My First Date with Alena

Finally, the water started turning cooler and I reluctantly turned it off and got out of the shower. I dried myself off and used a blow-dryer on my hair. Then I went out to the main room, drew the curtains tight over the large window and crawled into bed for a few hours of much needed sleep. I really wasn't certain how well I would sleep, the excitement of finally being here and the anticipation of seeing Alena tonight, but I needn't have worried. I was asleep almost as soon as I hit the pillow.

* * *

My alarm went off at 4:00 PM. I was slow to awake, still a bit groggy from my long travel and my sleep. I slowly pulled back the blanket and sat up. Rubbing my eyes, I realized it was fairly dark in my room. I turned on the bedside lamp, stood up and stretched and walked across to the window. Pulling back the heavy drapes I stood and looked out at the city of Novosibirsk. Once again, I was struck by how much the city looked like any large metropolitan city in America. I have been in Seattle, Los Angeles, New York and San Diego and in many ways, Novosibirsk looked like any of them. Tall buildings with lights twinkling in windows, busy streets filled with cars and people. Billboards and lighted signs on the various buildings. Sure, once again many of the signs and billboards were displayed in Russian, but I recognized many of the images or designs on them, several similar or even identical to places and signage back home.

I admit, I've always loved the big city and here, high above it all on the 15th floor, I could see so much of it spread out around me. For a few minutes I just stood there and took it all in. Slowly, as my eyes roamed the cityscape before me, I began to notice differences between this city and back home. Amongst the tall skyscrapers and office buildings, I could see some older and more architecturally interesting structures. Gothic arches, splashes of vivid colors on elegant stone buildings, smaller and older than many of the large, modern counterparts but just as striking in their design. I could see areas of trees and park within the city and if I looked farther out, beyond I could see wide open sky, heavy with clouds. It was then that I think it truly struck home with me that I wasn't in America any longer. I was in a foreign land, further than I had ever travelled before. And Alena was here, in person, perhaps approaching the hotel even now.

Once again, my heart started to hammer in my chest with both excitement and fear. What if we found we had nothing in common, or if she decided I really was too old for her? What chance was there really for us? For a moment I felt extremely stupid and foolish to have travelled so far for such an unrealistic dream. Then, I remembered her standing there, hugging me in the airport and that gentle, but heartfelt kiss. That wasn't out of courtesy or pity, there had been genuine affection in that kiss. I shook my head to clear it, took a couple of deep, cleansing breaths and turned to get dressed.

I didn't want to be exactly formal, but Alena deserved something nice. I chose a long-sleeved button up dress shirt, pale green in color. I had a pair of black Dockers with me, and I put them on. My only belt was black leather with a Batman buckle, quirky, I know but that was me. I sat down on the bed and pulled my socks on, mismatched socks, as always. I have a good pair of Ecco walking shoes, brown leather. Then I considered putting on a necktie, but I decided that might be too much, so I grabbed my cardigan sweater and put it on. I had been fairly cool on the trip from the airport to here and I had been warned the weather could turn cold quickly. It was just the start of August, but I had been told that snow was not too far off in the future here. I had a long leather overcoat with me that I could use if needed.

I looked at my watch and saw it was about five minutes to five. I went over to my cellphone by the bed and picked it up, looking to see if Alena had left me a message. I didn't see anything. Immediately my mind started racing again. What if she had changed her mind and decided not to come? What if after she saw me this morning, she decided this was all too much for her. I was about to start spiraling again when my phone chirped and brought me back to my senses. I looked down and saw I had a new message. I tapped it and saw it was from Alena. It said: I'm here in lobby. Are you ready?" I was at once both relieved and terrified. I quickly hit reply and told her I was coming right down. I decided to stick with just my sweater for now and headed out to meet Alena.

As I reached the lobby, I saw it was more crowded than it had been this morning, but I still saw Alena immediately. She was looking around to see me as well and still mostly dressed as she had been at the airport. The one change was to her shirt. She now wore a black short sleeve shirt decorated with red and pink roses on it and a scoop neck. Still very decorous but as the shirt was a bit more form fitting it hugged her curves better and showed off her figure. The white slacks and leather jacket were still in evidence. Our eyes met from about 30 feet away and her face immediately broke into a smile that simply lit up the entire lobby of the hotel.

