Days,liketheleavesoftrees,aretoonumeroustot.Leavesturnyellowanddrop,butyearbudswouldburstoutonnewbranchesandgrowagain.Lifeiscalmandstilswater.Fiirringitssurfacemeetwithnohindrandleavenotrail.EversinceDimitrijoihehouseholdofAmalia,Mary,SheiandYoko,heseemedtohavesteppedintoanotherdream.Hewasnotonlyrelivinghislifeasanapprentiabakerywhenhewasyoung,buthewasalsoenjoyingthefortsandwarmthoffamilylife.MaryareatedhimasanolderbrotherandAmaliawasamothertohim,anticipatinghiseveryhoughblind,Dimitri’smovementswereeffitandprecise.Oncehewassureoftheretivepositionofthesteamingroom,theworktable,theovenandthemixingmae,hecouldgoabouthisworkwithouthesitation.WithSheialwaystheretohelp,Dimitriwasabletoworkquitefreelyandindepelylikeanormalpersonsolongashedidn’ttouchthemoreplicated,andtherebymoredangerous,maery.Hepreferredmakingbreadandpastrytheoldfashionedway,justbyusinghistwohands,withouttheaidofmoderronieitherdidheusecupsandscalestomeasuretheingredients.Hishahemostaccuratescale.Themostpivotalpartofbreadmakingwastheexactamountofyeastyouaddtotheflour,whichdependedinpartonthelocalweather.Rain,shineorcloudywereallfactorstobesidered.Dimitri’sexpertiseinthisareaguaranteedhalfthesuccessofhisproject.Theotherhalfdependedonhisknowledgeofovenbaking.Healuthishandsintotheoveheheat.Onlywhenhedeemeditsuitablewouldhepushhisbakingpaninandclosetheovendoor.Thebreadhemadewasexcellentintaste,smelndappearance.Asforcakesandpastry,hecouldonlybakethemahedecorationstoMaryandShei,astheworkwastoodelicateforablindman.
BusinessflourishedasAmaliahadpredicted.Shewasbusyeveryday,sellingandbagging,ringingupsalesandtakingcareofthemoneyandge.Whenbusinesswasbriskandtheroomcrowdedwithers,Amaliaofteakes.Shewouldgetintumentsandunavoidablyoffendedsomeerswhowouldstalkoutangrily.Sometimesshewouldafooloutofherself.Butolderswhohadbeenaroundforsometime,knewAmaliawassufferingfromtheoofAlzheimer’sdisease,andmadeallowancesforher.Theoldwhite-beardeddwarfstillloiteredabouttheneighborhoodandwouldeinwhenAmaliawasbusyandstealsomebread.Well,itcouldn’treallybecalledstealingbecausehejuststruttedinandtookwhathewantedfmboyantlywithoutstealth.SometimesAmaliawouldshoutathim,scoldinghihatstrangeoldmanwasnotgreedyandwouldjustgrabowopiecesofbread.Amaliawasbusyenoughasitwasandjustdidn’twanttobother.Thatday,everythingwassoldoutbeforenoon.Amaliawaocloseupa,butSheisaiditwasnotprofessionalbehaviortocloseshopbeforeclosingtime.Amaliacededgrudginglyandeveryobacktowork.Dimitriimmediatelypouredargeamountofflourontheworktable,addedyeast,oil,sugar,salt,waterandstartingmixingandkneading.Itwasboriousandtiring,butDimitrilikedit.Hethoughtitwasnotonlyagoodformofexercisethattonedmusclesandtendons,italsoexercisedthebrain.Physiadethebrainwhirndiateofeuphoriaaement.Dimitriworkedonhappilywhileperspirationpouredfromhisheadandbody.HesuddenlythoughtofwhathisgoodfriendJamazooldhim.
