by Riley Moreno
“Okay what are the benefits of doing it that way instead of having her come to me and just marrying her here?” Fred asked.
“You might be able to speed up the paper work a little bit. But you’ll still have to do have everything done over here too with immigration.” Tommy admitted.
“Hm let me check my schedule. I like the idea of flying over right now. But I also don’t know if that will scare her off.” Fred said.
“I don’t know boss. I was just giving you the options.” Tommy stated.
“So how much money am I looking at for both options?” Fred asked, and then changed his mind. “You know what it doesn’t matter really; I have enough money in the bank for either way. Let me call Sandra for my schedule and see what I can come up with. I‘ll call you if I need anything else. Oh and thanks so much for being quick on this Tommy!” Fred said.
“No problem boss. So you really love her?’ Tommy asked.
Most of his employees wouldn’t even ask, but Tommy had known Fred for years. They had met when Fred they were both kids. Tommy’s family had been poor, but Fred had made sure as soon as he was in charge he could get Tommy working for him. He gladly paid him a large salary, and considered Tommy a brother.
“Yeah it’s really odd Tommy. I think about her all the time. I’m not really sure if it is love, but if it isn’t I don’t know what to call it.” Fred commented.
“Well if she captured your heart I’m sure she is a special type of lady!” Tommy laughed.
There had been many conversations in the past between these two where Fred had complained about the type of women he met. “So many of these women think they know what they want. They just won’t listen to a word I try to tell them.”
“Have you ever thought they just didn’t want to be controlled?” Tommy had asked him one time.
“But it’s my job as the man to control it all. My mother never had a problem with my dad being that way. So that means there has to be more out there like that. I mean I don’t want one who will lay on the floor and let me walk all over her. I want one with some fire in her. But when I put my foot down she needs to listen!” Fred had stated.
Tommy had laughed and shook his head at Fred. “You need to find a woman from another country then!”
“You think that will be my answer?” Fred had asked earnestly.
“Maybe, because I’m telling you there are just too many women in the states now that are looking for equal rights. To them equal rights means you don’t get to control them. Well at least for the one’s I’ve met!” Tommy commented.
Fred shook his head, they were both single. Though he wasn’t sure exactly what Tommy was looking for in a woman, he did know he hadn’t found it yet.
Looking at his watch he saw he had far too many hours before he could chat with Ivana again. Instead he focused on finding out about his schedule and deciding what to do. Should he travel there and sweep her off her feet? Or should he just get her on a plane and to him? Fred wondered which way would be the best.
Chapter 8
Ivana hated that she had so many hours until she got to talk to him. She decided to take a nap to help the time pass quicker. “Where have you been all my life?” She wondered aloud.
Then she thought about it, she was fairly young still. She wondered what it was like for him; he was 39 and according to what he’d told her never been married.
“Have you dated anyone?” She had asked the night before curious.
“I’ve dated women, but nothing serious.” He had told her.
“Well how many women? And what does nothing serious mean?” She had wanted to know.
Fred had hesitated to share anything else at that point. But she had continued to bring it up every once in a while. She wasn’t the type of woman who liked to be put off. Not unless it was her decision.
A few times he had tried to throw the question back at her like it might embarrass her. “I’ve never dated in my life. I’ve gone out to lunch one time with a boy I used to go to school with. But it was just so he could ask about a girl I knew. You see he had a crush on her.” Ivana had told him the story.
“He’s an idiot, why would he pass you up?” Fred had asked her.
“I don’t know why, but that is what happened. So now that I answered you tell me, how many?” Ivana pushed.
“Alright I’ve dated 3 for over 4 years each. I’ve also had several women around for a few months here and there.” He finally admitted.
“That’s so many?” She had questioned, wondering if she had heard him wrong.
“Well I’m a guy and you know how we can be?” Fred had said.
Ivana still didn’t really understand that comment. Men in Russia were usually one’s who would court one woman from an early age. So when he had said so many partners, Ivana really had thought she heard him wrong.
Later on he asked her why she didn’t marry a Russian man.
“Honestly there aren’t many men in Russian, so unless you are in the right place at the right time, you won’t marry.” Ivana had explained.
Though she knew she could have told him because she wanted to live in America and he’d probably believe her. She didn’t feel like lying to him about something like that, why would she?
Fred had seemed shocked at what she said. “Maybe he was expecting you to say because I’ve always wanted to go to Disneyland?” Ivana had almost laughed at the thought.
Closing her eyes she let her dreams take her away for a while. She hoped that she had some good ones. She wished for a future that held only good things for both her and Trina. As a last thought she added and good things for Fred.
Chapter 8
She woke up hours later out of her nightmare. It had been the first time in years she had dreamt of the fire. That night had been horrible. “I wish I would have died.” Ivana cried out.
It had taken her forever to be able to make it through a full day without crying. The tears had come so easily at the start. Little things would make her cry. She would smell something that would remember her of her mother or father. Or she would hear someone say something they had said.
