Here it was two against one. Ruslan was next to Oleg, and for the first time during the last few months their interest in Lana united these men.
«I understand, Vlad,» Ruslan answered softly. «You have to think about your family budget. But buddy, you don’t have to bring in the equal part as we did.»
Vlad blushed. Pragmatic, he hated it when people took his economical efforts as greediness and miserliness. He did not want his friends to think of him as a Grinch, so he did not continue arguing. He took out his wallet and put the money on the table. Ruslan and Oleg had already placed a pile of bills there. Hesitating, Vlad added two more, sighed, and thought, «Okay, Nina’s been asking me to go to a restaurant for a long time. At least she will be glad.»
Oleg took all the money, counted it, and nodded.
«If it’s not enough,» he said. «I’ll add the rest myself. Don’t worry, little boys, it will be candy for all.»
«I don’t understand,» Vlad complained with frail irritation. «Why did you come to the U.S.A.? You don’t need money vitally. I had no choice; I couldn’t find a job. But you have your own business.»
«Buddy, my wifey is here,» pronounced Oleg seeing Ruslan watching him with a skeptic look. «Imagine if Nina refused to go to the U.S.A. Would you come?»
Vlad sat still.
«I’m an egoist,» he thought, getting ashamed. «I just informed her. I didn’t ask if she wanted to go. She left her mother. How could I not think about her feelings? Oh, Nina, my beloved, forgive me my callousness.»
He was not sorry about the money anymore. It was a chance to cheer his wife up, and Vlad was glad he could do it.
* * * * *
When a drowsy Lana went to her living room and saw Ruslan Grafinsky casually sitting on her couch, she thought she was still asleep. She rubbed her eyes and looked again, but yes, it was reality. Despite it being early morning, Ruslan was here. He held a bouquet of flowers, three pink carnations wrapped in beautiful paper.
He was sitting with one leg placed on the other, hugging his knee, and the girl saw a strip of skin between his sock and the edge of his pants.
This sight struck Lana, arousing in her soul a burning storm of tenderness and fond dreams. The overwhelming desire to touch, and even to kiss this place, to feel his hair and skin, enveloped the girl so powerfully and unexpectedly that she felt confused, and barely brought herself under control.
«I’m just not awake yet,» she thought, shaking her head.
«Today is the 8th of March,» Ruslan explained calmly. «In Russia it is a holiday called The International Women’s Day, and usually men congratulate all the females they have known despite the age and family status.»