Looking over her shoulder, Christina saw the man she loved, though she'd never seen him in such a state. It was clear that he hadn't shaved, and judging by the way his hair stuck up at the part on the left side of his head, it was evident that he'd either not showered or hadn't spent any time on his hair that morning. Christina had never seen the man with so much of as a thread out of place. Seeing him, she picked up her pace, which was promptly matched by her cousin and Steph.

"Wait," he begged.

Turning around, Andrei stopped and threatened, "Stay away from her."

by Admiral Krunch

---

 
Chapter 46
 

        Christina's bedroom was completely dark except for a single sliver of moonlight that sneaked through the blinds covering her window and sliced her bed in two. The light cut through the gauzy canopy overhead, the comforter, and the back quarters of a large sleeping German Shepherd.

        Boris, like most every dog that had ever lived, had the uncanny ability to fall asleep simply by laying down and closing his eyes. Most nights, he would climb onto Christina's bed, settle down next to her, and close his eyes. Last night was different. Rather than go immediately to sleep, Boris sat silently next to her, awake for most of the night.

        Though Christina had cried so much the previous day that she was unsure if her body could produce more tears, once she was alone in her bed, she found that she had plenty left to cry. When Boris had joined her, he sensed how sad the girl was, and felt obligated to stay up with her.

        Also, like most every other dog who had ever lived, Boris' sleep could be interrupted by even the smallest noise that was out of place. Hearing a faint buzzing, and feeling a vibration from the pillow underneath Christina's head, Boris opened his eyes and sat up.

        Unsure what the source of the disturbance was, Boris pawed at the pillow, causing Christina to involuntarily swat him away. Unsatisfied, Boris clawed at the pillow again. When that failed to stop the noise, Boris shoved his nose under Christina's ear, and rolled her head off the pillow.

        "What the hell?" Christina yawned.

        Rather than let Christina roll back onto the pillow, he buried his nose in its center and started sniffing.

        In no mood to be waked up, Christina yanked the pillow away. When she saw the alarm clock underneath, she apologized to the dog.

        "Sorry, puppy." She gave the dog a hug.

        Looking at the alarm clock, she had a vague memory of putting it there the previous night. The green letters showed 4:04 AM, a dismal time to be awake. Of course she was the one who'd put the alarm clock under her pillow so that no one else in the house would hear it.

        Sighing, she resigned herself to the task before her. It didn't matter that she had just lived through one of the worst days of her entire life. Regardless of how she felt, her maintenance schedule didn't allow for broken hearts.

        Christina dangled her feet over the side of her four-poster bed and felt around for her bunny slippers. Finding them, she slid into them and walked quietly to her closet in the dark. Bending down, Christina felt the outlines of the shoes arranged in the rack on the floor of her closet. When she felt what she was sure was the shape of her winter boots, she pulled them out of the rack. Reaching through, she felt around until she located a particular shoebox. Once she had it, she took it quietly back to her bed, and laid it where the moonlight intersected her mattress.

        While Boris had not left the bed, he was watching Christina's actions with great interest. When she opened the box, he immediately stuck his nose inside, a maneuver the dog had used on many occasions. He'd found that sticking his nose in first without asking for permission always resulted in one of two outcomes. Possibly, people would think it was cute, and there would be no consequences. In the second, more frequent case, he'd stuck his nose somewhere it did not belong. While this case always resulted in some sort of rebuke, it was usually worth it. The things he was not allowed to have were usually the most interesting things in the world.

        "That's not for you," Christina whispered, pushing the dog's head away.

        She inspected the contents in the sliver of moonlight before returning to the closet to put on a fluffy pink robe. Dressed, and with the box in hand, she tiptoed out of her room, her attempts at stealth foiled by the sounds of Boris's paws against the hardwood floor.

        When she reached the bathroom door, she instructed the dog, "Wait here. And be quiet."

        Boris sat, appearing obedient.

        When Christina attempted to enter the bathroom, she was annoyed to find that the large German Shepherd had stuck half his body through the door before she could close it. Holding him back by his collar, she insisted, "You have to wait outside." She struggled against the insistent dog with one hand while the other, holding the shoebox, flailed around.

        She was able to enter the bathroom alone on her second attempt. After placing her shoebox next to the sink, she returned to the bathroom door to make sure that it was entirely closed and locked. Though it had been over a year ago, she remembered that Boris had the ability to push open the door if it was not properly shut.

        Christina turned on the light, but before she had a chance to begin her ritual, there was a loud scratching noise coming from the other side of the door.

        "Cut it out!" she whispered angrily.

        But Boris refused to stop. He increased the frequency and ferocity of the scratching with every second that Christina made him wait.

        Opening the door, Christina conceded, "Fine! Get in here."

