A good meal made JJ’s gaunt complexion of someone who starved for decades much better. His cheeks and eyes were still as sunken, but his skin looked less like old paper and more like skin. I still did what I planned from the start and put a bunch of silver jewellery—chains and crosses and an occasional necklace—on my neck.

When JJ saw it, he only grinned from ear to ear, and I could tell he was laughing at me. I send him a scowl, but didn’t take the silver away. My neck before my pride.

After that I cleaned the shards of the broken vase, took a quick lunch break, and returned to what I was doing before JJ’s appearance interrupted my day—gathering money. There was no doubt in my mind that the collectors will return, and I couldn’t let JJ shoo them away forever, couldn’t I?

It was a very tempting prospect.

I was back to the basement, sifting through the things in there in search of something I could quickly sell to other antiquities dealers, when my phone rang. I looked at the caller’s name and found out that it was my best friend Rita calling. I had really forgotten about her with all that happened recently, but a call from her brought a smile to my face.

Rita and I met in my shop two years earlier, when she was gathering materials for her doctoral dissertation. We hit it off immediately and found out that we were actually studying in same college, learning same thing—history.

Still, I didn’t think a lot will come out of exchanging contacts until Rita called me the next day. She was just the person I needed—someone who clung to her friends and never let go. We helped each other and talked about our lives, partied together and went on double dates (once, and never again).

Now she worked as an intern in Hermitage, one of the most famous museums of St. Petersburg, and was well on her way to the glorious career she dreamed about.

“Hey, Rita!” I greeted her.

“Hey yourself, Diana!” Rita’s cheerful voice sounded from the other end of the call. “You won’t believe whom I met today!”

I chuckled to myself. “You know, I can tell you exactly the same thing. I still can barely believe it myself.”

“Huh? You and met someone? Then my story can wait. Was it a man? Was he hot? Did he come to buy something?”

I rolled my eyes. For all her good sides and the smart brain that was in her head somewhere, Rita was completely boy-crazy. It wasn’t just about how many boyfriends she had, but about how often she talked about her sexual escapades. To be fair, she just like to talk about herself.

“Well,” I said and paused. I knew I could trust Rita with the secret of JJ’s existence, but it was just too unbelievable for a phone conversation. “You know what? I will tell you face to face, later. I’m still busy here. The collectors came today, these bastards, broke one of my vases. Ugh.”

“They did what?! This is an assault. Did you call the police?”

“No… I’m sure cops eat from their fingers. I… I can’t believe Dad took a loan from someone like them. They are mobsters, I swear. They threatened to plant drugs in my shop if I call authorities, and they probably sell drugs themselves, too.”

“Damn. This is just so unfair. What about your family? Can’t they help? You told me your mother’s parents were rich.”

“Well, apparently, but they had disowned her. I guess… Well, I will try to call my aunt tomorrow, but… Rita, I just don’t want to beg them. I still have pride in my chest, you know?”

“You hold on to it, girl. You deserve men bringing you gifts, cleaning your boots and massaging your legs.”

I snorted. “So, it’s Wednesday today… Will you be free tomorrow?”

“I have a morning shift, but at evening I’m all yours. I will come bearing gifts!”

“Uh, wait,” I wasn’t so sure I wanted Rita to meet JJ in person. It sounded about as good as bringing a chicken to a fox. “Let’s better meet in the nearest Teremok. It’s been a while since I’ve been there.”

“Sure. Now, since you don’t want to tell me about Mr. Mysterious and Handsome, let me tell you about mine.”

“How do you know he is mysterious and handsome?” I asked in astonishment.

“I didn’t, I just imagined he was.” Rita giggled. “And you just confirmed it. Is he tall? Is he dark?”

“Well, actually, he is just a little taller than me, and blond,” I replied before I could catch my tongue. “Oh, come on! I will tell you tomorrow.”

Rita’s laugh came from the other side of the call. “Caught you!”

I growled at her in annoyance, then sighed. “Well, I’d like to hear your story, Rita, but I really must get to business. See ya tomorrow.”

“No worries, Diana. I will keep asking around, maybe someone will be interested in your wares.”

“Thanks, Rita. Bye.” I ended the call.

“So, you think I’m handsome, ma chèrie?” JJ’s voice from behind me made me jump. My phone slipped out of my hands and I barely caught it before it reached the floor.

Breathless, with my heart beating madly in my chest, I turned towards the sucker who was standing in the basement doorway with my best glower.

“What are you doing here? I thought you were exploring the Internet. Did you listen in? And stop startling me like that! I got it, you’re stealthy like I don’t know what. No need to flaunt it!”

He raised his hands in a calming gesture. “Ah, no need to be so alarmed, ma chèrie. I just encountered a slight problem with your computer. I wouldn’t want to break it by accident. And then I just heard parts of your conversation.” He pointed at my hands. “Is this one of these ‘mobile phones’ you are holding?”

I nodded at him. His speed of catching up to the twenty-first century was very impressive. Though… 

“A problem?” I raised my right eyebrow. I liked to use the gesture. It made me feel a little better than all the other people who couldn’t do that. I preferred not to tell that I couldn’t raise my left eyebrow just as well.

Either way, I could swear JJ was bullshitting me. Not that there wasn’t a problem (and I really hoped he didn’t break anything), but that he wasn’t listening in on purpose. I sighed. “Alright, let’s look at it.”