The meeting continued for a good two hours. Then, to everyone’s delight, snacks and coffee were brought into the office. Colleagues began to noisily discuss what they had heard. Alexander Demyanovich answered questions with dignity and gave out final instructions.
Kirill barricaded himself in the corner of the office behind a laptop and pretended to be extremely busy writing down his father’s constructive suggestions. As long as they don’t come up with questions.
Here, the characteristic buzzing sounded from the pocket again.
– Yes, your mother! he cursed softly when he saw who was calling.
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– Why are you green? Nathan was worried.
Cyril showed him the phone.
– Block it! a friend advised.
“Looks like you have to. I don’t have the strength to talk to her anymore. And so I feel like the last goat.
“Let’s have a drink somewhere after the meeting?” Nathan suggested.
– We won’t drink, but we’ll get drunk in the trash!
June 26, 2015
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16:15
– Kirill, why have we been looming near your office for half an hour already? It’s hot! Angelina tossed a lock of brown hair off her shoulder and made a sour face. -Let’s get in the car.
The sun was really hot. After yesterday’s booze, Kirill felt worse than ever. His head was buzzing, a persistent aftertaste of yesterday’s “fun” was kept in his mouth. The complaints of the former lover did not add to the mood, but the plan must be brought to an end.
The idea came to him this morning. Let Kira see him with Angelina, and that’s it. Then he would know for sure that it was over between them. He blocked her number yesterday, as well as email with Skype. I did the latter out of sheer
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precaution. She didn’t text him.
Cyril felt that he was holding on to the last of his strength. One more attempt at Kira’s reconciliation and he’ll snap. Will definitely break. Tell her everything she wants to hear. Banned with her in the apartment for a week and will make love to the point of exhaustion.
“Stay and wait, I said.
Angelina quieted down.
A couple of minutes later, a tiny girlish figure with golden curls appeared from the main entrance to the Polaris. Cyril noticed how pathetic she looked today. An old black dress hung on Kira in a sack. Shoulders slumped, face pale.
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“Now kiss me as best you can,” he said to Angelina. She clung to him in a fit of tender feelings.
He didn’t look in Kira’s direction anymore, but he felt the eyes on his skin. She saw a merciless couple and immediately turned the other way.
Cyril broke away from Angelina after a couple of minutes. Her eyes clouded over.
“Wow, you haven’t kissed me like this in a long time!” Shall we go to you?
He grabbed her by the arm and led her to the
car.
‘Jump,” he said, opening the door for her.
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She gracefully climbed into the seat and smiled.
Cyril got into the driver’s seat, started the engine and set off.
“You know, I missed you,” Angelina purred.
“I’m in a hurry to upset you,” Kirill answered, lining up in the middle lane of the movement. – It was a performance for an ex–girlfriend. Resuming meetings with you is not in my plans.
“So it’s because of that gray mouse that
scuttled past us?” Well, you are a goat! squealed Angelina.
– And then.
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“I could have warned you ahead of time!”
– You could, but you’re a lousy actress. I wanted naturalness.
The “actress” defiantly crossed her arms over
her chest and stared out the window.
–
Okay, good pout. Where to drop you off?
– At the mall! Angelina answered arrogantly.
– Fair.
And Cyril turned in the right direction.
Angelina immediately cheered up and began to chirp something.
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Cyril paid for her chosen handbag and fifteen minutes later returned to the car in splendid isolation. All he wanted now was to crawl into a cold shower and then into bed.
But it was not there. The phone came to life.
“Hello,” Cyril replied.
Son, what are you thinking? Come on, feet in hand and to my house! The conversation will be serious.
His father met him in the living room. Kirill always liked the bright spacious room. Here they usually dined, received a few guests. Another room was used for lavish receptions. On ordinary days, that room was almost never used, however, like many other rooms in the
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huge two–story mansion. We preferred this cozy, yellow–and–orange room near the kitchen.
Alexander Demyanovich sat at the table and sipped fragrant cognac from a pot–bellied glass. On the table beside him was a dish of canapés and a plate of sliced lemons.
“Sit down, have a drink with me?”
Cyril was grimacing, but waved his hand.
“Pour it up,” he sat down next to him.
He poured cognac, raised his glass, drank with his son, characteristically grunted and ate a lemon. Kirill also put a slice in his mouth.
“I talked to Favortsev here,” began Trubachev
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Sr. – Can you imagine, he is sure that he is going to Oman instead of you!
“Dad, I’ll go,” Kirill answered.
– And what does this clever tale tell me then? – the father was indignant. – Misinformation, it turns out?
I wanted to send it, but I changed my mind. I just haven’t had a chance to talk to him yet.
–
– I thought, I changed my mind… Cyril, have forgotten what money is at stake? You know very well what I need there. What doubts can there be?
– I said I’m going!
you
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“Okay, calm down, I understand. When are you going? Need to be there in July.
– I’ll go on Monday. Nathan has already booked tickets. I’ll take a look and talk to everyone.
Kirill, what happened to you? You don’t want to go, then you rush there ahead of time.
Kirill knocked another portion of cognac into his mouth.
– Everything is fine. By the way, I wanted to ask you. While I’m gone, will you sell my apartment?
Alexander Demyanovich looked at his son in complete bewilderment.
What, you don’t like it anymore? Where are you
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going to live?
“Here, if you don’t mind.
