The way that it should have been

Chapter 5

My Roza smiled at me before she said, "so did I Comrade. So please don't feel bad Comrade, because the first time that I saw you out that widow I also froze. Of course I also lost my breath for a moment right then, and that was the first time that that has ever happened to me because of a man. But not the last, because it has become a pretty regular occurrence since the night that I met you Comrade. Also, when we came face to face for the very first time up close, I also froze again. And then when you caught me, I also froze for the third and final time of my life. As I looked up into your eyes, all I could think about was just how much I wanted you to kiss me right in that very moment. And as you said, all three times that I froze in my life were caused by you."

"You have no idea how it makes me feel to know that you love me enough to where I can do all of that to you, my angel. As for the losing my breath thing, I did the same. No woman, other than you, has ever taken my breath away detka. But you still do it every single day lyubov' moya. Every. Single. Day." (baby, my love)

"I am so glad to know that I have the same effect on you as you have on me Comrade." She teased me with a gentle and loving smile and a saucy wink. Which, yet again, made my breath catch in my chest.

Turning back to Alberta lyubov' moya continued with her train of thought. "Now, back to our previous discussion. I think that since it was our love and sex lives that you were all betting on, that you should just give us the other half of the purse." (my love)

Alberta sat there looking back and forth between lyubov' moya and me for a moment, her hands folded under her chin. I could only guess that she was contemplating what my Roza had just suggested. (my love)

"I guess you're right." Alberta eventually agreed with a sigh.

I watched as Alberta opened up one of her bottom desks drawers and pulled out a very large sized brown manila envelope. The thing looked like it was about to burst at the seams with what I assumed was money.

The sides had already been heavily taped closed with masking tape on at least two separate occasions before today. Possibly even three or four times. I couldn't really tell from my vantage point how many times it had been taped and re-taped for sure. But it definitely looked as though if it had to wait until graduation. It would have had to be in a new envelope, more than one envelope or possibly taped with duct tape maybe.

"My God, how much is in there?!"

"A little over three thousand dollars."

Both mine and Roza's mouths fell open in shock. Guardians weren't paid very much at all and for them to gamble with some of what little that they did get. They had to feel VERY serious in how they bet that money.

Although the guardians at the academy didn't really have any expenses, except maybe for what they, just like me, possibly sent to their families. Since living at the academy meant that they got free room and board as well as free weapons, ammunition and uniforms. If I didn't send eighty percent of my pay to my family to support them. Then I would be pretty well off considering all, well both, of my appointments had been with free room and board as well as free uniforms, weapons and ammunition. And Ivan had paid me five almost six times the normal guardian pay rate for my rank. He would have paid me more, he actually tried to, but I refused.

Alberta looked on the front of the envelope for a moment.

"There is actually $3,678.00 in here. So that means that you two get eighteen hundred and thirty-nine dollars."

"Oh my God!!! That is more cash money than I have ever seen in my whole life!!"

Alberta and I chuckled.