Chapter Three
The rest of the night seemed to pass us by in a timely fashion. Although it was obvious, Lissa was eyeballing me, waiting for what would soon to come. She didn't question me further, and that's what I enjoyed the most was her trust and faith in me as a person.
Just like the time I knew something was sketchy when we had gotten to her apartment and the door was pushed open. She trusted me enough to let her wait outside while I checked the apartment. And she still trusted me now. I had only known her for a couple years, but I felt like I had known her longer. We had always joked that we had to be linked somehow, sisters from another mister as we liked to put it.
During the rest of the evening I also caught Mr. Belikov looking over at certain times…actually, let me rethink that. He caught ME, looking at him, making me whip my gaze away from him. It was like he always knew when my gaze started to creep over to him. He was an attractive man, who I had overheard my father talking with, which is how I knew he was from Russia. My father and he seemed to get along very well. I could tell that Mr. Belikov was very serious. Just as I had bumped into him earlier, I could tell even with people he knew, he was all business but did allow for a couple small smiles to show through. Those were the moments.
I hadn't been paying attention for a small amount of time, but I could tell that they were done and would be on their way very soon, sooner than I'd like. Looking over I could see my father smiling at me, this was it. Waving me over, I headed to him, just like any other hostess would. And while the other gentleman didn't think anything of it I knew what was to come.
"Ah gentleman, before we disperse for the evening, I have one more thing I would like to do, or introduce is a better way of phrasing." Standing behind him I could see all the gazes of the men turn towards my father, who now, I noticed, I had placed at the head of the table.
Finding this to be an appropriate time to make a gesture, I placed my hand on my father's shoulder, smiling down at him sheepishly. He then placed his hand over my own facing his partners.
"I wanted to wait to the end, but I would like to introduce this lovely hostess all over again with her proper titles. Gentleman, I would like to introduce my darling daughter who has been over here in America for the past two years gaining the American culture." Smiling at my father who had just made me see to be an amazing daughter than I actually was, I gave a quick glance to the table that had just fallen silently.
There were a couple reactions that stood out to me, Jesse being one of them. I had to stifle a laugh by turning my head quickly. His face clear any of colour and life. He was leaning back with an arm draped over his eyes and a slow groan seemed to come from him. A few of the men around him snickered under their breath. The other gentleman seemed to just be staring at me nodding, like a recognition had crossed over their mind. But then I met the eyes I was trying to avoid today. Blazing at me, he almost seemed startled, but then it was gone in a blink of an eye. He had a neutral expression, almost like he had the notion from earlier.
"Nice to meet you all, I am Rosemarie Anne Mazur, Abe's daughter." Smiling at them, I then turned slightly to meet two sets of eyes, confused and full of questions. 'Im sorry' I mouthed to Lissa who stood there shocked, not really knowing what to do. 'Later'. She then nodded and gave me a small smile. It was at that moment that our friendship, I knew was till intact.
The gentleman started to rise and the first one over to me, was of course, my Uncle.
"Ahhhh Rosemarie, darling girl, how have you been love. We have all missed you very much." I laughed letting my uncle wrap his arms around me. "Your cousin Ivan has been asking non stop about how your trip to America has been. He has been pestering me to allow him to take over one of the towers here but I strictly refuse at the moment. He is still too immature to be here. I am glad to see you fairing so well though." Giving him another squeeze I smiled. My cousin Ivan would always be immature, little did Uncle Alec know…
A figure moving to us made me move closer to my father for security. Jesse Zelklos. He opened his mouth and turned to leave when the older gentleman stopped him and pushed him towards us. Clearing his throat he looked away from us playing with his tie.
" , Miss Mazur, I just wanted to apologize for my actions tonight. Rose, my actions were out of line, and I apologize for acting like that." He cleared his throat again, obviously intimidated by my father and his power. I wonder if this gentleman next to him was his father?
"Ahh, Mr. Zelklos, maybe this will teach you to learn some respect towards woman? Will it not?" Jesse nodded his head before escaping my father's gaze. My father and his started talking letting me look around and say hello to others that came up to me. I felt bad for leaving Melissa and Lissa to collect the plates, so while my father chatted I excused myself and went over to help them.
"Hey girls…" I said almost in a whisper, causing them to look at me. But to my surprise, neither were angry.
"Oh my god, ROSE. You forgot to mention one aspect of your life – that your FATHER is Ibrahim Mazur, of MAZUR DISTRICTS!" Melissa all but yelled at me with a smile on her face. She looked so excited the smile on her face was going to break her face muscles.
