a reunion with Andrea

You felt a little nervous so you decided to touch up your makeup while you waited. You were still finishing when you heard a voice. "Steve? I mean, Yulia? Is that you?"

You sat your compact aside and looked up to see Andrea standing by the table with a stunned look on her face. You got a thrill of excitement at seeing her. "Andrea!" you squealed, standing up and embracing her. She slowly returned your hug as she shook off the shock.

You sat back down and she sat across from you. "You...you look amazing!" she finally said. "So comfortable in your skin ... like a gorgeous young woman confidant in her appearance."

"Well, I guess that is what I am now," you laughed.

"And you sound so...so Russian," she pointed out. She looked at the way you held yourself - your shoulders back and breast proudly displayed, legs crossed showing your legs up to your thighs - and shook her head in wonder. "So different in less than two weeks."

You tilted your head in thought. "I have been to study - practicing, I mean," you explained, forcing yourself to use English. "I find I learn Russian so quick and so well that I not speak English quite so good now. And I learn very fast all this - clothes, makeup, everything - almost like I relearn what I once knew."

Andrea paused to gather her thoughts. "I...I'm glad you're adapting so well. I was very worried about you. That you couldn't deal with it all - that it might break you. And here you are looking so incredible. I'm happy for you." She paused again then added "Are you okay? Are you happy?"

You stopped yourself from responding instinctively to consider her question. You examined yourself - your feelings and how they had changed. "The honest answer is yes, I am very happy. If you had asked me this one week ago I would say differently. But now I think I am glad. I am alive, young, healthy. Beautiful, I must admit," you said with some pride. "And now I see you once more. This all makes me very happy."

She smiled. "Good, that's all I can ask for." She looked at you again, taking in your full appearance. "I think we should wait more time before introducing you to the kids. I... I don't think you seem very much like a housekeeper or nanny, so maybe we should rethink that approach. And you still need to get through the, ah, wedding..." she trailed off.

You had a sudden idea. "Will you come?" you asked her. "To the wedding? I know it's short notice - only 4 days away - but I'd love to have you there."

Andrea gave you an indecipherable look. "Are you sure you want me there?"

You laughed at the silliness of her question. "Of course I do! You are the most important person in my life. You have to be at my wedding. Victor is keeping the wedding party small, so it is too late for you to be in the ceremony. But I want you there." You reached across the table to take her hand. In the back of your mind part of you noted how different it felt - and how different you felt. You still had huge affection for Andrea, but it wasn't quite what you felt when Victor complimented you and held you in his arms. You dismissed those thoughts as irrelevant, focusing instead on your joy at seeing Andrea.

She squeezed your hand back. "Yes, I will come to your wedding Yulia. Just tell me the time and place."