***
Svetlana returned to Sasha's mansion. He fussed over his women's eating habits. He wanted all his women toned, thin, so he hired a professional chef, who prepared Svetlana and Yelena a roasted breast of chicken with slivers of almond, a small mound of mashed potatoes with no gravy, and a tossed salad to the side garnished with a sprig of mint.
Svetlana inhaled her lunch at the counter. Afterwards, she eagerly grabbed Yelena's plate and headed for her room. As Svetlana entered, she saw Yelena sitting at the vanity, fussing with her wet hair. Then she tossed the damp towel onto the floor.
Svetlana sat the lunch down on the vanity and Yelena immediately began shoveling mashed potatoes into her mouth with a fork.
Yelena came out of her shock, and her appetite reawakened. Then she stabbed the chicken with her fork and used a butter knife to cut the meat into small squares.
Svetlana spotted the empty plate from last night's dinner. Yelena was eating again. Svetlana was excited and hugged Yelena tightly, whispering into her ear, “I have good news. I saw Keith!”
Yelena radiated with joy, illuminating the entire room. She dropped the fork onto the plate. Her voice rose with excitement, “Really! Keith is here in Montenegro? Please, Svetlana, don’t toy with me. Is Keith really here?”
Svetlana hugged her tightly, “He's actually here. He's in Montenegro. He came here for you and wants you back.”
Svetlana hopped up and down, like an excited little girl, and continued, “I arranged everything. I'm going to sneak you out of here. We must be careful. I planned everything meticulously. I must be very careful so Sasha won’t find out until it’s too late.”
Yelena caressed Svetlana's hand affectionately, “Thank you Svetlana. Oh thank you.”
Then Yelena's smile soured and asked in a sad voice, “How are you going to do it. I have been studying the guards outside my window. Sasha has 20 armed guards walking around the property with rifles slung over their shoulders.”
Svetlana opened her shopping bag and pulled out a shiny dark cocktail dress and a blonde wig, “I went shopping again today by myself. I figure you’re about my friend's size. Her name is Olesya, and she has blonde hair. So, I figure that I dress you up like her and sneak you out tomorrow night. From a distance, the guards wouldn’t recognize you.”
“Oh, I’m so excited.”
Yelena stood up and hopped up and down several times before jumping onto the bed again.
“I know. I’m excited too. I’m a little envious of you. Keith wants you back. He really loves you. He made a romantic gesture in your absence,” Svetlana said mischievously, forcing Yelena to beg for this nugget of information.
Yelena pleaded, “Please, Svetlana, don't play with me. What did Keith do?”
Svetlana hugged Yelena again and then added a kiss to the top of Yelena's head. Afterwards, she whispered, “Before he came to Montenegro, he said he went to your Serbian church and lit a candle for you and him at the altar. Then he prayed for you.”
Yelena folded her hands over her heart while her cheeks turned a rosy red.
“He really loves you. You're so lucky,” Svetlana continued. Then she carefully folded and slipped the skimpy dress and wig into the bag and buried it in the closet under a stack of old shoeboxes, stacking the boxes like bricks over the bag.
“Remember, the wig and dress are in the closet. When I come for you tomorrow night, you put that on. Oh, yeah, I almost forgot, here are more cigarettes. Please don’t let Sasha catch you with these.” Then she kissed Yelena softly on top of her head again and left the room.
Yelena returned the cigarettes to Svetlana’s hand and said, “I don’t need these any more.” Yelena's cheeks remained red, glowing. Keith came to Montenegro to rescue her.
Searching for Stolen Love Page 32
