illtakemebaystudioapartment?Somefriendsarewaitingformethere.”

    “I’llgiveyouaride”saidElena.“”Imustgotothehospitalearlytomorr.IhavebeenAWOLfromthehospitalforquitealongtimeanddon’tknowifIstillhaveajob!”LaverneandMarkalsorosetoleave.Urgedbytheirsolicitousandwarm-heartedhostess,therestofthebeautiesagreedtostayforthenight.RomihadtostayatNovel’sforthetimebeinguntilthethree-storeybuildiothebakerywasremodeledbecauseherhousewaspletelydestroyedinthefirecausedbythegrenades.Fromthenon,Novel’srgeestatebecamethegatherihemembersoftheKingdomofDreams.

    Elenadroveonslowlybythesideoftheke,whichwascoveredbyalightfog.Thetreessurroundingitweredecoratedwithfestivemulti-coloredChristmaslights,whichcreatedanairofmysteryandillusion,nottomentionthatthekeitselfoetidromantic.Thesewasreallymesmerizing.

    “Afterworktomorrow”Dimitriwassaying“pleaseetothebakery.YouwillmeetsomeoneI’msureyouwouldbegdtoseeagain.”

    “YoumeanIke?”askedElena.“Thediesweretalkingabouthihearheisdoingverywell.”

    “Yes,he’stheoneImean.Don’tyouwanttoseeyouroldfriendagain?”

    20

    “No.Idon’tthinkthat’snecessary.Hepulledhimselfoutofhisdepressionandhasverysuccessfullybuiltanewlifeinanewfield.Hehasfoundhisoiness.Seeinghimagainwouldonlybringsadobothofus.”Dimitriwassilentforamoment.

    “Yes,“tinuedElena.“Ithinkhehasfoundhisoiness.Hehassucceededinyingthefoundationonwhichtobuildhisnewlife;otherwisehewouldnothavebeeopullhimselftogether.I,too,havefoundmyhappiness,althoughit’sonly1/24.Butthatisenough.Happinessisnotabouthowmuch,butaboutrealfeelings.Yes,Ihavefoundsupportandsustenanreandhappysensation.That’senough.”

    Itwasonlyadistanceof10-15minutesbycarfromNovel’sestatetoDimitri’sdwelling.AtthecrossroadacrossthestreetfromDimitri’stinyerstudioapartment,theystoppedatatrafficlight.Fromthere,theycouldalreadyhearthesoundofjazzmusidsmellthetemptingaromaofsizzli,mixedwithMr.Kaffee’sheartyughter,olddwarfMickey’scraggiggleandRichard’slumentivewords.

    “Myfriendsarewaitingforme”entedDimitri.ElenadrovepastthecrossroadsontothedrivewayofDimitri’sapartmentplexandstoppedbythefrontdoor.DimitrialightedandturoElenasaying,

    “Turnonthefoglightanddrivesafely.”Yearsago,DimitriusedtowashElena’scareverymatdawn.Thoseweretheexactwordsheusedtosaytoherasshegotintothecartodriveaway.

    Dimitriopehedoorofhisapartment.Thatwasanotherhehadpreparedforhimselftoagainstthewindandraiinyapartmentwasfilledtocapacity.OlddwarfMickeyheldapackoftarotcardsinhishand.HehadjustfiellingMr.Kaffee’sfortune.HeforetoldthatMr.Kaffeewouldhaveabeorproteghimhiswholelifeandthatinthenearfuturehewouldreturntopower,causingMr.Kaffeetoburstintoughter.HehadalsotoldRichardthatunlesshesoughthelpfromhim,DwarfMickey,Richardwouldhemasterofhisowioldhimthathewouldremainanunluckygamblerandthiefhisentirelifeandwouldneverriseabovethat,causingRichardtosputterinindignationandargueloudlywiththelittleman.DwarfMickeyalsotoldBigOthatheinallywasastarintheheavensandcamedowhtoseekvengeanceagainsthisenemies.Owasaplished,hewouldagaiurntohisstelrpositioninthes

illtakemebaystudioapartment?Somefriendsarewaitingformethere.”

