Chapter 14-
Walking home from the store Sasha watched Vasilli pounce around in the snow, catch flakes on his tongue, drop in the snow and make snow angels & toss a few snowballs around. She smiled to herself, clapped for him and cheered him on. She had to promise him they would make a snowman. Mariska told him all about snowmen. Sasha even bought a fresh carrot and a few pieces of coal and a pipe for their snowman! She was surprised the store had these items in stock. Especially coal. It was hard to find now a days and she payed a dollar (30 Rubels) for the few small chunks she got. 1 dollar (about 30 Rubels) normally got her a bucket of coal! She used wood at home in their stove. Giving extra meant special treatment, extra friendly smiles, invites to the best parties and socials. It was prestige. For Sash some habits died hard. She so wanted to remain undercover and incognito but when you were as beautiful as her it was hard to do just that. She figured her beauty would make her a target so she was extra extra generous and nice. Kill them with kindness or kill em *wink* if that did not work!
Vasilli was about 20 feet ahead of her when he suddenly stopped still in his tracks. He turned and looked at her with a strange look in his eyes. She ran to his side and looked around to see what made him so wary. She could see nothing. THAT bothered her. The wind was so fierce and strong she smelled nothing.
"What did you see?" Sasha asked "I don't know Mommy, I saw a man, he was running very fast, I did see him, I swear!" Vasilli looked all around him, turning in circles, squinting into the wind blown swirling snow that fell in the late afternoon sky.
Sasha soothed him and grabbed his hand and they ran home as fast as his little feet and her package filled hands could carry them.