— Tanya? — Zhanna didn’t expect to see her ex-husband’s sister at the doorstep. The girl was completely soaked, water streaming down from her long hair.
— It started to pour while I was coming. My things got wet, I need to wring them out… Can I come in?
— Well… Come in. — Zhanna understood that Tanya had made quite a long journey: Zhanna’s house was in a gated community, on a distant street, about a fifteen-minute walk from the main gate. How Tanya found Zhanna’s house and how she got inside the territory was a mystery.
— Will you give me some tea? — Tanya shook water off her cheek and wiped the mascara running under her eyes.
— First, dry off — Zhanna handed her some paper towels. The floor couldn’t tolerate moisture, and Tanya’s wet sneakers threatened the new renovation.
— Thanks.
— Now tell me, why did you come?
— I really need money.
— And what does that have to do with me? I don’t lend money.
— I know, I’m not asking. I came to ask you to help me find a job. I’ll do anything. Any job! As long as they pay… I know your new husband owns a hotel chain. Ask him to get me in…
— Do you have any experience?
— Yes! — Tanya nodded. — I worked in a café.
— As what?
— As a manager… I was supposed to work as one… but temporarily I was hired as a waitress! I almost got promoted.
— How long did you work?
— About two months. Two weeks at one place, a week at another… and I left the third one yesterday. I didn’t get along with the director.
Zhanna looked at Tanya in surprise.
— You do realize that with such a “resume” no one will hire you anywhere?
— How so? Three different cafés! I’m super experienced!
— Jumping from place to place doesn’t add value to you; rather the opposite.
— So what am I supposed to do? I really need money… — Tanya looked at Zhanna and started to cry.
— Why do you need money? And why do you think you can earn it here?
— Where else can I earn it? In our “collective farm” with just three houses?!
— Life in Moscow is expensive, housing is expensive… Where are you staying?
— At first, I lived with a friend, then I went to my brother, but he kicked me out… He has a new woman, she didn’t allow me to live with them.
— Is that so? — Zhanna frowned. The mention of her ex-husband caused unpleasant feelings.
— He became rude and mean with this woman! I wanted to stay with him, but this shrew threw me out! Zhanna, please help me? I have no one else to turn to but you…
— I can’t promise you anything because I don’t work myself, so I can’t get you a job.
— But you’re a woman! You have influence over your husband… just ask him to help me get a job there, through connections…
— I won’t promise anything. It depends on what vacancies he has. My husband is on a business trip now, he’ll be back only by the weekend.
— Thank you! I knew you were good, not like that hag… Zhanna, dear, can I stay overnight? Please… — Tanya folded her hands at her chest. — See how hard it’s pouring! It will get dark soon, and I have no money for the way back.
— How did you get here?
— Hitchhiking…
— Wow… — Zhanna realized it was dangerous to send the girl out alone on the road at night. Although Tanya was a complete stranger to her, Zhanna felt pity and let her stay in the guest room. — Okay. But you have to leave tomorrow morning. I don’t want any freeloaders.
— Okay, — Tanya brightened. She stretched out on the bed and looked at the modern chandelier, beautiful wallpaper, and expensive curtains.
“In our village, no one has anything like this… Zhanna’s lucky to have caught a rich husband… I need to find someone like that! Then all my problems will be solved!” — Tanya dreamed.
She hoped to get some interesting position, meet a successful and free man, and marry well, like in romance novels. But Tanya didn’t understand that successful men don’t pay attention to girls like her. And that a 19-year-old girl without work experience wouldn’t be hired for a high position.
That’s exactly what Zhanna’s husband, Stepan, said when he returned from the business trip.
— I don’t know how to help. I only have one vacancy for Tanya.
— What is it?
— One she won’t like.
— She said she was ready for any job, — Zhanna clarified.
— Really? Then let her come at 6:30 tomorrow. If she wants to work that badly, she’ll be employed.
Tanya found the modern office building of the hotel chain quite quickly. Though she was late — she came at 9 a.m. But she didn’t feel guilty — Tanya had a valid excuse — the bus broke down.
The building impressed her.
Climbing the stairs, she daydreamed — imagining herself entering the office as the director’s wife, or at least his assistant.
For work, Tanya even dressed up specially: she wore uncomfortable high-heeled shoes, a short skirt, and a top resembling mosquito netting.
It was hard to walk — the heel kept getting stuck, and she almost fell several times. Luckily, it wasn’t far to go.
Tanya suddenly opened the door and bumped into a security guard.
— Where are you going? — he sized her up.
— To work!
