Free 6 The Wedding by Melanie Jackson

that he’d brought along his
father’s old service revolver. As it was, the plane rolled to a halt and Danny
stepped out of the cockpit unarmed.
    He stepped directly into the enthusiastic embrace. Misha was
a strong man with arms like two huge hams. The Wings felt bones pop in his back
and chest in the large man’s grasp. Once released, he flexed his shoulders and
swiveled his hips to test his joints. Truth be told, he never felt better. He
smiled broadly.
    Though he hadn’t known Misha well in the past, the Wings
took an instant liking to the man. The Russian exuded an aura of trust and
confidence. His smile was jovial, he laughed freely, and he drank a great deal.
All these things the Wings remembered from the past. And what amongst them was
there not to like? What he’d forgotten was the man’s easy nature and
affability. The Wings felt instantly comfortable and safe in his presence
though he still found it difficult to keep thoughts of the man’s past out of
mind.
    “Is good to see you again, comrade,” Misha declared. “But
then, is good to see anyone.”
    “And it’s good to see you too,” the Wings agreed. “I
understand that you’re willing to help with the flowers for the wedding.”
    “Yes. I discuss issue of flowers with the Flowers,” Misha
replied, his winning smile slowly eroding off his face.
    The Russian looked as if he was reliving the telephone
conversation in his mind. Apparently, the Flowers had made her expectations
clear. By the end of this internal review, Misha’s eyes had pinched themselves
into tiny slits. He noticed the Wings scrutinizing his features. Quickly the
dark clouds lifted and Happy Misha was revealed.
    “Yes. I understand you have problem with flowers and I can
help,” Misha observed.
    “I’m interested specifically in orchids.”
    “Yes. The flower that grows in
rainforests.”
    “That’s the one. Wow, Misha, I didn’t realize you were a
horticulturist.”
    “Me? I barely know a daisy from a dandelion, but I have
connections.”
    “What exactly does that mean?” Danny queried.
    “Come. I show you.”
    Misha led the Wings to his tiny cabin nestled back in
amongst the woods. The outside was of simple log construction. The inside was
toasty warm and contained an easy chair set before a fire next to a simple
coffee table. The place looked like a retired person’s hideaway. Against the
wall away from the fire, the easy chair could swivel to address one of several
laptops set up to run a variety of programs. The Wings observed a number of
Internet applications in use on each screen but recognized none of them. Misha
eventually stood before his easy chair, blocking his view.
    “Please, sit,” Misha said, gesturing toward a chair on the
opposite side of the fire.
    The Wings had to lift a cat, who looked perfectly comfortable, off the cushion of the chair being offered. As he
seated himself, the cat dug its claws into the sleeves of the Wings’ coat when
he tried to set the animal on the floor. So he let the cat lie in his lap
instead. The animal appeared to the outside world to have slept through the
entire procedure. Misha observed the operation from the comfort of his easy
chair.
    “Wow, you have a lot of computers. I was thinking of getting
my own one day. Where do you get your power?”
    “Generators.”
    “And your Internet access?”
    “I would prefer we do not discuss it.”
    If the Wings knew nothing else it was when to make a hasty
course correction in his dialog.
    “What about the orchids?” the Wings prompted.
    “Yes. There I have bad news. There is this wedding.…”
    “Yes. The wedding between Butterscotch and
the Mountie.”
    “No, not that wedding. This is
different wedding between politician’s daughter and Winnipeg’s most sought-after
bachelor. Is in all the newspapers.”
    “Oh, that wedding,” the Wings said, trying to sound in the
know.
    “Daughter is said to be fond of orchids.”
    “No?”
    “Yes. She has bought up