Broken Hearts On Boulevard Unirii novel Chapter 24

"Yes, I agree with you, but nowhere does it say that they had the right to bequeath the apartment to you. All it says is that they can live in the apartment until the day they die." She then added, "The court ordered certificate of approval, with reference to the inheritance is not legal and apparently was issued without thorough examination. However, if we take this certificate on face value, we may be able to transfer ownership of the apartment to the purchaser."

At this point, she took out of her case a power of attorney along with a temporary contract which she had prepared based on the details I had given her. She filled in some final details and had Vasili sign it.

We quickly went downstairs while I held on to Giorgina's arm so that she didn't stumble on the stairs in the darkness. The smell was unbearable. "It is no wonder that he has not sold the apartment until now," she said.

When we entered the ground-floor apartment further down the street, we sat down around the table and Dorina took out a purchase contract which I signed. The contract remained deposited in the hands of the lawyer because she had not filled in the name of the purchaser, as Vasili would eventually be the owner but was not the purchaser.

I paid the owner five thousand dollars in cash and to Dorina her commission of two hundred and fifty dollars, without a receipt. She however, signed a document for the lawyer that she had received her commission.

Dorina didn't fully comprehend what had transpired. She wished me good luck with my new apartment, thinking that I was going to live there.

Before she left, I asked Dorina if she would meet me for coffee that evening, because there were additional purchases I intended to make. She agreed without hesitation, and wrote down the name of a café on Piazza Alba Julia. We planned to meet at seven.

Angelo came around shortly before five o'clock to pick up Fabrizio and they went together to meet the gypsy. I got dressed and went out to meet Dorina at the Le Papion bar.

When I entered, Dorina was already waiting for me. She was sitting outside the bar on the sidewalk, under a colorful canopy, smoking a long thin cigarette. She looked completely different than the way I saw her in her office. She was wearing a long, red low-cut dress, and around her long neck she had tied a colorful red scarf. Her hair was pulled back and she wore no jewelry. She was made-up lightly and looked years younger. She smiled and waved to me so that I would notice her. I sat down in front of her.

"Wow, sei magnifica." The words just slipped from my mouth.

"I hope that was a compliment," she said.

"Yes, I said that you look stunning."

"Thanks," she replied, blushing slightly.

"Have you ever been to Italy?" I asked, to change the subject.

"No," she replied. "I have never been out of Romania."

"Listen Giorgio, a problem has arisen. Come to my office without delay," Giorgina informed me on the voice message she had left on my mobile.

It was eight in the morning when I heard that message which she had left the night before. I began to fear that something had disrupted the deal and I was going to be stuck with the lousy apartment on the ground floor.

With Fabrizio still asleep, I rushed out of the house, went downstairs and hailed a taxi. Approximately twenty minutes later I was at the door of her office. It was still closed. I sat on the steps and waited. Nine o'clock was approaching and she was still not there. I was hoping that it was not a morning in which she had to appear in court and didn't come to her office at all.

At nine-thirty she appeared. When she saw me sitting on the steps and waiting, she was quick to apologize. She went in and asked me to sit down.