My Ice Prince - стр. 23
– Yes, Aunt Mel! I'm going to work in Reverend Charles' office! – Mary hugged the seamstress.
– «Office»? What a word you've chosen! By the way, the orphanage is a holy place! – Aunt Mel said with a laugh.
– Oh, you're at it again! – Mary laughed. – How you like to teach me!
– Don't you laugh: I've been in this world sixty-five years, and I know more than you! – grumbled the seamstress.
«She's sixty-five? And she looks so awful? Thank God I'll never be that ugly!» – I thought as I looked round at Aunt Mel, who looked sad, and marvelled at the contrast between her and my beautiful young parents.
How amazing: people take this ugly old age for granted, and we take for granted our eternal youth and beauty. How different creatures we are!
– What's your name, my girl? – the seamstress turned to me.
– Marsha, and she's Polish» Mary said before I could even open my mouth.
– Not Marsha, but Mischa» I corrected her calmly.
– Yes, I'm sorry, it's just that the names are very similar» Mary apologised, then turned to the seamstress. – She needs a uniform for Oxford.
– Oxford? What a clever girl you are, Misha!» Auntie Mel complimented me. I smiled falsely. – Then let's go to the fitting room. Take off your jacket and jumper and we'll take your measurements.
I followed her into the fitting room, took off my jacket and tunic and stayed in my bra and jeans.
– Polish girls are as beautiful as ours» said the seamstress. – It's very interesting: you are so tall and yet so thin. Not a model, by any chance?
– No, I just don't have an appetite» I told her.
– Do you keep your figure? – Mary asked when she came in. – You're so thin! Well, I'll make you fattened up! I wonder how you got breasts when you're so thin.
– Mary, don't talk rubbish! – Aunt Mel told her off. – Look, you might offend her. Misha, don't pay any attention to her because you have a marvellous figure.
– It's not offensive at all» I smiled, having long ago thought of an excuse for my thinness. – It's just that I'm allergic to almost everything, so I don't eat much.
– You poor thing. What are you allowed to eat? – asked the seamstress, measuring my waist.
– Well, not much: tomatoes… Cucumbers… Sometimes apples, – I thought up, confused, as I had never thought that someone would ask about it.
– To live on tomatoes and apples alone… It would kill me! – Mary exclaimed. – And I was surprised to find our fridge empty!
– I'm used to it» I replied modestly.
Aunt Mel finished her work.
– That's it. I'll have the mould made by Friday. How many copies?
– Two… Or three. Yes, three, and three more robes» I said, putting on my tunic and jacket.
– I'll make them all in different styles. What kind of material?
– The usual stuff, like everyone else's. I'd be most grateful» I smiled.
We said goodbye to Aunt Mel and went home. On the way Mary suggested we go to the supermarket and buy some groceries, and I was a bit scared, because I'd never been to a supermarket before – I just didn't need to go there, so I politely declined.
– Then , let's go to the park and go rollerblading» Mary suggested, grabbing my arm again.
– I'm afraid I don't know how to skate» I said honestly.
– I'll teach you. It's not very hard; you just have to keep your balance. By the way, about the bike: you can use it whenever you want, but I'll still walk to work.