Unexpectedly

Hristoforos waited for awhile before he stepped down of his car which he borrowed from his father. It was his first time to visit Boryana in her home and he was hoping things will not be misconstrued for something else apart from a friendship that he wants to flourish between him and Boryana.

He knew it was still infantile to step up and pursue his feelings for her. It has only been three months since they started hanging out in campus together and somehow he never made advances nor lead Boryana into believing that he was interested in her. He did not want to rush her but he was likewise vigilant of any possible competitor who might be courting the lass. She has a striking beauty but her being meek and mild made her a difficult flower to go near to. Hristoforos did not take advantage of their friendship and he was not abusing the trust Boryana gave him. He has managed to screen his feelings by holding them back and rawhide every inspiring moments he had with her.



He waited for the time to strike at exactly 7 ‘o clock then alighted from the vehicle and went to the door step of the Shehtovas. The door was answered after the first bell and an elderly woman in her late sixties opened the door.



“Good evening Ma’am. My name is Hristoforos and I am the schoolmate of Boryana.” As polite as ever he introduced himself and before he could ask if the girl was around, the woman greeted her back and let him in.



“I was there on your graduation. Congratulations by the way for being the Class Valedictorian. I am Boryana’s aunt,” and with that they shook hands and she lead the lad to the living room where her husband was, reading the day’s paper.



She introduced him to her husband and the two exchanged pleasantries. Momentarily thereafter, Boryana appeared from the foyer and re-introduced her friend. After telling the couple they were going out with some friends, they excused themselves and drove out.



The two were joining some of their friends and Iva, Boryana’s cousin from her mother’s side, and Iva’s boyfriend. It was their first time to go out together with some of their friends and nobody ever suspected that there was something romantic going on between the two, at least, not from Boryana’s end.



After watching a movie, the group proceeded to a local bar and had a round of beers then separated and headed home respectively. Hristoforos, Boryana, Iva and her boyfriend were on a convoy as the other couple’s respective houses were along the way to Boryana’s house.



As they were alone in the road, Boryana popped a question that Hristoforos never saw was coming. “Why haven’t you ever been in a relationship, Hrist?”

He gazed back at her and saw her beautiful face illumined by the street lights they passed through and unmindfully and without hesitation he replied, “Maybe because it is only now that I met you.”

Sweet Surprises

They drove past four huge houses and then turn up the hill where the altitude was already causing some pressure in the ears. Boryana was looking behind them and could see that Sofia was nothing but glimmering lights in the night. The sky was bright with all the stars and the moon was closer to earth as it was to man. There was a huge stone gate that was covered with grills and vines. Hristoforos took a stop and went down the vehicle. Boryana asked where they are but Hristoforos calmly said, “Trust me, you’ll love this.”

She wasn’t sure whose property it was but  she’s damn certain it is from the elites of Bulgaria. Hristoforos opened the iron gate and went inside the car. They drove inside the stone-fenced property which was dim and seemed lifeless. The road was paved lined with trees and Boryana could see that the garden was well manicured. She wondered why there wasn’t anybody manning the estate nor was there a lighting facility for security purposes as the property is inviting for thieves and trespassers.

They drove for about 200 meters before Hristoforos paused and drove a little further towards an arch that was covered with vines and flowers. The car made a full stop right in front of a gazebo that was so dark and looked damp.

“Come, take my hand. It’s kind of dark in here.” Hristoforos held her hand as they climbed the three-stepped stairs and into the gazebo Boryana felt cold and scared. Just as she was about to tell Hristoforos for them to go back inside the car, the light dramatically lit and all around them was a bright garden with colours of all hues. There was a group of musician in one area of the gazebo and right in the center of it is a table for two. A waiter with a bottle of wine stood beside it. The gazebo was filled with flower petals scattered on the floor and the fragrance was a sweet smell of nectar and honey.

The three musicians started playing a sonata and a parade of waiters entered the gazebo from nowhere, Hristoforos held Boryana’s right hand and place his right hand on her left hip. They waltz and all Hristoforos could do was proudly look at the girl he was dancing and smile.

“I could be waltzing with you to eternity and never grow tired of doing so. I love you, Yana.”

“Yana? That’s new! I love you so much Hristoforos and no man can ever make me happy as you always do. You never fail to surprise me and every time you do, you make me fall in love with you all over again.”

“I will never want to lose you. When the time is right I will make you mine forever.” And with that the couple danced another song while the garden around them glowed in the well-lighted vast garden of calla lilies, carnations, and camellias, blue hyacinths and magnolias, red poppies and jasmines. Suddenly, she can smell the fragrance of every blooming bud. She looked up to him and said, “Thank you for all the sweet surprises, my love.”

Boryana Shehtova

Boryana Shehtova was born in Sofia, Bulgaria to a couple of parents who are actively involved in the family business of Marine School. Her father was the first school director but opted to be the liaison officer as well as representative in every Expo that the school took active participation of. Her mother was a daughter of a local jeweller and she was personally designing classic pearl earrings to the royalties in Europe and travelling with her husband both helped her meet more clients and scout for feasible places where they could possibly put up a sister school. The couple had a good tandem. The exceptional marketing abilities of the wife complemented the articulate and serious personality of the husband.

They were already in their early forties when they married and it wasn’t until their third year when a son was born to them. Three miscarriages were had before Boryana was born and her pregnancy was at high-risk due to her age. Her mother almost lost her life during delivery and went into a coma for 5 months for the reason of some childbirth complications. Boryana on the other hand was a healthy baby who, despite not having been nursed by her own mother, grew up healthy and strong. Her mother held her for the first time when she was already 5 months old and it took her a whole year before she fully regained her health and personally attended to her daughter. When she was already 6 years old and attended school, her father decided to resign from being actively involved in the academe and decided to do travelling functions for the school. Her mother felt she was more needed by her husband for his travels than her children who were well looked after by the grandparents and since the second son of the patriarchal family decided to fill in the position as the school director, she and her husband travelled for almost a decade until that fateful accident that claimed their lives.

Boryana was only 15 when she and her brother became orphans. She was a strong girl who is brave to accept loss and separation. She handled the demise far better than her brother who had to undergo counselling to help him process his feelings and finally accept and cope with the passing.

Initially they lived with their grandparents who have become more protective of the siblings as they had been. The second eldest son, their uncle whom they were later asked to live with, was the closest brother of their late father. His wife who was longing to have a daughter of their own but could not have another pregnancy had to begged the old couple for the custody of the children. The old Shehtovas knew the siblings will be dislocated again in the event of their death and realized they would be better off being raised by their uncle and aunt together with the three cousins whom they were also cosy with, decided to entrust them to the family. Love and care were never deprived to the siblings and they grew up to be decent and pleasant individuals.