    “I’llgiveyouaride”saidElena.“”Imustgotothehospitalearlytomorr.IhavebeenAWOLfromthehospitalforquitealongtimeanddon’tknowifIstillhaveajob!”LaverneandMarkalsorosetoleave.Urgedbytheirsolicitousandwarm-heartedhostess,therestofthebeautiesagreedtostayforthenight.RomihadtostayatNovel’sforthetimebeinguntilthethree-storeybuildiothebakerywasremodeledbecauseherhousewaspletelydestroyedinthefirecausedbythegrenades.Fromthenon,Novel’srgeestatebecamethegatherihemembersoftheKingdomofDreams.

    Elenadroveonslowlybythesideoftheke,whichwascoveredbyalightfog.Thetreessurroundingitweredecoratedwithfestivemulti-coloredChristmaslights,whichcreatedanairofmysteryandillusion,nottomentionthatthekeitselfoetidromantic.Thesewasreallymesmerizing.

    “Afterworktomorrow”Dimitriwassaying“pleaseetothebakery.YouwillmeetsomeoneI’msureyouwouldbegdtoseeagain.”

    “YoumeanIke?”askedElena.“Thediesweretalkingabouthihearheisdoingverywell.”

    “Yes,he’stheoneImean.Don’tyouwanttoseeyouroldfriendagain?”

    20

    “No.Idon’tthinkthat’snecessary.Hepulledhimselfoutofhisdepressionandhasverysuccessfullybuiltanewlifeinanewfield.Hehasfoundhisoiness.Seeinghimagainwouldonlybringsadobothofus.”Dimitriwassilentforamoment.

    “Yes,“tinuedElena.“Ithinkhehasfoundhisoiness.Hehassucceededinyingthefoundationonwhichtobuildhisnewlife;otherwisehewouldnothavebeeopullhimselftogether.I,too,havefoundmyhappiness,althoughit’sonly1/24.Butthatisenough.Happinessisnotabouthowmuch,butaboutrealfeelings.Yes,Ihavefoundsupportandsustenanreandhappysensation.That’senough.”

    Itwasonlyadistanceof10-15minutesbycarfromNovel’sestatetoDimitri’sdwelling.AtthecrossroadacrossthestreetfromDimitri’stinyerstudioapartment,theystoppedatatrafficlight.Fromthere,theycouldalreadyhearthesoundofjazzmusidsmellthetemptingaromaofsizzli,mixedwithMr.Kaffee’sheartyughter,olddwarfMickey’scraggiggleandRichard’slumentivewords.

    “Myfriendsarewaitingforme”entedDimitri.ElenadrovepastthecrossroadsontothedrivewayofDimitri’sapartmentplexandstoppedbythefrontdoor.DimitrialightedandturoElenasaying,

    “Turnonthefoglightanddrivesafely.”Yearsago,DimitriusedtowashElena’scareverymatdawn.Thoseweretheexactwordsheusedtosaytoherasshegotintothecartodriveaway.

    Dimitriopehedoorofhisapartment.Thatwasanotherhehadpreparedforhimselftoagainstthewindandraiinyapartmentwasfilledtocapacity.OlddwarfMickeyheldapackoftarotcardsinhishand.HehadjustfiellingMr.Kaffee’sfortune.HeforetoldthatMr.Kaffeewouldhaveabeorproteghimhiswholelifeandthatinthenearfuturehewouldreturntopower,causingMr.Kaffeetoburstintoughter.HehadalsotoldRichardthatunlesshesoughthelpfromhim,DwarfMickey,Richardwouldhemasterofhisowioldhimthathewouldremainanunluckygamblerandthiefhisentirelifeandwouldneverriseabovethat,causingRichardtosputterinindignationandargueloudlywiththelittleman.DwarfMickeyalsotoldBigOthatheinallywasastarintheheavensandcamedowhtoseekvengeanceagainsthisenemies.Owasaplished,hewouldagaiurntohisstelrpositioninthes