" What kind of man doesn't like meat? " muttered the neighbor.

" "The best," Ramilya grinned. " Tell me, I'm already running to the market for cabbage. Or better to the fields, I'll take it from a private citizen, just in time for his arrival and I'll turn around."

Now Dimitri was silent, listening to our argument. I tried feverishly to think of something to say to him. When Ramilya and Mathew laughed, Dimitri hung up.

I sank down in my chair and stared dumbly at the screen.

" Should I call him back? " I muttered.

" He'd call me. He's in dire need of you right now," Ramila snorted.

" What's that? " I didn't understand.

" He badly needs your part of the money for the mortgage," she said.

Unfortunately, she was right. In my mind I understood it perfectly well. But that didn't make it any easier. I finished the contents of my glass in a gulp, said goodbye to my neighbor and went to pack my things.

I decided not to take too much with me, so I pulled out a small gym bag and packed two suits, one dress, and a pair of shoes. The clothes had to come from Ramili's closet. That made it a little embarrassing. If it wasn't for this trip that couldn't be turned down, I would have gone to the mall on Saturday and bought my own. The tutor didn't need business suits. Oh, and for the past few years, I've only bought things out of necessity. When things that had fallen into disrepair couldn't be darned without a mark.

" Are you going? " Ramila asked. I nodded. " Ta-dam!"

My friend pulled out several tubes of paint from behind her back.

" Now we'll do your head. Since we can't fix the contents, we'll fix the outside. Please!"

I frowned skeptically, then sat down resolutely. It was reckless to entrust my hair to a manicurist. Though it wouldn't be any worse than it is now.

Ramila stirred the paint with inspiration and made the first stroke. Judging by the number of bottles used, she was a professional. I sincerely hope my hair won't fall out after it!

A nasty, nasty sound popped into my ears, cracked my head, and threw me out of my dream and into reality. My body wasn't going to give up just like that, so I tried to sleep it off. But as soon as I closed my eyes, the sound repeated itself. The realization that it was an alarm clock brought a sharp sense of doom. By the end of the week, after commuting to work every day, spending four hours a day on the subway, my only dream was to get some sleep.

Fumbling for the phone under my pillow, I decided to cowardly postpone rising for ten minutes and was surprised to find that it wasn't an alarm clock! It was a bell! And it was only half past five in the morning!

Wondering who could have called at this hour, she accepted the call. I was going to say everything I thought about this person, and in the most obscene form.

" Rina! I knew you'd been awake for a long time. Smart girls get up early!"

The voice of the unknown interlocutor was ringing. I wasn't thinking straight, and it took me fifteen seconds to understand the meaning of the word "early".

" What?" I asked in surprise. " Who are you? "

" I'm Mila."

In fact, if I wanted to insult her to her face, that's what I'd call her.

" I asked who you are and why are you calling so early?"

I sat down on the couch and shrugged irritably. Today I have a hard day ahead of me and instead of getting a good night's sleep and rest, I have to talk to some crazy woman.

" I'm the manager, I'll bring the waiters to your office," she reported cheerfully.

" It's twelve o'clock in the afternoon! " I got angry.