Chapter 45: 1
" You are the new translator, your accent is better than theirs, and they all looked at me like scared or like girls in love, you look at me in a professional way, that's why you are hired, see you tomorrow miss."
I thank him with a sincere smile and Bryan just nods seriously. I bid him goodbye and head to my flat.
****
The next day I enter Bryan's room, the meeting room. It's all tidy, the colours of the walls are white and the floor grey. There are paintings on the walls, a huge table and next to it a space with several fancy sofas and on the other side there is a coffee machine with a smaller table, a fridge, a water filter and soda machines, as soon as I stop watching, Bryan says:
" Are you done looking? Then you can admire it a lot."
He says staring at me, what an arrogant, show-off, bossy man. He thinks he can talk to people any way he wants, it annoys me. What does he think I am anyway? He continues:
" Well, sit down and I'll pour you something to drink, what would you like?"
He seems kind now, is he doing it out of obligation or not? I don't know, I ask for a water and he quickly brings it to me. I thank him and take a sip of the cold water.
He says after watching me again:
" They'll be here soon, it's not so bad. "
Today some businessmen will come to close contracts with him.
I say with a grimace:
" Thanks for the compliment. "
I don't take his compliment very seriously, but in fact, for me, it was not a compliment.
The doors open and some businessmen appear, they all go towards Bryan to greet him. He introduces me to the men and I greet everyone.
Bryan asks everyone to sit down and they do. We begin, I translate everything into English when Robert starts speaking. I love the Portuguese language, I miss hearing and speaking it, so I am loving doing this.
As soon as I translate everything, Bryan thinks about the proposal and says to me:
"Well, tell him I accept the terms, our contract will last for a year and if there is profit, we will renew the contract for more years."
I tell Robert in Portuguese and they sign the contract and both say goodbye.
After everyone has left, Bryan comes up to me and says:
"Good job, before you leave at the reception, pass your bill to the woman whose name tag has the name Manny written on it, the money will drop into your account today. You are a good translator, can you tell me more about how you learned?"
I smile a little and say placing some of my hair behind my ear:
" I'm from Madrid, I was born in Madrid, but when I was seven I lived with my aunt here in London and learned the English language perfectly. Then at the age of nine, I returned to Madrid, finished my studies at seventeen, did language courses, learnt French and Portuguese and took a one-year English course to be more than perfect. In total, I spent three years studying to learn these languages and now I speak them perfectly. I used to earn money teaching, but my mum said if I get a job here, I will earn more and here I am."
I kind of told the truth, my auntie told me to come here, I forgot about it, but why does he have to know that? Speaking of which I have to visit her.
I keep thinking that I told too much about my life to a stranger. That was not a good idea.
He just nodded and we went to work some more, he didn't even seem to mind listening to me, this Bryan is a bit weird sometimes.
I spent the day translating for him, from French to English, Spanish to English and Portuguese to English, many businessmen came to negotiate goods and companies with him. He must own many companies to be so well known.
It is late afternoon and he offers me a great afternoon snack. We had eaten a strawberry pie with passion fruit juice. As soon as we finish he says
" You won't sleep in your hotel, not when you are working for me, you will sleep in a flat here next to the company. I want you close by as you will be working for me for a week. Pass your bill at the reception and see you early tomorrow morning, I'll send you a message today telling you the time, accommodation is on me. Thank you and good night!"
He hands me the key to the flat where I will stay, I take it, thank him and say goodbye.
At the reception I pass my bill and they give me my backpack, because I always leave it there. I leave the company, look across the street and see the flat I'm going to stay in.
When I get there I ask the attendant what floor my flat is on, the man answers that it's on the fifth floor. I take the lift and find my flat.
The number is 607, I unlock the door and lock it again. I turn on the light and see how perfect this flat is! It's too big for me, I think.