FOOD TRUCK OF LOVE
DIMITRI
"Do you have any blini?" I heard a little voice say. I looked over the counter to see a girl with long dark hair and tan skin, she couldn't have been older than five. She had the most piercing green eyes I have ever seen.
"I do have blini."
"Can I have some please?" I noticed she was all alone, but did not seem scared or lost.
"Sweetie, are you all by yourself?"
"No, I'm here with my mommy and aunt Lissa."
"Ivan, I'm going to step outside real quick." I said to my business partner and best friend. This was our first time with our new food truck that specialized in Russian food. This was something that I have wanted to do for a long time now. After my mother had died of cancer I wanted to honor her by keeping her recipes alive. I went to culinary school while Ivan went to business. The plan was to open up a Russian restaurant, but food trucks were all the rage right now and we found one at a great price.
I stepped outside of the truck and got in front of her and stooped to her level, which was hard being six foot seven.
"Do you know where your mommy or your aunt is?" She looked around and for the first time I think she realized she was alone. Tears started to fall from her face.
"I, I don't know. " she said, sobbing. I grabbed her little hand into mine.
"It's ok we will find them. Do you know your mommy's name?" She shook her head yes.
"Can you tell me?" She shook her head no.
"Why not?"
"Because you're a stranger and I don't know you."
"My name is Dimitri."
"My name is Lilly."
"So I'm not a stranger anymore. Can you tell me your moms name?"
"Her name is Rose." I stood up still holding her hand.
"How about we go find your mommy?" She timidly shook her head yes. We didn't get about three steps in before I seen a woman come running towards us.
"Lillian Marie Ivoshkov, don't you ever run away like that again." She bent down and grabbed her by her arms, shaking her. The little girl started sobbing.
"I'm so sorry mommy don't be mad." The woman grabbed her in a hug.
"Sweetie I'm not mad but you scared me and your aunt Lissa. You can't just run off like that without telling us where you are going."
"But I saw a truck with Russian food."
"That still doesn't mean you run off by yourself." She stood up and finally noticed I was standing there, she met my eyes and it was like time stood still. She was the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on. We stood there staring at each other for what seemed like forever.
"Thank you for finding her." She finally stuttered out.
"You're welcome, it was my truck she found."
"No shit, comrade."
"Mommy! Language ."
"Sorry sweetie you are right, I'll put a dollar in the jar when we get home. Sorry that was really rude of me, here you have kept my daughter safe and I insult you. You just have such a thick Russian accent I couldn't help it."
"No it's ok, I'm not offended, I do have a thick accent. Can I ask how old she is?"
"I'm five." The little girl said emphatically.
"How does she know what blini is? You two don't have accents so I'm assuming you're not from Russia."
"We aren't, but her dad likes to travel and spoil her so she has been everywhere, Russia being her favorite."
"Mommy, can we get some blini please?"
"Yes, sweetie I just need to let aunt Lissa know I found you."
"If it's ok with your mom I can take you back to my truck and get you some."
"Mommy can I please?"
"Yes you can." I grabbed her little hand and walked her the short way back to my truck.
"Ivan, can you get me an order of blini?"
"With powdered sugar please."
"You got it." Ivan said, then turned around to make her order. When her mom called for her I caught her last name. I didn't want to outright ask, but I had to know.
"How much do I owe you?" She came up to me and asked.
"It's on the house, don't worry about it."
"No, no I owe you something, you made sure my daughter was safe."
"Can you answer one more question for me?"
"Ok." She had a suspicious look on her face.
"I overheard your last name. Do you happen to be related to Tatiana Ivoshkov?"
"God no, but her father is. How do you know her?"
"My dad's an Ivoshkov, she's like a great aunt or something. I don't really associate with that side of my family."
" I don't blame you, they never liked me. Probably why me and her father aren't together anymore."
"Sorry to hear that."
"Don't be, me and Adrian are better friends than anything, I think part of the reason we even got together was to piss his family off."
"So you're the gold digger that got her hooks in him."
"Not my words." I raised my hands.
"Yep, that's me." She laughed.
"So that would make you the ungrateful son who never appreciated anything his father did for him."
"If you mean by having to grow up and be the man in the house because he was too drunk. Then I guess that's me."
"Small world. How we've never crossed paths I don't know."
"Probably because I went no contact with him years ago. But one thing I do know is I would have never forgotten your face."
"Orders up." Ivan called from the truck. I grabbed it and set it down on a nearby picnic table.
"Here you go little lady."
"Thank you." She sat down and started stuffing her face. It was quite endearing.
"Are you trying to flirt with me, comrade?"
"Maybe? Do you want me to be flirting with you?"
"Maybe?"
"How about a proper introduction first, Dimitri Belikov."
"Rose Hathaway."