Chapter 6: A Pointless Waste of Money
Next day, at 9:55 a.m., Lana Limpson went to the city library. Oleg Merkulov was already there. He saw her entering the hall, and he gasped, throwing his arms up.
«Lana,» he addressed her, taking her hand and kissing it. «Milady, you came in, and it was like sunshine lit up this dull boring place.»
Lana smiled at his reaction and looked around. She saw some people were reading and writing nearby, and she felt uncomfortable.
«Let’s go somewhere,» she suggested. Lana liked how Oleg spoke to her, but she was ashamed that someone else might take it as a joke and make fun of her.
«To a restaurant?» Oleg looked at her with concern. «Are you hungry, sweetheart? Just name it and we can go. I’ll pay.»
«I can pay myself.» She smiled.
«No way,» he retorted peering deep into her eyes. «No Russian man could allow the woman next to him to pay for herself. One man, when he found out he couldn’t afford to pay for their dinner, went outside and shot himself. He preferred to die than to live with such a disgracing act.»
«Wow. No, in the United States women often pay for themselves and for their men.»
Oleg demonstratively sighed and shook his head with disapproval, then gallantly gave her his hand.
As they left the library, Lana saw Ruslan Grafinsky. She remembered him next to Oleg, and now she smiled, not noticing Oleg frown and the spite that glinted in his eyes.
«Miss Limpson,» Ruslan started resolutely. «I have to talk with you.»
Unexpectedly, Oleg leapt at Ruslan, pushed him aside, and said something in Russian. The men started wrangling, and Lana watched them with terror. «What was going on?» She wondered about the reason for such emotion.
Suddenly, Oleg punched Ruslan in the face so hard that he sat straight down on the sidewalk. Oleg took the hand of a shocked Lana, and quickly brought her to his car.
«Your friend,» mumbled Lana.
«He will be okay,» Oleg said through clenched teeth. «It’s Russian business, don’t worry.»
«Miss Limpson!» she heard Ruslan scream, but Oleg drove away.
They kept silent for a while. Oleg parked his car in the first parking lot.
«I want make things straight,» he started slowly. «I want to show you that I’m honest with you. I am and I will be. And this is my proof: I’m married.»