Chapter 36- Dress fitting
The following is written from the point of view of Anne.
Sunday dawned and after most of Saturday afternoon and early Saturday evening was spent having Yana teach myself and my husband some basic Russian as well as more advanced Russian for my son Jason, we all went to bed and had a good sleep.
After we all had breakfast which consisted of bacon and eggs, prepared by Yana as usual. After which my two J's John and Jason, or my son and husband planned to do some gardening. Yana and I had made plans to discuss the upcoming wedding. I was pleased that she had agreed to accept my offer to wear my old wedding dress. The two J's exited the house. After Yana somewhat henpecked my son to be sure he was wearing sunscreen. Leaving Yana and myself inside to discuss the wedding further. We both sat at the dining table. Yana and I are sitting opposite each other.
Yana had her notebook in front of her. It was full but I couldn't decipher it, not because it was upside down to me. But because it was in handwritten Cyrillic.
"Tea?" I asked.
"Da, please." Yana replied. I got up and put the kettle on. Returning a few minutes later with a pot of Earl Grey, some milk and two cups. I placed them down; Yana reached for the teaspoon and stirred the pot.
"Once more for luck?" Yana said. Indicating that she had remembered Penny's quip, from when we had met Penny's sister. I nodded and smiled. Yana gave the pot one last stir and then poured some milk into each cup, followed by tea.
"So, how's life lately, Yana?" I casually asked.
"Life is good mama. I am happy and excited about the future. Which I haven't been for a while." Yana replied.
"Good to hear, why is that you think?" I asked.
"First of all, I have a wonderful husband. And his family has accepted me and are kind to me. And he has given two possibly three babies. Mama, I have to tell you that I love deeply with an incredible kind of love. He makes me happy, and I believe he always will. To have a loving husband who loves me, and children has been something I have always wanted ever since I was a little girl. And now, and now I have got." Yana answered, her eyes welling up.
"Pleased to hear, but I have to admit when you first started at School, I really didn't anticipate becoming one of dearest friends, let alone my daughter in law." I said with a chuckle.
"Well, you never know when and where the little arrow will strike." Yana replied.
I went quiet. Contemplating what to say. I had a question that had been lingering in my mind for a while, not only my mind, but also Penny's and Jay's. I just didn't know how to phrase it. So, I decided to just bite the bullet and ask her.
"Yana?" I said. Sitting up at the table and looking at her.
"Da." Yana answered.
"Yana there is a question I need to ask you. It's been on my mind for a while. I was thinking about it before you and Jay became involved. It concerns your ex. Is it okay if I ask you?" I asked Yana.
"Da, that man is now a bad chapter of my life. Please do ask. Whatever it is you can't offend me." Yana replied.
"Okay, a couple of others and I have been wondering, we were wondering if he was violent towards you." I asked Yana. I struggled somewhat but I felt relieved after I had asked.
Yana went quiet and looked at me. Looked at me in silence for a few minutes.
" Mama, mama thank you for asking. He wasn't physically violent, he never hit me or anything. But he was very mean, both him and his son. He would give me very little money to keep the house, wouldn't let me ring my family in Russia, or speak Russian if him or Andrew were home. I couldn't make Russian foods. But he never laid a finger on me. He was all right for a while but then he changed. But he did two things for which I thank him. One bringing me here. If he had never brought me here, I would never have met you, Penny, or Grace. I wouldn't have met your son either and he makes me happy. Two he bought me my car which I love. And he released me from his hold without a fight when I divorced him. And divorce is something I was brought up not to believe in. In Russia we are brought up as girls that family comes first, in that way we are old fashioned." Yana explained.
I reached across and held Yana's hand across the table. Her eyes welling up again.
"Sorry, petal I had to ask." I said trying to comfort her.
"Don't be mama. These are tears of happiness." Yana breaking into a smile.
"Good, because a wedding to plan." I said smiling.
"Da, we do. Mama, can I ask your opinion please?" Yana said.
"Opinion on what?" I answered.
"Bridesmaids dresses, I would like the design to be flattering but subdued. And I can't decide colour." Yana confided.
"Hmm, flattering yet subdued." I replied pondering a design.
"What style is your old gown?" Yana asked.
"Empire waisted, floor length, with shoulder cuffs. And what colours do you like for the maids? I replied.
"Colour wise I can't decide between Apricot, Baby blue or Lolly Pink. And the alterations I want to make to your old dress, are I want to make it a bit smaller, with a plunging bust so it accentuates my cleavage and maybe make it sleeveless and corsety. But I am going to wear the choker from Brandi with it as well." Yana replied.
"Hmm, I'm just trying to visualize something." I said.
"Take your time." Yana said.
"So, you're getting mine altered and three new?" I asked.
