«I refused,» David continued, and she stared at him with surprise.
«Don’t worry. "He managed a smile. «We are old friends, we compromised. I’ll help you find a position in some other University. But if you can find another job outside the University it would be great. Just for a couple of months, eh? While I’m looking for the position. I’m sure I can do it very quickly.»
«Thank you, David,» she answered softly, her tears dried.
«Well, that’s all,» she thought. «Good bye, my love, good bye! Finally, this is the best solution to the situation.»
It was the voice of her mind, but her heart was screaming and crying, suffering with the anguish of unrequited love.
* * * * *
It was getting dark when Lana finally saw Ruslan Grafinsky riding his bike, and she called him out. He stopped and went close.
«It was not nice to hang up,» she started.
«Sorry, I thought it was all that you wanted to say,» he replied calmly.
«I wanted to ask you,» carefully choosing words, Lana said to him. «Is it true that you left a child in Russia?»
Ruslan intently looked at her. «A child?» He rubbed his forehead. «Yes, true, five or six of them.»
Lana gaped at him.
«No, I didn’t just leave them,» continued Ruslan very seriously. «I killed them, and hid their bodies in the forest. Ah, sorry, I forgot. First of all, I boiled them alive, then ate them up. I hid their fleshless carcasses only.»
«Are you insane or what?» shouted Lana.
«I don’t know.» He made a foolish face. «It’s you who are a professional psychiatrist, not me.»
«Why are you talking to me like I am a stupid little girl?» asked a perplexed Lana.
«Because you are,» he answered without pause, and Lana simply choked on his phrase.
«I’ve never met such an ill-mannered fellow,» she finally squeezed out.
«Sorry.» He grinned. «I’m just a boorish Russian bear. I only studied, and worked, and had no time for lessons of how to please some rich bored dolls.»
«I’ll tell my father and he’ll fire you, stupid!» screamed Lana, growing crazy under his self-assured smirk.
«I’m scared to death.» He pressed his palms to his chest. «I lived thirty years without you and this job. Can I live another thirty without that?» He took the handlebars of his bike and finished confidently, «Yes, I think I can.»
«Thirty?» wondered Lana. «I thought you were younger than me.»
«Females usually like their partners older, eh?» He screwed up his eyes, and she blushed, understanding his hint.
«Are you jealous?» She giggled, being curious about how he would reply. She hoped he would say something like Oleg did.