He gazed at her, and Vera finished quickly. «Ive got a fellowship to study in the U.S.A. Im moving there.»
Without a word, Oleg circled the room twice.
It seemed as if he could not decide what to do. Suddenly, he approached Vera, fell on his knees, grabbed her hands, and started erotically kissing them.
«How could you think Id leave you because of that?» He was talking, with a catch in his voice. «I cant live without you. You are my sunshine and air. Lets get married! Ill go with you to the ends of the world!»
Dazed, Vera could not reply; she just did not know what to say. Oleg caressed her and his skillful touching enchanted her, as usual mixing up her thoughts.
Panting and trembling, they helped each other undress, and, drunk with excitement, they hastily got into bed.
«Im not a whore, am I?» Vera could barely think. «I probably do love Oleg, as I can feel such pleasure. Oh God.» She lost herself for a moment, but thoughts about moving came back. «Its so difficult to live alone in a foreign country. Well, the Lapins will be in the same city, but they have their own family. Oleg loves me. God, how he loves me! He can always find an out to any situation. Its great to have someone beside you. Someone whom you can trust.»
The deep vortex of enjoyment sucked her in, and she melted into it.
When she finally opened her eyes and saw Olegs face close to her, Vera had difficulty recalling what they had been talking about.
«Would you marry me?» She heard his tender voice, and she nodded. Worry lodged in her heart for a second, but he gasped with such sincere gladness that all her concern was gone at once.
«Everything will be fine,» she thought.
***«My name is Jeff.»
The sentence dragged Vera back to the present, and she stared with amazement at the black police officer, discerning true and powerful passion glowing in his dark brown eyes.
«Jeff,» she repeated, dreamily. «Jeff.»
Chapter 3: The Last Day of October
«Honey, its too cold outside.» Nina hesitated, then looked through the window at the first snowflakes whirling in the air like white bees.
«But I cant go without a costume!» cried Larisa. «Youre a bad mom. Why didnt you buy me a costume?»
«You chose this yourself.» Nina pointed at the ballerinas dress. «At the school party you were the cutest one. Its not my fault that the weather became so cold.»
«But I need a costume to go out.» Larisa still wept while an upset Nina looked at her with compassion and pain in her heart.
«Sweetie, we have no money to buy another one.» The woman stopped short as an idea came to her. She ran to the closet and took out her white lacy blouse with long sleeves and a brown mini-skirt.
«Put on your clothes,» she told Larisa, and when the girl did, Nina pulled the blouse straight over Larisas orange coat. She tied the collar and the sleeves with ribbons, and admired the job that she had done. It seemed now as if the girl was wearing only this blouse.
Then Nina put the skirt on her daughter, and tied the belt so it fit the girls waist. Since Nina was very short for an adult woman, the skirt reached Larisas calves.
Next Nina took her straw hat and tied it onto Larisas head with a pink scarf. Nina decorated her daughters shoes with bows, and Larisa looked like a peasant girl. She ran to a mirror checking herself out, and laughed with delight.
«I am a shepherdess!»
«Yep, honey.» Nina gave her a big toy lamb. «And you wont be cold now.»
«Were ready!» exclaimed Larisa, seeing her father, along with David VanStein and Hannah, enter the room.
«Are you crazy?» Vlad gasped. «Its snowing outside and you wanna send Larisa out wearing only that?»
«Not to worry, honey.» Nina smirked, explaining about Larisas costume, and Vlad hugged his wife. «Youre the smartest woman ever!» He kissed her, then his daughter. «Good luck, my girls.»
«Where is Megan?» Nina asked David.
«Shes with Dylon. He is too small to go out,» said David, patting Hannahs head. «Besides, he feels unwell. Maybe next year.»
And they all, except Vlad, left the house.
Vlad looked around the deserted room and sighed. He yearned to go with his family, but he had no drivers license yet, and he was not familiar with the town. His eyes rested on the plate of candy that Nina had prepared for treating the children who would come to the door, and the thoughts of the young scientist changed.
«Interesting,» he thought. «How many calories in one portion of the treats?»
From the kitchen he brought a scale and plastic cups, and started sorting the candy. Wrapped up in the task, Lapin took his notebook, and did some calculations.
«Dont forget to count out the weight of the papers,» Vlad told himself, forgetting everything. «Minus the weight of the sticks of the lollipops»
The knock at the door disturbed him. Vlad jerkily opened the door. «What? What do you want?»
A boy wearing a pirates costume looked at Vlad in bewilderment. «Trick or treat.»
Vlad came back to reality.
«Sure.» He held a cup brimming with candy and dropped its contents it into the childs bag. «Here you go.»
«Wow!» The encouraged boy shook his bag. «Thank you, sir!»
«Happy Halloween.» Vlad closed the door and wanted to go back to his calculations, but he heard a tapping. He threw his notebook and thought angrily, «If I turn off the lights and go to the bedroom, I can count and no one will disturb me.» But, shaking his head, he returned to Earth at once, and taking the plate with candy, Vlad said to himself, «Have I cracked or what? Its a childrens holiday. Relax, buddy!»
During the next few hours he just opened and closed the door giving candy out, and he was surprised at how many children were in this small town. The process became rote for Vlad, and when the door opened and Nina and Larisa came in, he mechanically held out a plate towards them.
«Daddy, daddy!» exclaimed the girl, showing her bag. «Look how much candy I got!»
«Some people offered candy to me, too.» Nina was talking with a winsome grin. «They said, Let your sister have some candy, too!» She burst out laughing. Vlad just smiled at his female family members, deriving joy from their naively happy report.
«And I saw a dog with horns,» Larisa said, piling her candy into the almost empty plate.
«Yeah, Vlad.» Ninas doe eyes sparkled with emotion. «I thought I was going insane. Picture it. The door opened, and I saw a goat in the house. But it was just a golden retriever.»
«Goldy is her name,» cut in Larisa, rummaging into the candy.
«Yep,» Nina continued. «Her owner put something like a cap with devils horns on her head. Oh, he is such a cute old guy. You know, with a walking stick, neat clothes. Very nice man.»
«He asked me,» yawning, Larisa interrupted her. «And others asked me, Arent you cold?»
«Oh, what time is it?» The woman gasped. «Go to sleep, go to sleep.»
«But the candy» The tired girl became capricious, and Nina took her in her arms, and brought Larisa into her room.
Vlad looked at the sweets, then at the plastic cups, and took up his notebook and calculator again.