A few weeks later and there were no bouquets of flowers or threatening emails. I knew that this definitely wasn't the end; I hadn't even done anything big. I simply stood at a window and then left earlier than usual. There had to be something bigger that would happen soon.
It was Saturday and Alexander and I were just leaving the office. I was feeling much better now; once in a while, I would get some morning sickness, but it was nothing serious since I would never get fevers. Alexander was also feeling much better, and it seemed like everything was normal and perfect in the world.
Of course, that was until he said, "We're going to Italy, Florence. I have some important business meeting there and my parents coincidentally decided to go on a trip there as well, so we will be meeting with them. Get packed, the plane leaves tonight, and we'll arrive early morning in Florence tomorrow."
With that, he simply left to his room, as if he just said the most normal thing ever.
This was definitely not normal on any standards. We never left the country together ever. Once, we when we were dating, we left for Hawaii, but that was it. And that's still in the country. Even our honeymoon was spent in the country. We never did these things! My husband also tried to keep business meetings within the state; or at least within the country.
I nervously headed to my room and began to pack. I had no idea what to expect. I'd never been to Europe, and I didn't know what would be expected of me as Mrs. Vasilievna. I packed some outfits that I thought would be suitable for Italy and a day with his parents.
Mr. and Mrs. Vasiliev were good parents. I met with them a couple of times before we were married, and then a few times after that. They were very sweet but extremely uptight. They were formal and wanted everything to be done perfectly and with elegance and class. Nevertheless, I admired them, especially Mrs. Vasilievna.
She gave up everything to become the perfect wife to her husband. She sacrificed her own job, her family and her dreams to gain her husband, and I admired her for that. He treated her with respect and care, and she was basically a queen in his eyes.
Soon, I had a suitcase packed with the essentials and was waiting for my dear husband in the living room. I was reading a book when he came down with his suitcase. Seeing him descend down the stairs in a black suit, carrying a black suitcase and a black shoulder bag made him seem like those men on the cover of a rich magazine.
"Let's go, Maria." He didn't take my hand, but instead took my suitcase, which was good enough for me.
When we were nearing the airport, he began to explain the trip.
"Tomorrow morning I have a business meeting, and I will go alone. I do not want you in a foreign country alone, so you will spend the day with my parents, and then I will join you in the evening. The next day we have to ourselves, so we will tour the city of Rome. The last day, I have a business meeting in the morning in Venice, so you will spend the day with Jordan Jonathan's family. He will be in the meeting with me, and he does not want his family alone either. Afterward, we will go out for dinner, and leave Venice at night. Understand?"
I nodded.
We finally reached the airport and I just followed Alexander while a man pulled our luggage behind us. I had no idea what was going on. Alexander would hand in some papers and get some in return, and then he signed a few things here and there. Soon, we were already sitting on the plane.
The pilot announced our flight and then the sweet flight attendants showed us the safety procedures. The engine roared to life and all of a sudden I felt a little afraid. I only had Alexander here with me and I wanted to feel him, to be sure that he was still here with me.
I took his hand and intertwined my fingers with his. He looked up at our hands and then gave me a gentle squeeze.
As the plane began to lift off, I closed my eyes. I held in my breath but exhaled when I felt Alexander's hand rest on my knee. He was here with me. Everything would be perfect.
Soon, we were already landing and it was no longer dark outside. Sweet rays of sunlight entered the plane and I smiled. We were here. In Florence, together.
I stared in awe at the beautiful city in front of me. Alexander held my hand, and that made everything so much better as I started at the buildings and shops and my heels clicked against the stone streets. It was exactly like it was in the pictures and I loved every single detail about this
Flowers hung from the shops, and the sunlight warmed us up... it was truly an amazing place. Alexander soon stopped in front of a large hotel and after he checked us in, he led me to our hotel room.
It was a beautiful room painted in a beige color. There was a large bed in the center, and a little fireplace at the opposite end of the room with some couches surrounding it. But the best aspect of the room was the balcony and the breathtaking view of Florence.
"Maria. Get dressed, we need to go see my parents and then I have to leave for my meeting."
I nodded and hurried to put on a suitable outfit for Florence. I decided on a cafe colored off-shoulder dress and some brown, green, and yellow swirled stilettos. I clasped on some gold earrings and then took a green purse. I looked in the mirror. Suitable, I hope.
"Let's go, Maria. My parents are waiting in the lobby." Alexander took my hand and led me down.
We walked up to his parents, and he let go of my hand and gave his mother a kiss on the cheek, and shook hands with his father.
"Good morning," I gave a light smile then kissed my husband's mother on her cheeks, and gave a kiss on his father's cheek.
"Hello, darling! You look stunning!" Mrs. Vasilievna smiled sweetly at me.
"Thank you, Mrs. Vasilievna," I responded with a smile as well.
"Oh, no, Maria, you may call me Natalia. You've been my daughter-in-law for 2 years now!" she exclaimed and once more gave a sweet smile.
She was dressed in a very elegant white dress and some white sandals. She looked very stylish, just like the wife of a rich man should look like.
"I will see you in the evening. I must go to my meeting now." Alexander notified us, and then he placed a kiss on my cheek, rather close to my lips.
"I'll see you soon, Maria."
With that, he left and his parents and I left to go sightseeing, but of course, we needed to stop for some food first. After a brief stop for some breakfast, we simply just toured the beautiful city of Florence.
We hiked up a steep set of stairs and streets to get to the top of a hill that looked over the city of Florence and the Florence Cathedral. I gasped. It was a beauty that I only thought I would see in my dreams.
