[August 1939]
It's nine in the morning. Dmitry left his communal quite early, and he walked for ten minutes to another building. He still wondered why few days ago, Vasily wanted him to visit the apartment by next Sunday, or today in exact.
Vasily's communal door swung open after Dmitry knocked, and a worried-looking Vasily appeared. The short young man invited Dmitry in.
"Where's Vadik?"
"He's moonlighting at the radio station again till next week..." Vasily said, still adjusting the green tie on his maroon shirt. Dmitry looked Vasily up and down, realizing that the short young man looked like he was about to attend a wedding reception. Before he could ask, Vasily spoke again, "Let's get you a drink. You must be tired from the trip," and he hurried to the kitchen to bring out a teapot and cups.
"Thank you, Vasya."
"Make yourself at home... never mind. You probably know what I often say. By the way, would you like to accompany me to Elena's family's apartment?" Vasily asked as Dmitry was enjoying his tea.
"That's fine. Where?"
"Tver." Vasily's answer made Dmitry jump, spitting out the tea he was sipping.
"You're crazy!"
"I'll treat you to a train ticket and a motel stay. But on the condition that you accompany me to meet Elena's father, to persuade him to approve of our relationship."
"But look at what I wore right now! I don't bring any good clothes and pants! I have to go home first to prepare my backpack!" debated Dmitry.
"Don't worry. You can lend Vadik's. I have packed everything too in his backpack. After drinking that tea, you will come with me," Vasily's smirk led to Dmitry twitched eyes and agaped mouth.
"You're insane. Vadik kill us-"
"Nah, as long you put them into laundry fast, he won't find out."
===
"For the first time, I see you chickened for someone's father. Where's that attitude when you suggested Vanya to cheat?" snorted Dmitry as he sat on the wagon seat.
"I was just kidding! Vanya has to be comforted so he still remembered his wife well!" grunted Vasily with his arms crossed.
"Okay, so what do you want me to do? I hope you won't telling me to advocate your love."
"Just... be there. Don't do anything. At least when I am nervous and see you, I know I am not alone."
"Okay, but don't blame me if you failed and later I spill it to Vanya," teased Dmitry with chuckle. Vasily stretched his left leg and kick Dmitry's shin.
===
Four hours later, the train finally reached Tver city. Without further ado, Dmitry and Vasily switched to tram ride, going to a large apartment in the heart of Tver. For fifty times Dmitry can see Vasily still tidied his green tie during the small trip until just before pressing the bell button.
The door opened. A middle aged man with thin black moustache and formal suit was the one who hold the door. Dmitry hitched his breath as that man narrowed his eyes at both of them.
"Who are you and what's your business here?" interrogated that man.
"Good afternoon, sir. My name is Vasily Nandev, and this is my friend Dmitry Petronov. We-"
Vasily has not finished his introduction as that middle aged man cut the words, "Oh, you are the boyfriend that my little girl always talking about at the dinner. And she said you will come here by today."
"Yes, and I fulfilled my promise," added Vasily.
"Well, we'll see about that," that middle aged man letting Vasily and Dmitry entered the apartment. They quickly pick the available tapochki on the shoe rack and put their shoes there.
In the living room, Dmitry can see two blond woman who prepared the dishes. One seemed not from Eastern Europe and slightly older, and the other one is Elena. Dmitry has seen her through the portrait that Vasily boast last month. But this is the first time Dmitry just see Elena; a very tall blond woman, wearing a green dress like a deity. Probably similar height like Vadim. Dmitry start to question whether it's Vasily who managed to seduce her or the other way around.
"Ah, you are the one that my daughter simpered about! What a bite-sized you are!" teased the older woman while greeting both Dmitry and Vasily. Soon Elena also approached to greet them.
"Mom, don't be like that to Vasya..." reminded Elena with embarrassment, with slight of English word slipped inbetween the Russian sentence. Vasily chuckled and quipped, "I know I am bite-sized, but I will be fulfilling everyone's heart, Madame."
"Oh look, you have a good banter. No wonder she fell with you!" after that, Elena's mother invited Dmitry and Vasily to sit down on the dining chair. It was the exact time for lunch. Or precisely, the time for giving good impression for Elena's father.
However, the lunch was the most tense event right now. Even though Elena's mother kept trading terrible jokes to Vasily, both of two young men still notice the faint huff from Elena's father. Dmitry tried his best to not picking his lips, by focusing more on his plate and meal.
