A several days later...

24th of November, 1965

The days passed like ships in the night. Filled with swift frequence but lovingly, splendidly. But they just passed quickly. Thanksgiving was coming. 2 more prominent holidays were on the horizon too. Just after Thanksgiving. 

Jude's birthday was tomorrow. Just right on Thanksgiving's day. She hadn't cared so much about her birthday since her mother passed away. Or perhaps earlier. Because she had grew in modest household, just her and her mother. The times when the poverty dominated over the opportunity to afford anything that will be a fragment of their survival. However, they were strong women and one of them is still alive, who is still strong, struggling with the unrighteous life. It's not their fault at all. It was just the fate that the life granted them. Almost on every birthday Jude didn't receive anything with a few exceptions as well. One of her most precious presents that she had ever received from her mother was her ruby-sapphire bracelet. It can be a classy, simple one, nonetheless authentic, fabulous in such specific way. Unfortunately it was her last present that she had ever received especially at age 17. Her first ever present for her birthday was actually a teddy bear when she just turned 1 year old toddler. She had such terrible but some notable and enchanting memories from her birthday back in her childhood and teen years. The teddy bear and the special bracelet were midst the best gifts she had ever had in her life. She can perfectly recall how she couldn't sleep with this unique item, hugging it tightly into her tiny arms every night. To protect her from the loneliness, coldness, the disease, the death, the plague that knocked on the door of her household. She wasn't luckily near the edge of the death as some critically conditioned children. Even she gave a name to her fewest toys that she ever had in her life. It was actually Bethany with its own significance "house of song" from Hebrew. The last time, she had Bethany the plush bear into her arms was just days after her mother passed away. It was so painful and upsetting to accept her mother's death after burrying her corpse in their small house's yard, as she placed the last surrounding flowers on her mother's grave. The days after Jude's mother passes quite quickly like they hadn't been felt. The placed flowers on the grave swiftly faded as they lost its colorness, magnificent flowery scent that allured every person's nostrils, bewitching them. Just days after the young Judy Martin abided by herself. Without a mother, it meant she had lost almost everything she got. It was like a fragment, missing from her heart so that to be repaired and the things could be better. At least, the young Jude had belongings of her mother and her own including the most unique gifts she had ever had by her most special person, who is amongst her, unfortunately. As the young woman determined to move somewhere to rent a room somewhere in the city so that to have a fresh start by picking up every belonging in her suitcases, she almost forgot about her teddy bear Bethany, leaving it to lay down on her small, old bed in her bedroom as her first house had 4 rooms only. They were bedroom, living room, bathroom and kitchen. Once the aspiring Jude left her house as she locked the door with chains and a few padlocks, she went as far as she can from her birth place, emigrating in the urban part of Boston. Furthermore, as her fresh start begins in the city, she debuted her career as a singer, starting to sing in night bars with her band.

But her upcoming birthday is going to be one of the best not because of living a much better life especially in her middle aged phase. It was because of Thanksgiving with her family, thereafter accomplishing a planned night out in a restaurant the entire family along the day after the special American day. Though Mrs. Howard should conform in her first months as a mother to 2 months old little angels, not endangering their lives. It's her 2nd of soberty after giving a birth to healthy twins. One after one.

As Jude held two badger baskets with Ellie and Tristan on her elbows as she awaited with ginormous impatience her husband to end eventually his working schedule for today. Her patience dwindled abruptly after the 5th minute, sighing, whilst her children babbled to her friendly, opting to reassure her, snapping her out of the toxic thoughts, her impatience to see Timothy. She had the immense feeling of receiving a heart attack very soon, once she beholds him. All of a sudden the middle aged woman saw a tall man figure walking out from the kindergarden's building, walking up towards her.

"Hi rare bird!" He took his wife into his arms immediately as her arms were around his shoulders, whilst his around her upper back. It was pretty evident how they were yearning for one another. Jude's head rested on his toned, warm chest, her ear propped on his rib, hearing his sluggish heart beats in his chest.

"Hi, babe!" Her voice was so excited. Eventually they broke off the hug as they adjusted their breathing as well.

"Oh, say hi to you, little beautiful angels." He waved at Tristan and Ellie as he spoke to them with velvety voice, meanwhile thry just stared at him. Then the couple's lips escaped chuckles as the babies joined them with their baby laughing.

"Sorry for the delay but Mrs. Lynch wanted me in her office." In this sentence, the former nun had urgent and suspicious thoughts because not of the thought of cheating on his wife or something. But something that has to do with his job and probably his reputation.

"No problem, honey! Everything is fine." She stroked his thin haired, elegant hair through her fingers, pressing her mellow lips to his, featherly kissing him as they felt relieved. "Does it has to do with your reputation and job?" She enquired worried.

"Well, she just said kind words about my work since I started working here. However she encouraged me to keep on in the same way for greater success." Mr. Howard answered frankly with smug smile across his sparkling face.

"That's great, sweetie! Congratulations!"

"Thank you a lot, rare bird!" He thanked her as he tittered, subsequently she joined him.

"Be proud of yourself because you know how proud we are with Ellie and Tristan." Her beatific hazel eyes moved from his gleeful chocolate eyes to their petite, frail faces. "Aren't you proud with your father?" The blonde questioned them as she faintly poked their nose tips as they let out a babyish chuckle.

"It seems they are so proud of their father."

"They are actually. Just look at them."

The couple gaped at their little pearly angels with broad, radiant smiles. Then Timothy grabbed the badger basket where Ellie slept as his lips pursued for Jude's, kissing lightly as they walked out of the facility yard, heading to the grocery store to buy ingredients for Thanksgiving preparation.

A couple of minutes later...