“Iliketousemymuscles,notmybrain.”Dimitrismiledandthought,
“Iamlikehim.Ialsoliketousemymuscles,butIliketousemybrainsevenmore.IwonderhowmyfriendsRichardandJamazaredoing.Theyarenomatchforthecruel,treacherousandinsidiousMr.Kaffee,Mafiabossoftheunderworld.Imustthinkofawaytogetridofhim,orRichard,JamazandIwillneverbeabletoliveinpeace.Thisisabeautiful,happyworld.Whyaretheresomanybadpeoplestirringuptroubleanddisorder?Ifallthesebadapplesarethrownout,theworldwouldbeapeadhappypce.”ThenStephanie’sprophesyagaiohismind,anddarkcloudsobliteratedhischeerfulmood.
“Ihaven’tbeenbayKingdomofDreamsforsometimenow.Iwonderhowtheyarealldoing.QueenAishaiscleverandresourceful.Shewouldbeabletohandleallemergencies.WiththebraveandceousMedusasafeguardingtheKingdom,thereshouldhingtoworryabout...”
Laughterandchatterofyounggirlsbrokeintohisreverie.Dimitriraisedhisheadandsawgolden-hairedMaryughingandtalkingwhiledecoratingcreamcakeswithbeautifulroses,anintricateanddelicateuakingnoteasilymastered.Shesaid,
“IsawyouweredeepinreveriewhenIcamein,soIdidn’tdisturbyou.Ibringgoodnews.Yokocalledandsaidshegotafewdaysvacationandwouldbeingbaight.Shewaomeetherattheairport.”Maryalwayscameinduringherlunchbreaktohelpoutatthestorebecausesheknewbusinesswasgoodandtheywereuaffed.
“That’sgreat!”saidShei.ThestorewillbelivelierandAmaliawouldbeeted!”Meanwhileshetoowaswnon-stopputtingdecorationsoncreamcakesandpastry.Expertcraftsmanshipmadetheirworkseemsosimple,effortless,magidmesmerizing.Dimitrisuddenlyrememberedpehatfirstnighthespenthere.Hewasinhisroom,lonely,boredbutuosleepwhensuddenlyabrightlightfromthestreetlituphisroom,followedbysoundsofscreegtiresofahastilystoppedcar,runningfootstepsandpealingdoorbell.Sheiiroomjumpedoutofbedandraceddowairstoahedoor.ThencameexcitedughterandchatterofyounggirlsandAmaliawasknogathisdetup!Getup!Yokoishere.Let’sgodownandseeher!”Yokowasstillwearingtheyellowshort-sleevedblouseandwhitepleatedskirtthatshehadonwhenshefirstsawDimitri.WhenshesawDimitristandingtherebeforeher,sherushedupghisnameandhuggedhimexcitedlysaying,
“It’syou!It’sreallyyou!WemeetagaihoughtIwouldseeyouhere.Thisiswonderful.”
Yokowaswinargeo/hotel.Thatdayshedidveryweltthetablesandmadethanamilliondolrsfortheowners.WheMary’scallthatDimitriwasatthestore,sheboughtpicketsandrushedhomeimmediatelyafterwork.Marymetherattheairport.Theyallgatheredintheworkrooryturhemusidlivelyjazzmusicfilledtheair.Theypoppedthechampagneanddranktotheirreunion.Toastaftertoastroposedaalkedabouteverything:theirownlives,newsoffriendsandfuturepns.Amaliawasoldandcouldnotholdherliquor.Afterafewgsses,shebecameslightlytipsy.Shestoodupawkwardlyandrockedherclumsybodytothebeatofthemusic.Everyoneughedathericalfigure.Dimitrithoughtthatahappylifewasreallyonlyastateofmind.Onedidnothavetoliveinamagnifitpaceorownasolidgoldpacetobehappy.Afewgssesofwine,goodmusidafewbeautiesaspanionswereallthatisnecessary.Yes.JustasDimitrithought,thebeginningsofanotherparadiseohhadjustbeguntotakeshape.
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