        Boris walked into the room, sat down and looked at the girl as though he were completely innocent of any crime.

        "Just go over there and stay out of my way," she commanded, pointing at the far end of the bathroom next to the toilet.

        Without any complaint, the German Shepherd trotted to the corner and sat down.

        Christina had no time to deal with the dog; there was too much work to be done. Looking at herself in the mirror, she told herself to push through the despair she was feeling. Though she was still heartbroken, that was not why she felt so devastated on mornings like these. Christina had finally felt comfortable living in her own skin, and her maintenance reminded her that not all of her skin was technically her own.

        Opening her robe, Christina let it slide off of her shoulders and fall onto the floor. She appraised herself in the mirror. She felt her cheeks, finding them completely smooth. She then worked her fingers around her chin and under her nose. Nowhere did she require shaving. She widened the inspection to her neck, her shoulders, and her chest. Nothing required attention.

        It was not unusual for Christina to find that she did not need to shave. Still, her paranoia usually compelled her to shave nonexistent growth. She couldn't quite muster the energy for that this morning. Confronting the fact that her body was not quite in sync with her mind coupled with her depression was too much.

        After checking her legs, and finding that they also did not need any attention, Christina went to the shower and ran the hot water. Even though it had never happened, Christina was always certain that the sound of running water would wake up Nina. She waited until hot steam filled the bathroom before she felt it was safe to step into the claw-footed tub.

        Christina started by washing her hair. She could no longer remember a time when her hair was short, and washing it took hardly any time. Once her hair was done, she turned her attention towards her chest. Carefully and slowly, she started to pull the right breast form off of her chest. Once the artificial breast was removed, she repeated the process on the left side. Next, she turned her attention to the adhesive strip on her right side. She started pulling slowly, but stopped when pain stabbed at her chest.

        "Crap ..." she shuttered as she closed her eyes.

        After catching her breath, she stood up and tried again. The pain was not quite so intense or unexpected, but it was very uncomfortable as she pried the strip off. She hesitated before attempting the same maneuver on her left side. Knowing it had to be done, and that the ritual had to be completed before it was time to go to work, she steeled herself and started. She grunted through gritted teeth as she finally got the second strip off.

        With both strips off, she leaned against the wall of the shower with one hand and breathed heavily. After she'd collected herself, she returned to the mirror and looked at her chest. Though she was not in the best lighting, and the mirror had fogged over, she could see that her areolas looked agitated.

        While she'd worn her breast forms on and off for almost a year, she'd only started wearing them full time since she'd returned home. Keeping up the illusion of her girlish figure was putting more stress on her body than she was used to.

        She felt her left nipple with just her fingertips, and though it did not hurt, it felt a bit raw and tender from the adhesive and constant contact with the breast form. Thoughts started racing in her mind. She began to panic as she wondered if this was the result of wearing her breast forms for extended periods. And if that was the case, how could she keep wearing them? That thought cascaded into the realization that she couldn't wear them indefinitely. And if she couldn't wear them as much as she needed to, then she couldn't feel normal.

        Christina's breath quickened. She couldn't deal with the potential consequences, or her whirlwind of thoughts right now, and she figured that the sooner she got a fresh pair of adhesive strips on her chest the better. She reached into the shoebox but her fingers failed to locate a single strip.

        "No," she gasped as she gripped the box in both hands. There were clearly no strips in the box, though she'd just recently picked up a shipment from her post office box.

        "No!" she repeated again as the cycle of thoughts spun violently in her mind and she crouched down on the floor. Her breathing became fast and shallow, and she could feel her heart pounding in her chest. She felt as though she might pass out if her heart did not burst before that could happen. She was very afraid that she might die at any moment.

        Sensing her distress, Boris trotted to the girl's side and sat next to her.

        Focusing on the dog, Christina reflexively distanced herself from the images in her brain. Boris pawed gingerly at Christina's arm, and she slowly started taking deeper breaths through her nose.

        She pulled herself back up, scanning the sink and the floor for any sign of the strips. Her hand shook so much as it grasped the knob of the bathroom door that she was sure everyone in the house could hear the rattling noise. Peering into the dark hallway, she saw a pile of adhesive strips in the light cast from the bathroom. They must have fallen out of her shoebox while she was fighting with Boris. Dropping to the ground, she pulled them into the bathroom before closing the door as best as she could without making even more noise. Collapsing against the bathroom wall, Christina began to hyperventilate again. She couldn't afford to make mistakes like that. What if someone had seen her?

        Christina felt as though she would burst into tears, but she clenched her teeth and whispered to herself, "Not now. You have to do this." She took a deep breath, held it for ten seconds, then slowly exhaled through her mouth. She repeated this process two more times before standing up and facing herself in the mirror. Centering herself, she returned to her ritual of placing fresh adhesive strips onto her chest followed by the attachment of her mastectomy breast forms.