"Da." Yana replied.
"Yana, I quite like the idea of apricot or Pink for the bridesmaids. But we have several options for them. We could empire dress with one shoulder covered. Or have shoulder straps. You have three bridesmaids so we could have one in each colour. But I have to ask. From what I have heard, The Russian Orthodox church is quite strict. We have to wear headscarves for instance. Is the church going to allow you to for want of a better term ' Leave nothing to the imagination.' They may have different ideas on that." I said.
"Good point. I talked about it with Father Josef, and he said as long as there is a long skirt and maybe cleavage not exposed but subtly covered, it is ok with him. He is a very liberal priest for our church. And as he said a wedding is about two people coming together, but in this case, it is also two cultures so we could have some alterations to service." Yana answered as she finished her last cup of tea.
"I see, now tell me about this dressmaker girl you're using." I said.
"Oh Galina. She is from St Petersburg and her mother is married to a New Zealand man. She is nineteen and in second year of a fashion course. It is good that she is from St Pete's." Yana said.
"Why?" I asked.
"Girls from St Petersburg are the best, we are more beautiful, more lovely, more sexy, more sensual, more feminine, more glamourous, and more fashionable. Muscovites are peasants, but don't tell Svetlana." Yana said with a giggle.
"But you are slightly biased, aren't you?" I said with a giggle.
"What are you two giggling about?" Jason asked as he came in through the door.
"You and your baby dick." Yana retorted.
I just broke out laughing.
"I didn't hear any complaints from you, yesterday." He retorted back as he went down the hallway to the bathroom.
"Touche." I said. And then Yana just cracked up. We were still laughing hysterically when he walked past again. Yana and I discussed the wedding some more and she taught me some Russian. And then seeing as it was approaching lunchtime, I ordered pizzas. Two large, they were delivered. And Yana ate just about a whole one to herself. She did mention she was eating for four, I wondered if she would be devastated if she was only carrying two instead of three. We discussed what we all had planned for the afternoon. Yana and I were going to Brandi's for one o' clock. To get fitted for dresses and discuss hair and makeup etc. Jay was going to pick up Thomas and book suit hire etc. But then I found out that Natasha, Svetlana, and Galina, either didn't drive or didn't have transportation. I rang Penny. Instead of Jay going to Her's and then going out with Thomas again. Could she pick us up and drop Thomas off and then pick the others up and go to Brandi's? Penny suggested it was a good idea. Even hinting that there could be a repeat of Rotorua's group lezzie fuck. She said she would grab Thomas and be over shortly. I explained to all present the change in plans and everyone agreed it was logical. Yana made three phone calls all in Russian, so I assumed they were to the other three Russian girls, Natasha, Svetlana, and Galina. John, my husband, in all his fatherly wisdom invited himself to tag along with Jay and Thom.
Ten minutes or so later. Penny pulled up in the driveway in her seven-seater. Thomas knocked on the door. Jay opened the door and let them in.
"Hello Thom and Penny. Nice to see you." He said as he let them both in.
"Hello Jay. Your mum and wife ready?" Penny asked.
"Pass." He said as he led them both into the longue.
"Hello Yana, Anne." Penny said.
"Hello Penny, thank you for doing this, I'll just go and get my wedding dress." I said and then went down to get it out of his resting place.
I came back a couple of minutes later carrying my old wedding dress in its protective plastic sleeve on a coat hanger from the drycleaners. And laid over the back of one of the dining chairs.
"Gosh it's been awhile; I remember you wearing that." Penny said.
"Tommy, would you go and put that safely in the van for me." Penny said.
Thomas picked up the dress and ran it out to Penny's van.
"What do you mean been a while?" Yana asked.
"Oh that. I was Anne's bridesmaid, and she was mine." Penny explained. Now where does this Natasha and Galina live?" Penny asked.
Yana wrote their addresses down and handed them to Penny. Then we all started getting ready.
"Hmm so Svetlana and Galina live quite close to each other. So, Svetlana, Galina and then Natasha and then onto Brandi's. Let's get going, shall we?" Penny said as Yana, and I collected our bags and then started to head out the door.
"Now, John make sure these two don't do anything silly. And take one of the cars. We shall be heading off now." I said and then kissed John as we all walked out to Penny's van.
Jason and Yana had a long lingering goodbye kiss. The sort of kiss you see in the movies just before the man gets executed. Only Jason had his hand hovering over Yana's belly.
"Jesus Christ knock it off." Thomas shouted. Seemingly taking the words out of everyone's mouth.
"Uzhe skuchayu po tebe, lyubov' moya." Said Yana as she walked away. The three boys all waved us goodbye and then we piled into Penny's van.
Yana got int the back seat and climbed into next to Penny.