One day she had been thinking about them and the tears had flowed down her face. One of the other girls had looked at her and said. “It makes you wish you were younger when it happened. I know, because then you wouldn’t remember it.”
Those had been one of the few nice words she had ever heard at the orphanage. It had been a hard life growing up. The workers had used the kids as their slaves every day.
“Go clean that bathroom Ivana. Hey Ivana go and clean the kitchen.” The workers would order the kids around. Since she was the new kid on the block, she would be made to do it all. Ivana had been the only one who worked many of the days at the orphanage.
Every once in a while a worker would come to check on the kid she had told to do the chore. Upon seeing Ivana they would ask where the other kid was at. Ivana would tell them “they made me do it.” Only one time had that worked to get the other kid back to do their job.
That night she had gotten beaten up by the other children. They had warned her to not tell on any of them again.” Ivana didn’t want to have that happen again. The wounds of the burns had still be fairly fresh at that time. When the kids had beaten her they had broken open.
When she had been asked the next day by one of the worker’s, “why are you bleeding?” Ivana had made up a lie about falling and getting hurt.
After that she became angry. Her attitude changed and she slowly pulled away from them all. The next four years she thought about ways to get out of there. But she knew she was too young. By the time she had been in the orphanage for 4 years and Trina came she was a hard soul to many.
Trina had changed he gave he a new outlook on life though. She had broken through that hard shell around Ivana’s heart and taught her how to love once again. Ivana didn’t share that love with many people though. She was scared that if she love them they would die.
Thankfully Trina
was still around. If she had died Ivana feared she would go insane. This was one of the many reasons that when she left the home she took the girl with her.
“You can’t take her with you she’s only 14 years old. If we release her to you we can get in trouble.” The worker had told Ivana.
“You want me to believe that the Russian government comes in here and checks those things? You seem to have forgotten I grew up here for the last 14 years now.”
It hadn’t taken much more talking to get them to release Trina to her. The tipping point had been when she told them they could keep claiming her for the money. “Go ahead take the money, just let me take her out of her.”
She had protected Trina from the other kids all those years. Ivana was sure that if she was gone and Trina was left on her own they would eat her alive. Still to this day she shivers when she considers what might have happened to Trina in that home.
Ivana remembered the dreams she had as she grew up in the orphanage. She wanted to take Trina away from it all and she had done just that. She smiled proudly. Maybe she would talk to Fred tonight about Trina.
“Will you tell him about the fire and your burns?” A little voiced asked her.
Ivana shook her head not wanting to ruin something that could possibly work out good for her and Trina.
“Ivana, can you come here?” She heard Trina yell out.
Going to the other room she checked on Trina. “What do you need?” She asked Trina.
“Can we check to see if I’ve gotten any messages yet?” Trina asked.
“You mean on the dating site?”
“Yes I want to see if I can get a date.” Trina laughed.
Pulling up the account she saw that no one had sent a message. “You know it’s only been a few hours.” Ivana said.
“There aren’t any messages, hmm; I think you’re lying to me about what I look like.” Trina pouted.
“No I’m not you are so lovely.” Here give me your hands and let me describe it to you again. Ivana grabbed Trina’s hand and moved it along her face.
“Right her you have these cute little dimples and every time you smile. Yes just like that, you have the most beautiful smile. Those dimples make your face adorable. Any guy would be spell bound if he saw you smile!” Ivana told her.
“Stop your just teasing me now!” Trina laughed hard.
“No I’m not. And when you laugh it will make anyone happy. It’s a contagious laugh; the world will love hearing your laughter.” Ivana admitted.
She sat watching Trina and just admiring her beauty. “You know what tomorrow I think we’ll go out for lunch.” Ivana announced.
“Why what’s the occasion?” Trina asked.
They rarely went out, Ivana tried to save her money as much as she could. She hoped the orphanage would allow her to now collect the money for Trina. It seemed that her father, although crazy and a lunatic, had been a government employee.
So when he went away and they found out what had happened to Trina, the government had set up payments to go to the child. The orphanage as her caretaker would get the money for the years she lived there.
“Just because I feel you deserve to get out.” Ivana answered.
“How soon will you go and talk to Fred?” Trina asked changing the topic.
Looking at the clock she saw she only had a few short minutes. “Oh I better go sign on or I’ll miss him!’ She ran out of the room. Trina smiled at her while she left.
Chapter 9
Fred had spent the afternoon planning and plotting what to do next. He couldn’t fly out tonight even if that would have been his final decision. If he decided to fly it would be after he talked to Ivana tonight.
Missing their chat date would send the wrong message. “Yeah I’m rich I could get internet on the plane. But I just don’t know if this is the right choice. I need to really figure out how she would react to it. Plus the flight time that’s something that is outrageous.” He had talked to Tommy about it again.