        After turning off the shower to halt the warm mist that made this operation bearable, she made every effort to disguise her early morning visit to the bathroom. Once she decided that everything was back in its proper place, she and Boris returned to her bedroom. On some level she knew her paranoia was unwarranted. Her family wouldn't assume she'd done anything in the upstairs bathroom besides showering, even if it had been ridiculously early in the morning. Nonetheless, Christina could not afford to take chances.

        Looking back at the clock, Christina realized that she needed to start getting ready, as though this were any other day. Going to her closet, she slid the hangers from side to side as she searched for something to wear. Just like some foods were comfort food, certain articles of clothing could console her. It was on days like this that she wished she still had access to some of her male clothing. If she'd had it available, she would have worn her old hooded sweatshirt. It was ever so slightly too large for her body, and she felt as if she could hide herself in the loose fitting garment. Once, while doing Andrei's laundry, she'd tried on one of her cousin's sweatshirts, but she couldn't shake the feeling that her shoulders might actually slide through the enormous neck opening.

        Settling on a cami and a zipper front hoody, she scanned for pants. While she missed her old sweatshirt, she never missed her old 'guy' jeans. Finding her favorite pair of jeans, she took them and her tops back to her bed. She put the cami and hoody down, and pulled on her jeans. It had taken her a fair amount of shopping to find the perfect tall sized jeans, but her low-rise hip huggers fit better than any of her boy cut jeans ever had. She attributed this to the fact that because women's jeans came in so many different styles and cuts, she was bound to find a pair that fit her body like a glove.

        After she'd dressed and applied her makeup, she went downstairs, shadowed by Boris. When she got to the kitchen, she found Misha was already there, and had already started cooking.

        "Tina, sweetheart," she said, "I did not expect to see you this morning."

        "I was gonna make breakfast," explained Christina.

        Misha went to her niece and gave her a hug. "You do not have to work today if you do not feel up to it."

        "I thought maybe working in the store would take my mind off things."

        Nodding, Misha said, "Sit down. I will take care of breakfast. After you have eaten, you can decide what you wish to do."

        Christina took her usual seat at the table and watched her aunt cook. Christina, even on a Saturday, usually made something quick and easy so that she and her uncle could get out the door in as little time as possible. She saw that Misha was making pancakes from scratch. Even though she still felt despondent, she appreciated having someone like Misha around who would cook her favorite breakfast and try to make everything feel right even when it really wasn't.

        Hearing the sounds of heavy footsteps on the floor, Christina turned to see her uncle enter the kitchen. She did not say anything. Her uncle had been right about Richard all along, and she had no intention of inviting an I-told-you-so.

         Seeing the look on his niece's face, Alek bent over and kissed her on the forehead. "Good morning, Tina," he said tenderly.

        "Good morning, Uncle Alek."

        After he had taken his seat across the table from his niece, Misha announced, "Christina may be staying home today."

        "Nonsense," the man responded as he reached across the table and placed his large hand over Christina's. "I simply could not do without her today. "

        Seeing a tired grin form on Christina's lips, Misha returned to her cooking.

        "Is that pancakes?" Nina yawned as she entered the kitchen.

        "What are you doing up so early, Nina?" her mother asked.

        "I thought I'd help Dad and Christina out at the store today."

        As Nina took the seat next to her cousin, Christina said, "I'll be okay. You don't have to do that."

        Nina shrugged. "I should go anyway. We have a lot of work to do to get ready for the fair next week."

        "What fair?"

        Placing a plate stacked with homemade pancakes in the center of the table, Misha told Christina, "The County Fair."

        "I'm sure it won't be exciting to you," Nina explained, "but it's a big deal around here. Every year, Dad closes the store for half a day, and we all go."

        Alek, who had nearly put the first bite of pancake into his mouth, put his fork down. "The store should never be closed."

        "Come now, Alek," Misha admonished playfully. "This is the only time we spend with our children outside of this house."

        "The time has long since passed that our children would wish to spend time with us outside of this house," he said testily, tapping his thick finger against the table.

        "They have this argument every year," whispered Nina to her cousin.

        "You should close the store for the entire day," Misha pressed.

        "People depend on us."

        "Alek," Misha said kindly, "you run the only store in town that remains open. There is no one to depend on you, because they will all be at the fair. Just as every other year."

        Alek's only response was a mild growl as he started eating.

        "You know we look forward to it every year, Daddy," Nina laughed.

        Christina started to feel a bit more normal. There was something comforting in her aunt and uncle's sparring. "I've never been to the fair before, Uncle Alek," she chimed in. "I think I'd like to go with you."

