THE MAN SAT beside the bed. Under the covers laid a woman, who looked rather sickly. She listened attentively as he read from the book.
"But I realized that these three appealed to me because they were like the heroes in the novels I read. Dally was real. I liked my books and clouds and sunsets. Dally was so real he scared me. Johnny and I never went to the front of the church. You could see the front from the road, and sometimes farm kids rode their horses by on their way to the store."
He suddenly paused and looked up from the book. The man groaned as he glanced at his wife.
"Мне снова становится скучно (I'm getting bored again)." He said. "И скажите мне еще раз, почему мы не можем просто читать что-то из страны, а не эти американские книги? (And tell me again why we can't just read something from the country and not these American books?)"
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"Sergei." Aleksandra replied. "You know how much I love this book. And we have to work on our English in case we ever take that trip to the states."
Sergei nodded as a weak smile formed on his face. That was the goal...the dream...to take his wife to the United States and enjoy some of that Westerner life. But her condition was making it a fruitless endeavor as days went by.
"You know..." He listened to his wife and spoke English. "I see myself in Ponyboy. He is smart and handsome."
Aleksandra chuckled. "And also impulsive. Even sometimes angsty."
"Can you imagine me wearing a leather jacket and having slicked-back hair?"
The couple laughed together. Suddenly, the woman had a coughing fit which worried Sergei. He put the book down and quickly handed her some water.
"Боже мой (My God)." He muttered as he felt her head. "Why didn't you tell me you were getting a fever?"
"I'm fine..." She replied.
He shook his head. "Just rest, my beloved. Actually, let me bring you some of the tea."
She weakly nodded and Sergei left the room. He took the teapot containing the medicinal beverage and poured it into a cup.
He walked back inside and saw that his wife was fast asleep. She must've been exhausted but kept it under wraps from him, wanting him to continue reading the book. He let out an exhale, putting the tea beside the bed and kissing her on the forehead.
"Отдыхай спокойно, Саша (Rest easy, Sasha)." He muttered, saying the name he'd often give her.
Sergei walked toward the door, looking back at his sleeping wife before finally shutting the door and leaving.
