So what then? I wondered.
And what do you want then?
Having visited the Kuskovo palace and the exhibition in the Orangerie, we listened to a fragment of a charity concert, and on the way to the Grotto, we stopped at the Italian house-museum.
Drop in, you wont regret it! the hospitable hostess called us. The house is small but very cosy! Ill tell you the riddle of the Count Sheremetev. If youll guess it
We had to find three caterpillars hiding in the leaves on a small metal tree. I saw two of them at once, but the search for the third was hard. Finally, I found it too.
Now make a wish! I assure you, whatever it is, it will definitely come true! the woman promised, smiling.
Then well be in Paris tomorrow, I said in a serious voice and laughed.
We reached the theater and found our seats, the 13th and 14th in the 6th row. Such a dangerous combination of 6 and 13 didnt bother me at all. That day seemed to be one of the happiest in my life!
Finally, we came to the old and long-empty flat where Nikolas parents had once lived. We were greeted by an unbearable stuffiness, but Nikolas said it was better not to open the windows for conspiracy. What if the neighbors got frightened that someone had entered in through the window and would call the police
Im so sleepy! I said, yawning sweetly at the thought that tonight would be the first time Nikolas let me stay with him until the morning, instead of sending me home at midnight, and we would finally wake up in the same bed as husband and wife.
Lets at least have some tea, honey! Ive bought your favourite cakes not for nothing! Theres no electric kettle, though, so well have to wait a while
I nodded tired, closing my eyes. Nikolas went into the kitchen, and I followed him half-asleep. He stopped by the stove.
Shit, its gas here, and I forgot where the matches are
And I have an electric stove at home, I mumbled, falling asleep on the go.
Where are the matches, where are the matches Nikolas wondered, humming softly.
To hell with tea! Lets go to bed, I whispered and hugged him, hanging on his neck helplessly.
I woke up, looked at the clock on the bedside table, and got horrified! No way I could have slept that long! I quickly moved to the kitchen and found Nikolas standing at the window.
Look, Im sorry! I exclaimed. Why didnt you wake me up? You said you had an early morning pick-up at
And how did you sleep? Nikolas suddenly interrupted me halfway through.
At a new place, you mean? I wondered, remembering the stupid saying about grooms dreaming only in places where girls fall asleep for the first time.
Yeah, he looked away, sighing. Did you dream anything?
Something heavy I was suffocating, flying in the void through a black tunnel Why?
And there was a roar and rattle in your ears, Nikolas added sadly.
Yes, it seems so. How do you know? Did I scream in my sleep?
How do you feel now? he asked, still standing by the window.
Perfect! No, not even that! Im the happiest woman in the world! To hell with Paris! I smiled, came up to Nikolas and pressed my cheek to his cheek.
Forgive me, Pauline, he whispered in my ear.
For what?! I was surprised.
Ive never said I love you. I love you.
Something must have really happened if he said that to me! it flashed through my head.
No one will believe it but you, Nikolas sighed somehow doomed, although it doesnt matter much now
Whats happened?
I was always afraid of your dramatically leaving the Earth beforehand. And yesterday
I love you too, I tried to reassure Nikolas, thinking hard what he was getting at. Ill put the kettle on!
Nikolas tried to stop me with a gesture, but I stopped only for a moment, asking myself where are the matches?, and came up to the stove when suddenly noticed that the burner was ALREADY on, but there was NO fire
Oh no! I screamed at the thought that pierced me. NO! NO! Not now, when everything is so good! Tell me its not true!!!
Yes, baby, yes, he whispered, heartbroken. Please forgive me, you know I didnt do it on purpose
I instantly found myself at the door to the bedroom, but Nikolas blocked my way.
No, Pauline, dont go in there! Its horrible
I slowly sank to the floor, Nikolas put his arms around me.
Its all over now, he said trying to console me somehow. Everything will be fine. Youll calm down now, and well go to Paris. Weve never been there before together
July 20027. Stuck Pluto
Pluto, the Lord of the Kingdom of the Dead, circling around in the Heavenly Dial of the Zodiacal Clock, froze at the Gate to his own Kingdom at 8 pm.
All the men I have fallen in love with in my life were under Pluto management, and one of them had at his birth as many as 5 planets between 8 and 9 pm on the Zodiacal Clock, or in the Kingdom of the Dead. Such an accent gives away serial killers and maniacs, mafia and financial tycoons, and also great and terrible magicians and possibly ghosts
The next day the Sun was going to bathe Pluto in its rays, to illuminate him and turn him on. A strange premonition of something all-encompassing, ready to crash down on me like an avalanche (or tsunami?), neither bad nor good, but shocking, didnt allow me to fall asleep. In the morning, when my consciousness finally gave up, two people appeared, as if my guardians, one of them was a ghost, and the other