Chapter 10

Almost six months after she had arrived there, Nadia stood at the same gate at the Kansas City Airport, waiting for her mother to deplane. The whole family was with her. She was antsy for a number of reasons. Her stomach was upset. It was upset a lot recently, especially in the mornings. Food didn't look appetizing to her, but she forced herself to eat. She was worried about what her mother would do when she found out ... what Bob and Molly would do when they found out. She had kept her secret for as long as she could, but she knew it would all unravel sooner or later. Probably sooner.

People started coming out of the doorway.

She felt Ruth standing beside her and leaned against him. His arm went around her and his hand came to rest on her waist. He didn't know it, but his hand was only six inches from his baby.

They weren't holding a sign this time. After all, Nadia knew what her mother looked like.

But the woman who approached, with a huge smile on her face, and spoke with her mother's voice ... didn't look like her mother at all.

"I am Petra Valovitski. Nadia is my daughter. I am very proud to meet you."

"Mama?" Nadia's voice rose into the soprano registers. "You spoke English!"

"It's about all I know," replied the woman in Russian. "Please don't embarrass me."

"But what happened? You look so young! You're so pretty!"

Petra ignored her daughter, though. She turned to the taller, older man. She grabbed his hand and shook it.

"Thank you for this. Is amazing thing. I see so many amazing things. Thank you, thank you." She kissed his hand.

Bob, seeing terror in the woman's eyes, pulled her into a hug and squeezed her in what he hoped was Russian bear tradition. He released her and brought Molly into the hug.

"You're welcome. This is Molly, my wife."

Petra kissed Molly on both cheeks, tears in her eyes. Molly hugged her too.

"We're going to get along just fine," she said.

Then Petra backed away from the adults and turned to face the boy standing beside her daughter. She could see the way the two of them leaned into each other, and sense the unspoken emotion between them. The boy left Nadia and stepped forward.

In perfect Russian, he said: "Меня зовут Рут. Я хочу жениться на вашей дочери, пожалуйста."

Nadia screamed, turned around in a circle, and jumped up and down until Molly stopped her.

"What did he say?" she asked.

"He said his name is Ruth, and he wants to marry her daughter."

"Oh Lord," sighed Bob.

Then Nadia was beating on Ruth's shoulder and back. "When did you learn Russian? How did you learn Russian? I don't under-" She stopped as her mother rattled off Russian words, peering closely at Ruth's face. He just looked at her.

Molly complained, "Would somebody please tell me what's going on?"

Nadia stamped her foot. "My mother just insulted him. I am ashamed she even knows this insult. However, I think she was only trying to see if he actually speaks Russian, or just learned how to ask for my hand." She barked at her mother, also in Russian, and the woman smiled. Then she pulled Ruth to her, kissed him on both cheeks, and said one word.

"Da!"

"Do not tell me my son just got engaged, in an airport, without talking it over with us first!" complained Molly.

"Okay, I won't," said Bob, who was walking with one arm around his wife and his other arm around Nadia. Petra and Ruth were walking together too, ahead of the rest. Ruth was carrying her bags. They were trying to talk to each other. The little Russian he had learned from Nadia and the little English Petra had learned from her friend, was just enough, along with some pantomime, to communicate on a surprisingly high level. At least that's what it looked like, based on the head nods and smiles they were exchanging. Just what they were communicating about was a mystery, but Bob was sure it would all come out eventually.

"You know what I mean." She looked past him to Nadia. "Where did he learn that Russian?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. I've taught him a little bit, but not like that. The accent was western, from someplace like Novgorod. I think he memorized it, but I don't know who taught it to him."

"Did you ask him to marry you? Did you put him up to this?" Molly's voice sounded tight and stressed.

"Molly, stop that," Bob growled.

"No! I told you he hadn't asked me. He still hasn't asked me. He asked my mother, but not me!"

"We men are impulsive when it comes to this kind of thing," said Bob.

"I feel like I've lost control of everything," moaned Molly.

"We're dealing with teenagers," said Bob. "I believe that's a standard feeling in this kind of situation."

"You are not funny, Bob Cummins."

Nadia suddenly burst into tears. Her hands came up to cover her eyes and nose and she stumbled. Bob stabilized her.

"Now look what you did," groused Bob. "You made her cry."

"No," sobbed Nadia. "It's not you. I'm so happeeeeeeee."

Molly ducked out from under her husband's arm and bulldozed her way between him and Nadia. She put her arms around the girl and squeezed her.

"He's not much," she said, her voice still tight with emotion. "But he's the best we have to offer you."