I took a break from my TR because I felt like I was dominating the forum, and I didn't want that.
But after a small break... I wanted to finish this.. because I wanted to bring the whole thing to closure.
The rest of it has been archived already, but for those of you who are scoring at home, We are now at Chapter 14: (and the end)
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Chapter 14: Day Eight – In Which the Prince Turns back into a Frog
The next morning came very early. I slept only because I was exhausted. I don’t think Victoria slept at all.
She woke me up and withdrew quickly. I know she was fighting her emotions. She had promised me that she was not going to break down and cry, and I could see her struggling to keep that promise.
I took a bath, and got ready, putting my final things in my suitcase.
I had packed the day before. It was so hard for Victoria to watch, that she had gone to the kitchen while I did it. But I knew as painful as it was to do on Friday, it would have been worse to do it that morning, when she was fighting to keep from going over the edge.
I was feeling sad, as well, but I had a mix of emotions. I was also very preoccupied with all that faced me when I returned home. I had no idea how to start the K1 Process (I am SO bad at forms and paperwork!), and the reality of “six months” was starting to come home to me.
Victoria didn’t eat breakfast with me that day. She simply said that I had to hurry, for the driver would be there soon, and she vanished into the bedroom.
It was a strange feeling that morning. The apartment, which had been full of nothing but fun all week, was suddenly thick with sadness.
The driver came 10 minutes early, and I had to throw stuff in my bags (I waited until the last minute to unplug my laptop so it could have a full charge) and off we went.
Victoria came with me. She had arranged with the driver to come with me to the airport. Then, he would take her back to the apartment. Her train was at six, but she had to leave the apartment at 2:00pm.
I had asked her what she was going to do for four hours, and she smiled and said: “I will sit in the train station, and listen to Shakira.” (I had left her the CD with the player. I also left her my headset, even though she told me not to, because one came with the CD. But those ear bud things aren’t comfortable after time, and I wanted her to listen to it as long as she wanted to.)
I had intended to buy her some more CDs, but we never did when we were out, and now, with the driver waiting downstairs, it was too late.
The day before, I had withdrawn $100 (US) on my credit card, and as it turned out we never used it. I gave it all to her, and made her promise me once again to take a Taxi when she went to the train station. She smiled and said: “Yes, my husband,” to me… and almost lost it.
I held her, and we drove to the airport in total silence.
Now that I had a sense of cab fares, I was thinking that $30 for a drive to the airport was highway robbery. But, it seems like the standard price most agencies charge.
I didn’t think it was so expensive when we got to the airport though. The driver took us inside, and walked me all of the way through security.
There was a funny scene there, because when my backpack went through the X-ray machine, the guard almost fell off of his chair. Remember that in my roll-on backpack, I had a Laptop, Digital camera, APS camera, Video camera, and portable DVD player. Plus wires, and cables, and what-not.. So, I’m sure it made quite an interesting picture in the X-Ray machine.
But my driver didn’t even flinch, he just picked up the bag and kept moving.
The Guard shouted something at him in Russian, and he just turned around – very irritated – and shouted right back. Then he turns to me and says: “What do you have in here that has metal?”
I say: “A laptop,”
He shrugs, tells the guy a laptop in Russian, and just keeps walking.
I wish I could do that at our security!
The worst part was that Victoria was not allowed through passport control. The driver put my bags down, wished me luck, and told Victoria to take her time, and he would wait for her outside. I thought that was pretty nice of him, and I started to think that the $30 was pretty well spent. (It was worth it just to not have to be stopped at security and empty my backpack…)
I went to give Victoria a kiss before I went through passport control, and she smiled and turned her cheek slightly (she was wearing lipstick), SO my final kiss was on her cheek.
And then, I went through. (Funny thing, I took $1100 (US) into Ukraine and brought exactly 10 hrv back. – Or about $2.00 US. The woman at the passport control was impressed with my budgeting skills).
Victoria waited as I went thought, waited while I got my ticket, and watched forlornly as the escalator took me up to the waiting lounge. She never left until I was completely out of sight.
The last image I had was her looking sadly after me, and returning my blown kiss as I went out of sight.
It was one of the saddest scenes of my life.
From there it was simply waiting until my flight, which was fairly miserable. Not only did I just end my week of bliss, and start my six months of agony, but I had to do it surrounded by chain smokers. There was no where I could escape smoke in the whole international lounge area.
After living in a nearly smoke-free world, it was strange. And it burned my eyes, making them water terribly. (That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it…)
I met a guy from New Jersey who had just left his girlfriend. He was positively happy. He said that he signed all of the paperwork, so he wouldn’t have to come over again. Just wait for her to meet him in New Jersey.
To each his own, but I can’t imagine having Victoria fly from Poland to Dallas alone. As exciting as it would be to wait at Dallas for her, and have a surprise planned for her when she got there… I just couldn’t expect her to go through her first trans-atlantic flight all alone.
And, to be honest, I am looking forward to going back to Kiev with her sometime.
But this guy considered his “obligation” done, and he was not returning…
The rest of my flight went without a hitch. One bit of irony though: One of the in-flight movies on the way home was: “The Birthday Girl” starring Nicole Kidman as a Russian Mail Order Bride. It wasn’t as bad as I had expected, but it sure doesn’t speak well for the idea of foreign brides…
I emailed Victoria from London (they have free terminal access in the international lounge area. You can get on hotmail for free for seven minutes…)
And then I emailed her again when I returned home.