“Hey Boss I’m not sure what to tell you really. It’s six one way and half a dozen the other.” Tommy commented.
“I know. If I wanted to I could move a few things around and make it happen. I just don’t know if I feel like going to her. Bringing her to me sounds a lot more appealing.” Fred admitted.
“You know one of the biggest drawbacks is that nasty jetlag!” Tommy laughed.
They had gone on long flights together before and both had experienced jet lag.
“Your right it is one of the biggest things. You know why we can’t develop a transporter like they use in Star Trek!” Fred commented.
“We can go into this one again if you want. But you of all people know the business implications of such a development in technology.” Tommy stated.
“Yeah airlines going under, wars possibly being fought an all new way. There are too many things that would change and not be controlled easily anymore. But I would only use it this once to go and get her, or have her hop on it and be here in a second!” Fred laughed.
“Sure until the first time you had a flight across the states and didn’t feel like sitting around for hours!” Tommy cackled.
“You are too damn logical my friend.” Fred said.
He hung up and looked at the time. It was almost the time they had set up to talk. She had felt bad for making him stay up so late the night before that she had agreed to an easier time for him.
Fred wondered what he really wanted to do. He wanted to talk to her he had no doubt about that. But did he really want to go on that 40 hour plus flight? He shook his head at the thought of so many hours in the air.
“Hey, how are you beautiful? “ He asked as he saw Ivana’s face come up on the video.
“Hi Fred I’m good, how are you?” She asked him.
“Better now that I see you. It’s been a long day, seems like the hours have crawled by.” Fred admitted to her. “I’m glad I get to talk to you a little bit earlier!”
He watched as she blushed. “So tell me a bit more about you Ivana. I want to learn everything I can.” Fred asked.
Chapter 10
Ivana heard him ask her to tell him more about her childhood. She wasn’t sure she really wanted to share it. It was such a hard story to tell, and especially since she had just had a nightmare about it.
“I don’t know it’s really a sad story. I think I would rather talk of better things. Or you can tell me more about you!” Ivana offered.
“How about this after you tell me about you, then I’ll share all about me!” Fred told her. “If you think it will make me stop thinking about you, then you couldn’t be more wrong.” He added as an afterthought.
To her it sounded so sweet that he would say those words. She had to wonder if he was playing with her emotions. There had been one time she had let her heart almost become attached to a boy in the past.
“Who are you kidding?” Her mind said. Ivana knew she had actually fallen for that boy. But he had turned out to be so bad. But that wasn’t something she would ever share with Fred.
Instead she decided to share what she hated talking about. “My parents died when I was four and I was raised in an orphanage.” Ivana stated.
She heard Fred and saw his face. He was shocked; so many people would be if she said it that way. She had taken any polish off of the announcement she might usually use. Ivana had just blurted it out; she didn’t want to talk about it.
“I’m so sorry, I knew you said your parents were gone, but I had thought recently. Not since you were 4.” Fred said to her.
She watched his face and could tell he meant what he was saying. That didn’t stop the tears from coming down her face. “I don’t really like talking about it, still after all this time I miss them so much. They missed out on everything. No worse yet, I missed out on everything they could have taught me.” Ivana said.
“I couldn’t even imagine it. So did you, or do you have any brothers or sisters?” Fred asked, almost afraid to delve any deeper
.
“I don’t have any, but I have Trina she’s close enough to my sister.” Ivana commented.
Fred asked about Trina and talking about her made Ivana smile and laugh. “So I can tell you really love Trina!” Fred stated.
“Yes I do, she’s great. I don’t know what I would ever do without her around me.” Ivana commented.
“So if I want you to come to America, you’re saying I should plan on buying two tickets?” Fred asked.
Ivana stopped, and looked at him. “I would like it, I don’t know if I can leave her. You know she has me to look after her. With her blindness, I don’t know how much of a life she would have. She would have to go into another kind of home.”
“Okay it’s not a problem. I have the money I can afford it. I’ll just have to see what I can do about the paperwork.” Fred said.
She liked the fact that he sounded so confident and like it would be easy to do. Ivana began to relax a bit more. At least she wouldn’t have to face the new world on her own. She was so excited that he had said he would do it! Ivana wanted to hug him for the offer and kiss him even.
Looking at him on the computer she admired how attractive he was. “You really are a good looking man.” She stated catching him off guard.
“Oh look your turning red, that is adorable!” She laughed. But it was a friendly laugh, one that didn’t mean she was laughing at him. Rather she was laughing with him and they were forming a connection.
It was something she thought she could easily get used too.
Chapter 11
Fred watched as tears came down Ivana’s face as she talked about her parents. He wished he could just hug her and hold her. He hated to see the pain in her face as she cried.
“I’m so sorry.” He wished he could just grab her through the monitor and bring her to him.
As he promised that he would fly her friend Trina to America too, he knew he was being honest. He honestly thought he would just about anything for her.