«Yes, about David…»
Marina’s dreamy voice surprised Nina. She shrugged her shoulders. «I don’t know him well yet.»
«Don’t you think he looks like a pirate?» continued Marina, still staring at David. «Have you ever seen a professor with a beard and mustache?»
«Yes.» Nina laughed. «You’re right, he looks like some buccaneer! I don’t like brunettes, but… It would have been so romantic. Imagine a pirate ship, they captured us…»
«Yeah.» Marina breathed out a slight moan. «Captured…»
While the adult guests were talking, Dylon, Hannah’s baby brother, crept closer and sat next to Larisa. Laughing, he stretched his arm out towards the toy table.
«Mom!» Hannah called with displeasure. «Dylon is disturbing us!»
«Play nice!» Megan glanced at them, and turned to the adults again.
Hannah pursed her lips, but Larisa cheered her up, «It’s even better. He can play with us.»
She addressed the boy, «Would you like a cup of tea?» She gave him an empty plastic cup. The child took it, looked at it all over, and made a motion that he was drinking.
«You see!» exclaimed Larisa. «He understood.»
Merriment returned to Hannah, and, smiling, she moved a plate with sweets to Dylon. The boy grabbed a handful of the candy and stuffed his mouth.
«No!» Hannah angrily shouted at him. «You should take just one.»
The boy coughed, and candy fell from his mouth.
Feeling that something was amiss, the girls stared at Dylon. He choked, his face went purple, and he tumbled.
«Mommy!» the girls squealed at once, and ran to the adults.
The women rushed to their children. Nina Lapina quickly checked Larisa out, and sighed with relief, seeing she was fine. But Megan saw her son suffocating and convulsing, and she screamed with horror.
«Call an ambulance!» she yelled at her husband. Perplexed, David ran to his son, then back to the house.
Suddenly Marina flew to Dylon and grabbed his feet. Holding the boy upside down, she started to shake him, and Megan watched them with bewilderment.
«What is she doing?» Megan thought. «She’s killing my son!» But as in a nightmare, she could not move a limb.
Dylon coughed, a candy fell from his mouth, and he cried. It was the best music that his parents had ever heard. The voice of the boy rang loud and clear. He was all right now, and Marina passed him to his mother.
«Marina,» mumbled David. «You saved his life!»
He opened his arms to the girl. Marina came close and hugged him, pressing herself to him. She put her head on his shoulder, and he sensed her trembling.
Suddenly, he noticed that everybody was silent, staring at them. David saw the baffled gaze of his wife, and he felt embarrassed.