"i was right, how hard you try to do diet, you can't resist from sweets!" I laughed while she picked more sweets, most of the snacks she chose were sweets.
"Because i still need energy to do stuff!" She said, her cheeks got bigger like a bubble blown when she pouted, but more pink like peach, but i admit it was not bad in anyway.
"Ahaha! yes yes, i mean, you can have more if you want!"
We walked around the town together, i just realize that she held my hand all those time. Maybe just to make herself feel safe and to not lose me in the crowds.
We got back to the hotel after buying what we would need for a week in St. Petersburg, She was worried that someone might break in and steal the bear head. Although i did not think it should not be worried, but i followed her anyway.
We watched some Russian movies together, she said she does not like to be alone. Having a company was not bad either, as long as she did not know what i talk about in the phone when my boss call me.
She stared at the screen, probably wondering what they were saying in the movie. I opened a bag of chips and share them with her while we were watching the television.
"Ed, do you understand what they are saying?" She asked.
"Hm? Oh, yes. They are talking about the main character's childhood, which is pretty tough actually." I explained.
"Ahh, i see. You seem good at Russian, Ed. What languages do you speak?"
"Let's see.. Finnish, Estonian, English, Russian. I learned Russian in high school." I counted the languages, there were more language that i could speak a bit, but a bit does not count.
"Estonian too?"
"Because i'm actually Estonian. But i moved to Finland about thirteen years ago."
"Ahh, But how come?" She asked deeper.
"Well.. It's about my parents and stuff.." I made up the story, hoping she would not ask about it more.
"Oh.. i'm sorry for bringing that up.."
"Don't worry, despite of the bad experience, i'm totally good right now."
We continued watching the television, another movie was played, but it was a pretty boring one. But she said something to break that up.
"Eduard?"
"Yes?" i turned my head to see her.
"Can you teach me a little Estonian? Please?" She shifted closer to me, she seemed enthusiast about it.
"Now? Okay then, it will be easier for Finns to pronouce, we still have same root. Hmm where should i start?" I thought of some Estonian words. She waited for me to give her an Estonian word to pronounce.
"Tere." I said the first word for her repeat.
"Tere? i bet it means 'hello'" She fastly pronounce it, it was the easy one anyway. She could immediately guess the meaning.
"Yes, you are right!"
"Give me something more complicated!" She liked to challenge herself.
"'Järjekord'" I said the second word.
"Järje.. kord? What does it means?"
"It means 'Order'. Okay, can you say 'Ü'?" I said one of the letter from the next word, it was almost similar with Finnish 'Y'.
"'Ü'?"
"Yes, now say 'Mürk'."
" Mü.. Mürk?"
"Good, it means 'Venom'."
"Ahh, it's not hard to pronounce."
"Now, i will give you a sentence. Try to pronounce 'Olete tüse'." That sentence came to my mind.
"Umm, can you repeat that?"
"'Olete' and 'tüse'" I separated the two words for her.
"Olete.. tüse. What does it means?" She wondered.
"It simply means 'You are chubby'." I grinned.
"Hey! Are you refering that to me?" She pouted.
"Ahaha, kind of!"
"Hmph! What's the next word?"
" 'Ma armastan sind' " I grinned more at the sentence.
"Ma armas—wait.. i ever heard that before, don't just play flirty!" Her face flushed and she tried to hit me with a cusion.
"Ahaha! Where did you hear it from?" I laughed and tried to resist her hitting me with a cusion.
"Eduard!" She yelled, she was fun to tease.
My phone suddenly rang, the caller was not listed in my contacts. I went to the balcony and answered the call.
"Good afternoon, this is Eduard von Bock."
"Good afternoon, Mr. Eduard! Is my daughter with you now?" It was Tiina's father calling, his phone probably fell when he was attacked, and has to use another person's phone for a while.
"Oh, yes she is here. Do you want to talk with her?"
"Yes, please."
"Wait a second, i will give the phone to her." I turned the phone speaker on to make it louder so i could hear it, just to make sure her father did not take a suspicion on me.
