“What do you think of the President?” Jozette asked.
“Seems down to Earth,” Ariel said.
“I like her,” Julieta said.
“Me too,” Belinda said, “but I’d like to help her with her make-up.”
“No!” Jozette shouted then put her hand over her mouth when people turned to look at her.
“Careful, Jo, you’ll frighten the natives,” Tatiana said chuckling.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to yell but, Lind, you can’t give fashion advice to the President.”
“I know, I just said I’d like to, okay,” Lind said sheepishly.
“I’m sure you could help her, honey, but Jo is right, it might not be a good idea to advise the President of the United States on how she could look better in public,” Tatiana said.
“I know that and I can keep my mouth shut if I have to despite what Jo thinks.”
“Sorry, Lind,” Jozette said.
“I know how you feel about the subject, Jo, and I’ll keep quiet if nothing else to keep you from blowing up again.”
“I deserved that, Lind.”
“Hey, let’s move on girls, we want to enjoy the day,” Tatiana said.
“She’s right, Lind,” Jo said.
“Agreed, let’s do something else,” Belinda suggested. They walked the town and saw the art museum.
“I like Picasso,” Jozette said.
“I don’t, I never did,” Belinda said.
“He paints from a different perspective,” Julieta said.
“I guess so but I don’t like people with two noses. I want people to look like people,” Belinda said.
“I have a tendency to agree with you, Belinda,” Ariel said. “I like DaVinci, especially the Last Supper.”
“I like Michelangelo’s paintings on the Sistine Chapel ceiling. The two hands touching for the spark of life is my favorite of all time,” Tatiana said.
“Yes, I like that too,” Julieta said.
“I thought you liked Picasso?” Jozette asked.
“No, I understand what he was trying to do but that doesn’t mean I like it. I agree with Belinda, I like paintings of people that look like real people,” Julieta said.
“My own daughter-in-law has abandoned me.”
“Never but we differ on what is art.”
“You sound like a politician, Julieta” Ariel said.
“No, that’s Little Wolf.”
“He wants to go into politics?” Tatiana asked.
“No but he equivocates like one,” Julieta said and they all laughed.
“How about some shopping after we finish here,” Belinda posed. They agreed and went to a Ukrainian version of a boutique.
“Interesting styles,” Tatiana said.
“There’s a euphemism if I’ve ever heard one,” Jozette said.
“It’s all kind of outdoorsee and manly for a woman’s store,” Belinda said.
“Yeah, I think we’re in a rather unrefined area of the country,” Tatiana said.
“I actually I like this hat,” Ariel said. “I’m going to buy it.”
“The girl is a shopper,” Jozette said.
“I found a scarf, Little Wolf likes scarves,” Julieta said as she held up a pink and an orange scarf.
“He likes to wear scarfs?” Belinda asked.
“No, he likes me to wear…” Julieta started then caught herself and gasped. Jozette and Tatiana were grinning. “This isn’t embarrassing.”
“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about but it was funny,” Tatiana said and Julieta blushed and shook her head.
“Can we go somewhere else?” Julieta asked.
“Of course,” Tatiana said then they paid and left.
“Let’s stop for a rest,” Belinda suggested. They’d been walking for two hours and they were all tired.
“How about that outdoor café?” Ariel posed and they found a table and sat with sighs and moans of exhaustion.
“The coffee’s not bad,” Belinda remarked.
“Yes, the Russians are known for their coffee,” Tatiana said.
“I thought this was The Crimea,” Belinda said. “But you know me I’m so scatter brained that we might be in some entirely different country and I wouldn’t even know it.”
“You’re fine, honey, but The Crimea is so close to Russia that most people speak Russian and nearly everyone here understands some Russian and they have Russian ways and customs, like their food, dress and particularly their coffee.”
“Well, whoever it belongs to I like it,” Belinda said.
“That’s a relief, I’d hate to think of the international ramifications if Lind didn’t like the coffee,” Jozette quipped and they chuckled except Belinda who gave a look to her friend.
“Alright, girls let’s not start something, okay,” Tatiana said. Belinda and Jozette, even as best of friends could get into some nasty arguments with unpleasant remarks, hateful expressions and looks, etc. and though they always made up in the end, Tatiana didn’t want to be in the middle of another verbal scuffle.
“Look at that,” Ariel said and they all turned to see three young men, boys actually, about seventeen, surrounding a girl at the end of the street. They were laughing and pushing her around. She tried to get away but they held her in the circle and she began to cry.
“No,” Jozette said as she and Tatiana got up and began walking to the group followed by Julieta.
“Nyet!” Tatiana shouted as she arrived first. The boys turned to look and laughed at a woman intervening. They said something in Russian. Tatiana ignored them and talked to the girl who also spoke in Russian and though Jozette and Julieta couldn’t understand it was clear from her facial expressions and hand gestures that she was fearful and wanted help. “She’d never seen them before and they want her to come into the alley so they can make love to her… rape her.”
“That’s not going to happen,” Jozette said.
“No,” Tatiana said. The three boys each turned and picked a woman to approach, figuring they could intimidate them into leaving. One stared nose to nose with Julieta expecting her to flinch but she didn’t move. He said something that Julieta did not understand as he smiled a sickening expression. Julieta grinned then poked fingers into both of his eyes, ala the Three Stooges. The kid grabbed his face and doubled over. Julieta didn’t wait and kneed him in the balls as hard as she could. He lay on the sidewalk moaning in agony. Another kid took a swing at Jozette but she ducked and grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back as he cried in pain. She threw him on the ground and put her foot on his throat. Tatiana’s kid drew a knife and she smiled. He raised it to stab and she jammed her three fingers in his throat and he gasped for air. She grabbed the knife and leveled it at his crotch without stabbing him. He was trying to breathe as he watched in horror while his knife was millimeters away from his manhood. She said something in Russian and he nodded frantically. She looked at the other two and they managed to get out the same agreement. The girl thanked the women who had saved her and went on her way. Down the block she hailed a cab and as she got in, she waved at her protectors.
“Get lost,” Tatiana said then repeated it in Russian. Jozette’s shook his arm and rubbed his neck, Julieta’s stood up still holding his crotch and trying to get his eyes working again. Finally, he could see and stand up straight. Tatiana released hers and he asked for his knife which she refused and made a motion with her head for the three to get lost. They didn’t argue and took off down the sidewalk.
“Well, that got my blood pumping,” Julieta said as they returned to Belinda and Ariel.
“Me too, Jozette said and they sat down.
“How do you do those things?” Ariel asked.
“You just react,” Jozette said.
“But you three, look like ninjas,” Ariel added.