— Do you have a pass?
— I don’t have a pass.
— Then you came to the wrong door. This entrance is only for those with passes.
— People like me don’t need passes. — Tanya turned up her nose. — And you… will be fired tomorrow. You don’t recognize the important people!
The guard looked at Tanya and laughed. He wanted to tell her that dressed like that, she should be on the highway, “catching” suitors. But he didn’t get the chance.
— Hello, Stepan Sergeyevich, — he stood at attention.
— Hi, Nikolai, — Stepan greeted, glanced at Tanya and grimaced. He wanted to tell the guard to remove this lady, but didn’t get the chance.
— I’m here to work. — Tanya said cheerfully and added: — I’m Tanya. A friend of your wife.
Stepan blushed. He hadn’t expected Tanya to dress like that and certainly didn’t want to associate this “miracle” with Zhanna.
— You’re late! By three hours! Alright, come on… — he grabbed her by the elbow. — And don’t say you know my wife. You’re not friends. And don’t dress like that again.
— Too fancy, huh?
— No! You look like a woman of low social responsibility! — he hissed, leading her away from the colleagues.
— What’s the secret? Ah, I see, you don’t want gossip about me getting a good job through connections… — Tanya guessed. Stepan even choked on his words.
— Who promised you a “good job”?
— Zhanna… Do you have a company apartment far from the office? I thought I could live there for a while.
— Don’t lie! You were promised no apartment! At best, you can expect a bunk bed in the shared staff room.
— Well, I thought since you’re the boss…
— What? That I’ll make you my deputy?
— Or at least my assistant.
— My assistant has three higher educations and speaks five languages fluently. What language do you speak besides your native one?
Tanya thought for a moment:
— Salty.
— What kind of language is that?!
— It’s when after every syllable you add “s,” followed by the same vowel that comes before the “s.”
— You’re joking, right? Anyway, you’ll need a sense of humor at your new job.
— When do I start?
— Right now. Go to the ground floor and ask for Maria. She’ll show you around and give you your uniform.
— Cool! — Tanya imagined a businesswoman’s suit like in the movies.
— You’ll get paid at the end of the week. We’ll work on commission.
— How much?
— Depends on your performance. If you try hard, there’s a bonus possible, — Stepan wrote a number on a piece of paper. Tanya was, of course, disappointed. She expected a higher salary. But she decided it was too early to refuse. Now she had access to the circle of successful people and a chance to make one of the local bosses fall in love with her, so she could get married soon. Then she wouldn’t have to work at all.
With these thoughts, Tanya went to the ground floor. A woman in a white apron was waiting for her.
— Are you Tanya?
— I am…
— Let’s go.
— You must have mistaken me for another Tanya… — Tanya raised her eyebrows when she saw the workplace. — I… didn’t apply for a maid job! This is a mistake!
— To be a maid, you need to learn the craft. For now, you’ll be an assistant to the junior cleaner. Change clothes. No use in those heels of yours.
With that, Maria handed Tanya a bucket, mop, robe, and rubber slippers.
— But I…
— Today, you’ll clean floors from the ground to the fifth floor. And don’t forget the stairs.
Tanya wanted to object, but her “boss” was already distracted by a phone call.
— No way. I didn’t sign up for this.
Tanya dropped the cleaning tools and went to confront the boss. But he was already gone. He was a busy man.
Then Tanya called Zhanna and said everything she thought:
— Are you trying to make a fool of me?!
— What happened?
— Your husband made me a cleaner!
— You said you wanted any job.
— But not this! I won’t scrub toilets!
— Don’t want to — that’s your business, — Zhanna sighed and hung up. She had more important things to do than babysit her ex-husband’s sister.
Hearing the dial tone, Tanya got angry, kicked the door and accidentally broke her heel. She had to go barefoot.
Tuning-modified domestic cars honked at the colorful girl. But there were no oligarchs among the drivers. Tanya had to walk back to her brother’s home — with a broken heel, in torn tights, and bruised pride.
— Listen, maybe you’ll help with the job after all? — she asked, crossing her arms. — Don’t be like Zhanna…
— No, Tanya. First, learn something, then come to conquer Moscow, — with these words, he slammed the door in his younger sister’s face.
Tanya had to go back home to her parents and put the idea of a successful marriage aside.
— Nobody appreciated me… in this Moscow, — she told her friend, sitting on a bench and cracking sunflower seeds.
— They say people are mean there, — her friend nodded.
— Mean and arrogant.
They gossiped a little more and parted, hoping they’d be luckier next time.