I gave a sheepish smile and shrugged. " I wanted to be my own self, and not have my fathers name hanging on me. That's why I use my mothers last name Hathaway." I told them smiling. Lissa still quiet.
Gathering the silverware first, I hip bumped lissa at the table. "Are you mad at me?" I asked her. She just looked over at me and shook her head. "No, I am not, just surprised is all. Wow. You know, your father mustve known mine? They would've worked in the same business." She looked at me. Thinking about Lissa's last name.. Dragomir…" Oh." I sound aloud, realization hitting me.
" Your family was business royalty, Dragomir Consuls." She smiled nodding. " I was just thinking about when I was a little girl. I travelled to Turkey for a party with my family, and playing with another little girl." Lissa looked at me with hope in her eyes. Another memory flooded me, making me stare at her.
"No way, are you the little girl that I hid with under the dining table eating cookies with?" I asked her, her smile Melissa just stared at us.
" I knew it! I knew we knew each other longer, wow. I never would have thought to meet you here in California, how many years later? Thirteen?" We continued talking, while collecting the dishes, and when we were done we stood there. Noticing the men we were still drinking the wine and chatting. Me and Lissa told Melissa she would be able to leave and that we could handle the rest. Happily, she waved goodbye to us and skipped down the steps.
Shaking our heads we leaned against the wall smiling at our little realisation. It wasn't too long afterward that people started to disperse and say goodbye to me in the hustle.
"Rosemarie, it was a pleasure meeting Ibrahims daughter, we have heard lots about you and your mother." Sergio Voda had left me smiling. His Russian accent leaving me smiling. He definitely would've been ladies man at my age.
When all the men started leaving down the stairs, I noticed to my left that Mr. Belikov and my father hung to the side. It was very quiet without the rest of the party up here.
"Baba, give me and Lissa a few minutes to re-organize the tables and take the dishes down." My father nodded at me in recognition and continued talking with Mr. Belikov.
Lissa looked over at me, and we started lifting the tables and moving them into their respected spots after we had cleared the rest of the glasses into bins. The table cloths we removed after and placed them in a bin as well that would head out to be cleaned. The whole process only took us about twenty five minutes but when we were done taking the bins down and coming back up me and Lissa had beads of sweat on our forehead.
"Alright Baba, we are done here." He smiled at me and Lissa, staring at Lissa a little longer. " Ms. Dragomir, it is a pleasure to finally introduce myself to you." Coming over to her Lissa smiled, taken back a little bit when my father took hold of her in a quick hug. "I was very good friends with your father, Eric. I am glad to see you and your brother doing well .It is a shame that Andre did not decide to stay in the business and keep Dragomir Conculs open."
"I am glad to finally meet Roses father. My father told me wonderful things about you Mr. Mazur – "
"Please, call me Abe darling" My father beamed at Lissa adjusting his gold silk neck scarf.
"Thank you Abe. Yes Andre really did think about it for a while, but he decided to open up a restaurant with his fiancée. It was something he was always passionate about. I am proud of him following more in our mothers interests." Lissa smile always beamed when she spoke of her brother, she really was proud of him.
My father nodded, it was then I noticed another figure with us. Dimitri Belikov. Catching my gaze, my father turned to see where I was looking. "Ahh, ladies, this is Dimitri Belikov as you already know, he is my newest business partner. We have decided to combine Mazur Districts alongside Belikov industries creating one of the strongest international partnerships." He smiled over at Dimitri, having Dimitri return the smile.
"Dimitri here, will be opening up the new building in about half a year here in California. This also eases my soul, knowing that someone whom I trust, will be here if you ever need anything Rose." My father gave me a serious look. I didn't know what to say except get a tad frustrated.
"You mean you got me a babysitter?" I asked my father deadpanned. His laugh sounded the room.
"You leave no room for explanation do you? He is not to spy on you, but I am at ease with him being here, now that Adrian is no longer around you. I am only looking out for my baby girl. Leaving you here in America alone when I head back to Turkey in a few days' time. I will also be very busy these next few days so I wont have time to see you again after this Kizim." I couldn't help how my face fell at that news.
"I wont see you again?" I asked, he shook his head sadly. "Please, let Dimitri help you if you need it? Just promise me if you are in any trouble you will go to him?" I stood there for a few minutes before actually nodding and answering.