As they arrived inside the grocery store as they took a shopping cart since they are going to buy plenty of groceries. They went to the milky products section. Whilst Timothy was scrutinizing each product and looking for the qualitative one, all of a sudden the blonde peeped at the other corners of the supermarket as she saw the same woman with whom Howards family bumped into accidentally not a long time ago. 

She wasn't tall at all. She was rather 5'3 tall, middle aged like Jude but prone to be older visually looking than her, chocolate eyed, with chestnut shoulder length straight hair with forehead bangs, wearing red clothes. Next to her stood much younger looking woman in her mid 20s with long currant red straight hair, 5'4 tall only, slender body, pale skin color, hazel green eyes as she wore generally black garments that hugged every part of her unrevealed flesh. They weren't alone. There was a little girl who didn't look older than 6 years old, holding the younger woman's hand. 

As Mrs.Howard got so easily distracted by gawking at her with abysmally lost hazel eyes as she was somewhat shocked to see the same doctor, that she had seen occasionally in hospital's corridor after resting from the second labour. Suddenly the both ladies stared oddly at the former nun as she turned her face away in shame and guilt for gaping at them cluelessly, lowering her head to see how her little son was. 

In the interim, Timothy noted her awkwardness and bashfulness in the same time as he placed a hand on her shoulder as he kept the shopping cart in front of him. He rubbed her cheekbone with his fingers as he pursued for her eyes to soothe her, find out what was currently bothering her.

"Judy, my love, is it everything fine?" Further, her face was even more flushed after being asked about her condition as she looked at his warm, caring chocolate eyes. 

"Yes. I am fine." She replied as she panted, a smile grew spontaneously on her lips. "I just saw somebody who I can recall."

Then they rose their bodies as they glanced behind them where the drinks section was located as the same female figures stood, choosing wisely, meanwhile observing the pious couple whenever they don't even look at them. 

"You mean the brunette, right?" 

"Yes. Doctor Azarova." The former nun whispered as she didn't want the unknown women hear her whisper, taunting them and even glaring at her.

"Oh yeah!" He forehead palmed, whilst sighing as he was certain what she was talking about. "The doctor into whom we bumped by an incident."

"Yes, that's right." They picked up 2 liter milk carton with a few other milky products, putting them swiftly in the cart. "Okay, let's move on." Jude uttered each syllable with struggling breath as they moved forward for shopping as they totally ignored the mysterious ladies' stares.

"Yeah, yeah! They look such sympathetic couple, Velika."- The red haired said with her firm, husky voice as her Russian accent can be clearly evident, fixing her hair as she goggled her hazel eyes at the couple with their twins in badger baskets. 

"They are actually, honey. I do agree!" She nod her head modestly as she stroked the little girl's braided red hair. "Perhaps I can recall them when I bumped into them accidentally in the hospital hall."

"Yep, I remember you told me that." Then she put some 2 liter bottle with fizzy water in the shopping cart as they walked forward, shopping whilst discussing the couple. "But the man who accompanied the mother of those twins is such a cupcake." 

"Valerie, don't you mean her husband?" Then the Russian women let out a light chuckle whilst Valerie held her little daughter's wee hand into her as the little girl joined the both female adults. "However you hate men."

"I might hate almost every male being in this world but he is making an exception." 

"At least, he seems to be cute. I bet how lucky is the blonde to have him."

Then Valerie and Velika cackled out loud sufficiently as they didn't jolt the entire grocery store with their cackle as they passed Howards family, who were choosing better diapers for Ellie and Tristan. The couple definitely overlooked the Russian female company who were shopping just like them for Thanksgiving. 

Unfortunately, as Jude put a whole package of solid, stable diapers in the cart, her elbow hit unintentionally Velika's back as the blonde yelped "Oops!", turning to the young lady as she apologized her for the accident. 

"I am so sorry, Ms." 

"You don't need to apologize. Everything is fine." Velika responded calmly as she extended her hand, awaiting for a handshake with a genuine smile across her lips. 

"W-What? A handshake for my apology?" Mrs.Howard inquired bashfully as her already reddened cheeks heated not only her face, besides her lower body parts, covering them in faint perspiration of embarrassment. 

"No!" Afterwards Jude extended her hand as she shook slowly Valerie's hand into her as her condition of turmoil peaked. "I am Valerie Volkova. It's such a pleasure to meet you." The both ladies smiled to each one as their partners didn't help, nevertheless smiling with them too.

"It's my huge pleasure to meet you, Valerie. I am Judy Martin Howard." She introduced her husband and showing her children to Ms.Volkova including her company. "This is my marvelous husband Timothy and our lovely twins Ellie and Tristan."

"How nice!" Then Judy moved out as she went to handshake with the other 2 females, Velika and the little girl while Timothy went to the red haired. "It's my pleasure to meet you, Timothy."

"It's a pleasure for me too."

After they introduced one another, they spoke together for no longer than a few minutes, discussing the topic about the happened in the hospital almost 2 months ago between Howards family and Dr.Azarova. They cannot shield themselves, howsoever, burst out laughing including the little Shona, Valerie's sole daughter. For sadly, every family needed to continue in their own path as they told one another goodbye, promising to see each other again as they carried on with shopping process.

To be continued...

Author's Note: The new characters that I included Valerie, Velika and Shona are going to be in the future chapters too. I had so much fun to describe the both women's hilarious conversation in the end of the chapter, to be honest. Likewise what do you really think of them, do you like them and what are your first impressions of them and why?

In the imminent chapters, every reader is going to learn more about their both wacky, however, unique and complex characters especially Valerie's tremendous hatred towards men with a few exceptions as well. Furthermore we will find out how her detest towards men developed and who stands behind it as a little spoiler part and connection between Jude and Valerie is that they have the same enemy. You can guess who is it!