Broken Hearts On Boulevard Unirii novel Chapter 22

I walked downstairs slowly, grabbing hold of the cold marble walls so as not to fall. As soon as I reached the lower floor, I stopped and gagged.

I left the building and stepped into the fresh morning air. I passed several early morning joggers near the entrance to the charming Cismigiu Park which bordered the magnificent building.

I took one last look at the third-floor apartment and noticed that the "for sale" sign was gone.

When I got back to the apartment, Fabrizio was already dressed and waiting for me. We took a taxi to the address of the real estate agency to meet Dorina.

We arrived an hour late, but it turned out that in Romania a one-hour delay is tantamount to Swiss punctuality. We thus didn't have to excuse ourselves for being late, especially as Dorina herself had only arrived a few minutes before we did and just turned on her computer. Her coat was still lying on a nearby chair.

"Let me make you a cup of coffee first and then we will be on our way," she said with a charming smile on her pretty face.

"I would like to make a suggestion," I told her. That prompted a surprised look from her.

"If you can find for me a two-room ground floor apartment in the vicinity of Cismigiu Park, I will immediately buy it."

"Oh, I see you're getting to know the most prestigious areas of Bucharest," she responded.

"I have done my homework," I replied with a smile.

She skimmed through her notes, and took out a newspaper and browsed through it, while we drank her choice coffee, which actually was quite good.

After she circled several advertisements and jotted something down in her notebook, we left the office. Dorina stopped a taxi, explaining that since parking is very difficult in the city and taxis aren't expensive, it's the best mode of transportation. I kept this advice from Dorina in mind for the future.

We went to the area where we were staying and got out of the taxi. I rushed to pay the fare, although Dorina had the money ready in her hand.

We followed her to a multi-story building where she peeked through the wooden slats of an apartment on the ground floor with windows facing the street. She knocked on the front door and a minute later the door opened and we were invited to enter.

It was a pleasant and cozy apartment with simple furniture. The bedroom had a double bed and two small chests stood on either side. The bathroom was old but well maintained and clean. Everything was sparkling.

In the living room there stood an oval table surrounded by heavy chairs. We sat as the lady of the house opened the blinds for the light to enter.

As a matter of courtesy I could not refuse Dorina, so I continued looking at all kinds of apartments, none of which interested me. I suggested that we look for something for Fabrizio, who began to show signs of boredom.

The taxi drove around and around and each time that we passed a church the driver would cross himself and utter a short prayer. Dorina, who was sitting next to him, didn't allow him to light a cigarette and told him he had better concentrate on his driving.

We were taken to an area a bit outside of the old city center, but very close to the soccer field of Dinamo Bucharest[Romanian professional soccer club], a crowded place especially when there is an important game.

Fabrizio expressed satisfaction with the location, and even more so when he saw the large space being offered to him. It was situated on a corner and had two big windows on each side. It was also next to a bank, making it even more attractive

The owner looked like a gypsy, but I was not sure. Her dark complexion, her loud-colored clothing and especially her gaudy jewelry made her look like a gypsy.

"I personally wouldn't deal with a gypsy," I said to Fabrizio.

"What do I care about her origins? If the place is good and the conditions are good, why should it bother me," he answered.

"Make sure you write a good contract. Be careful with every written word and don't sign anything before you consult with an Italian-speaking attorney," I advised him. I knew this from years of experience signing contracts in different countries where we sold our jewelry.