As I walked towards her, she began to hurry towards me as well. When we met, she threw her arms around me, and I was given another wonderful hug. I returned it with enthusiasm and then, without taking time to think about it I kissed her. Our lips met and I gently pressed the kiss further. I could feel her stiffen slightly in surprise but then she leaned in and returned the kiss with passion. I opened my mouth and let my tongue slip out, brushing against her soft lips. Her mouth parted and her tongue slid against mine and we held one another, tasting each other and for a moment, there was no hotel, no Russia or America, there was nothing but each of us in one another's arms. I wanted that kiss to last forever but after a few moments I pulled back and looked deep into her eyes. Before I could say anything, she smiled and softly said, "I missed you, Chris!"

My sleep and kiss fogged brain made it hard to reply with anything more than a simple, "Uh-huh!" She laughed softly and then turning took my arm in hers.

"Hungry?" she asked. I nodded. "Good," she said. "Come." Then without waiting for an answer she took my arm and started leading me towards the doors of the hotel.

I had actually done some research on Novosibirsk when I knew I was finally coming and that had included looking up what restaurants were in the area, but I also knew there was no better guide than a native, so I let Alena lead me out of the hotel and down the street. I thought we might be going to take a taxi again, but the evening was still bright and fairly warm, so we walked. That was OK with me. It gave me time to have a closer look at this city I found myself in and to be able to talk with Alena.

As we moved among the other pedestrians of the city, Alena held my arm and was constantly pointing out buildings or statues that she thought I would be interested in. I enjoyed our walk and there were indeed some very unique buildings but honestly, I only had eyes for this wonderful woman walking next to me.

"Where are we going to have dinner?" I finally asked her after a few blocks of walking. We had passed a couple of restaurants that looked interesting, but Alena had gone past them without even slowing down.

"Bibliotecha," she replied. "I made reservations for us." I hadn't heard of this place in my research of the city but if Alena thought well of it then that was fine with me. It didn't take much longer, and we arrived at the restaurant. From the outside it's façade was simple and unimposing but as we entered, I saw the interior was lovely.

It had a very down-home feel to it. Several tables were placed around the main dining room, each big enough for two to four people. The chairs were cushioned and comfortable looking and more like what you would find in your aunt's house than in a restaurant and the benches were closer to a padded couch. Everything was clean and laid out for ease of the customers. There were bookshelves along the wall along with decorative plates and a few plants, leaning into that country home feel. An older woman came up to us almost immediately and welcomed us. When I said thank you, she looked at me and smiled.

"American?" she asked. I nodded.

"Guilty as charged," I replied. She laughed softly but before I could say more Alena spoke up and said something to her in Russian. She nodded and turned, beckoning us to follow. We moved across the small room to a table near the window and she gestured at us to sit.

Looking down at the table I saw there was one of those decorative plates already on the table. It had 'Reserved Bibliotecha" written along the outer edges, in very legible English, and in the center of it, a simple figure of a boy and girl sitting at a table with a bottle of wine with a couple of hearts floating over it. Under them it said, "First date." The picture looked as if a 5th grader had drawn it, simple stick figures in bright colors but the entire effect was actually charming. I smiled when I saw it and looked at the waitress and then to Alena. She laughed softly and smiled at me. We sat and the woman handed us a couple of menus.

"Wine?" she asked. Now, I don't drink much at all but I know Alena does on occasion so I looked to her to see what she would like. She said something to the woman, once more in Russian and she nodded and headed off. When we were alone, Alena looked at me questioningly.

"You like?" she asked. I nodded.

"Very much," I said. 'It's lovely...like you!" Ok that was corny I know but Alena seemed to like it. She looked down at the table and smiled.

