CTs* and HBD's

* If you want to know what a C.T. is, sent a self addressed, stamped envelope... A few days ago I come home after work and Dylan and Nastia are watching TV. She called earlier in the day and asked if they could go swimming, so it was no surprise. What was a surprise though was when I came into the house and turned the corner from the kitchen toward the living room. I see Nastia sitting in the arm chair with Dylan. I'm cool about it, it's just another white boy she is not going to date, but I know what this kid is thinking. I call Nastia into the kitchen and then I call her to go outside with me. I even think of talking to her in the garage, but I stop just out side of the door on the deck. In my head I am going to talking to her calmly, but when I open my mouth I hear myself say, "What the fuck are you doing, you're going to brake his heart the same way your broke Kevin's heart." In my head, I'm thinking, oh gosh, I guess I'm angry about this. I yell some other things and tell her if she breaks his heart I will only blame her and there will be no more just you and him doing things together, minimum of three people from now on! Then in a calm voice, I say, "Thank you" and I hold the door open for her to walk through. I expected her to cry or say something, she does nothing,says nothing.

After Dylan leaves Nastia says nothing, she avoids me, I start to feel bad.I talk to Teri later and tell her what I said. We've discussed how she acts around 'boys' and I expected her to agree with me and be happy I'd taken the lead. S When it come to being the bad guy, she feels it's mostly left up to her. Teri does say I'm her best friend, but doesn't seem to agree on how I handled it. It's been a while since she said that I was her best friend, I thought it didn't apply any more. The next morning I go into her room to say good bye to her before I go to work. I tell her that I yell at her because I love her. A typical parent thing to say, I know. She has forgiven me, but I'll have to wait to see if she

understands what I have said. That was Monday, I think. Wednesday was Elena's birthday. That is were the H.B.D.(Happy Birth Day) comes from (hint about the C.T.) For the previous week or so we ask Elena where she wants to go? She says in typical Elena fashion, "I don't know" So a day or two before her birthday I tell her we are going to Cho Cho San. Her response, "Okay". Invited are my mom and Nancy and for a total of 6 people. It is the usual act and still fum, the flaming onion volcano, the egg roll, the food throw and the saki drink. The food as usual is excellent. It always starts with a mixture of vegetables, then

rice, spaghetti is next and finally your chosen protein. The only disappointment is the beer selection, their price and the one I ordered is just this side of cold. In other words a man dying of thurst would have said, no thanks I'll wait. After the show and food, we pay and leave.It is around eight or so. Nastia and Elena decide to go out and drink to celebrate Elena's birthday. They get Dylan (poor guy is getting sucked in like Kevin, I fear.) to drive them. He is the designated driver. Around 11 or so they come back (work tomorrow) I'm sitting at the head of the table Elena sits to my left and Nastia leans on me to my right. They both talk about their evening and Elena comments that she is drunk, but like everything she does she doesn't show it, because I think it would be a sign of weakness. Nastia on the other hand is bouncing off my shoulder every so often, occationally playing with a curl of my hair as she talks. After a few minutes they both say good night and Elena's birthday is over. It is a good night. It was Ariann's birthday last week. Nastia said she wanted to go into the city. I didn't want Nastia to go and neither did Teri. She is almost twenty-four and I didn't feel we could stop her. I tell Nastia to make sure she tells her mother. I think one confusing day I hear her tell her mother. I don't remember Teri saying she did not want Nastia to go. So it was a surprise when Teri sends a text to me saying, "Did I know Nastia was in the city?" I reply she told you and the rest goes like it usually does. I do say "At least she is not trying to go to a dance club at night there." She is in the city and we hope for the best. I didn't even know how they got there.I will learn the details later that night. /