The father looked at his son incredulously and hurriedly replied:
Yes, live here all your life. I’m only happy.
“Also, Dad, I need your help with a delicate matter. Make sure Shilov finds Kira a job at another firm. Now it is not necessary, otherwise he will understand what I asked. Better later, but by the time I returned to Polaris, she was definitely gone.
October 30, 2015
14:00
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Cyril critically examined his reflection in the mirror. In bright light, too dark a tan was especially striking.
“Like I fell asleep in the solarium,” he muttered and went to get dressed.
The shower added vigor. But the long flight affected my well–being, I wanted to go to bed and sleep for at least two days. Will not work. Father is already waiting in the office with a report.
Kirill grabbed a briefcase with a laptop and documents and went out into the street. He paused for a moment and took a deep breath. The cool air of a cloudy October day seemed to him tastier than any oriental sweetness.
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How delightful and fresh is the aroma of the autumn garden! Rain–washed lawn, falling leaves of trees. Six months ago, he would not have thought to pay attention to such a trifle as smell. But in Oman, because of the heat, there were no smells at all.
Kirill climbed into the car and stroked the leather upholstery of the steering wheel.
– Well, how are you here without me, iron horse?
The motor rumbled contentedly, and the jeep took the owner to the city.
As soon as Kirill left the cottage village where his father’s house was located, he immediately got into a traffic jam. He had already forgotten about the lunch jams. I’m used to the fact that
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in Oman you won’t find such trouble during the day with fire. However, even this did not spoil the mood. Kirill turned on the radio, enthusiastically began to listen to his native Russian speech.
Two girls were sitting in a car parked nearby. Cyril smiled, drawing attention to their pretty faces. No matter how hard he tried, he could not get used to the appearance of the Omani women. Be it Arabs, Filipinas or Indians. He did not like the dark–skinned local women wrapped in long shirts and headscarves. Why wear an abaya over clothes, he did not understand at all. In such a climate, you can cook alive. Not only do they hide the figure, but also the faces are so far from the usual standards of beauty that it’s hard to imagine. Any most unsightly Russian girl in Oman would be considered the first beauty.
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In a word, bored. By nature, coolness, people. By homeland.
However, there were pleasant moments in his trip. Since he arrived ahead of schedule, the host arranged a tour for Kirill throughout the country. Before leaving for Mirbat, he spent a week in the Omani capital, Muscat. The city–fortress impressed Cyril.
Reminds me of my past passion for diving. Diving off the small rocky islands near Muscat was especially good. The variety of corals of various colors and sizes (from an ordinary bush to a thug the size of a house) was amazing. What is the world of the famous Pandora in comparison with the riot of colors of the underwater kingdom of the Omani coast!
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Cyril’s eyes took a long time to get used to the amazing combination of shades.
How rich the fauna is there, and it’s not worth talking about. Huge cuttlefish, parrot fish, moray eels over two meters in size. All this at a relatively shallow depth. During the second dive, Kirill came across a snake. Small, seventy centimeters. Somewhere in my head it was deposited that the snakes here are very dangerous. He tried to leave the meeting place with amazing speed. Later, the instructor
explained that these snakes are aggressive only at certain times of the year. He even proved it by wrapping a smaller snake around his arm. She completely ignored the actions of the Arab.
He also appreciated the simple Omani cuisine. I fell in love with meat and fish fried on stones
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and coals. I even let myself be persuaded and tried the real pride of local chefs – a dish of hyena meat. Then, however, he spat in the toilet for a long time. The meat turned out to be quite unusual in taste and vile because of this.
During the months spent away from home, Kirill learned a little Arabic. He could speak quite tolerably in English on work topics, but only on work topics – he felt uncomfortable in social conversations. And the Mirbat partners did not shine with their knowledge of Shakespeare’s language. Therefore, Cyril had to resort to the help of an interpreter, Irochka. Irina Vasnetsova arrived in Oman before Kirill. Helped in translating documentation and telephone conversations with Russia.
Very soon, a petite brown–eyed brunette with
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honey skin began to provide him with not only translation services. He dragged the girl into bed on the second day of their acquaintance. He kept her by his side for a couple of weeks, cooled off and sent her back to Krasnodar, adding a bonus to her due earnings. In her place, her father sent the lively and inquisitive Anna. Cyril did not touch her anymore. It’s not that I didn’t like it, Kirill just didn’t want more amorous adventures. And the constant time pressure discouraged all the desire to twist novels.
After starting work on the project, time became his greatest asset. The Arab partners, as if on purpose, set out to confuse everything that is possible. In the end, he was already counting the days until the moment when he could leave the construction site on the reliable shoulders
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of assistants, of whom there were already quite a few in Oman.
Now he is at home. In Russia. His heart fluttered with joy.
Thus, an hour passed imperceptibly in my thoughts about the experience. Kirill drove up to the office building. I went into my native land with a smile from ear to ear. They smiled back at him, greeted him, asked about the trip. It took him fifteen minutes to get the short distance to the elevator. Together with him, two more people from different departments entered the spacious cabin.
Cyril pressed the right button. The elevator doors rustled as they closed, then suddenly swung open again to let in another passenger.
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At her sight, everything inside Kirill turned upside down. Blue eyes stared at him hesitantly. For a few seconds, Kira wasted herself on the spot. Then she stepped into the elevator, her eyes on the floor, and turned her back on him.
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