St. Petersburg, Russia

Natalya Trvosky paced her friend's small living room apartment reading aloud the typed paper before her. "Number 3198 likes music, books, and cooking. Never been married, she's a 27 year old single looking for a man who will make both a good husband and father. Write her today and she may become yours truly."

She paused and looked incredulously at the tiny brunette seated on the faded sofa in front of her.  "You're crazy. This may have worked for you Anna, but me?" She shook her head. "I don't think so."

"Please," pleaded her friend, the engagement ring on her left finger flashing as she placed a hand on Natalya's arm. ''Give it a try.  I know it will work for you, too."

Two weeks ago, Anna found herself engaged to an American commercial photographer named Bob White. She was divorced from an abusive husband, and with an eight-year-old son to care for, had never expected to fall in love again. But Bob had miraculously accepted both of them. She owed her present happiness to the marriage-broker service, which helped arrange for her to meet her future husband. Now, as she sat waiting for her visa to arrive from the American embassy, she wanted to help her friend.

Skeptical, Natalya continued to shake her head. It couldn't possibly work. She just wasn't nearly as pretty or as vivacious as her outspoken friend. Within minutes anyone knew where they stood with Anna, but with her? No, not likely. A relationship, she told herself, took time.

Noting the defiant look in her friend's brown eyes, Anna said, "Listen, Natalya, every time I come to see you, you're thinner and sadder. You have to do something before you fade away altogether."

Anna passed a critical eye over her taller friend's willowy frame. She tried to see her through the eyes of a stranger. Natalya's slightly slanted Slavic brown eyes and long honey-blonde hair were all to her benefit. The fact she did not have a classical jaw line and did have a pert nose did not detract from her sweet appearance, which could be summarized as naturally pretty. No, her friend may not look like a Miss World contestant, but she was a definite contender for a cherished Mrs. title.

"Anna, I know my books won't keep me warm at night. But... " she made a wry face and said, "the men here are so boorish." She rolled her eyes and admitted, "Finally, I just prefer to be..."

"Alone," finished Anna for her with sympathy. "That's why I want you to try this. It's simple, a little expensive, but well worth it. Who knows?" She flashed an impish grin at her. "Maybe there's someone out there waiting for you, just as there was for me."

Someone waiting for her... the phrase rang through Natalya's thoughts and into her heart. She carefully considered her friend's proposal for the next few days. Finally, she came to a decision. She realized none of the men she met seemed to understand her quiet, but strong-minded ways. As a translator from a relatively well to do airplane designing family, Natalya stood out noticeably from the other young women who had neither the education nor her privileged status.

The combination of status and wealth made the majority of the men she met uncomfortable and absurdly competitive. Often she found herself having to defend what she and her family had worked so hard to accomplish. And if she couldn't find a man who respected her intelligence and warmly applauded her family's hard earned achievements, hadn't she better look elsewhere for someone who would? Ideally someone as well off as her own family? Yes, but where to find such a man?

Most of the men who did come close to fitting her wish list were either already married, divorced with children to support, or so tiresomely full of themselves she found herself staring blankly into their eyes when her turn came to speak. The seeds that Anna had sown in her thoughts began to take root. She considered cautiously the almost impossible odds of falling in love with a man from halfway around the world and came to a decision.

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I Love You Miss #3198 - 2 (Continue)