Lily Alex
The Russians are Coming!, 14 Months in the Life of the Town
Chapter 29: Parting
In a Moscow hospital, the medics quickly moved the patient along the corridor.
Lying on his back, with a mask on his face, Oleg saw the lights shining above him. He was wounded in his stomach, and now he was thinking with vexation: «How stupid! That damn America spoiled me. One year before, in the same situation, I’m sure, I could have avoided being wounded. That lousy punk! When I recover, he’ll be dead! The first thing that I’ll do is get his butt!» The paroxysm of suffering fogged his mind, but a nurse gave him an injection and the pain eased.
Oleg felt strange. He understood those medics were doing something to him, but for Oleg it seemed as if his body belonged to someone else. Even the agony beating in his stomach and echoing in his head he sensed as a feeling from outside.
He saw a woman with a long braid standing not far away. She stared at him, Oleg saw the ashy face of his wife, and he was surprised, despite even this strange condition that he was in.
«Vera!» he called her. His lips did not move. The pain cut out his breathing, but it did not bother him anymore. «Don’t be angry at me!»
«I’m not,» he heard in response. The woman walked slowly toward him. Her motionless eyes captured the man, and unlimited terror enveloped Oleg when he saw on her head was not hair, but a living snake.
«He’s gone,» he heard from above, and he wondered, «Who’s gone?»
Oleg tried to draw in a breath, but he could not.
«Vera!» he called again. «Why are you here?»
«I’m not Vera.» The creature came close. «I’m your death.»
* * * * *
Vera sat in bed shaking with horror. Sleeping beside her, Jeff awoke and gazed at his beloved with concern. «What, honey?»
«I don’t know…» The woman cried. «Some nightmare, I suppose.»
«Don’t worry, sugar.» He embraced her. «I’m with you.»
And hugging each other, they fell asleep again. It was their first night together.
* * * * *
Thousands of miles away, on the other side of the Earth, in a Moscow hospital the medics turned off the equipment and covered the face of the dead man.
The nurse sighed. «What a shame that such a handsome man is gone,» she murmured.
«According to his papers he was married.» The doctor said, taking off his gloves. «Tell the secretary to contact her.»
The nurse nodded.
* * * * *
At first Bill Thompson heard Goldy’s bark.
It sounded so far away, barely entering his dreams. Hardly opening his eyes, Bill Thompson looked around with perplexity, not understanding what was going on.
Suddenly he heard a rap at his front door. Somebody was knocking.
«Who it could be so early?» wondered Bill hastily shuffled to the entry.
«I’m coming!» he uttered, coughing.
He opened the door and a woman hugged him passionately. He recognized Alla, and, amazed, he did not know how to react.
At the same moment Bill saw a very new car in front of his house and was surprised to see the Lapins inside.
«Good-bye, Bill!» Alla whispered, kissing him, and the struck man stiffened. She gave him a piece of paper. «Here is my address in case if you would like to write a letter to me!»
Dazed, he looked at it.
«But I thought your flight was next week,» he murmured in disarray.
«It is,» Alla confirmed. «But my kids wanted to spend a few days in New York. Well, I agreed. It’s probably my only chance to see that city. Nobody in Russia would believe me if I tell them I visited the U.S.A. and didn’t see New York.»
Many thoughts were mustered in Bill’s mind. But, like a real traffic jam, they only confused the man and he could not choose the right words that he desired to say to her.
«What is the car?» he asked, unexpectedly even to himself.
«It’s a long trip,» Alla sighed, petting his cheek. «Vlad rented it. Good-bye sweetie!»
She hung her head and almost ran to the car. She quickly got inside. The Lapins waved to Bill and went away.
Flustered, Bill looked again at the paper that he was squeezing in his hand.
«You old idiot!» he scolded himself. «Wonderful question! Why didn’t you tell her…»
He suddenly felt tears in his eyes.
«What could I tell her? Stay with me? I love you?»
«Of course, you moron!» the mental voice replied to him with a mocking intonation. «But now you know why they were in the new car. It was the most necessary information for you, wasn’t it?»
Shaking his head, Bill slowly went back to the house.
Chapter 30: Death and Life
The ringing phone woke them up.
«What the hell?» muttered Jeff glancing at the clock. «It’s 4 a.m.!»
He answered, and passed the receiver to Vera. «It’s for you.»
«Vera Grach?» she heard a voice say in Russian. «I regret to inform you, but your husband was killed.»
Vera gasped, and sat up in bed.
«How did it happen?» she asked, and explained to the worried Jeff, «Oleg is dead!»
Jeff did not know what to say.
«The investigation is underway. Your husband was delivered to the hospital and died without regaining consciousness. About a month ago. I’m sorry that it took so long to reach you. We couldn’t find you.»
«It’s okay,» the shocked Vera squeezed out.