        Alek looked up to see the hopeful smile on Christina's face and collapsed. While he realized that Nina and Andrei had long ago stopped being impressed by the fair, he'd missed out on Christina's childhood. Though he would not show it to anyone in the room, he found that he liked the idea of taking his niece to her first county fair. Holding up his finger as though he were making a proclamation, he said, "A half day. No more."

        "So what's it like?" Christina asked her younger cousin.

        "There are some rides, some baking contests ... dancing ... Lots of farm animals. And usually they have fireworks one night."

        "That sounds like a lot of fun."

        "It is," Nina insisted. "People come from all over. Every town in the area brings something special."

        "Oh really? What do we bring?"

        "It's always the same thing every year. The town brings that mini golf set up." No sooner than the words left Nina's mouth, she realized that she should not have said them. "Sorry," she whispered, as a sad frown returned to Christina's face. Nina made certain to apologize quietly so her father wouldn't hear, as he was not privy to the fine details of Christina's love life.

        Pushing her food aside, Christina said, "I think I'll just wait in the living room until everyone's ready."

        Alek began to rise, but was stopped by the gentle touch of his wife's hand on his shoulder.

        Christina's plan to sit by herself was ruined when Boris got up from his spot in the kitchen and trotted into the living room. Without making a noise, he sat at her feet.

 

        Mr. Conrad put the last morsel of chicken fried steak into his mouth before he continued speaking. Andrei was surprised that the diner would serve such a thing for breakfast, but Mr. Conrad was certainly set in his ways, and Andrei got the impression that Marge already knew what the man would order before he finished speaking the words.

        "Don't let anyone tell you it's a bad idea Andrei," Mr. Conrad advised. "That's why they call it 'real estate'. It's real. You have to start somewhere. The sooner you start the better."

        "You think so Conrad?" Andrei asked making no attempt to hide his enthusiasm.

        "Yes I do!" he scowled as though he almost took offense at such a question. "Let me tell you, yer not like the other young'ns in your generation. You ain't afraid of a hard day's work and yeh got a way with your hands." Before Andrei had a chance to respond to the compliment, Conrad let loose another criticism. "Yer problem is yer too damed soft when it comes to money."

        The conversation was interrupted by an electronic chirp from Andrei's cell phone. "It's Steph." Andrei apologized. He clumsily typed out a text message in response to his girlfriend before putting his phone back into his pocket. "I'm soft." Andrei repeated though he took no offense to the accusation.

        "Cash up front." Mr. Conrad insisted. "Don't never barter and don't work on credit. Only damned fools work for anything but cash up front."

        Andrei just nodded. He didn't always agree with his former boss, but he knew better than to say so. A regular conversation with Mr. Conrad felt like an argument, so he assumed an actual argument with the older man would involve fisticuffs.

        "Remember the desk?" Mr. Conrad barked.

        "Yes Conrad. You got a good deal for that desk."

        "A good deal!" Conrad balked as he tossed his hand in the air. "I robbed you! And why? Because a pretty girl batted her eyelashes your way." The old man made exaggerated movements with his eyelids at his breakfast companion.

        Andrei merely nodded in response to the taunt.

        "Yer soft. I'm just sayin' for y'own good. You need to have a good head for business. People will walk all over you given half a chance. 'Specialy fee-males." He accentuated the "fe" in female as though the word was a derogatory epithet. "There's no place for women in business. Heck, all women ain't nothin' but trouble."

        Andrei raised his eyebrows at Steph as she entered the restaurant. When she got Andrei's text that he was at the diner, she never would have guessed with whom he was having breakfast.

        "Mr. Conrad ..." Steph playfully mused as she approached their booth. "Seeing you this early in the morning is like getting a double dose of sunshine."

        "Bah!" Mr. Conrad exclaimed as he put his coffee mug down. "See this here is what'n I'm talking about," he complained. "Trouble!"

        "You're probably right Conrad," Andrei agreed as he got out of the booth. "I've got to run. Big plans today, right?"

        "Don't let them talk you out of it!" he repeated.

        "So ..." Andrei started as he took out his wallet. "You've got it covered today?"

        "Eh ... no ... no ..." he replied as he pinched his chin thoughtfully. "I'm pretty sure I got the check last time."

        "Ah yes. You're right," Andrei lied. Mr. Conrad thought he was more cunning than he actually was, but Andrei did not mind buying breakfast. He left some cash on the table and patted his old boss on the shoulder before escorting Steph towards the door.

        "Lemme know how it goes," Conrad called sincerely as the couple left the building.

        "What was that all about?" Steph asked her boyfriend as they started walking towards the family grocery. "Since when did you start having breakfast with Old Man Conrad?"

        Andrei shrugged. "We have breakfast. Sometimes lunch. He gives me advice."

        "Business advice?" Steph asked incredulously.

        "Business, life ... everything."

