Page 16 of Sweet Dreams

"I have an idea," he said suddenly. "Close your eyes."

Beth raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Just trust me. Close your eyes."

Feeling a bit foolish, Beth complied.

"Now," Yuri's voice came through the speaker, warm and close. "Imagine I'm there with you. Imagine I'm holding your hand. Can you feel it?"

To her surprise, Beth could almost sense the warmth of his palm against hers. She nodded, not trusting her voice.

"That feeling? That's real, Beth. It doesn't matter if we're in the same room or on opposite sides of the world. What we have is real."

Beth opened her eyes, a tear sliding down her cheek. "How do you always know exactly what to say?"

Yuri grinned. "It's a gift. Along with my devilish good looks, of course."

Beth laughed, wiping her eyes. "Of course. How could I forget?"

Just then, Beth's kitchen timer went off. She groaned. "Ugh, I forgot I had a test batch in the oven. Hold that thought?"

As Beth rushed to salvage her experimental gingerbread, her mind was whirling. Mrs. Klaus's words echoed in her head: "Don't let fear stop you from chasing happiness."

Making a split-second decision, she grabbed her phone and typed out a message to Kelly:

Beth:"Hey, what are your thoughts on a spontaneous trip to Belarus?"

Kelly's response was almost immediate:

Kelly:"Girl, YES! When do we leave? Also, where exactly is Belarus?"

Laughing, Beth returned to her video call with Yuri. He was humming what sounded suspiciously like "Jingle Bells" in Russian.

"Sorry about that," she said. "Cookie crisis averted."

"Excellent news," Yuri nodded solemnly. "We wouldn't want any innocent gingerbread men to suffer. So, where were we?"

Beth took a deep breath. "Actually, I was thinking... what if we didn't have to imagine?"

Yuri's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Beth said, her heart racing, "what if I came to visit you? In Belarus for a week. For Christmas."

Yuri's eyes widened. For a moment, he was silent, and Beth felt her stomach drop. But then, slowly, a grin spread across his face.

"Beth Mason," he said, his voice filled with wonder, "you continue to surprise me. Are you serious?"

Beth nodded, a giddy laugh escaping her. "Completely serious. Totally insane, but serious."

Yuri's laugh joined hers, rich and warm. "Then yes. A thousand times, yes. Come to Belarus, moye solnyshko. Let's make this Christmas one to remember."

As they began excitedly planning her trip, Beth felt a weight lift from her shoulders. She didn't know what the future held, but she knew one thing for certain: this Christmas would be unlike any other.

And she couldn't wait.

Seven

Atornado of fabric surrounded Beth as she stood in front of her closet. Dresses, sweaters, and jeans lay strewn across her bed, a testament to her indecision. Her suitcase sat open, mockingly empty.

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