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He always told me that the best gift he could give me was the opportunity to laugh. Papa is confident he is a good father as long as he can hear me laugh or see me smile. Maybe it's why he swallowed his pride and allowed me to marry Gabriel. Looks like I got something more than Papa's eyes and laugh.
Like him, I also know how to let go of all my doubts and worries for the sake of making the one I love happy. I'm sure my father is angry at me for my impulsive decision to run away and marry an almost stranger. But he chooses to look at the good side of it and give in to what will make me happy.
"It's just the two of us," Papa says when I look around the room. "I don't want to bother other people when my little girl starts squealing about her love story."
I burst into a loud laugh. It echoes in the empty restaurant. Papa raises his shoulder, forcing on me his point. And as if I'm still a little girl, he takes the napkin and places it on my lap. I look at the table and find all my favorite food.
“Oh no. You know I'm getting married tomorrow," I say while darting my eyes at an enticing Russki burger. "Are you trying to make me not fit in my wedding dress?"
“Do not worry. I had it about two inches bigger on the waist. Just enjoy our lunch, my malyshka.”
Papa takes the plate with the burger and places it on my plate. I throw away my inhibitions and bite the burger. It's not the same as the authentic Russian burger, but it's satisfying. I stop chewing when I notice my father looking at my hands.
“Is something wrong, Papa?”
He takes my hand and massages my ring finger. “He popped the question but didn’t bother with a ring. I will kill him.”
“Papa!” Worry adds volume to my voice.
"Tonight, I will give him the money. He should buy you the engagement ring you deserve," Papa declares. "As for your wedding ring, you will get Mama's ring, and he'll get mine."
My mouth drops in shock. Papa sincerely wants me to be happy. He kept Mama's wedding ring in a vault, saying he'll only give it to me at my wedding. He won't do that if he's only trying to trick me into returning with him and marrying Dmitri.
"Actually, Gabriel gave me a ring," I confess.
I doubted Papa when I arrived in front of the restaurant. So, I took out the ring, thinking he might force it off of my finger and throw it away. I should stop suspecting my father; he only wants to give me happiness!
"Here. Isn't it beautiful?" Gabriel's ring surprises Papa. It's something not expected from a security guard. I slide the ring onto my finger and show it to my father. "I think Mama had something like this. But I don't remember well."
Papa touches the stone and looks at me. “Where did he get this?”
I fall silent for a moment. I don't know if I should tell Gabriel's story. Papa may worry about the dark past of Gabriel's family and stop our wedding. I panic when my father suddenly pulls out the ring and checks the carved writings on the inner side. He looks at me with a clenched jaw before asking the question again.
“It’s his mother’s engagement ring.”
Papa looks at the ring for a while. I don't understand why his hand is trembling. He looks at me and says, "It's an ugly ring."
“Papa. It’s perfect. I’ll have his mother’s engagement ring and Mama’s wedding ring,” I declare, hoping it’ll convince him.
Papa nods and returns the ring to me. “I only want the best for you, Sasha. Everything that is best for you.”
“I know,” I smile at my father. “Gabriel is the best for me, Papa.”
#
Gabriel
I pick up the phone and call Vigo, but he doesn't answer. We were supposed to meet at my parents’ old house, but he hadn't called since I came. Even Anya isn't here, but I figured she's downtown, enjoying the festival. I groan when Vigo doesn't answer his phone. I look at my watch and become worried.
Sasha is alone in the hotel room. I can't be gone for too long, or she might get bored. I also hate losing her from my sight. Xerxes already knows where she is. He can easily find her now that we're back.Damn it.I shouldn't have agreed to Sasha's suggestion. We could have just eloped to another state or country and had our wedding there. But I'm too soft-hearted for her.
"Vigo, call me ASAP. I need those documents by tonight," I order through his voicemail. "I've been waiting for two hours now. Sasha will be worried."
Don’t fuck up, Vigo.Sasha and I are getting married tomorrow. We'll have some fun at the festival before heading to the airport. After settling at our new place, I'll return and kill Xerxes. It'll be the only time Sasha can go back to him. And she'll stay in my arms forever.
I dial Anya's number, but she doesn't answer. I check the house and notice her phone ringing. “Anya?”
I keep calling her phone to follow the sound. The ringing sound goes louder but isn't coming from Anya's room. I walk to a large pot and pull out the artificial plant. A gun with sufficient ammo appears.Vigo.Did he betray me? I grab the gun and follow the ringing sound.