"I guess so old man, if it puts you at ease baba." His face then softened. "Thank you." He brought me into his arms hugging me again. Bringing his face close to my ear, I then heard him whisper. "If he does anything though you let me know, what happened with Nathan will never happen again, understood?" I nodded, trying to keep the memories of Nathan from resurfacing. Taking a deep breath I kissed the side of his cheek and felt him slide Dimitri's information into my pocket.
"I hope to see you at Christmas time? months away now but it will come fast. You are lucky to have such nice weather in July. I will tell your mother you say hi. Make sure to behave Rosemarie." He gave me a stern but joking face and I nodded.
"How are you two getting to your home?" He asked us, grabbing his suit jacket and putting it back on, Dimitri doing the same with his. I hadn't even noticed them take it off.
"We drove in Lissa's car." I told him. He then looked at me again. "Rosemarie.. where are you living now if not with Adrian? I told you that you should have put the apartment in your name. " My father tsked before pulling out his phone.
"Baba?" I asked watching his put the phone to his ear. I couldn't help smiling as the words of my primary language flew from his mouth, sounding just like home. But its what he said that made me blank out. " Wait, baba, what did you just do?!" I asked. He just continued putting his phone away, now done with the call and smiled.
"I'll have the keys to your new apartment sent over right away." Holding his hand up to me he continued. "First of all before you fight me young lady, I know you want to be independent, but let me do this one thing for you, afterall I know Lissa doesn't mine you crashing her apartment, but you need to have your own space. I'll make sure youre close by and have what you need." He paused for a moment before looking a tad scared.
"Lets just tell your mother that you live with Lissa. Thatll make her not worry so much and… not hit me for helping you do this." We both laughed, picturing my mother at the height of 5'3, with her wild red curls to match the red her face would be, all angry with my father.
All walking out, I noticed Dimitri following behind Lissa, my father and I, so slowing my pace out while walking to the parking garage I fell into step beside him.
"Hey, I know my father wants you to babysit me and all, but I promise you don't have to." Winking at him, I tried to get a reaction out of him. Nothing. Turning to me though he nodded slightly.
"So where do you live here in California, now that you've had to move?" He just gave me a blank look.
"Well, we are here in Los Angeles, so I live here?" He told me as a matter of factly. If I didn't know any better, he was being a scarcastic asshole.
"You know im just trying to get to know you right Mr. Belikov?" I told him, fastening my pace up again to step into step beside Lissa. Before I got away fast enough though, I heard him breath out.
"You can call me Dimitri."
When me and Lissa got back to the apartment, I was dead. Deader than dead. Emotionally and physically. Saying goodbye to my father had been harder than I'd imagined it. Lissa had to practically drag me off of him. I told him I would keep in touch more often, and told him i would be awaiting the keys to my new apartment.
Also, Dimitri. He was confusing. I didn't know what I was feeling at this moment. Physically I was so attracted to him. I wanted to be laying under his body because I know that under that suit, he was a god. Which is why when we were outside of Lissa's apartment, girls walking past were practically drooling on the cement. Emotionally though, he was as cold as an ice cube. He was a real charmer, note the sarcasm.
I definitely would contact him If I ever needed something, like getting bailed out of jail….or moving a couch. But there was something about him that made me want to know more. Although he was twenty-nine and I twenty, I didn't care. Age was just a number.
"Lissa, I think I need my feet amputated, I cant feel them anymore!" I called out to Lissa while flopping back onto my bed, letting my heels fall off in the process. I couldn't even be bothered to change my clothing. I could hear Lissa laughing as she approached my room, leaning against the door frame.
"Soo, Rosemarie Mazur huh?" I could only answer her with a groan.
"Ugggh, I know. Im sorry I didn't tell you Lissa. I was a little scared. A lot of people were only friends with me in hgihschool because of the power my father held. Or because they knew I had money. I didn't want to be known as Rose the princess here, I wanted to create my own name." I told her watching as she came over to the bed, and laid down beside me.
Turning onto my side, and shuffling my feet under the covers, I watched Lissa do the same.
"What a day Lissa." I laughed, shutting my eyes, sleep over coming me slowly.
She giggled. " I know. Also, I know you didn't mean to keep it from me intentionally. But im glad you turned out to be the girl from when we were younger." Turning the lights off, we both fell asleep in my queen sized bed. What a day it had been, and time to come would be even more eventful and life changing, but at this moment, we didn't know that yet.
TO BE CONTINUED.
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Freedomwriter2010