47 A Quest For a 'Black Notebook'

Andrzej took a quick shower, got dressed, and carried the wet towels downstairs. Dominik was in the laundry sorting white on color.

"In my old age I will be able to boast to my grandchildren that the famous Dominik Śliwiński did my laundry "Nowicki joked."

The actor laughed sharply. Andrzej felt strange at this sound.

"And he made breakfast. Except they may not know my name. Famous now, but in a few years no one may remember me anymore."

"I don't think you will soon fall into oblivion."

"Who knows? Fame is capricious."

"Believe me, it's not easy to throw you out of mind."

Immediately after saying these words, Andrew thought that they might be misunderstood.

"I meant your acting is in a class of its own."

"Thank you, but now that I am leaving Marek, I will not be able to stay in his agency. I'll have to find someone new quickly, or I'll have to say goodbye to playing."

Andrzej's jaw dropped.

"You are Dominik Śliwiński. The producers are, I am sure of that, will try to kill themselves for you."

"Did you see me get any script to look at? It is Marek who has all the arrangements."

"It may be, but he is not all-powerful. In an interview you yourself said that you work too much. I bet that's the reason…"

And I would lose, he mentally added.

Dominik smiled. He looked unconvinced. Was he not as naive as he might seem?

"For now, your latest movie is being shown in theaters. 'In the light of the accusation' breaks popularity records" Nowicki noticed. "Nobody in their right mind gives up such a box office star as you."

Śliwiński pretended to believe in these arguments, but Andrzej was not deceived. It was unfair to Dominik that one man had such an impact on his private and professional life. This will have to be changed. And fast.

"Look, I need to go out."

The actor broke away from putting the towels in the washing machine and looked at him curiously. Although he didn't ask anything, Andrzej felt obliged to explain.

"I need to find a suitable partner for you, and I left the notebook with my contacts in my apartment."

"Black notebook?" Dominik asked with exaggerated seriousness.

"Don't be foolish, it's not America. It is brown."

"Aaaaah… that changes things. You know, you don't have to tell me if you want to go out."

"I know, just ..." Andrzej didn't quite know what he wanted to say. He was worried about Dominik, that was all. However, he did not want the actor to think that he did not trust his emotional state.

And yet it just happened. Dominik smiled faintly, gently.

"Thank you, but I feel really good. It's true that when I remember…" He broke off. "Exactly," he added with an apologetic smile. "Fortunately, I can shake off these thoughts. I promise when you come back I won't cry on my pillow."

"I do not…"

"You know, I actually have no preferences for my partner for this party" Dominik changed the subject. "I will trust you completely."

"I don't know if I can handle this responsibility."

"Hey, it was you who offered to take on this task! Will you be back for dinner or not?"

"I'll be back. I'm just going for a notebook, not for hunting. Plus, my apartment is only two stops away."

"Only two?"

"I'm getting off at the Warszawa Wschodnia Station. By rail is even faster and more convenient than by car."

"By rail?"

"Don't say you didn't drive rail."

"Not for quite a few years."

Andrzej looked at him trying to guess if the actor was telling the truth. Well, he could. A star of his caliber did not have to travel public transportation. Marczak surely took care of a private car and a chauffeur every time Śliwiński needed to go somewhere.

"Then someday you'll have to go for a ride like that."

Dominik smiled seductively.

"Then I take your word for it."

***

Only on the train, Andrzej remembered the mess left in his apartment. He sighed at the thought of having to get into this mess and try to find his brown contact notebook.

These weren't numbers for his ex-lovers or girlfriends. At least not all of them. Andrzej did not maintain such a collection that would testify to his conquests. Neither he was that type of man, nor would his collection be quite impressive. In the notebook, he had contacts with journalists, less popular stars of show business, people with whom he had encountered his paths and with whom acquaintance could turn out to be beneficial in unforeseen situations - such as finding the right partner for a party for a famous actor.

The real problem, however, lay not with the girl herself, but with Dominik. Nowickie had no idea if the actor was now able to trust any woman and suspected that he was almost certainly incapable of engaging in erotic intimacy with her, no matter how sexiest she was in the world.

"Oh, Andrzej," a woman's familiar voice surprised him. "Are you going back to the old garbage?"

He smiled at the sight of his young neighbor, Marta, carrying a bag of groceries.

"Not yet, but soon. Let me help you."

"Thanks. Like everyday errands and it has accumulated. Tell me, how are you?" She called the elevator.

"All good. I quit my job."

"What? Really? Congratulations" she rejoiced. "I know how much you didn't like her. So what now, private activity?"

"As if. I'm going to work with one actor a little."

"You have to tell me everything. You have time? Come to me for a coffee."

"Actually ..."

"Do not be like this! We are only the two with Ewelina all day long and we need a different company. Don't make me ask."

"Fine. I need a change of scenery."

They were already in the apartment and Andrzej was putting her shopping on the table.

"Ewelina, we have a visitor! It's Andrzej!"

"I'll be right there," Marta's roommate replied from behind the door of her room.

Marta moved closer to Nowicki.

"You don't know this from me, because I promised not to tell anyone anything, Ewelina likes you."

"Seriously?" this information surprised Andrzej.

Here she is, and he was just wondering how to pick up a girl.

Suddenly he had an idea.

"You are not dating anybody now, are you?"

"I'm not. Why do you ask?"

"Because I would need a big favor ..."