1982. Зима. Ночь после танцев. Пошли пешком.

К пол первому ночи танцы в общежитие свернулись, и они вдвоем вышли на темную заснеженную улицу. Лена снимала комнату в Академгородке в микрорайоне "Щ" и ей надо было ловить такси, да еще как-то уговорить водителя поехать в такой бесперспективный для таксистов район.

На улице было хорошо, и даже просто прекрасно. Мягко светила Луна, было тихо, неторопливо падали крупные хлопья снега, празднично искрясь под лучами уличных фонарей.

— Хорошо то как, — выдохнула она, беря его под руку. — Мне нравится такая погода.

— Мне тоже, — сказал он.

Они неторопливо направились на проспект Маркса.

Улица была абсолютно пустынна — ни такси, ни просто попутных машин.

— А может, поедем ко мне? — предложил он, внутренне пугаясь своей смелости. — Завтра выходной — в кино сходим. У нас в "Современнике" идет неплохой фильм. "Чистыми руками" называется.

Лена немного подумала.

— Хорошо, — неожиданно кивнула она, чему-то улыбаясь. — Поехали. Только давай сначала немного прогуляемся, ладно? — и Лена почему-то серьезно посмотрела ему в лицо, чуть-чуть улыбаясь чему-то своими красивыми глазами.

Они дошли сначала до Горской. Потом все также неторопливо прогулялись по Коммунальному мосту, поглаживая обледеневшие перила и посматривая вниз в черноту замерзшей Оби.

А потом как-то незаметно вышли на Красный Проспект.

От Тэда

Dearest Nichka,

I had a good opening night performance… better than last night. Ray Bills saw the show last night and he asked me, "why were you angry the whole time?" This made me understand that I was not finding enough variety in my character. I made some changes tonight and I think they worked well.

After the show we had a reception at the theatre, then we went to 'Fridays' restruant. After the restraunt a few of us; Adam, Andy, Melissa and her husband went to the 'Love Ugly' underground poetry and music performance which Mike Savage puts on every other Friday night. It was my first time at this event. It was interesting and strange. We stayed there until about 3:15am and then Adam and I went to Perkins for breakfast! lol It is now almost 5am and I just got home. Fortunately I don't have to get up until around 11:00 am, so I can sleep for 5 or 6 hours.

I wish you could have been with me tonight. I adore you and miss you and I look forward to many fun times with you.

All my love!!!!!!

Ted От Лены

Hello

I will try to explaine again your my point. I don't know do you need it or it is only waste time? You told me in phone conversation it is my problem. You know it will be only my problem when you will not love me and when we will not depend from each other. Now I am your wife, love you and you love me. If I am wrong, let me know.

First thing…you offeneded me with your attutide to me, you did same bad things twice during a one week (I mean didn't call me or write me that you will be so late at home). From it I can see you had good time with your cool friends in the restaraunts, night bars and even didn't think about me. You didn't think I can be very worry about you when you are not home untill 5.00a.m. Now it is good lesson for me, I know if you are not at home late night, nothing happened with you, all is o'k with you…you only have great time with your theatre friends untill morning. From this situation I understood you forgot all what promiced me last week when we had serious conversation with you about same situation. So I can see you can't held your words which you promise. I don't know how about states but here in Russia we consider that people go to the night clubs or to drink, or to find woman (man) and of course to have fun. What is your interest there? Explain me is it usual theatre life? And everybody from theatre like to spend every night after every show in the restraunt? I didn't meet people from theatre so close before, tell me it is tradition to spend nights together after every play? I don't think you will change when I come to you, you are adult person and you are as you are.

Second thing I felt very uncomfortable that my mom was here and could see all. She saw I was very fruestrued with this situation and I was ashamed of it, that my sweet Ted who loves me very much, can't live without me spends nights in the night clubs. If you feel you like such life more, may be you are not ready to live with me together. Because family is very responcible thing and has some wise limits. You knew about it when we told with you before marriage. I thought we had similar images about life together.

Another thing… I was upset becouse you even didn't understand you hurted me so much. I am feeling depressed all last days.

I am not going to be "your mom" and tell what you need do, what no. You can do what you want, what you consider is right for you. I will do what is right for me. Now I don't need your records about your days and nights. I don't know will be you able to understand me after all what I wrote. I still as stupid love you and only for this reason I explained you all. If I didn't love you it didn't matter for me what with you, where you are and with whom.