After the lunch ends, Elena's father immediately interviewed Vasily and Elena alone. Or more to interrogating. Vasily tried his best to answer and assure this middle-aged man. Meanwhile, Dmitry sat on the living chair with Elena's mother. She start to tell her story that she was a British woman, who later married with Roman Fomavich - that stern middle aged doctor with black moustache. Elena born in the same year as Dmitry, and apparently the father's genetic goes to Elena except the hair colour.
Later, Elena's mother picking up five large photo albums. She start to open one of them, telling the history of both her family and her husband's. Dmitry nod along and hummed, until a page opened in front of him.
There are several photos of Roman Fomavich's family, who wore thick coat and fur hat. They seemed standing in a very cold area, which confirmed about Roman Fomavich's family was on mission to research the medicine in Anadyr, Chukhotka. And that specific photo... Dmitry felt like he ever saw the a blond girl and the black-haired teenage boy somewhere.
"Madame, may I know who are they?" Dmitry pointed onto the photo. Elena's mother looked somewhat sad, and she tells the story with slightly hushed voice.
"This little girl was my husband's sister. And this teenage boy was her husband later, when they married five years after this photo taken. This teenage boy was the native Chukchi — adopted by Roman's family as pupil for the medical field lesson, and had his name changed. Later, this couple moved out to another city because Roman's family already threatened by slow uprising of civil unrest. After that, my husband has been lost contact."
It's unknown what happened to his mind, Dmitry picked his wallet from the pocket, and taking out the photo from it. He start to compare the photo of two young teenagers with the old, worn wedding photo of Dmitry's parents.
Both of Dmitry and Elena's mother's eyes widened. The coincidence was too great.
"Darling, come here," called Elena's mother with a bit loud voice and urgent. Roman Fomavich — that stern middle aged man, turn his head with annoyance.
"What?"
"Look," Elena's mother repeated with firm as she took the wedding photo from Dmitry's hand. The stern middle aged man gets up from the dining chair. He bend his back a bit so he can see better the photo on her hand.
That middle-aged man's eyes widened. "Where did you get that photo? I thought it went missing for years!"
Elena's mother pointed at Dmitry, who can only look at both couple in confusion. Roman Fomavich glared at Dmitry.
"Young man, where did you get this photo?"
"This is the only memory I have, given by my late mother before her death," Dmitry confirmed with his breath held, afraid to make any mistake. But his answer apparently made Roman Fomavich so shocked, that he nearly had a heart attack. Elena and Vasily frantically gets up from the dining chair, to supported that middle aged man with thin moustache's and sat him down on the sofa. Roman Fomavich stared at Dmitry blankly asked, "They... are really your parents, Dmitry?"
"Y-yes..." Dmitry said hesitantly. He hadn't expected Roman Fomavich to be so shocked. Roman Fomavich looked at the wedding photo once more and cried loudly like a child.
"Nata... Nata!!"
"Dad! What happened?!" panicked Elena. Meanwhile Vasily began to glare at the confused Dmitry. But everything changes as that middle-aged man with black moustache gets up, and hugged that young man with green eyes tightly.
"The woman in your photo... was my little sister..."
===
"So, basically, you and Lena are... cousins?" Vasily tensed his face, still surprised after the head family of Ostruchesky explained his relationship with Dmitry's parents.
"I didn't expect it either, Vasya. My late mother only informed me that her maiden surname was Ostrucheskaya. She was separated from her family since long ago," said Dmitry, equally surprised.
"That's right. I went to England to study medicine before both revolutions, to research on Nata's illness, which started to deteriorate right after her mutism developed. But it was my fault for not forcing her to go with me. She married my fellow peer who also study medic, Seryozha. Then they moved to Stavropol, avoiding the civil unrest that start to also targetting us, the doctor family..."
"... In the end, my father died in the Civil War, and my mother's illness worsened..." muttered Dmitry.
Roman Fomavich shed tears again and hugged the young man once more. "I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry. If only I could turn back time..." Then the man with the thin mustache turned his hug to Vasily. "Thank you, Vasily Vasilyevich! You've reunited me with my family... Otherwise, I would have been completely consumed by negative thoughts about Nata and Seryozha..." Vasily was stunned to see his future father-in-law so grateful to him. Because before the reveal happens, he can't even managed to make the old man smiled. And now, such cold demeanor immediately vanished. Then Roman Fomavich patted Vasily's shoulders with enthusiasm, "Okay, Vasily Vasilyevich. So, your visit here is to propose my daughter, right?"
