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and where is a pond full of gold fish in your back yard? I couldn’t see it. Remember, you bet us a big box of beer that your project would be finished till Christmas? – Stacy suddenly, plainly and jokingly asked my husband.

      – We’ve drunk half of it already, haven’t we Stacy? – Dan looked at the empty beer bottles in the box and chuckled.

      – A half of pond, Dan? – Stacy laughed.

      Daniel pretended he missed the point of her joke.

      – I have no time, Stacy. No time. You know, my sick mom. I can’t take the responsibility off myself and… – He started mumbling his fish story, well-known almost to everyone.

      – Oh, stop grumbling darling! – Stacy didn’t feel like listening to Dan’s old sob story. – You could hire some workers, contractors, and Vika would manage them. She has time and she could do that as your wife. What’s the problem?

      – No problem. You’d better believe I’ll build my dreamy house, Stacy. I swear guys! – Dan exclaimed cheerfully. – And now it’s time to go to the restaurant. We’ll have fun, as I promised.

      – OK, – Stacy answered uncertainly and gave her husband a look.

      – Let’s go, I need fun, dear! – Nick answered.

      – Did you find each other on-line, guys? – Stacy asked in the car. – My girls say nowadays almost everyone meet someone on-line.

      – Yes. And I’ve got the first e-mail from my Vika when I was visiting you guys in Texas, on my summer business trip, remember? – Daniel answered simultaneously.

      – Wow! I remember but you didn’t tell me about Vika that time. A secret guy!

      – That special day, guys, we came back home from the gulf club early in the morning. It was about 8 AM, and it was unbearably hot outside. We had to spend the whole day sitting in your cool swimming pool.

      – As I remember, – Nick smiled, – we were eating lobsters and drinking cold beer non-stop that day.

      – Exactly. Great memory, Nicky, – Daniel confirmed. – And late in the evening I relaxed in your back yard on my own, looked at the stars, prayed and asked God for a very good woman. When I came back to my room at midnight and checked my e-mail, I was greatly surprised to get a very short e-mail from gorgeous Vika. It was a miracle!

      – Remarkable… – Stacy giggled. – I have no idea what you asked God for, Dan, but what I bear in mind, darling… Can I continue?

      – Yes, sure. – Dan answered.

      – It was really unforgettable time – that hot summer in Texas; and you’ve left so much spam in our computers from hanging over porno sites almost all the nights.

      – Come on, Stacy. – Daniel nodded his head and laughed nervously. – Thank you for a keen observation. I was sure you, guys, were fucking those late hours, no? Since Stacy was searching me out. Ha-ha-ha. And what? Is it forbidden to watch porno in Texas, if you are over 21? Ha-ha-ha. Besides, Stacy, it might as well, has been your husband, who visited those sites.

      – Absolutely, Dan! – Nick burst out laughing.

      – Vika, do not listen to Stacy. She is exaggerating and kidding. She is jealous.

      – Me? You are foolish, Dan! – Stacy started laughing.

      – No, Stacy dear… the God could hear me. And he sent a very good, beautiful, decent woman to me – my lovely Vika.

      – And you decided at once to muddle Vika’s brain via internet, and continue to do that now. Oh, Boy. – Nick interrupted Dan. – If I were you, I wouldn’t and wouldn’t be able to, – Nick sighed deeply and shook his head.

      – Oh, no! What’s up, guys? – Dan started to laugh. Jesus Christ!

      – Look at him. He is laughing. It’s not fun, Dan. – Stacy disliked Dan’s reaction.

      – Stacy, stop please. Too much drama, – Dan said.

      – Vika, please don’t listen to this bullshit. Too much beer, guys! – My husband tried to smooth the conversation over.

      Fortunately, we arrived at the restaurant and the word fight between the best friends in the car was over.

      – Let’s drink to the friendship, – Daniel gave a toast to all of us.

      – Let’s drink to the love and you, guys, – Nick toasted us.

      – Let’s drink to the best! – It was Stacy’s toast.

      And I toasted to all of them, the friends!

      Dan ordered a new bottle of expensive red wine and started to tell Nick and Stacy about our constant trips around California.

      – Have you already been to Santa Barbara? – Stacy was keen to know.

      – Yes, a lot of times. – Dan answered and added; – the most thrilling trip to Santa Barbara was on Vika’s birthday. Right, my dear? Would you like to tell them?

      – If you like guys.

      – Yes, please Vika, – Nick and Stacy asked me.

      Dan’s friends were intrigued by our trip to Santa Barbara and they were ready to listen to my story from the very beginning to the end.

      10. American Riviera: Happy Birthday, Vika!

      My first acquaintance with Santa Barbara happened long before I met Daniel.

      – To tell the truth, guys, I was greatly impressed by this unique Californian city on my first visit to the United States. And when I relocated to California to my future husband… Look out guys, – I addressed Nick and Stacy, – here he is, sitting in front of you!

      I clapped happy Dan on the shoulder.

      – Yes Vika, we’ve known this lucky guy for ages. Your awful American husband, – Nick burst into laughter. – So, when I came to Dan to California, of course I had a great wish to go to Santa Barbara over again. – I continued. – That city is a real paradise. Have you ever heard about the American soap-opera “Santa Barbara”?

      – Yes, of course. – Stacy replied. – It was broadcasted in the US sometime in the mid-eighties. Do you remember, Nick?

      – Yes, I do. I do, I do. It was something for our grandmothers.

      – And not just for them, – Stacy objected to her husband. – I watched it from time to time!

      – Since 90’s that soap-opera was broadcasted in Russia for more than ten years. Sometimes I watched it too, – I smiled, – the most of Russians haven’t got the slightest idea about the life in America that time. And as “Santa Barbara” was one of the first American soap-operas on Russian TV, it was very popular among people of all ages.

      – Hmm, – Nick and Stacy were surprised.

      – Yes, – I confirmed. – You can’t judge the life in America or any other country just on a soap-opera, but I can tell you, guys, that after watching it, a lot of people in Russia had a dream to go to Santa Barbara one day. And I was not exception from them.

      – And what do you like most in Santa Barbara, Vika? – Nick asked.

      – Everything or almost everything what I could see, – I answered him at once. – Its beautiful beaches, majestic mountains, colorful culture, Spanish architecture.

      – Yea. Whether you enjoy being lazy on the beach, or water sports,

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