Chapter Twenty-Nine

Squeezing my keys in my hand, I ran outside.

Little soft snowflakes swirled in their winter dance, covering everything in front of the house. It seemed like millions of diamonds were scattered all over the earth by some zillionaire. They were hanging on the bushes, trees, even buildings. Everything was sparkling and shimmering. It wasn’t cold, though the thermometer showed minus twenty centigrade. So good. It was all so good! I began to sing.

“It was a winter and first of Christmas Day,
And the whole day we would wander with you.
And all around was solemn and quiet
And white-white snow above white Earth…”

I was singing heartily a famous Soviet song, “Tatiana’s Day,” and swirling in my own winter dance, imagining myself one of those silver snowflakes.

Snow was slowly falling down on my shoulders, covering my head. Was it winter? That terrible winter with blizzards and frost, white-hair and sickness? There was nothing scary in this winter. Winter could also be very, very nice and warm. Life was continuing. I knew there would be many things in our lives. The important thing was that we did find each other, despite living on different parts of the globe.

“Look, Mike, how beautiful it is all around!” I voiced my thoughts aloud. I had noticed that he was standing in the doorway, not wanting to disturb me. He was standing quietly, smiling, looking at me, and his eyes were so warm and so affectionate.

“Yes, very beautiful. I love winter. Let’s go to the cabin and race on snowmobiles, eh?”

“Great! When?”

“When? Well, tomorrow morning!”

And we began to make plans for tomorrow morning, then the next year, then the rest of our lives, which we had decided to spend together. Dreaming, laughing, hugging, kissing. And I realized after winter, spring would come again, followed by summer, autumn. Life went on and was lovely in all seasons.

Snow kept falling and falling, covering the area in front of the house with a sparkling white carpet. I fell into it in the middle of the yard, and began to move my arms and legs, leaving an angel silhouette in the snow. Mike plopped down next to me and did his own angel. Snow was covering our bodies and faces, falling lightly down from heaven, and we kept lying in it, like two snowy angels, looking at the dark sky that rained down on us sparkling white fluff and smiling.