(short story)

That sunny December day with sparkling snowflakes spinning slowly over war-tired Kyiv streets was too unbearable for Ann, a health-nut young woman in her early thirties, whose bob-style red hair sought sun rays and led her outdoors to feel the breeze of the Dnipro flowing nearby. Fortunately, Galya, one of her best female friends, had nothing against drinking coffee on the retro-looking river quay.

Ten minutes later, the fleet figure of a light-feet-harley woman waved her hand energetically at the entrance of their favorite cafeteria.

“Hi! My sweetie-sista! Tsyom-tsyom!”

“Tsyom-tsyom! Hi!” Ann hugged her ‘soul sista’ Galya and smiled sadly.

After looking at Ann from head to high boots, Galya, a go-go girl with sharp eyes and gutsy moves, shook her head, “You look like a wet hen seeking some soaring hawk to hook and to bring you to some fabulous faraway nest.” Galya looked critically at chic accessories of her University buddy. “A Gucci purse, Armani high boots, Svarovsky earrings…A true diva-licious barbie. Ouch!”

“Whats wrong, Galya? I am accustomed to my style and not going to change it. You know that a leopard cant change its sports. ” Ann gave a once-over to her winter outfit too.

“Life doesnt teach you, its not Paris, it`s Kyiv, especially in the time of war. So, if you need a man right here and right now, you are to take off all these pricey things and to put on some street style strips. ”

“Like a grey mouse?”

“Not like a grey mouse but like a cheery Christina chippie, a girl living next door. Havent you heard the old joke about a woman asking a man in a dancing club, ‘Why dont you notice me as if I didn`t stand here?’”

“No, I haven`t. And how did he react?”

“He said, ‘Pardon, madam, you are so fashionable that for me, it is not rational.’”

“I see, For somebody, slick chic sounds good and for others a chic slick sounds like a trick,” Ann entered a cozy cafeteria and invited Galya to take a seat.

“By the way, do you know how I was dressed when I met my Vadym for the first time?”

“You have never told about it,” Ann ordered two lattes, two juices and a bar of chocolate.

“That day, I was in street jeans, a two-dollar T-shirt and cheap sandals. I was chattering happily with girls in this cafeteria over there,” Ann showed the corner table. “My future half-drunk happiness noticed me there and asked me to join the promo action of his company the following day.” Galya made a pause, “That was a fatal day for him. In a month, he turned into my husband working with me in the same advertising company.”

“Funny femme fatale story,” Ann sipped coffee and looked out the window. On reflection, she kept on, “When I was 18, my mother did her best to chase away all my admirers. The University education was ranked as my priority Number 1. But now, when I am almost 35, she prays to God to marry me, at least for somebody…Something happened to me…I became so absent-minded, I lost my Valentino gloves, my Pandora perfumes, my appeal.” In a while, Ann raised her brow, “Is it really noticeable that I am in search of a man?”

“Even a blind man will notice that you look at all alluring stallions flickering and snickering at these windows. Hmm, as my Dad says, ‘I won`t believe that this babby-abby with such sweater puppets and all specifications has no aficionados.”

“Maybe your dad has several secret sandwich makers, as for me, I have just only one adorer calling me ‘Ma chиre amie’ – a homeless bum whom I bring homemade hamburgers with fries from time to time.”

“Really?”

“Yesterday he gave me a present – a bottle of Martini he stole in some supermarket.”

“Good exchange, isn`t it?”

“Galya, don`t force me, please, to splash this juice right in your smizing slap,”

“Okey-dokey,” after eating the last lump of chocolate, Galya hit her forehead with the open hand, “I got a brainstorm! I support one volunteer center, and they ask me to play the role of the Snow Maiden for Christmas parties. They called me in the morning. I refused, surely, But for you, I guess, it is a good option to ease off and entertain, to enlarge your entourage and help our military men…”

“It sounds like a thunderbolt…And you think that it is a good idea, really?”

“Really, instead of celebrating Christmas together with your hearty Mom, you can hang out with happy kids and manly men…”

“What Christmas parties do you mean?”

“Four of them will be in Kyiv kindergartens and one in a hospital for wounded military men…”

“You try to throw me under the heavy tanks without any preparation,” Ann plunged into tense thoughts.

“The bottle of Martini from your friend will help you. Besides, in our University years, as far as I remember, you were the best Snow Maiden on our course. All ‘Saint Nicolas’ guys fought hard to be with you in one team…”

Ann threw her head back and laughed cheerfully, “Ha! None of them offered me to get married, only the eternal love for one night or serious relations for one week.”

“So, thats the deal. Ill call the volunteers right now.”

“OK, I`ll remember my youth, at least, for these five days.”

“Fine, now I otta fly to buy gifts for all my numerous aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, friends and office-mates. I`ll call you later. Chop chop, lollipop!

“Bye-bye, butterfly!” ……………….. One week after, while taking a shower, Ann got a call from her ‘soul sista,’ “Hello, how are you? Are you OK? I`ve called you three times and got no answer. Did you switch on ignoring or goblin mode?” “Wait, wait a bit, I need time to dry out and to put on my rosy bath robe…You said ‘Goblin?’ No, definitely not. My Alex just looks like a goblin but at the bottom of his heart he is as tender as my blossoming cactus. Do you remember it? I keep it in my sleeping room.” “ ‘My Alex?’ Where did you get him? In a kindergarten or a military hospital?” “No, he was my partner. I mean Saint Nicolas. Surely, children were afraid of him at first, but when he started singing Ukrainian Christmas carols, they got some sympathy for him and even came closer to take candies from his red sack. By the way, his Ukrainian folk song about Galya turned into a smash hit at all Christmas parties.”

“Really? Will you introduce me to him?” Galya got interested.

“No…”

“Why?”

“Because you have your own half-drunk happiness, as for the goblin…he will be mine!”

“Ann, you are so selfish! By the by, did you stick to the three date rule?”

“In was shortened…to the two date rule.”

“Why?”

“Because I failed to run away from him after the second performance…” “How sick! Where does he from?”

“He is from the Terrestrial Defense of Kyiv, who came on military leave from Donbas. ” “I see…And what`s his civil profession?” “He is a manager responsible for distributing high-tech medicine equipment.”

“Wow! How cool! Is he married or single?”

“Divorced. His wife fled to Poland and found a French man there…” “And he went to the Terrestrial Defense and found you…Will he go to Donbas again?”

“The day after tomorrow…”

“Did he promise to love you?”

“Yeah, he said that he would cheat on me not more than once a month…” “How romantic! By the way, what outfit did you have at your first Christmas party?” “We were given traditional Christmas costumes. He looked like a well-respected Santa Claus and I…like a stupid Snow Maiden in a too tight winter coat made for a toddler-size teen. But I came there in my old jeans and a three-dollar sweater… Thank you for advice.” “Ha! Galya does not shoot the bullshit! My tips are taken from my own life experience that is why they are working. How about your bottle of Martini? Did it help you?” “Yeah, Just to pass through the Christmas parties in all military hospitals. You said about one hospital and four kindergartens. In fact, there were four military hospitals and one kindergarten…I felt like a fish out of water, one girl among dozens of bo-bros.” “Sometimes it happens, maybe I misheard or misunderstood something…So you have just only two days…and what do you plan to do after that?” “After that I will be waiting for him and will join my Mom praying for the safety of Alex and all his military friends… ”

“Good luck!”

“See you…”