“Daria Alekseevna said that this year the minister plans to celebrate his birthday outside the city,” Alla Kalyuzhnaya confided to Vera.

And why wasn't I surprised that these two were bosom buddies? They even look similar in appearance - both vile utterly. For the third day already, through gritting my teeth, I watched as Alla picked up correspondence for the department every morning and spent half an hour on it. She just couldn't close her mouth. Just like Vera.

- Yasya, you know that you will get all the charm of organizing a holiday? Alla turned to me and narrowed her eyes slyly.

Out of the corner of my eye,...