"Maria, how is everything going?" Natalia asked me, as the three of us just stood there and gazed out at the sight before us.
"Everything is going very well." It was, apart from that secret admirer.
"How is Alexander treating you?" She continued asking me questions.
I smiled, "He is treating me very well, of course."
"I know it can be hard for you sometimes, darling. Being the wife of a Vasiliev is very... well, it's quite a lot of work, and you have a lot of responsibility for keeping your husband in good light. Sometimes it doesn't feel rewarding enough, and you want more but don't lose hope or faith, my dear. You will get all the rewards you deserve sooner than you may think." She encouraged me, lacing her arm through mine.
"Natalia, you will bore her with your talk." Alexander's father, Kirill spoke up.
He wasn't a man of many words, much like Alexander himself.
"Oh no, it's no bore, Kirill," I said with a laugh and we continued to walk up the streets of Florence.
"Sometimes I wish dear Alexander wouldn't load himself with work, so I can see more of you two." Natalie sighed.
"Oh Natalie, you know that is the responsibility of any good businessman, and look how far Alexander has already come." Kirill comforted his wife and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Well, I do hope you know that I love being in your company and getting to know my sweet daughter-in-law. You two are a pretty good match; I can see that you fit Alexander well." Natalie mentioned.
We walked for a few moments of silence and then she blurted out, "No grandchildren for me yet?"
I laughed as Kirill shook his head.
She was my mother-in-law, of course, this question would have had to be asked sooner or later.
"No, Natalia, no grandchildren."
With a saddened look she shook her head. "You need a baby soon, Maria. You're young right now, you would be an excellent mother."
"Besides, every successful man needs an heir... " Kirill mentioned under his breath, but Natalia and I both heard him very well.
"To be honest," I said with a sigh as we stepped into a little restaurant for lunch, "We never really conversed about children."
"Oh, darling, he was raised by good parents, and of course he will want children. Every responsible and successful person wants children. Children are the key to becoming better." Natalie said as she sat down at the table.
Kirill took her hand and proudly held it while we were ordering. I felt the slightest bit jealous. Kirill took very good care of his wife; he was a real gentleman. Alexander and his father were very much alike in this, but Alexander lacked a very important characteristic that his father had; pure and genuine love that he wasn't afraid to show.
I'm certain Alexander still loved me, but he was very hesitant to show it.
"I hope he does. I believe I want children as well, I've always wanted a family of my own."
Natalie and Kirill both smiled and we settled to eat. We talked about my family and their family, and of course, we would constantly talk about Alexander.
Natalie would talk about how he was a little boy; it turns out he wasn't that different. He was always extremely reserved and full of perfect manners. He was a very neat and punctual boy. His grades were always the best, and he had a very limited amount of friends.
It turns out he was a very family person. He would prefer to always stay home rather than go out. He loved to simply sit with his family at dinner or cuddled next to the fireplace. He would always make sure to let them know he cared for them, and his greatest fear was losing his family.
It touched me very deeply; he was such a sweet boy, full of so much kindness and a vulnerability. At that moment, I knew that Alexander did love me; he just had a very peculiar way of showing it, but he would hate to lose me.
Soon, we were already standing at a different restaurant. We had spent the entire day together, and we would be having dinner with Alexander.
He showed up, in a black suit, promptly on time. He first greeted his parents and then pressed a hard kiss to my cheek, and took my hand. We entered the restaurant and soon began to eat.
"How did your day go?" Alexander asked us, but he was mostly focusing his attention on me.
"It was wonderful, sweetheart. Maria is a wonderful girl, I am so happy that she is your wife." Natalie quickly answered, and reached over to give my hand a squeeze.
"Thank you, Natalie. I loved spending the day with you and Kirill and getting to know your family better." I smiled.
"I'm glad that you enjoyed your day," Alexander commented, and then we all proceeded to eat our food.
He reached down and gently squeezed my knee. I made no movements or noises, but I was freaking out on the inside.
What game was he playing? I gently slapped his hand away and moved my legs.
Natalie set down her fork and knife and turned herself to Alexander, with a very serious face. "It's such a shame that we didn't get a chance to spend proper time with our son, of course. Sometimes you concern me with the amount of work you do."
"Mother, I did not come to Florence for a vacation, I had business to deal with. "
"Alexander, listen to your mother. She has a point. Focus on your business, but be sure to remember family." Kirill told his son, and you could clearly tell that Alexander respected his father and wouldn't dare to speak against him.
He had that type of voice, much like Alexander. When they spoke, they spoke with confidence and power, and everyone in the room would listen.
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," Alexander surrendered with a sigh escaping his lips.
After another hour or so, Alexander stood up.
"Father, mother, it was very good to see you again. I miss you both very much. But Maria and I need to go now, we have a busy day tomorrow."
The rest of the family, me included, also stood up. Natalie hugged me tightly, and whispered, "Stay strong, sweetie! Alexander is a good man, and he loves you very much!"
"I love him too. It was so good to spend the day with you two."
I gave a kiss on Kirills cheek, and he gave me a short hug. Alexander also parted with his parents and then took my hand and we walked out. We walked to our hotel, which was a little while away, but it felt nice to be in the warm, night air with Alexander by my side.
When we reached our room, I realized a little problem.
There was only one bed, and Alexander and I rarely ever slept in the same room together. I still went to get dressed into pajamas. When I was all done, I headed back into our room. I noticed Alexander outside on the balcony.
I took this chance to climb into the bed, without having to deal with any awkwardness. I closed my eyes and drifted away to sleep.