kitchen. He is a guy with golden hands. Sometimes he is a lazy bone, the same as his father was, but he’ll do it for you without problems, whatever you want.
– Okay, Diane. Thank you for the advice.
– You are welcome, dear. I know Dan and his family very well. I’ve known Dan’s father for forty years. We’ve always been good neighbors. Miriam even thought we were lovers. But Tommy was just a good friend of mine, who one day introduced me to my third husband. And I’m so grateful to him for that. – Diane sounded passionate and sensitive. – I loved my third hubby so much, Vika. I was always crazy and so mad about him and I still love him. But you know, after our divorce…hmm… it was a piquant story; I didn’t let him ever come back to my life. Edward was a cheater and I didn’t want to hurt my feelings again. Can you imagine?
– Yes Diane, I can understand your feelings. And I’m so sorry for you. – I replied with sympathy.
– Oh sweetie, you shouldn’t be. Look at me. I’m ok, right? The best revenge for Edward is to ignore him. So I always refuse to see or speak to my ex number three. All his never-ending attempts to meet me and communicate with me are in vain.
Suddenly Diane’s cell phone rang. She looked at the cell’s screen.
– An unknown number. Well, they will call me back if they really need me, provided they haven’t dialed the wrong number.
– Yes, – I agreed with her.
She deleted the unknown number. Of course, Diane didn’t expect that it was the call from her former husband – “Ex Number Three”.
Diane joyfully showed us her spaced beautiful living – room, huge dining area, and a big hall that reminded me a well-done picture gallery. The walls of that hall were decorated by the pictures in expensive frames of wood.
– Almost all the frames were made by your husband, exclusively for me, dear Vika. One hundred different hand-crafted frames from Daniel. I’ve got them twice as a birthday present. Look, these are my favorite pictures. – Diane pointed out to some family pictures. – It’s me, a young college student with Nick’s dad. And that is a picture of happy Nick, Stacy and Andrew. The last picture of my adorable grandson. He sat for the portrait in the military uniform.
Diane interrupted her story for a moment and then asked herself: “Hmm, why is the glass broken? I didn’t notice that in the morning…”
Diane tried to pick up Andrew’s picture from the wall, and few other pictures fell down to the floor.
– Oh, my… – She exclaimed with a horror in her voice. – The wedding pictures of my parents and my favorite wedding photograph with Edward?
She carefully took the broken pictures from the floor and touched them with tenderness.
– Oh my God, Vika! Oh, my… They have never fallen down, never before… yet in the earthquakes.
She, so much upset and disappointed, left the broken pictures in the hall and politely invited me and Slava to go outside for a fresh air.
We quickly passed through a narrow hallway with many paintings and drawings on the walls.
Diane opened the retractable screen and we entered into the wonderful garden.
Quiet live music, cheerful laugh from all the sides and night air freshness with the mixture of blossoming roses smell made me feel fine – comfortable and entirely stress-free.
Diane’s cell phone rang again. And that time the hostess seemed to be very much worried. Stared at the number, she whispered: “Hell!” and then added: “Sorry”.
The same moment she went away, leaving me and Slava alone in her unbelievable gorgeous back-yard garden.
The party was going on, and Diane’s house was all alive with the guests.
To my big surprise, I’ve met a Russian-speaking American lady, who lived in St. Petersburg in her late twenties for about six years. She graduated from the same university as I did, just a year before me. Katrina (such was her name) paid attention at my accent when she heard my voice in the garden and she was eager to talk to me.
– Where are you from? – She immediately came up to me and curiously asked.
– From St. Petersburg, Russia.
She was shocked. Katrina started screaming and jumping at once and addressed her husband.
– Dear, guess whom I saw just a moment ago? You’ll never believe it, but I’ve met here Vika from Russia. She is from St. Petersburg, from the same university as I went to. We studied there at the same time. Unbelievable! – Katrina exclaimed with great joy and energy. – Isn’t it fun dear? Could I ever imagine this? It’s fantastic!
Katrina had so many good memories and impressions about her student life in my native city. She remembered the names of the streets, districts, cafes and popular performances of that particular time. As it appeared, either I or she attended many classes and lectures of the same well-known Russian professors – no wonder that we both read and loved the same Russian poets and writers. That unexpected encounter with Katrina was a very special and remarkable event for both of us. She could speak Russian with me and I liked her sexy American accent. We both were very excited.
– Cheers, dear Vika! To us, and to such a small world! It’s the wonderful world. I’m so extremely happy.
While I was having fun with Katrina and her husband, my very joyful and slightly in liquor hubby enjoyed the party in a company of two extravagant men.
– Sweetie, these are my friends from high school – Ronny and Johnny. – Dan ran up to me.
– Nice to meet you, guys! Victoria. – I gave my hand to Ronny and then to Johnny.
They both looked truly happy and shook my hand rather vigorously.
– Victoria is from Russia, guys. I’ve told you, I brought her and her son to California from St. Petersburg. We recently married in Beverly Hills. So, please do not try even to flirt with my wife, okay? – Daniel smiled.
– Congratulations, guys! – Thank you!
My husband quickly whispered to my ear, “Ronny’s mouth is watering! Johnny is horny;” he laughed and ran away to the swimming pool.
I was left alone with his fellows.
– So, you are from St. Petersburg, Victoria. – Good-natured Ronny began the conversation.
– Yes, Ronny.
– Great city! Recently I’ve been very close to it, in Helsinki. I’ve just returned from my European tour and I am under big impression. I’m going to Germany soon… You are so beautiful, Victoria.
– Thank