"Y-yes, sir..." Vasily stared at the man with the thin mustache, who slowly pulled a relieved smile. He began to know this will lead to happy ending. Because Vasily saw Dmitry, Elena and Elena's mother also smiling at him. Vasily enthusiastically took out the engagement ring he had been holding in his pocket.
===
The night arrives as everyone finished their dinner. Vasily and Elena are still outside to mingling in private. Dmitry was sitting on the living room besides Elena's mother... or maybe, his aunt. He opened other photo albums, learning one by one of his predecessor — who came from doctor and researcher family. The radio nearby him released a sweet voice to accompany the silence, playing the children tale about Maria Morevna.
After ten minutes later, Roman Fomavich came out of the bathroom, then he sat near Dmitry.
"Dmitry, my nephew... From now on, whatever you want to ask - I will provide to you. Large apartment, better job, money or connections, anything. I want to be responsible for your wellbeing," offered Roman Fomavich. Dmitry shook his head politely.
"Thank you for the offer. I have found my settlement after working in Alexandrov Ensemble. The salary is enough for me. And for now, I am more focused on living my own life. I'm already happy to know I have you all," refused Dmitry with soft voice.
Roman Fomavich nodded, "If you say so, I won't force you. Just keep in touch with us when you're back to Moscow, okay?"
"Of course..." then Dmitry had something popped out of his mind, and he asked, "Forgive me, but... may I ask one photo of my parents? Their first meeting in Anadyr ones?"
With bright face, Roman Fomavich turn his back fast to get the album book again. He took off the medium-sized portrait of Dmitry's parents out of the book, packed it in an envelope, then giving it to Dmitry.
"Glad to help you, Dmitry. You deserve this."
"...Thank you, uncle."
===
During the train ride back to Moscow on the next day, Vasily didn't speak to Dmitry at all. He kept staring out the window, occasionally blushed and smiled to himself. Dmitry, also lost in his own thoughts. He was grateful to still have a large family, not just a single person. And he also grateful to get the portrait of his parents' wedding, so he has something to be remembered about his family.
Then suddenly, Dmitry was burst out laughing. His laughter made Vasily glare at Dmitry in annoyance.
"Why are you laughing?" Vasily snapped.
"I just realised you will be my cousin-in-law. How unlucky of me!" After that, Dmitry covered his mouth to prevent his laughter from disturbing the people around him. Vasily rose from his seat and slapped Dmitry's head with all his might, "You're so annoying!"
"Ouch!!" Dmitry held his head in pain. Then Vasily's face twisted into a wry smile, and he sat back down in his seat. He laughed heartily, "More annoying than Lyosha and Vadik. Because you almost ruined my future in-laws' home!"
"Which part that I destroyed, huh?!" But before he could say anything more, Vasily rose from his seat and slapped Dmitry once more on the head. Annoyed, Dmitry returned Vasily's slap. Eventually, the two young men exchanged slaps, even starting a fistfight. A short time later, a train conductor approached them and threatened to throw them off the train if they didn't keep quiet a second time. They both sat back down and stared at each other.
"If I hadn't brought you, I would have had a hard time persuading Roman Fomavich. Lena said; his father was difficult to persuade and very overprotective of him. I owe you, Dima." Vasily's gaze softened. He reached for Dmitry's right hand and shook it tightly before releasing it.
"But don't slap me... I didn't do anything wrong," Dmitry lamented, still rubbing his head where Vasily had hit him.
That bald dwarf laughed, and now his hand patted Dmitry's shoulder. "Your mistake is your naive nature. So people want to hit you so much because what you say is true. Which is why I liked your style from the first time we met. Keep it up, Dima. Because it is your strength, too."
Now they are talking to each other again. They starting to plan a wedding party for Vasily and Elena, held by next two months. One of them, is inviting Vadim and Alexei to the party. But... this also means one thing: to also hiding the secret about Vasily and Dmitry's in-law, preventing more questions about the noblemen family's secret that might spread wildly.
And so, Vasily will pretend he just got lucky to marry a doctor family. And Dmitry will pretend be just Vasily's normal bestman.