Chapter 62: Chapter 62

Blair

I walked through the streets of St. Petersburg feeling out of place. This place was still not my home, I felt lost at every moment, especially away from Dimitri. But I promised him that I could manage alone in the market, and I never ran away from a challenge.

It would be quick, I just needed to get some milk and coffee, it was no challenge.

At least I thought it wasn't.

As soon as I entered the supermarket and started walking between the shelves, I realized that my mission would not be as simple as I had imagined.

All right, coffee is still coffee and milk is milk. I just need to find them. I did a quick search in the translator and walked between the shelves, looking at several products that I didn't even know what they were for. Milk and coffee, where are they?

It wasn't hard to find the coffee, I didn't know which brand to choose, so I just grabbed the prettiest package and hoped it was good. But when I found the milk, I froze at the sight of so many options. Which one should I choose? I took a few bottles in hand before shrugging, putting two in the cart.

In time I'll learn about the brands Dimitri likes to use.

I already got the milk and coffee, maybe I can get something more. I looked around, spotting a stand with several stalks of lettuce, I could buy one and some ready made salad dressing!

I walked over, noting how beautiful they looked. After choosing the most suitable one, I picked it up to put in the cart, surprising myself to realize that it was planted in a flowerpot!

What kind of crap is this? Is this really lettuce? Why is it still planted?

I looked around for a hidden camera, but everyone seemed to consider this normal.

It's okay, Blair. Things are different here, you'll get used to it soon, it's only been a few days, it's normal to be a little strange.

After putting the pot of lettuce on the cart, I went after the salad dressing, and it wasn't hard to find some balsamic vinegar, not quite what I wanted, but it would do.

I thought the hardest part was over, but when I got to the cashier, the real terror began. The woman started peppering me with questions that I didn't quite understand, causing a small feeling of terror to begin to grow in me.

All right, Blair, you've been practicing this for a few days, concentrate!

“Can you repeat that, please?”

That had been one of the first phrases I had learned in the language, and it was one of the ones I used the most. I wanted to be able to understand it without having to resort to using a translator.

The woman gave me an impatient look before repeating the phrase.

Bags, I identified the word in the middle of the sentence, great, bags.

“Yes, please," I replied.

But to my dismay, she spoke again, giving me a tired look as she waited for the answer to whatever the question was.

Oh my God, I'm going to leave here carrying all of this in my hand!

“Yes?” I tried again, receiving an irritated look from the woman, who repeated the question.

I sighed, deciding to repeat her last word, hoping it was the correct answer. She handed me a bag, and I could breathe a sigh of relief, deciding to adopt that tactic for any questions the woman might ask me.

A few minutes later I was walking back to our apartment, feeling relieved that I had made it. This experience made me decide to wait for Dimitri to do the shopping for the month, I couldn't do it alone.

Not without stressing myself out and giving up on buying half the list, at least.

I was surprised to get home and see the two men, for a moment I pondered whether I should greet them in Russian, but to my delight, they were American, or at least Ethan was American.

I went to the kitchen to drop off the bag, and there another doubt arose. What to do with the lettuce pot? Do I put it in the refrigerator? Should I leave it outside?

I spent a few seconds stuck in doubt until I gave up on the subject, leaving everything on the sink before returning to the living room.

The thought of getting a ring any time in the next few days made me anxious. I left Dimitri talking to the two men, flopping down on our bed, wondering what the jewelry would look like.

My life had taken an unexpected turn in the last month, but I couldn't say that I wasn't enjoying it. I would love to become Mrs. Voitovich, although I still found almost everything in this country strange.

My mind traveled back to our first meeting in Amsterdam, where we talked about Abby's wedding and I assured him that I didn't understand why she focused on so many details, but now, I wanted a wedding that was perfect in every detail.

" Blair? " I heard Dimitri's voice calling me after a few minutes.

I stood up, walking to the living room, finding him there alone, our guests had already left.

" Did you get everything settled? " I walked over to him, stretching out to kiss him.

" Mr. De Angelis will send me the ring design in a few days," he commented, wrapping his arms around my waist, "how did it go at the market?”

" I'm pretty sure that the woman at the checkout is cursing me until now. I didn't understand what she was saying," I admitted, a little embarrassed.

Dimitri laughed at my embarrassment and put his arm around my shoulder, leading me toward the kitchen.

" I thought the first time would be hard, but you'll get used to it soon.”

He assured me before going to rummage through the bag I had left intact on the sink.

" Well, I survived, that's something. But tell me, what do I do with this lettuce? " I pointed.

" What do you mean? It was you who decided to bring the lettuce.”

" But it's in a vase!”

Does he really see nothing strange in this situation?

" Yes, it's a lettuce plant! When you use it, just take it out of the pot, wash it, and do what you want," he crossed his arms, looking at me like I was crazy.

" And how exactly do I do that? " I rolled my eyes.

" Wait, you never have?”

Dimitri seemed to be holding back from laughing at my expression.

" No, where I lived it was always market work, or farmer's work, I don't know, but it wasn't me who did it," I returned.

This time he actually laughed at me, shaking his head negatively before reaching into the bag again, taking out the balsamic vinegar and coffee.

" Blair, my coffee maker is for powdered coffee, you bought it in beans," he pointed out my mistake.

I widened my eyes, taking the packet from his hand to check.

" But this packet was just like all the others!”

" It is written here," he pointed.

Of course it's written! The point is that I can't read Russian!

" Damn, I only saw that it was coffee, I didn't pay attention to the other information.”

" And I don't want to discourage you, but this is not milk," he continued, taking the milk carton out of the bag.

He's having fun at my expense. I can't be that wrong!

" What do you mean?”

" This is kefir, not milk," he insisted.

I snatched the package from his hand, groaning as I put it back on the sink. I'm sure it was in the milk aisle!

" I hate this country," I muttered with a pout, drawing a giggle from my fiancé before he hugged me.

Dimitri kissed the top of my head trying to comfort me. I only needed to buy two things and I bought them all wrong!

" I know we've talked about this before, but what do you say I change and come back with you to the market now?”

" Please don't make me go back there alone," I hid my face in his chest, making him laugh.

Adjusting is not as simple as I imagined, but it will be a matter of days, I'll get used to it!