        "Andrei, I don't think Conrad is the best person to go to for advice."

        Shrugging again, he responded, "Conrad's garage has been in business since before we were born."

        "Yeah, but that's only because there's no other mechanic in town. People only go to his joint 'cause they gotta."

        "Conrad ... " Andrei explained, "... he doesn't have anybody."

        Steph looked up at her massive boyfriend with a warm smile. "You're a good guy, Andrei," she said as she wrapped her arm around his tree trunk sized limb and squeezed close to him.

        "Yeah, I know." Andrei joked. "That's what Conrad tells me is my problem."

        After a pause, Steph asked, "You know Andrei, I'm not sure Stretch is gonna be up for sightseeing right now."

        "This is a big deal," Andrei answered with unusual excitement. "Besides. It will take her mind off you know who."

 

        Christina was sure that in a town like Oak Grove, everyone must have been aware of what had happened to her the day before, yet if they did, they certainly didn't show it. Of all the people she helped that afternoon, the only person who showed an interest in gossip was Abigail Rosenberg. With the exception of asking only a few questions about her performance at Lisa's wedding, most of the gossip concerned other people.

        Though Christina appreciated Nina's company, she was relieved when James came to take her out to lunch. The girl naturally wanted to talk about what had happened the previous day, and Christina was still not up to discussing details, not even with her best friend.

        It seemed that her uncle could sense when she was feeling overwhelmed. Whenever Christina felt that she couldn't handle being in front of other people, he called her into the back room. Unlike Nina, Alek did not press Christina to talk. He merely let the girl have private time, something Christina greatly appreciated.

         She even appreciated having Boris for company in the back room. Not only was he the best listener in the entire family, he also never asked any questions. He seemed content just to have her around.

        Soon after Nina had left with James, Andrei and Steph came into the grocery store. Andrei had a look that Christina could only describe as insane enthusiasm. She wasn't sure that she had ever seen her cousin look that excited in her entire life.

        "You have to come with us right now," Andrei told her.

        "Why?" asked Christina.

        "I have to show you something really important. I promise, you're going to love this."

        Giving her boyfriend a nudge with her elbow, Steph said, "I think this can keep 'till tomorrow."

        "Yeah, Andrei," Christina said. "I don't think I feel up to anything more than sweeping."

        Undeterred, Andrei insisted, "I know you feel bad, but this will cheer you up."

        Letting out a long sigh, Christina asked, "Seriously, what's so important?"

        Though she would have rather left Christina alone, Steph jumped in and explained, "Andrei has this idea ... he wants to get a-"

        "No," Andrei interrupted. "Don't tell her. I want it to be a surprise." Taking Christina's hand, he insisted, "It won't take long, I promise."

        "What will not take long?" Alek asked, overhearing the conversation.

        "Nothin' Mr. L.," Steph chirped. "We just need to borrow Blondie here for about twenty minutes. We'll bring her right back."

        Though Alek did not say it aloud, the look he gave his niece asked her if she wanted to go with them.

        "It's okay, Uncle Alek," Christina responded. "Maybe I should take a break."

        "As you wish, Tina."

        Christina gave her uncle a squeeze and promised, "I'll be right back."

        As Steph, Andrei, and Christina left the store, she felt a rumble from the back pocket of her jeans. She dropped back a few steps and took out her cell phone. Glancing at the caller ID number, she saw that it was Richard calling again. The man had called at least six times this morning. After the third time, she'd turned off the ringer. She had no intention of taking his calls or even listening to his messages. If he'd had any heart at all, she thought, he'd leave her alone; at least for one day.

        After Christina put her cell phone away, she noticed that they had already walked past Ariel Rose, and were passing Steph's Salon. Before long, they'd walked farther in that direction than she had ever before. She saw that the brick buildings comprising the center of town were coming to an end, and she wondered how much farther Andrei would take her.

        When they reached the second to last building on the road, a two-story brick structure with boards over the windows, Andrei stopped.

        "This is it?" Christina asked.

        Steph gave her a commiserative shrug, but Andrei, still full of enthusiasm, insisted, "Just wait." He produced a set of keys, and opened the front door. Acting much in the fashion that a professional driver would offer the open door to a limousine, he ushered the girls into the dark building.

        A crackle of electricity surged through the room as Andrei flipped a heavy switch near the door. As the lights came on, Christina saw that she was standing in an old abandoned warehouse. There were wooden scraps; fragments of old pallets. What they used to hold, she could not guess. Along one wall was the broken remains of what once must have been an impressive set of shelves. The only distinctive features the warehouse had was its small loading bay in the back, and a set of stairs that led to an unfinished loft.

        "You took me all the way across town to show me a creepy warehouse?" asked Christina in shock, rather than annoyance.

         Steph added, "Let me tell ya Stretch, great minds, we groove alike."

