Better Left Unsaid

Chapter 6

"Lena! Come and help me out here!" Ana yelled from the kitchen.

"I'll help you," Nikolay said as he entered the room. "Lena, it's okay. I got it."

"Okay. Thanks, Nikolay!" Lena yelled back.

"You're welcome." He smiled.

"So," Ana started. "Got used to living here?"

"Yes, sort of."

"Did you used to live with someone in your old house?" She asked, looking at him. "I mean are you married, do you have kids?"

"No, I'm single and I have always been. What about you?" He asked, eying her. "Were you ever married?"

"I was," she said, going back to cutting onions."I was married and I even had a daughter," She smiled sadly to herself. "But I lost them both. My daughter died and me and my husband divorced after that." She continued.

"I'm so sorry for your loss. And I'm sure your husband is missing out; if I might say, he must be a complete fool for letting such a beautiful lady slip away."

"It's Victor," Ana cut him off immediately. "My husband was Victor. We were married once."

Nikolay dropped the knife and looked at her with wide eyes and a blank expression. "I'm so sorry. I just..it's just..I'm sorry." He stuttered.

"No, it's fine. Actually I was the one who wanted divorce. It's a long story." She waved her hand as if waving the matter away.

"Anastasia," Nikolay reached for her hand and looked deeply in her eyes. "I'm really sorry. Excuse my foolish behavior," She nodded, looking straight into his eyes. Nikolay's face inched closer to Ana's. He moved closer and closer and closer such that the only separation between their lips was thin air. He looked at Ana and she was looking straight in this eyes.nHe looked down at her lips and decided to close the tiny space between hers and his. And he did-almost.

"Hey guys what happened to the--" Lena stormed into the kitchen, startling both Nikolay and Anastasia, causing Nikolay to back off and take a respectful distance away from Ana. "Food," Lena's face was blank. "Did I interrupt something?" She asked, confused.

"What? No, no, honey. We were just..cooking," Ana said, going back to her work. "I'm making Shchi, your favorite."

{Shchi is a basic hot liquid dish on Russian table. The classic shchi consists of six main components - cabbage, meat, roots, spices (onion, celery, garlic, dill, pepper, bay leaf) and sour seasoning (sour cream, apples, sauerkraut brine)}

"Oh, goodie!" Lena jumped. Ana smiled at her. Nikolay did, too. He was becoming a part of the family.

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"Where are you?" Olga spoke through the phone.

"We're coming. We'll be there soon. Be ready." Victor said.

"I'm ready, dear. I'm always ready." Olga smiled.

"Okay, until then." He hung up.

After a while, there was a honk outside Victor's house. Olga got outside and got in the car.

"Hello, my lovelies." She greeted.

"Hey, Olga." Larisa turned and flashed a smile.

"Hello," Victor said, focusing on the road. "We aren't late, right?"

"No, right on time."

"Great." He replied, coldly.

"Victor, you okay?" Larisa asked, reaching for his hand.