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“Nyet, I already did that yesterday.” She was silent for long moments. Andrei got the impression she was psyching herself up for an explosive reaction from him. “We’re getting married.”
His heart skipped a beat. He had deliberately stayed away from Vanya for the past six months to give her time to get over the emotional trauma she had suffered. It was never meant to be a long-term parting. In fact, his intention had been to go to Moldova in two weeks to plead his case.
Of course, his Vanya would take the bull by its horns and not wait. May she never change.
“I sincerely doubt the priest would perform a marriage ceremony with the bride holding a gun to the groom’s head. This is real life, Vanya, not a blockbuster movie.”
“Would I need to hold the gun to your head?” For the first time since her arrival, she sounded insecure.
“That depends,” he said cryptically.
“On what?”
“On how nicely you ask me to marry you.”
“Look here, Smirnoff, just because—”
“And,” he continued as if she hadn’t burst out in protest. “Mostly on whether, regardless of what had happened in the past, you still love me.”
“That’s… I… you…”
“Because I still love you, Vanya Guzun. I never stopped. I suppose I will always love you. There you have it. If you conform to that one condition, it’s a done deal because it’s the only reason I’ll ever marry you. If not, we may just as well turn the truck—”
“NO! We’re going to get married.” Her eyes glimmered with suppressed joy, but she stubbornly refused to say the words.
“Are you sure? Because you need to realize once we do, that’s it. You’ll be my wife and I your husband until death do us part. I’ll never let you go, Vanya.”
“Good. I don’t ever want to be let go.”
“Hmm. Still not sure you’re ticking all the boxes of my requirements,” he mused in pretend seriousness.
“Will you marry me?” she said in a clipped voice.
“Just like that?” He looked at her sideways. “So impersonal, no sweet nothings thrown in? Ah, well, I guess you don’t really—”
“Oh, for God’s sake!” she sneered. Twisting in the seat, she went onto her knees and faced him with hands on her waist. “So, here I am, on my knees. Is that what you want? Okay, I did it, and here comes the sweet nothings…” She swallowed hard, but he refused to surrender. He was having too much fun. “I love you. I always have, and I always will. Please, Andrei Smirnoff… marry me.”
“Well, since you’re on your knees… Hey! I’m driving,” he said with a laugh as she punched him on the shoulder.
“This isn’t funny, I’ll have you know.”
He parked the truck in front of the church and turned to face her.
“No, it isn’t, but after all we’ve been through, don’t you think we deserve some laughter and joy to fill our wedding day?”
“So, the answer is yes?”
“Yes, Vanya Guzun, I’ll marry you.” With a tenderness she had never experienced from him before, he kissed her. “I was going to come for you in two weeks, but having you here now, you have no idea what it means to me.”
“You had six months. I’m not waiting another two weeks, Andrei. We’re getting married tonight.”
“You do know we’re going to haveComareon our heads if we do. She won’t be happy she didn’t get to plan her little princess’ wedding.”
“She can plan an after-party to her heart’s content, but I’m not waiting a moment longer.” Leaning over him to open his door, she held out her hand.
“Now, shall we, my love?”
“We shall,malen'kaya printsessa.”