        "You don't think this is perfect for us?"

        Christina asked, "... You want to buy this place?"

        "I was thinking we could rent it at first."

        "And do what?"

        Charging over to the side of the warehouse with the decrepit shelves, Andrei pitched, "Just picture ... over here ... I could store everything that I'm working on. I'd never run out of space again. We wouldn't have to sell anything for too little just to get rid of it." Moving over to the opposite side, he moved his hands in a way similar to that of a magician trying to convince a crowd that the large box he was standing next to was in fact an ordinary box. "We can put all the raw materials here." Pointing to the back of the building, he gushed, "And we'd finally have a real loading dock. I wouldn't have to deal with pickups at home anymore. It's perfect!"

        Looking around, Christina asked, "Can we afford this?"

        Andrei gave the girls a reassuring grin, indicating that he had that angle worked out. "This place is heated. I'll never have to shut down work because of cold weather, ever again. With a place like this I could work round-the-clock."

        "That sounds like a deal for me," Steph complained.

         Ignoring his girlfriend, he added, "Someday, when we're ready to hire people, we'll have room!" He rushed to the stairs, and motioned for the girls to join him. His heavy footsteps made the stairs rattle as he went up. When Christina had caught up, he wrapped his left arm around her shoulders, and with a wave of his right hand, he painted a picture.

        "I'll finish off the entire loft. We can put your office right here."

        "My office?" Christina said, finally showing the faintest glimmer of interest.

        "Your office," Andrei emphasized. "We can add some walls, I'll buy you an internet, and we'll put your desk right here."

        As she watched Andrei block out the space where her future desk would go, she repeated, "MY office." Christina thought back to when she still worked for Mr. Patel. Not even senior programmers got their own office. Most people worked their lives away in the hopes of someday getting a slightly larger cubicle than the person they sat next to.

        "You can be the boss," Andrei promised. Getting no immediate response, he upped the ante. "You can be the president ... you can be the QUEEN."

        Christina walked around her imaginary office. She could picture the desk that Andrei would make for her, and she could see her computer sitting on top of it. With surprisingly little effort, she could also envision the plant she would pick out for the corner, and what she thought was a very tasteful rug. Turning to face Steph and her cousin, she said, "This pleases us."

        "Us?" Steph asked.

        "The royal us," she clarified. "I get to be the queen."

        Looking back and forth between his girlfriend and his cousin, Andrei asked, "Yes? What do you say?"

        "I ..." she started.

        "You've got to say yes," he implored.

        Christina nodded as she looked around, saying, "Yeah ... let's do it."

        "Yes!" Andrei repeated happily as he lifted Christina off the ground and gave her a spin. He repeated the same maneuver on Steph, and though she was less enthusiastic about surrendering her boyfriend for even more hours of the day, she eventually gave in to the fervor of the moment.

        Though Christina was beginning to feel some of Andrei's zeal, it did not distract her from holding onto the handrail on the way down a set of stairs that she decreed to be in dire need of replacement.

         "Hey," Steph said to her friend, as they exited and waited for Andrei to lock the door. "You want to hang out at the salon for a while? A little bit of time in the girl cave might be good for you."

         "No," she responded as they headed back into town. "I don't think I'm up for public scrutiny yet. Besides, I promised my uncle I'd be right back."

        "Do you want to come over after work? I've got a bucket of ice cream with your name on it."

        "Thanks Steph, you're the best. I just don't feel like doing anything today."

        Trying to change the subject, Andrei offered, "The warehouse- it's a good space, right?"

        "Yeah, it is," Christina sighed. "Don't get me wrong Andrei, I'm excited. I just need some time."

        Neither Andrei or Steph liked being in a position where they desperately wanted to cheer Christina up, but there was nothing they could do or say to make that happen.

        As the three of them passed Steph's Salon, neither of them noticed when a desperate looking Richard Masters stepped out of the door. When he saw who he'd just missed, he ran down the sidewalk after them.

        "Christina!" he called.

        Looking over her shoulder, Christina saw the man she loved, though she'd never seen him in such a state. It was clear that he hadn't shaved, and judging by the way his hair stuck up at the part on the left side of his head, it was evident that he'd either not showered or hadn't spent any time on his hair that morning. Christina had never seen the man with so much of as a thread out of place. Seeing him, she picked up her pace, which was promptly matched by her cousin and Steph.

        "Wait," he begged.

        Turning around, Andrei stopped and threatened, "Stay away from her."

         Steph and Christina stopped, staying a few steps behind Andrei. Christina had heard Andrei threaten people before; she remembered the time that he'd stood up to her coworker, Bill at the Handi-Mart. This was different; Christina had never heard him sound this angry before.

        "I just need to talk to Christina for five minutes," insisted the man.