"Tiina, it's from your father." I gave the phone to her, she immediately took it and talked to her father.
Their conversation was normal, they were asking about how each other were doing, she seemed to be worried about her father, knowing that her parents was in hospital and should not go anywhere for two weeks. They were also talk about the treasure, he just told her to keep herself and the treasure safe.
Her father was going to send some packages for us that would be useful, some clothes, and the other stuff, It would arrive in about three days.
.
.
We had been staying for about five days, the packages arrived a day late to us. No wonder why, the weather has been pretty terrible in Finland.
Tiina was playing with my phone, i deleted all the messages and things she should not see. She would not care about the contacts. But of course i was still beside her, in case my boss would call or send me message.
The sound of my ringtone took my attention, she gave the phone for me to answer. It was from the courier saying that the packages already arrived for me to take from the lobby. After i ended the call, i took my phone with me, anyone beside the courier could call.
"Tiina, i'm going to take the packages, stay here, okay? Don't go anywhere." I walked to the door.
"Oh.. yeah, i won't. Don't worry!" She pulled the blanket and burried herself in it.
"Okay then."
I walked into the elevator and pressed the button to the main floor, thinking of what would my boss tell me to do to take the treasure without her noticing. We already stayed for five days, Mr. Braginsky would come back in two days.
I went to the lobby to take the packages waiting for me to be taken. I took a box that has our name written on it. It was not too heavy for me to bring it myself, and it has not fragile items in it. I would be totally fine by myself.
I stood in front of her room and press the bell, i tried already 5 times but there was no answer.
"Tiina, it's me Eduard."
I tried to knock the door in my room that connects our rooms, i did not even hear any sound of movement or her voice responding to me.
"Tiina? Are you there?"
It was strange, she would still wake up if she was taking a nap, she did not seem to be that tired that day. I tried to hear if there is any sound of her in the wall that separated the bathroom and outside the room, there was no sound, not even a little. What could be happening this time?
Fortunately there was a hotel staff walked by just now.
"Excuse me, could you help me with something?"
"Yes, what seem to be the problem, sir?"
"I was in my friend's room just before i went to the main floor to take our packages, when i got back here, i knocked the door and called her but she didn't respond, there is no sound of her either and she didn't bring her phone with her. Could you please unlock the door for me? I'm a bit worried of what might happen.." i explained it to him to make him believe me.
"Alright." He nodded and took out a card from his pocket, it could be used to open all door in the hotel.
"Thank you."
He used the car to unlock the door, a green light glowed in sign of the door successfully unlocked. The staff left as the door was successfully unlocked.
I entered the room to find a broken lamp, the chair being misplaced, and the closet door open with the safes that seemed forcefully opened. I dropped the box i was carrying, knocked the bathroom, and opened the bathroom door when i heard no sound of her. She was not there either.
"Fuck." My boss did not tell anyone to take the treasure now, or even to take her along.
"Who could possibly do this? Did they hurt her? They better keep her alive and fine before i could actually rip their asses." I thought, my head started to hurt as i panicked.
"Calm down, Eduard. There may be a clue, now think." I told myself while thinking of a way to find her.
The windows were locked, there was no single crack on it. The culprit surely entered the room from the door, either she opened it thinking that it was the hotel housekeeper asking if she need her room to be cleaned, or one of the hotel staffs opened it. But the first one was more convincing. The culprit could use the position of housekeeper, it was possible if they carry a cart with them to bring dirty sheets, and Tiina could fit there, along with the treasure.
I contacted the security to help me find her, i explained the case while walking to the elevator, we took the direction that lead to the cleaning part of the hotel. I was sure they were still at some part inside the hotel, it did not take really long for me to leave the room and take the packages.
It was not the first time for her to experience something like this, she had been in such a trauma a few times before. Even though i was the same, but i did not do it by hurting her, i would not let her know what she was put into. And it was not my wish, just because i did not have any choice, but still wanted to keep her safe.
From Author : The translation of the Estonian words are in the conversation.