Chapter 41: Chapter 41

Blair

I landed at Princess Olga Airport in Pskov on the morning of February 14. I felt unhappy to be there again, when in fact my wish was to enjoy the weekend in Bora Bora.

But instead of sunbathing in a paradise, as we had originally agreed, I was once again stuck in an ice paradise where it never seems to stop snowing!

I dragged my suitcase through the landing area hoping to find Dimitri soon. I tried my best to improve my mood before meeting him.

Alright, my initial plan for celebrating our first Valentine's Day together was better, but since my brother-in-law and his fiancée decided that the date would be romantic for the wedding, so here I am, about to spend Valentine's Day with family and Dimitri's obnoxious ex-girlfriend.

If that's not proof of love, I don't know what is!

Dimitri texted me that he was already waiting for me in the lobby, I hurried my steps, wondering how much time I would have to get ready for the celebration lunch.

All right, we would attend the lunch and then have the whole night free to celebrate, and Dimitri promised that he had prepared something special, so it wouldn't be too bad.

We would have another opportunity to go to Bora Bora.

It was not difficult to spot him standing there waiting for me with a bouquet of flowers in his hands.  An instant smile came to my lips, forgetting all my previous frustrations. We would spend Valentine's Day together, and that was all that mattered.

" I love watching you walk," was the first thing Dimitri declared as I approached.

I kissed his lips, then pulled away with a frown.

" What?"

" I said I love the way you walk, just like I love everything about you," he repeated, handing me the bouquet, "and I brought you this."

I pressed the bouquet to my face, inhaling its scent while staring at him suspiciously.

" What did you do?"

" What do you mean?"

" The last time you were so sweet to me was before you told me that you couldn't make it to Abby's wedding," I explained.

That made him laugh, and he grabbed my purse and bag, leaving me with just the bouquet before he slung his arm around my shoulder, leading me to the exit.

" Not this time, I just miss you and I'm glad you're here, it's been almost a month since we've been able to meet up," he assured me.

We walked together to where the car was parked, cringing every time the wind blew. Does it ever stop snowing in this country?

" How much time do I have? " I asked as soon as I was safely inside the car.

He checked the time on his cell phone, before making a mental calculation.

" It will take us about half an hour to arrive, so I would say that you will have almost an hour to get ready.

Almost an hour to get ready for a wedding!

" I hate you," I sneered as he started to drive.

He laughed in response.

" You are lucky that I am 80% naturally perfect. So time won't be a challenge for me."

" 80%? " he stared at me before turning his attention back to the road.

" If I still had that nose, then we would have a problem."

Dimitri just laughed, indicating the glove compartment with his head.

" There's a box of chocolates for you in there. To cheer you up for the afternoon."

" You're really winning points with me, Commander."

" I hope so," he laughed.

We made our way to my boyfriend's parents' house in a relaxed atmosphere, taking the opportunity to satisfy the longing we felt for each other before we ended up surrounded by so many people.

When we arrived, we found the place in complete chaos. Dimitri's parents had accompanied their son to the registry office and left Masha in charge of organizing the reception after the wedding. And she clearly didn't know what she was doing.

In the end, Dimitri took me to the room we would be occupying at his mother's house, leaving me there to get ready while he went with his brother-in-law to pick up the cake.

I managed to shower and get ready in record time before going downstairs to help my sister-in-law with the preparations. I was internally grateful for the heater that allowed me to wear a light dress for the negative weather.

" Blin, did those two get lost? " Masha let out in exasperation.

" Blin? Isn't that a pancake? " I frowned, making her laugh.

" Ahh yes, but it's also an expression. So get used to it, you'll hear it a lot."

Perfect, the Russians use "pancake" for everything. And I thought they couldn't get any weirder.

" I will definitely hire professionals to take care of everything," Masha murmured when we were done.

" So you're getting married soon?"

" Spring of next year. I hope you'll come," she smiled.

" I hope it doesn't snow," I returned, making her laugh.

" Don't worry, no snow," she promised.

Dimitri and Alexei soon arrived with the cake, and I spent the next few minutes getting to know the guy while Dimitri changed. He was smart, funny, and most of all, he was completely devoted to my sister-in-law, and she deserved that devotion.

Dimitri had not yet returned when they arrived from the registry office, ready to begin the celebration. My heart beat hard in my chest as I started to hear everyone's voices. The first ones I saw were Joanne and Yaroslav, who came over to greet me.

" Blair, I'm so glad you made it," Joanne declared with a smile on her face, while I hoped Dimitri would be back soon.

" Thank you, Joanne. Congratulations on the wedding," I approached the bride and groom.

Both of them offered me a wry smile and then walked away, leaving me standing there in disarray.

What am I doing if the bride and groom don't even want me to be there!?

" Blair, you came," Olga stared at me in disgust.

Great, at least she stopped playing the friend.

" Of course she came, I wouldn't leave my girlfriend out of an event like this."

A short discussion in Russian ensued between Dimitri's parents' and the woman, and I noticed a couple of people watching me with not very friendly expressions.

" Blair, these are my parents, Mr. Boris Yahantov and Mrs. Irina Yahantova," Katia took the lead, looking unwilling to allow the confusion from last time to be repeated at her wedding.

I smiled in a friendly way at the two, who replied mechanically in Russian.

Great, if they don't speak my language, I don't need to communicate with them!

Dimitri led me away from the bride's family, giving me a chance to admire how handsome he looked in his suit.

" Do you really think it was a good idea to bring me here? " I snapped out of my contemplation, returning to the matter at hand.

" Blair, you're my girlfriend, I want you by my side, and my brother's new family will have to get used to that," he assured me.

" But even your brother doesn't seem to like me, and this is his wedding!"

Dimitri shut me up with a quick kiss, but I was far from reassured.