«Thank God,» she thought. «It would have been a stupid situation if I had to go to his funeral. It would have been an expensive and absurd trip.»
«Please, tell us where we should send all the papers,» she heard, and she dictated Jeff’s address and put the receiver in its place. She looked at Jeff.
«He was killed,» she murmured. «Awful.»
Menard wanted to say, «He deserved it.» But he saw Vera was upset, and he forgave Oleg.
«We’ll pray for him, honey.» Jeff said compassionately, and the grateful woman cried and hugged her beloved man, who understood her and her feelings.
They could not go back to sleep, so they dressed and went to the living room. Vera opened her closet and checked out her unfinished works. She took out the picture of Goldy and put it on her easel. She started to draw, and Jeff silently moved around, trying not to disturb her.
* * * * *
Shocked by the information about the death of Oleg, Lana Limpson slowly went outside of her house and stood on the porch for a few minutes looking around.
Nobody was on the street. It was too early, and soft daybreak had just started to push away the darkness of the night. The fall already had stripped all the leaves off the trees and the silhouettes of the naked trees showed black through blue grayish twilight. It was not cold yet, and fog was hiding the world.
This autumn morning aroused strange feelings in her soul. Lana thought about her ex-lover with pity and bitterness, and she was happy not to find in her heart a grudge against him.
Suddenly she saw Ruslan Grafinsky riding a bike. Lana beckoned him over, and the young man stopped.
«Oleg…» she started.
«I know,» he interrupted her. «Vera called me.»
«I’m going to see her,» Lana explained. Ruslan nodded. «Me too.»
They slowly went along the sidewalk. Ruslan moved his bike, holding it by the handlebars.
«It’s so awful.» Lana felt close to tears again, but Ruslan did not reply, and she was surprised. «I thought you would say sorry.»
«I never lie to anyone,» he coldly answered. «When death has taken its victim, it is awful, but in Oleg’s case… You can count me as a cruel person, but I’m not sorry that he’s gone.»
«I thought you and Oleg were friends.»
«Just pals.» He sighed, and Lana looked at Ruslan very attentively.
«My daddy got so mad about Oleg,» she lied, watching his reaction. «He decided to give all his money to some charity organization. I will receive nothing.»
«I think it’s stupid.» Ruslan snorted. «Most of that money will go into the pockets of the organizers. But at least you will be free, and you will be able to find a man who will honestly love you, not your money.»
A few minutes passed as the young people walked silently.
«How do you say «I love you’ in Russian?» Lana suddenly asked Ruslan.
«Why do you want to know?» he wondered.
«I want to study Russian. Would you teach me?»
«Nope,» he said simply.
«Why?»
«Because I don’t want you to pay me.»
«You don’t need money?»
«Money…» He flinched. «In Moscow we were working together with Vlad Lapin. Every morning we got up at five. We were selling newspapers on the street. Could you imagine how it feels to stand under the open sky for about four hours? Cold, real Russian frost. No matter. Heavy rain? The only thought was about keeping the newspapers dry. After this we went to the University to study, and at evening we went to a plant to clean machines. Money! He was doing it for his wife and daughter. I was doing it for my mom. She was sick. Very sick. Cancer. I heard that in the United States it is possible to heal this kind of cancer, and when Vlad moved here, I planned to try and find a sponsor for this operation for my mom. But it was too late…»
He fell silent, and Lana was shaken, thinking about what he had said.
«If I can help you somehow…» she started timidly, but Ruslan only sighed, «How? To build a monument on her grave?»
Lana’s head drooped. «What do I have to do?» she moaned. «I need to do something, but what?»
«Live.» Ruslan smiled. «Just live, and always listen to your daddy. He’s a very smart man, and he loves you… Probably he is the only man you can trust.»
«How about you?» she asked him unexpectedly. Glancing at her, Ruslan shook his head.
«I’m afraid you have too many bad experiences,» he said, grinning. «If I tell you that I always liked you, and I’d be happy to marry you, you would just laugh, and you would be right.»
«Why?» Lana became angry. «How can you know my thoughts?»
«I don’t want to even talk about this.» The face of Ruslan clouded, and he did not look at her.
«Why?» insisted the girl. She already understood the reason, but she wished to hear it from him. She grabbed the bike and forced Ruslan to stop. «Tell me!»
He gazed at her. «You want to know? Great! Because, I do love you!»
Lana smiled, but he continued, and it was as if he threw cold water all over her.
«But you are just a spoiled daddy’s daughter!» he shouted right at her face. «I bet you could not even cook eggs. Have you ever washed a dish? What kind of wife can you be?»
«Marry a waitress, then,» Lana interrupted him, irritated.
«Maybe I will,» he answered calmly.
Pressing her hands to her face the girl wept. Ruslan dropped the bike, and hugged her.
«I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Lana, sweetheart? Please, don’t cry. You are the best. I need no one except you.»
