– Well, look, I'll go to America and we'll get a divorce. My father will forgive me and I can thank you. I'll pay you a lot of money. You can get away from here, start a new life, – she lured him, – or do you want me to take you with me to America?!

– Or I'll just go to jail for complicity in fraud, – he added, not responding to her suggestions, – I'm sorry, that's out of the question.

She snickered quietly. The resentment wiped all interest from her and she immediately turned away, asking in a half-voiced voice, – How long is the drive to Krasnodar from your Rogosovka?

– It'll take about two hours on this jalopy.

– Would you be so kind as to wake me up when we get there?

Then she covered her eyes and took a comfortable position and closed her eyes.

Spartacus shook his head slightly and started the engine.

Towards the entrance of the city, he called out to her. She immediately turned her head in his direction.

– You hadn't slept?

– I was.

– Doesn't look like it. Okay, where do we go from here? It's already midnight, I have to go back.

– Do you know Krasnodar well?

– Not bad, – he answered.

– Then to some normal hotel, I have money, – she said and turned her head out the window again.

– Stop. What hotel?! Give me the address of your home, and don't be silly, – he ordered.

– I'm afraid we can't get there in your jalopy!

– Where? Leave Chicago now, okay?!

– My father lives in Moscow, I came here by train, – she answered. – And I'll leave the same way. Tomorrow, – her voice was barely audible by the end.

Spartacus pulled over to the curb and stopped. He got out of the car, slammed the door, and began swearing loudly, while banging the wheel of the car with his foot.

– Damn that goddamn stepfather! Well, I'll give you one!

The girl got up and opened her eyes and stared at the furious guy.

After a few minutes he came back and stared at her in silence. She felt as if he was about to drive his fist into her. She cringed and slowly covered her head with hands.

– You're so fool! – he whispered.

– I don't want to marry that idiot! He disgusts me!

– What does this have to do with other people? Your father will be here tomorrow. He will find you and with you, me! And do you know who will be the last? – Spartacus almost roared at her, and he turned away, pressed his lips, punching on the steering wheel. The UAZ responded at once, beeping.

– I didn't call you. And neither did those people who invited me to stay with them. Assholes. Took all the information out of me and locked me up in the barn.

Spartacus, clenched his teeth, began to think, quickly looking for a solution to the problem. Uncle Pasha would answer to the full, just to get him home! But what to do with the girl, and how to take the trouble away from himself, and from others? God! Why did he get mixed up with her? He should have stuck his nose where it didn't belong. That's a damned kindness!

He sighed heavily and took his old cell phone out of his pocket.

– What's the number, – he said, trying to be as quiet as possible without raising his eyes.

– Whose?

But the question that followed made him move his gaze to her. He was ready to beat her now.

– Your father's!

– I don't have his number. I can't remember his number by heart. And I lost my cell phone,– she answered, blushing.

– Are you kidding me? – The guy said, barely able to contain his rage.

– Honestly. And don't look for it, please! I don't want to live there! – With these words she covered her face with her hands and began to cry.

He was immediately affected by her crying. In his eyes she suddenly turned into a defenseless little six-year-old girl. He had learned to tolerate many things in his life, but not a woman's tears.

He threw his phone away, leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes, cursing quietly again.

– I agree, – he muttered after a few minutes.

She immediately stopped crying and first through her fingers, then lowered her hands and looked at him. Quietly interrogating, – Agree to what?

– To be your husband.

– We'll stay in a hotel, and tomorrow morning we'll go to the registry office. How much money do you have with you? – He asked in a tired voice, starting the engine.

She reached into the bodice and began to take out crumpled bills.

– I'm afraid to ask where you hide your passport, – he muttered, looking at the road.

– That's right. Don't be, – replied the girl, laying out the money on the front.

– There's even dollars, – he said with a leering glance.

– Yes, two hundred and fifty dollars and three thousand rubles.

– Give me a hundred, – he said, holding out his hand.

Nadia gave him a hundred-dollar bill.

– This is to get us signed tomorrow. Hide the rest back, – he commanded, putting the bill in his pocket.

By one o'clock they were all asleep in their rooms. Spartacus no longer had the strength to think about anything. Get married, then get married! In any case, he would have to somehow answer for this towerless, so at least as a husband.

Exactly at 9 o'clock they stood in the doorway of the registry office of the rural district center. Spartacus called his army friend early in the morning. And he helped him to arrange things quickly through his connections. After that he picked up his bride, who was not worried about anything. And they quickly rushed back.

One hundred dollars wasn't quite enough. They had to add the same amount, and they were signed. The bride and groom had to bring a certificate of pregnancy as the basis for the urgent registration.

When he was told about it, Spartacus almost refused, but Nadezhda drew him aside and promised that it would not come to the baby.

– I hope not, – he muttered incredulously.

About an hour later they were pronounced man and wife and issued a marriage certificate.

In her worn jeans and slightly dirty blouse, the bride still looked adorable. He stared at her for a while, then shook his head and walked to his car.

– I never would have thought that my bride would leave the registry office in jeans and with a ponytail on the back of her head instead of a veil…

– Whew! Well, you're my angel savior! – Nadia exulted, getting into an old UAZ.

And a proper outfit and motorcade! He smirked at his thoughts and started the car engine.

– Where are we going? – his new wife asked.

– To my house, – he said and glanced at her, added sarcastically, – to meet my mother-in-law and father-in-law.

– Are you serious?

– Do you want your dad to get suspicious?

– No, sure, you're right… but what would I do there?

– Live.

– For real?

– Yeah, for real. Like my wife. And get ready to work, darling. No one's going to let you lie on the stove.

– Are you kidding me?! We're not really married!

– Well, that's only for you and me. But for the rest of us it'll be a real marriage. – He paused and said, – Either that or get a divorce, and I'll go to your father myself and tell him everything, especially since I know the address and his name.

– No, no, calm down, there is no need to go anywhere and tell anything, – panicked the girl. – Let's better agree on what we tell him about us. You know, when we met and stuff.

– Good idea, – agreed Spartacus. – When did you come from America?

– Over two months ago.

– Did you ever leave the house, go to a friend's house, sleep over, etc.?

– No. Went to my mom's cemetery, that's all.

He looked at her and mouthed words of condolence.

– Thank you, she died when I was ten years old.

– From what?

– She got pneumonia.

He sighed heavily and stroked her shoulder. Nadezhda looked at his hand and he immediately took it away.