THOA/Chapter 96

At about one o'clock in the afternoon Olive was awakened by a knocking at the door. She opened her eyes and didn't find Saltikov in bed. She raised her disheveled head from the pillow and saw him stand in the doorway talking to somebody. Then he stepped aside giving way to a plump guy in a leather jacket with a go-bag over his shoulder.

"Michael!"  Olive exclaimed jumping out of bed and rushing towards him.

"Yeah, Mick, you've done the right thing coming over," said Saltikov, "Tonight we are going out for a walk around Moscow, all together."

"I'll text Yana and ask her out with us," Olive decided, "She will bring her friend Julia".

"Great idea!"  agreed Saltikov.

At six o'clock Olive, Saltikov, Michael, Yana and Julia were already heading for Queen's Park. Yana and Saltikov seemed to forget about their Arkhangelsk fight and communicated as if nothing had happened, occasionally messing with each other without malice, though.

"You know my manners are impeccable" Saltikov replied to some Yana's quip, "I'm a very civilized and well-educated person."  

"Oh yeah, right! Where are your so impeccable manners, then?" Yana said sarcastically.

"What are you guys talking about?" Olive chimed in jokingly.

"Just us two girls." Yana replied glancing at Saltikov and laughing wryly.

"It's so great they are getting along," thought Olive smiling cheerfully.

Julia walked behind Yana in silence. Michael was silent too, walking behind Saltikov with a sad face.

"Poor Michael," Olive said addressing Yana, "He was probably coming here in the hope of meeting Volkova..."

"Yeah, I know," Yana replied quietly, "But, maybe, it's for the best. Julia has a broken heart, too. So I brought her out with us, maybe she and Michael would work something out..."

"That would be nice" sighed Olive.

Meanwhile Michael and Julia walking behind them finally got to talking.

"How long have you been living in SBP?" Julia asked him.

"Almost three years," he replied shyly.

"I would love to visit it someday..." 

"Have you never been there?"

"Never," Julia said, "But I would love to. I like the architecture of the ancient Petersburg buildings and bridges..."

"I've noticed there are ancient buildings in Moscow, too. Their architecture is also not that bad..."

"Looks like they've clicked." Olive remarked and winked at Yana and Saltikov.

"My hobby is photography," Julia continued as she and Michael walked behind the others, "I got a camera on my birthday..."

"Do you like to take pictures?" 

"Yes," she answered, "Let's slow down a bit and let them go ahead,"

Meanwhile Yana, Olive and Saltikov stopped by Queen's Lake.

"I'm frozen," said Yana, "Want to go to the sushi bar".

"No problem," replied Saltikov gaily, "Let's go and have some sushi."

"We'll just wait for our loving birds and go." Olive chimed in.

Julia and Michael joined the others at last. All five walked on a pier of the lake in silence. On its bottom under the dark water some copper coins were seen.

"We should throw a coin in the water and make a wish," said Yana and everybody except Olive delved into their pockets in search of coins.

"Olive, are you going to make your wish, too?" asked Michael.

"Nope," she answered with a happy smile, "I've got no wishes. I am an absolutely happy person."

"It's amazing," Michael sighed with a note of envy in his voice,"I never thought that anyone could be absolutely happy. People can never have enough."

"Oh, Michael! I have more than just enough... A lot more..."

On saying this Olive hugged Saltikov and gave him a big kiss on the mouth.