On the way back to Nina's room, Christina felt a mechanical rumble from the back pocket of her jeans. She took out her cell phone and saw that Richard was calling. She immediately froze, feeling a slight tightness in her chest. She was transfixed by the name on the tiny screen and was unable to move her fingers on the device before the call went to voice mail. Christina waited for the notification that indicated there was a new voice message, but it never came. Instead, there was a second rumble indicating that she'd just received a text message. She felt her stomach sink and it was though she'd temporarily lost her ability to differentiate up from down. She forced herself to read the message.

It read simply, "We should talk."
 

“I really love you,” she repeated. “I’ve never felt this way about … anyone. Ever. Lately, when I’m not with you it feels like … I dunno. It’s like everything is a commercial, and the movie doesn’t start again until you’re there.”
Richard said “I feel the same way,” as he snuggled his date.
“Really?”
“Yes,” he said tenderly. “You’ve turned my whole world upside down and now I find I can’t go back to living right side up.”
“What if,” Christina said as she watched the stars poke holes in the night, “we couldn’t be together? Would you be sorry?..."
 

Alek walked alongside his wife as they passed various vendors offering hot dogs, cotton candy, and all the other delights of summer found at the county fair. While everyone around him was having fun, he was in a particularly foul mood. Not only had Christina left Boris with him, soon after, the girl and her boyfriend had disappeared. Keeping a sharp eye on his daughter and her ginger haired boyfriend who were walking several paces ahead of them, he vowed not to lose another one of his girls.

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."

She of the Jade Skirt