monotonous snoring even behind the closed bedroom and kitchen doors. I often wondered if he has been snoring all his life, and what my mom thought about it when she met him. I never asked, but liked it, because it was a sign for secrets to be told (it also let me sneak out to the night club unnoticed, of course, with my mom’s help).
“We were lucky with your dad,” my mom said as a professional storyteller. “His mom had connections working in the food industry. You know how it was right after the Union broke…No connections, no food, only vodka and dill pickles for the wedding,” she laughed loudly. I recognized myself when she tilted her head back when making that bright sparkly sound. I smiled back. I thought how I always wanted to resemble my mom, but everyone in my family says I look like my dad. Not at that moment. “Even a venue was a problem,” she continued. “Most of the weddings were celebrated in those tiny flats that Khrushchev built for his dear comrades.” I remembered the pictures from their wedding that I used to look at, imagining I was there. I was confused, “But you had a venue! I remember the pictures. It was like a cafeteria in one of those government buildings: plain white walls, tables framing them, and a so called dance floor in the center of the room.”
“Right. Your grandma arranged it. We had almost a hundred guests, caviar and Soviet champagne. We celebrated for two days and…” 46
“…And you had a beautiful and most original dress I have ever seen!” I finished for her.
The dress of my childhood dreams had a simple long white robe that reminds me of long summer dresses that are in vogue right now. And on top of it there was a lace cover with wing sleeves that went all the way down covering the snow white closed toe slip-ons. Instead of the veil my mom chose a hat, also covered with lace. It was one of those French musketeer hats that were romanticized by Alexandre Dumas. I was in love with this writer in high school, and immediately tied my mom’s wedding look to “The Three Musketeers”. She was my ideal of Milady de Winter of the 21st century.
“Oh the dress,” her eyes lit up with excitement and I saw my mom a young woman, once again excited to wear her wedding gown. “Oh, that’s what your dad’s mom couldn’t arrange! You know, I used to work at the big government store in the clothing department. That is where I got your dad a suit for the wedding. I ordered a dress from Germany without knowing how it was going to look. Since I had an access to all the clothing deliveries to the store, I was one of the few people to look through them first and pick whatever I want. That is how I got it. It was the only dress that was not an hourglass shape, which I absolutely dislike.” Oh yes! My mom always finds a way to remind herself how boyish her skinny figure is and that she is not a curvy type. “Well, it was perfect for your situation, I interrupted with my know-it-all comment while staring at the pile of chocolate