" That's just you, you're just anxious about what happened last time. We'll stay away from them and everything will be fine," he assured me.

I nodded, allowing him to take me once more into the company of everyone else. The celebration went relatively smoothly, at times Olga's parents made some comment, and Dimitri took a deep breath, but I didn't try to find out about the translation.

Time passed quickly, and I was able to interact well with my boyfriend's family, ignoring those who obviously did not want my presence.

After about two hours, Irina declared something in Russian and soon the bride and groom were positioned in a corner of the room while Masha rushed to hand a large ornate candle to the two. I watched with curiosity as Irina and Joanne approached their children, both with simple lit candles, before joining together to light the bride and groom's candle.

" What's going on? " I whispered to Dimitri.

" Sorry, you must be lost. It's a tradition, it's called family heart lighting, it's a blessing over the couple, it symbolizes the union of the two families and the parents passing on light and warmth to the newlyweds."

An involuntary smile came to my lips, that was so beautiful, if I had known before, I would have made Abby include it in her wedding!

" Did you like it?"

" I love it! "

Olga finally took the floor, beginning to make a speech in Russian, which Dimitri soon volunteered to translate.

Her parents made a toast afterwards, and just when I thought it was over, Yuri took the floor.

" I thank you all for your presence, you have no idea how much this support has meant to us " Dimitri began to translate " especially you, brother. You were the first to support us, even though you didn't agree with our decision, and I couldn't be more grateful."

" In this case Blair is the one who should get the credit, she was the one who made me see how unfair and selfish I was being with you." Dimitri answered in my language, so I could understand.

A surprised look came over his face for a moment, but he soon pulled himself together.

" Thank you, Blair."

I merely smiled, raising the champagne glass I was holding.

" Can we cut the cake? " Olga interrupted us, looking less than pleased.

Joanne smiled, approaching the table.

" Masha, where is the spatula?"

Everyone looked at the young woman, who was muttering a thousand curses.

" Blin, I knew I had forgotten something."

" Masha…"

Dimitri seemed to be enjoying himself.

" I'll get it," she assured, closely followed by her boyfriend.

Everyone was distracted in side conversations while waiting for the spatula, Joanne approached me, determined to make conversation.

" So Blair, what do you think? " she asked.

" I haven't been to many weddings in my life, but I can already tell you that I've been to American, Turkish and Russian weddings," I joked.

" And which was your favorite? " My father-in-law asked.

" I loved the tradition of the candles, but if I am the bride, I would definitely have to answer the Turkish wedding."

That answer caught Dimitri's attention, and he seemed even more interested in the subject.

" Why?"

" Well, to begin with, it wouldn't be obligatory to have food and drink, although I think it is an essential part of the party, so I would keep it that way," I began.

" And what else?"

" The guests should bring money and gold for the bride and groom, and not be cheap," I confided, drawing laughter from his parents.

" We will definitely get married in Turkey," he scoffed, making my eyes widen.

We had already agreed to keep the jokes about marriage away from your family!

" Nothing prevents you from getting married in both countries," Yaroslav declared with satisfaction.

" Do you have any ideas about the wedding, Blair? " Joanne smiled.

Where did Masha get off with that damned spatula?

" All I know is that Dimitri expects me to be in white," I gave a yellow smile, feeling uncomfortable with where this conversation was going.

" Please don't let it be that dress you tried on that time," Dimitri laughed, forcing me to hold back from choking him.

" Blair, you shouldn't show him the dress," Joanne scolded.

" No, I don't…"

My sentence was interrupted by Olga, who said something in Russian, drawing everyone's attention to us.

Everyone started to speak in Russian, excluding me from the discussion that was taking place in the room. I alternated my gaze between everyone, in a failed attempt to understand what was going on.

Dimitri was adopting a more and more exalted posture with Olga's father, who was rebutting him with fervor, and by the Panic look his parents' were giving me, even though they had a forced smile on their faces, I was the topic of discussion.

" What's going on? " I tried to interrupt them.

" Don't worry, dear. It's nothing," Joanne assured me with that fake smile on her face.

As if I'm going to believe it's nothing! If they're talking about me, I have a right to know!

I picked up my cell phone, following the advice Masha had given me last time, I hoped to understand at least part of the subject.

"Watch what you say"

Dimitri threatened his former father-in-law.

"Watch what I say? You haven't been the least bit careful with my daughter! You brought this woman here, exposing her to this further humiliation after all you've done!"

The man vociferated as the groomsmen tried to get his attention.

I felt bad for all that fighting, it seems I am fated to ruin any family event for him, I am more of a curse than a girlfriend!

" I didn't do anything and I have the right..."

Dimitri tried to defend himself.

"Right? You had a duty to her, you deceived her, used her and discarded her, probably the same way you will do with this one when you get tired of her"

I was about to butt into the argument, even if he didn't understand a word I spoke, but Dimitri's next sentence made me freeze.

"I loved her! She was everything to me and I would have married her if she had accepted!"

It was as if my heart had stopped beating at that moment, I had no words to describe the feelings that were growing inside me as those words danced on the screen of the device, as if mocking me.

I closed my eyes for a second, stopping the tears from coming. It was Joanne who broke the sepulchral silence that followed Dimitri's outburst.

" Blair, you can go after…"

I didn't wait for her to finish, I bounded out of the room, knowing full well where I should go. But before I could reach the stairs, Masha came rushing from the kitchen, trying her best to tidy up her messy dress and hairdo, being followed by Alexei.

" Blair, what's going on?"

I ran up the stairs without bothering to answer her, I liked her and at New Year's she had made me feel better, but that wasn't what I wanted, or needed at the moment.

I had put up with too much already, and it was time to act on my rational side and leave the emotional aside.