"Thank you," she said. We sat there quietly for a moment in a silence that was only a little awkward till the woman came back with Alena's order. She had two bottles of beer with her, and she set them down on the table. Again, I'm not really a drinker but I decided not to push the point or risk embarrassing Alena, so I nodded my thanks. The label was in Russian and seemed to be a local brew. I asked the waitress if I could also order a coffee, I felt the need for caffeine at this point. She said "yes" and hurried to get it.

Not knowing exactly how to start a conversation and not wanting to continue our silence, I looked around the café and then to Alena.

"This is really nice. Have you been here before?" I wasn't sure she would understand me, but she seemed to get my drift. She shook her head.

"I have never been to a restaurant before," she admitted. "My sister says it is a nice place though." I smiled back, nodding, but inwardly I was amazed. She had never been to a restaurant before. I shook my head internally and once again marveled at the regional and social differences that were between us. Then the waitress was back with my coffee.

"Take your time and let me know when you are ready to order," she said. I nodded again and quickly stopped her before she could walk away.

"It's our first time here...and my first time in the city. What do you recommend?" She looked at me and then to Alena appraising us both.

"Do you like steak?" she asked. That being one of my favorites I nodded, and Alena answered 'da' (yes).

"I will bring you two steaks. Maybe our eggplant salad and some warm biscuits?" That sounded great to me. I looked at Alena for confirmation and she nodded eagerly. The waitress took our menus and headed off to the kitchen.

The dinner was really nice. The salad was a warm salad and very tasty. The biscuits were fresh with real butter and some honey if we wished. Then they brought a small table and grill out to our table. On it were vegetables and a steak. They poured a marinade over the grill and the fire leapt up, searing the steak and vegetables. When the meat was sizzling, they pulled it off the grill and onto a plate, then repeated the process and soon we were both enjoying a delicious meal.

Throughout dinner Alena and I watched the street outside the restaurant and made small talk. I had my translator ready and used it on occasion but in general we managed to understand each other fairly well. I did learn that slang did not always translate well so I had to be a little more judicious with the words I used. In a lot of ways, our conversation was similar to those that we had when we talked online. Perhaps because that was a familiar area for us, and it felt safe. I asked her how her parents were doing and if her sister was well. She asked about my dog, a favorite topic when we chatted online. Nothing heavy or serious but even these well covered topics seemed to have a fresh and honest feel to them now that we were here in person. Near the end of the meal, I made certain I had my translator out as I broached a new subject.

"This has been very nice," I said and was rewarded by Alena's beaming smile as she nodded. "What would you like to do after dinner?" She looked at me and seemed to consider the question seriously. As she sat there and thought about it, I took the opportunity to suggest something. "Would you like to go dancing?"

Now, putting all my cards on the table, I am not what you'd call light on my feet. Dancing and I have never had the best of relationships. However, I know that Alena loves to dance and I guessed that she might know of a night spot that she enjoyed. She looked at me and I could see her debating the question in her mind. Finally, she shook her head slightly.

"Maybe later?" she replied. I nodded, both a little disappointed and somewhat relieved. "Take a walk?" she countered. I nodded approvingly at that suggestion. Just then the waitress returned.

"How was the meal?" she asked. We both gave enthusiastic responses. She smiled, evidently pleased. "Did you save room for desert?" I looked at Alena and I could tell that she was interested. I nodded, never being one to turn down desert myself. The waitress grinned and turned to head back to the kitchen. I was a little surprised. Wasn't she going to ask what we wanted. But a few minutes later, they wheeled a small cart out to our table with several bowls and cannisters on it. We watched in fascination as the chef proceeded to mix and form ice cream and cool it to frozen levels with liquid nitrogen. They added some vanilla and a few berries and offered a small carafe of chocolate sauce as a topping. I am not certain what Alena thought but I loved this, watching them do everything in front of us. We ate our ice cream, which was delicious, and spent a few more minutes talking between spoonful's.

Finally, dinner and desert over, I paid the bill and we headed out. I looked to Alena as we stepped out onto the street.

""I hope you enjoyed dinner!" I said. Alena looked up at me with a beautiful smile that sent shivers throughout my body and set my heart to beating.

"Yes. I liked very much!" I took her hand and smiled at her.

