Book 2: Lyubov' i Sem'ya (Love and Family

Alexey stood nervously in front of the mirror, adjusting his tie for what felt like the hundredth time. He took a deep breath and tried to calm his nerves - today was a big day. He was meeting his girlfriend, Elena, at the restaurant to propose to her. He had been planning this moment for weeks, and he was determined to make it perfect. As he finished getting dressed, Alexey's parents, Jones and Catalina, came into the room to wish him luck. "We're so proud of you, Alexey," Catalina said, tears shining in her eyes. Jones clapped Alexey on the back. "You're going to make a great husband," he said with a smile. Alexey smiled back at them, feeling a surge of gratitude for his family's love and support. He knew that he owed a lot of his happiness to them, and he was determined to make them proud. With a final nod, Alexey headed out the door to start his new life with Elena. Little did he know, this was just the beginning of a new chapter in his life, full of love, laughter, and adventure. As Alexey arrived at the restaurant, he couldn't help but feel a sense of nervous excitement. He had been planning this proposal for weeks, and he was determined to make it perfect. He spotted Elena sitting at a table by the window, looking beautiful in a red dress. He took a deep breath, smoothed out his tie, and made his way over to her. "Privyet, krasavitsa," he said, leaning down to kiss her cheek. (Hello, beautiful) Elena smiled up at him, her eyes sparkling with happiness. "Hey, handsome," she replied. Alexey sat down across from her, taking her hand in his. "Ya imeyu kogo-to special'noe zaplanirovano na segodnya," he said, trying to sound casual. (I have something special planned for today) Elena raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What's that?" she asked. Alexey smiled, taking a deep breath. "Podzhidite i uvidite," he said, signaling to the waiter to bring over the special dish he had ordered. (Just wait and see) As they waited for their food to arrive, Alexey and Elena chatted and laughed, enjoying each other's company. Alexey couldn't help but feel grateful for this amazing woman who had brought so much joy into his life. Finally, the waiter arrived with a small box in his hand. Alexey took it from him, his heart pounding with excitement. "Elena, s momenta, kogda ya vstretil tebya, ya znayu, chto ty kto-to special'nyy," he said, opening the box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. "Vyidesh' za menya?" (Elena, from the moment I met you, I knew that you were someone special. Will you marry me?) Elena's eyes widened in shock, and then tears of joy began to stream down her face. "Yes, yes, a million times yes!" she exclaimed, as Alexey slid the ring onto her finger. As they hugged and kissed, Alexey knew that this was just the beginning of their new life together. He was excited to see what the future held for them, and he knew that he would always cherish this moment, the moment when Elena became his fiancée. As they hugged and kissed, Alexey whispered "Ya lyublyu tebya" (I love you) in Elena's ear. Elena smiled and replied "I love you too." Alexey pulled back and looked at Elena, his eyes shining with happiness. "My lyubimaya" (my beloved), he said, "I promise to always love and cherish you." Elena's eyes filled with tears again as she nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "I promise too." As they sat there, holding hands and looking into each other's eyes, Alexey knew that this was just the beginning of their new life together. He was excited to see what the future held for them, and he knew that he would always cherish this moment, the moment when Elena became his fiancée. The rest of the evening was a blur of happiness and celebration. They called their friends and family to share the news, and then they went out to celebrate with champagne and dinner. As they sat at the dinner table, Alexey turned to Elena and said "Zavtra my budem planirovat' svad'bu" (tomorrow we will start planning the wedding). Elena smiled and replied "I'd love that." Alexey grinned, feeling like the luckiest man alive. He knew that he had found his soulmate in Elena, and he couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life with her.