What a Difference a Year Makes (Revised)

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"So what do you think?" I said as we were standing in the middle of the old gym in Baia. Several days before we had talked to the gang about the possibility of the two gyms and Eddie and Alberta jumped at the chance of being able to run the Baia branch. Alberta had even started thinking strategies on how to get people in or identify people who would be interested; many involved getting Roman to keep an ear to the ground and sending any interested parties our way.

"I think it would be perfect, but needs a lot of work" Eddie said speculatively.

"That's easily sorted. We can pay for the services of the local dhampir that have the trades we need. That would get the gym up and running but give locals work for several months" Dimitri stated.

"Is that a yes then?" I asked in anticipation.

"Yes" said the other four unanimously. We left the building returning to the agent who we had asked to remain outside.

"We will take it" I said decisively. Arrangements were made for Dimitri and I to go with the agent to the local hotel where we could find a meeting room to conduct the rest of the business. Alberta, Eddie and Mason returned to the Belikov house to await our return, under strict instructions not to spill a single word until then.

Half an hour later, with the aid of Abe on the legal jargon, we were the proud owners of the old gym in Baia. Dimitri and I looked at each other with a sense of bewildered excitement. It seemed so surreal but we were both looking forward to this new venture. The funniest discussion to date was what we were going to call the company. Different names had been thrown about by all of us, some quite ridiculous others passable but one sided. It was agreed that we needed something that didn't scream that it was us but something that had both Dimitri and I in the title. Eventually we settled for the unadventurous title of RDBs. We had already set up the business account with help from Abe who was a wiz at such things and it was agreed that besides Dimitri and I, Eddie and Alberta would also be signatories due to us and them being practically on opposite sides of the globe. I was worried that Mason would feel slighted by him not having that responsibility but his reply was "well I get the next one don't I?" with a laugh and in truth, yes he would get the next gym wherever that may be.

We walked into the house and all heads turned to us and I just lifted the keys and rattled them. Everyone jumped to their feet and hugged us all happy and smiling.

"Here you go you two" I threw the keys to Alberta, which she caught with ease. "Congratulations you are the managers of the newest gym in town, RDBs" I said laughing. "Are you going to do your first managerial duty, Eddie?" I said pointedly.

"Most definitely. Viktoria Belikov, would you like to come and work at the hottest gym in Russia?" he said business like but the cheesy grin just diminished it somewhat, but who cares we are all family.

"You are kidding? You really mean it?" Vika said with wonder.

"Certainly do. Since Abe mentioned the possibility of a gym here in Baia, Rose and Dimitri were hoping you would be involved. We will have to work out what all our roles are but that would give three members of staff per gym to start with. So what do you say?"

"Hell Yeah" and she hugged him. "Sorry that was unprofessional but I don't care."

"What's with the name? RDBs?" said Sonya

"You can't work it out?" Dimitri said with an exasperated brother look. She shrugged.

"The company is actually Rose and Dimitri Belikov International but that's a mouthful so we use the 'trading as' RDBs. The name is personal to us but wouldn't be picked up by anyone as being overtly connected to us." I explained. "Also the company is registered in the human world so the royal moroi can't shut us down if they try that angle."

"You are going to have your work cut out for you finding customers?" said Sonya trying to pick fault.

"Oh Sonya, you are such a pessimist. No we already have our first major client" I said with a grin.

"Really?" sounded a chorus of voices. This was also new to Alberta and Eddie.

"Yep. We are going to be the sole training provider for the guardians employed by Mazur International. Isn't nepotism great?" I joked and the rest laughed with me. "So you two, sorry three, have six months to get the gym into working order before Baba starts sending his guardians your way. Also in that time we could also join up and train more together so that there is standard across the two gyms. We can fly here seeing as there is a lot more of you than the three of us, also Baba said we can borrow his jet when he isn't using it. Well he said I could borrow it until we get our own, which we could easily do but I don't want to have that responsibility just yet." I laughed out. Everyone just looked at me as if I was talking Urdu.

"You could afford a jet?" came a strangled cry from Sonya.

"Never mind that for now let's just be happy that the first gym has been bought and is now in the capable hands of managers to get it up and running within the foreseeable future" I said with gusto and Dimitri hugged me tightly with happiness.

"When do you leave for LA? Karolina asked.

"We are planning to leave at the beginning of next week" Dimitri replied. "Now that the business on this building is completed, we better start looking at the LA one. We have set up appointments with the real estate agents for the end of that week. That will give us time to settle into our new home and figure out where everything is."

"Are you still up for coming with us Mase or have you changed your mind?" I said to him, genuinely giving him the choice.

"Are you kidding, I'm with you all the way. Eddie, Alberta and Vika have this one covered so I'm coming back with you. As you say, we will be flying back and forth for training and checking up on progress so it's not like we aren't going to see each other again and there is always Skype" Mason replied.

The rest of the evening was spent celebrating and discussing the new venture with renewed enthusiasm. All of the Belikovs getting involved with ideas and possibilities, also suggesting local tradespeople from the dhampir community that would be delighted to work on the new gym; Alberta made a note to contact them in the next few days to discuss the opportunity with them.

It's hard to believe that this time last year I was sat in an apartment building close to the college in Portland protecting Lissa from the unknown threat at St Vladimir's. Little did I know that a year on from then I would be estranged from Lissa, meet my father, get married to the love of my life, expelled and exiled for that love, be sat here, in my In-Laws' kitchen in Russia, celebrating the launch of our new company. What a difference a year makes?