Page 92 of Dance of Defiance
“Maybe I’m just trying to charm my way through her icy exterior. She should thank me: it might actually get her a date before she hits the retirement home.”
I’m kidding. Magda Kuzmina has this way ofappearingmuch older than she is. Part of it is her take-no-prisoners approach to her work. It’s also her fondness for flowing black dresses and shawls, with the silver rings covering her fingers giving her the appearance of a Roma fortune teller.
The general thinking is that she’s in her late forties. But I’ve had her right in my face scolding me enough times that I know better. If she’s even thirty-five, I’d be surprised.
I let Milena and Naomi hit the showers first. While they’re in there, I plop down on the bench and open my texts.
Me
we missed you today!
Evelina
Thanks! It felt so weird not being there!
Me
Everything all good, though?
Evelina
Yeah. I mean, I think? No one tells me freaking anything!
“Freaking anything”. She’s not trying to be funny. She just literally talks like that. The girl can’t even swear in a text when she’s annoyed. This is why I love her.
Me
what happened?
Evelina texted us all this morning as we were showing up in the alley out back to let us know she wouldn’t be at the theater today. At first, we were all joking about her hangover, but then she sent another text mentioning that her absence was due to “dumb mafia crap”. Translation: she was being kept home.
Naturally, I asked Milena if she knew what was going on, given that her father, Marko Kalishnik, helms the Kalishnik Bratva. But she had no idea.
I even texted Roman—against my better judgment, given the way he got all pissy and “bUt i’M sTrAiGHt” after whathappened at Doomsday last night—but he never messaged me back, just left me on read.
Asshole.
Evelina
I have no idea! Papa and Roman came home at like four in the morning, and all the yelling woke me up.
Evelina
Papa’s clothes looked burned or singed, but he wouldn’t tell me anything! WTF!!
“WTF” is as close to vulgarity as you’re going to get from that girl. She probably thinks the F is for fudge, anyway.
Evelina
Now I’m a prisoner in my own home. Papa’s men are armed and walking around everywhere, and there are THREE of them who are supposed to follow me if even step out of my room. So I’m not, lol.
Then she sends a gif of a cartoon dog sitting at a table, the one where it and the room is on fire and he’s saying “this is fine”.
Me
Shit, I’m sorry. You want us to come rescue you?
Evelina