        "Look, Double-O Creep," chimed in Steph, "she doesn't want to see you."

         "Go away Richard," Christina said, her eyes becoming red and puffy.

        "You heard her," Andrei said menacingly.

        Richard started to move forward, but was stopped by Andrei's gargantuan hand on his chest.

        Taking a step backward, Richard demanded, "I need to talk to Christina. This is between me and her, Andrei, so just stay out of it."

         Steph saw Andrei's right elbow pull back behind his torso, and it appeared to her as though it were happening in slow motion. She grabbed onto his arm with both hands and was pulled forward off of her feet as her boyfriend's fist sailed forward and made contact with the left side of Richard's head.

         To Christina, the pummeling occurred in a split second. Andrei's arm, and Steph with it, seemed to move in a blur which ended in a loud CRACK that split the air as though it were thunder.

        Richard's head cocked to the side and he fell backwards, his body slamming against the sidewalk. Laying flat on the ground, he tilted his head up to look at Andrei and raised his arms at the elbows, forming two limp fists with his hands. It was as though he was a marionette that had fallen to the ground, and his hands and head were the last things suspended by strings. He held this absurd position for only a moment before his hands fell and his head dropped back onto the pavement.

        Andrei, Steph, and Christina leaned over and stared at the unconscious man.

        "I think you killed him," said Christina.

        Andrei huffed, "Good."

        "I'm pretty sure assault is against the law," Steph observed wryly. "I know a good lawyer ... but he's unavailable right now."

        "That's not funny," Christina complained.

        "It sorta is," Andrei said dryly as he stood up and started back down the sidewalk.

        "Where you going?" called Christina. "We can't just leave him here."

        "She's right," Steph agreed. "We better get him out of here before anyone else finds him."

        Begrudgingly Andrei went back and hoisted Richard onto his shoulders. "Where do you want him?" he asked his cousin.

        "I don't know. I guess ... we should take him back to the store?" She looked at Steph, whose only input on the subject was a shrug.

         As the three of them wondered what to do, a familiar face came down the sidewalk. "Hey there," said Mr. Stevens who had his mail carrier's bag strapped over his shoulder. Stopping and examining the sight before him, he asked, "... What's going on?"

        "Hey Mr. Stevens," Christina stuttered nervously. "We were just ..."

        Mr. Stevens looked back and forth between them for several moments before Andrei offered a single word as an explanation, "Deliveries."

        Stepping into the breach, Steph explained, "Our friend here has problems with low blood sugar. We're just takin' him back to the grocery to grab some grub."

         "That can be very serious," the mailman looked as though he didn't believe a word any of them were saying. "I think you should get there as soon as possible."

        "You got that right," Steph agreed, shoving Andrei down the sidewalk. "Good seeing ya, Mr. Stevens."

        Christina was mortified as they hurried back to the grocery store. Before this little incident, it had seemed that the residents of Oak Grove were none the wiser as to the events that had transpired the day before. She was sure that everyone would figure out what was going on when they saw her cousin carrying an unconscious Richard Masters through town.

        As much as she didn't want to feel it, she was also worried that Andrei had seriously hurt her former boyfriend. She wished that she could feel more vindictive, but her feelings weren't something she could turn on and off like a faucet.

        When they reached the door to the grocery, they saw Nina and James standing out front. James was just about to kiss Nina after their lunch date, but his eyes went wide when he saw what was walking towards him.

        Nina, who had her eyes closed and her back turned to the action, opened her eyes and asked, "What's wrong?" Seeing the look on her boyfriend's face, she turned around and gasped, "What did you do?"

         Shooing the two of them aside, Christina held the door open while Andrei took Richard inside. Steph, who was trailing behind, said, "Andrei clocked Richard. It's a long story ... actually, that's the whole story."

        As Christina went into the store after them, James turned to Nina with a panicked look on his face. "Why did Andrei beat up your cousin's boyfriend?"

        Nina, who for some reason found James' insecurity somehow endearing, gave him a reassuring peck on the cheek and dragged him into the store.

        "What is going on?" Alek boomed as the young people rushed into the store.

        Andrei, who still had Richard draped over his shoulders looked at his father. "I sort of punched him."

        Alek surveyed the guilty collection of people standing before him. After much consideration, he looked at his son and said, "Good boy, Andrei."

        Rather than go to Christina's side, Boris circled around Andrei's feet, desperate to sniff at the body he held on his shoulders. He got a better look when Andrei put Richard down behind the counter and propped him up against the back wall in a seated position.

        A look of annoyance crossed Alek's face as he saw that Richard was staying, at least for the short term.

        Steph went to the refrigerated aisle, and returned with a steak wrapped in plastic and styrofoam. She unwrapped the steak and handed it to Christina, who knelt at Richard's side and slapped the meat against his face.

