Paper Planes
Two
I'm sitting right now.
I'm sitting on a grimy couch, with my feet on grimy carpet, next to a grimy man.
And I've never been more grateful in my entire life.
"Hi, I'm Tucker," he said slowly.
I smiled at him. "My name is Padma," I said, just as slow as him.
It was about an hour long drive here, and I was trying to stay positive. It wasn't too terribly hard. I mean, hey, I get to stay in the country.
Vera and Rob came to sit down. "So, you guys will be married until Padma gets her United States citizenship," she said. Her English had gotten better over the years. I nodded at her.
"So, how does this work, we just get married legally and I find a job?" I asked in Russian.
"Maybe. Unless the state challenges your marriage. The back story, which we've already gone over with Tucker," at the sound of his name, he perked his head up, "is that you two have been talking on the phone with each other for four years, and have been trying to hold a steady long distance relationship for two until your father would let you leave. You'll be here a month before you guys will get married, officially. You're going to have to register yourself in his house."
"But I don't have to live here?"
"Well..." she started.
"Part of this deal is that you live with him," he nodded in Tucker's direction, who was boredly picking at his cuticles, obviously pissed we were talking in a foreign language.
"What?" I asked in English.
"He needs someone to take care of him, pretty much. Cook, clean. He used to live with a roommate, and he really doesn't know how to take care of himself," Rob replied in Russian.
I nodded, solemnly. I quickly replenished my spirits. "So when do I move in?" I asked in English.
Tucker looked up and smirked. "Today sounds good. I'm starving."
My cousin's smile faltered. "Let's go out to lunch to celebrate!"
We all stood up and continued out the door, for my first American 'lunch out'.
I'm sitting on a grimy couch, with my feet on grimy carpet, next to a grimy man.
And I've never been more grateful in my entire life.
"Hi, I'm Tucker," he said slowly.
I smiled at him. "My name is Padma," I said, just as slow as him.
It was about an hour long drive here, and I was trying to stay positive. It wasn't too terribly hard. I mean, hey, I get to stay in the country.
Vera and Rob came to sit down. "So, you guys will be married until Padma gets her United States citizenship," she said. Her English had gotten better over the years. I nodded at her.
"So, how does this work, we just get married legally and I find a job?" I asked in Russian.
"Maybe. Unless the state challenges your marriage. The back story, which we've already gone over with Tucker," at the sound of his name, he perked his head up, "is that you two have been talking on the phone with each other for four years, and have been trying to hold a steady long distance relationship for two until your father would let you leave. You'll be here a month before you guys will get married, officially. You're going to have to register yourself in his house."
"But I don't have to live here?"
"Well..." she started.
"Part of this deal is that you live with him," he nodded in Tucker's direction, who was boredly picking at his cuticles, obviously pissed we were talking in a foreign language.
"What?" I asked in English.
"He needs someone to take care of him, pretty much. Cook, clean. He used to live with a roommate, and he really doesn't know how to take care of himself," Rob replied in Russian.
I nodded, solemnly. I quickly replenished my spirits. "So when do I move in?" I asked in English.
Tucker looked up and smirked. "Today sounds good. I'm starving."
My cousin's smile faltered. "Let's go out to lunch to celebrate!"
We all stood up and continued out the door, for my first American 'lunch out'.
♠ ♠ ♠
Comments greatly appreciated.=]