It was a full day before I got a letter from her, and that was a long time. It took her almost as long to get home as it took me, though, and she had to wait until the end of business day to write me.
This was part of her letter to me…
“Oh my prince, I could not say goodbye to you, normally. Before our departure to the airport, I had to take a soothing tablet. Therefore I ceased crying. If I have not taken it, I would have been crying the whole taxi ride, and I promised you I would not. But I became too quiet. And then, when I went by car back to Kiev, I thought, that of all of the things I wanted to tell you and did not. Forgive me!
When I have arrived to our apartment and began to collect things, I have found your T-Shirt. I was very glad, because it was yours. It is very dear for me. It as though part you, which has remained with me. And I can recollect as I laid near to you. I very often shall hide my face in it and to think of you.
From apartments I left at 2:30pm. It is was all arranged Olga. [She was the woman who rented us the apartment] She is a good person. We sat and long talked. She told me that you are a very good man. Yes, I know it. You are not simply a very good man, you are mine! Then Olga has called a taxi for me and has helped me with things. Your guitar I have given to her for her son. He likes to play guitar. I think you will not take offence at me for it…
And then I went to Kreshatik Street. I went there where we went together and recollected as I went. I have gone to the large department store simply once again to pass and to remember where you bought a guitar to play for me. And where you bought me a wedding ring.
When I went in the underground, I saw a happy young people, which were kissing and embracing. I was glad for them. But I became so sad and alone without you. I remembered as we were on the escalator and you embraced me, and then sometimes kissed me. And I was so happy.
I becomes almost sick from such memories, and I turn away. The action of the tablet already has passed and I hardly can stop the tears.
And I repeat to myself: 'I am a very strong woman, I can sustain and I shall not cry.'
I go on to the station. And then I sit in a lounge in dark glasses with closed eyes, and I try to remember something cheerful of our life. But, I shall not write further about Kiev, because now it turns out that I am very bad at being strong. And I sit and cry..."
If someone ever tells me she's a scammer, I won't know whether to laught at him, or punch him in the nose...
About the guitar: I was delighted that she found someone to give the guitar to. And, to be honest, I left my t-shirt on purpose, hoping she would find it. It seems silly, but that is one of those things that I knew she would treasure, but I could not very well give her. “Here Honey, here’s the t-shirt I wore last night. You can have it…” Yet, I knew that she would love discovering it… and she did. She has told me that she keeps it under her pillow at night.
Some of you will find that romantic. Some will find it pathetic. What can I say… I’m a romantic… No apologies…
I picked up my daughter that evening, and gave her the news. She new about Stas, but for the first time she learned about Victoria.
She is delighted, and wanted to jump right on a plane and go over and get them. I had to explain to her about the forms and the waiting. And she understands just enough about it to make some of her comments funny. Funny, because I realize when I talk to her that I have the same thoughts and feelings. I have come to realize that I have the patience of an eight year old…
And now, the wait begins.
Actually, before the wait comes much work. In many ways, needing to get her to get pictures made, and forms filled out has energized her.
She feels a part of the process, and it is not just waiting to see what will happen, she feels like we are a team working together.
I got all of our pictures developed as soon as I could. I took four rolls of film. 95% of them were of my soon to be wife. And I am wondering how I could have been so foolish as to only take four rolls. I never get tired of seeing them.
I also have some video tape of her dancing for me, and I have watched it countless times and every time I do, I marvel about this incredible woman who – for some strange reason – is head-over heels in love with me. It is almost too incredible to believe. I have seen women dance before... but never with such a look of love in their eye… It’s what is missing from every dance in every strip club across the world. The men who watch the dancers don’t understand that it is missing… because it is never there… but now that I have seen a woman in love dance for me, I truly understand how empty the dances of “the professionals” are…
My family took the news of my engagement with mixed responses. My father was ecstatic, my younger brother thinks I’ve lost my mind, and my oldest brother says he is happy for me, but I can tell he is reserving judgment until he meets her. I haven’t talked to my mom (I’m pretty sure she’s dodging my calls) yet, but I am sure she shares my younger brother’s views…
…and I could not possibly care less.
Someday, they’ll know what I know. And a thousand words won’t change a thing until then. I will wait until she is here. And when they see the way she is with me, they will understand that this was not a decision made for economics, or because I could get a “hottie”, or because I needed a “domestic slave”… this is two people who love each other, and who were lucky enough to find each other across seven thousand miles.
God Bless the Internet!
In the past couple of years, I have dated four different women who were all young, pretty, intelligent, and wanted to marry me. Victoria is not even the youngest women I’ve dated this past year. None of these reasons are why I am marrying her.
It is that she is EVERYTHING I wanted in a woman. I can’t emphasize that enough. If all I wanted were a woman who would be a mother for my daughter… I found her here… If all I wanted were a younger woman who looked good on my arm… I found her here… if all I wanted were an intelligent women that I could enjoy conversations with all of my life… I found her here… If all I wanted was to get married and have a sibling for my daughter… I found her here…
But… when I wanted all of that, I found her in Ukraine. She is all of that and more.
I am not marrying her because I can…
I am marrying her because I cannot imagine not…
And that, gentlemen, is what I was searching for…