        "He is paying for that," Alek growled.

        "Everyone," Christina frowned. "Let's just wait until he wakes up, then I can get him out of here."

        Boris, who had been interested in Richard, was now primarily interested in the steak Christina was pressing against his eye.

        "Get out of there," Christina admonished, pushing Boris' face away from the meat. Making sure that Boris was at a safe distance, and that the steak was in no danger of sliding off of Richard's face, Christina rose and joined everyone in the middle of the store.

        Addressing the group, Christina said, "Look everyone, the show's over. I'm just gonna wait here, and when Richard wakes up I'll send him on his way."

        What Christina did not know, was that the show was in fact not over. The bell mounted over the front door sounded as a well-dressed woman entered.

         Steph exclaimed, "The balls on you, lady, coming in here."

         While Steph's comment made Christina feel particularly self-conscious, it was nothing compared to the agitation she felt at seeing Diana in her family's grocery store.

        "I'll make this quick," she said as though she were addressing a business gathering. "I'm looking for Richard, and I haven't been able to find him anywhere." The woman displayed no remorse for what she'd done yesterday. Furthermore, she exuded nothing but confidence, even in the presence of Christina and her friends and family.

        Andrei, Steph, Nina, and James all cast guilty looks over the counter at the unconscious man laying against the wall.

        Seeing their expressions, Diana went to the counter and rolled her eyes at what she saw on the other side. Turning to Christina, she said, "Regarding yesterday-"

        "I know what I saw," Christina interrupted.

        "I know what you saw too," Diana dismissed. "I was there." Diana continued as though she who were a teacher who just admonished one of her pupils for interrupting a lesson. "After your little breakdown, Richard told me that he wanted nothing to do with me, and that he was quitting. Naturally, I told him that he was being emotional and unreasonable, and that he should sleep on it. I stayed at the Inn last night, and when I came into the office today, Richard wasn't there. I naturally assumed that he had gone looking for you so he could do something ... stupid," Looking back at Richard, she added, "And it appears he was quite successful."

        "You came here to tell me that?" asked Christina incredulously.

        Diana responded, "No. I came here to talk sense into Richard." Casting a glance at the crumpled man on the floor, she continued, "... But I see the time for that has long passed. I came to town looking for a shark, and all I found was this ... guppy. Frankly, you can have him. I don't want what you've made of him. He thinks he is in love with you, so much so that he is willing to throw away a perfectly good career on the prospect."

        "And I'm just supposed to believe you?"

        "Come now, Local Girl, I'm a lawyer, not a monster."

        "My name is Christina," Christina demanded.

        "Christina," Diana repeated with a hint of respect. "That pile on the floor that once was a man ... you're welcome to him. Addressing the entire group, she concluded, "If you would excuse me," as she strode confidently to the door, "I have a multimillion land deal to salvage ... alone." Addressing Christina she said, "Should Richard regain consciousness, tell him NOT to call."

         With that, the woman left. It seemed that every time she left a room, it was as though a hurricane had blown through, and everyone was worse for the experience. Everyone in the room, especially Christina, was trying to integrate what Diana had just told them. They were so distracted that none of them except Boris saw Richard begin to stir.

        Seizing the moment, Boris grabbed the steak in his mouth and promptly retreated to the back room.

        Confused and startled, Richard looked up at Christina and gasped, "I think your dog just ate my face."

        Christina went to Richard's side, and brushed back his hair as she smiled into his face.

        Realizing only that Christina was in front of him, he immediately started babbling. "I know what you saw yesterday, and I realize that you have no reason to believe a word I say, but I love you. She came on to me ... I've never loved anyone before, and until yesterday I didn't realize I did, but when I did, it was the most important thing in the world. And nothing else matters ... you're the only thing that matters ... and I just had to tell you that, and beg you ... to tell me ... why ... I'm sitting on the floor... in your uncle's store?"

        "Shut up," Christina laughed she held the man's face in her hands. She leaned forward and kissed him passionately.

        As Christina pulled away, Richard squinted and held his face. "... Did Andrei punch me?"

        Helping him to his feet, Christina hedged, "Um ... a little bit."

        "Was that really called for?"

        Seeing that he was still unsteady on his feet, Steph propped Richard up on the other side, saying, "Think back to all the things you've done in your life that didn't end in a pop on the kisser. You're due."

        "... Fair enough," he conceded.

        Unlike his daughter Nina, who obviously thought the entire circus was the most romantic thing she'd ever witnessed, Alek had seen enough for one day. Just when he thought he had his niece back, that man had wormed his way between them again. Disgusted, but more disappointed, he slipped unnoticed into the back room.

 

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Edited into coherence by Holly H. Hart.

Thanks to Sephrena Miller for taking an early read.