"Well then, lead the way and show me this beautiful city of yours." Alen held my gaze for a moment and then turned and still holding my hand, began to lead me up the street.

Our first stop was a gorgeous park maybe 200 yds from the restaurant. The park at Ordzhonikidze-don't ask me to pronounce it. It was a lovely, peaceful area with several couples walking through it. The season here in August, was very similar to my native Seattle and even though it was closer to 7:00 PM than to 6:00, it was still bright, the sun not yet ready to set and the temperature was surprisingly temperate. After walking through the park and visiting the large fountain at it's center, we continued our walk, and I was rewarded with two of the most interesting sights I had yet to see here.

The first was what is called the 'Flower Clock." A large garden design of beautiful flowers, all grown and shaped to resemble a large clock. The interior was red flowers with an outer ring of white and it even sported numbers and an hour and minute hand. A bit further on, in the middle of a busy thoroughfare that split around it, we walked past the Chapel of St. Nicholas. A strikingly charming white cathedral, tall and narrow and topped with golden domes. On the front was a breathtaking stained glass window of the saint himself.

While we traversed several blocks of her city and she pointed out with some pride several noteworthy sights, we talked about ourselves and life. I used the translator when needed and tried to talk to her as best I could without it when that was possible. I have a rather wry sense of humor that mostly traversed the language barrier and I was rewarded several times by her delightful laugh and that heart stopping smile.

Eventually, as the sun was finally setting, we walked up the street towards my hotel. Here I once again became nervous and unsure of my footing. I wanted to invite her up to my room but it was our first day together and I was uncertain of the proprieties of doing so. Also, to be honest, I didn't want to be rejected on my first night here. As we reached the entrance to the Doubletree, I realized that I just didn't want this night to end and I wasn't willing to live with the regret of not asking her up. I turned to Alena and once more put my arms around her. I pulled her close, tipped her head up to meet my gaze and leaned in to kiss her. This time there was no hesitation on her part. I felt her arms tighten around me and she leaned into the kiss.

As our lips touched only for the third time ever, I felt her mouth open and press harder against my mouth. Our tongues, less tentative than the last time, moved against each other. We stood there, embraced, tasting one another and reveling in the moment. I could actually feel her sighing and lean into me harder. Our kiss lasted much longer than before and when I finally pulled away, her face was flushed and her eyes bright.

"Would you...like to come up to my room?" I asked softly. Not daring to speak the words too loudly.

Alena stared at me, her eyes wide and I could see a slight tremble running through her. But, she didn't turn away or drop her eyes. For what seemed hours but was only a few moments she was quiet. Then, a very shy and soft smile seemed to blossom on her face and she nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Yes." She whispered. My heart nearly beat out of my chest but I just smiled and nodded. I put my arm around her waist and we went inside.

* * *

We had been up in my hotel room now for about ten minutes and I had finished the grand tour of it eight minutes ago. We engaged in some meaningless small talk and were presently standing at the window staring out at the city as the sun disappeared fully beyond the horizon. Now, in the dark, it really was almost impossible to tell Novosibirsk from any other major metropolitan city.

Outwardly, I stood calm, with my arm around her waist and her leaning slightly against me, her arm around me. Inwardly I was terrified. This was the first 'first date' I had been on in over 30+ years and I was no good at them then either. What do I do now? Should I make the first move? Be aggressive or soft and gentle? Just because she came up here, is she really wanting to make love or did she misunderstand my invitation? I felt like a complete idiot but one thing I did know: I had wanted this moment with her since we first started talking and I did not want to blow it now.

She was still in her jacket, and I still had my cardigan sweater on. I extricated my arm and pulled off my sweater, draping over one of the chairs in the room.

"It's a little warm up here," I said feeling extremely lame. "Can I take your jacket?" She turned and looked at me and got a shy grin on her face. She opened the jacket and slid it off her shoulders, offering it to me. I took it and placed it over my sweater. Then I turned to her and moved in close. I took her arms and placed them around my waist, so that they rested in the small of my back and then I put my arms around her.