«Repeat it,» she whispered.
«I love you, you silly girl.» He kissed her hair. «If you marry me, I’ll teach you how to cook… I can cook myself… Oh, honey, don’t cry.»
They heard a honk and looked at the sound. Mr. Limpson’s limousine stopped near them, and the driver opened the door.
«Want a ride?» offered Mr. Limpson.
«No, Dad.» Lana resolutely hoisted the bike. «I already found a ride.»
Ruslan took the bicycle, seated the girl on the frame, and the young people sped along the street.
«Kids.» Shaking his head, Mr. Limpson sighed.
* * * * *
…A virgin, totally naked, she was standing alone and helpless in the middle of the stadium and the crowd shouted as a huge hungry lion loped quickly towards her.
No hope, no chance to survive. She fell onto her knees and the wind played with her thick black hair.
«I’ll never renounce Jesus Christ!» she exclaimed resolutely. «I believe he is the Son of God! You can eat my body, wild beast, but my soul belongs to God forever!»
The entire stadium gasped as one person. An angel, golden white and lustrous, appeared in front of her. She saw his beautiful blue eyes shining with courage and fondness. He covered her with a creamy mantle, and took her into his arms. He carried her without effort, and the disappointed lion hissed with vexation. It hissed…
Hissed… Hissed…
…Nina sensed smoke and fell back from her dreams to reality. The boiling milk overflowed from the pot, and hissed on the stove filling the kitchen with stinking clouds.
«Damn!» The woman threw the pot into the sink and cried thinking: «Why is it that when you keep your eyes on the milk it seems never to begin to boil, but if you go into your thoughts just for second, it runs away immediately?»
«Again?» she heard the calm voice of her husband, and became awfully confused. «Honey, did you use the last pot that I bought you? It’s supposed to keep the milk in, even if it boils.»
«I did!» The upset Nina was not surprised to see Vera next to him. «The stupid pot doesn’t work.»
«Was it my oatmeal as usual?» asked Larisa with the same tone as her dad used. «Why should I eat it anyway? Hannah eats cereal with cold milk.»
«Great!» Lapina stomped with her leg, and sighed. «Make fun of me. You’re welcome.»
«Oleg was killed in Moscow,» said Vera as she felt a pause. Everybody looked at her. «About a month ago.»
«I’m very sorry to hear it,» Vlad replied with an upset voice. «He did nothing but good to me. He was not a bad man.»
«You should report it to the police,» Larisa declared very seriously.
«Honey,» Vera involuntarily smiled at her. «The police called me.»
«Okay.» The girl nodded. «I hope Uncle Oleg will go to Heaven.»
«I hope so,» mumbled the shocked Nina. The reaction of her daughter amazed the woman.
«My God!» she thought. «She’s so small, but she already has her own vision of the world. When and how did it happen? I used to think about her as a continuation of Vlad, or me, but it’s a totally different person! Yes, not a baby. A person.»
Vera took out a sketch of Goldy and showed it to the Lapins. «What do you think?»
«Something’s missing.» Larisa gazed at the picture with criticism. «Try to put a wreath on her instead of the collar.»
«A wreath?» Amazed, Vera looked at her work, and suddenly felt that the girl was right. «I’ll try.»
The artist took out a tube of pink paint, and started drawing small flowers around the dog’s neck.
«Where is Vlad?» Nina wondered, as she realized her husband was not here, but he came back, and Lana and Ruslan were next to him.
«I’m sorry, Vera, about your husband,» Limpson started. «It’s so awful.»
«Oh, it is awful! It’s awful, when so many people in the kitchen,» interrupted Nina, swinging a pan. «Vlad, why do you drag the guests here? I’m trying to cook. Get out, you all. Could you wait in the living room?»
Her openness surprised Lana only. Smiling, everybody left, but Lana stayed and Nina looked at her.
«Nina,» asked Lana feeling a blush on her cheeks. «Can I help you while you’re cooking? Vlad tells me you are a great cook. Could you teach me how to cook?»
Even though Nina laughed at her words, Lana did not feel offended. It was impossible to be angry with that jovial and light-hearted woman.
«Vlad said it?» Nina shook her head. «Honey, I can’t even cook the oatmeal right. Well, some dishes I think I do okay, but I can share recipes if you want.»
«Thank you so much.» Lana sighed, gladdened. «Just don’t say anything about it to Ruslan, okay?»
«Okay,» Nina nodded and without a smile. «Not to worry. I’m a female, I understand.» She giggled. «Enough talk, helper-girl, get to work.»
And together they started preparing the breakfast.
* * * * *
It had taken her three days of drawing, and, this morning, Vera finished the picture of Goldy.
Vera went to Bill Thompson’s house and knocked, but nobody answered and she got worried. Seeing his car, she knew Bill was at home. She pounded louder, and attentively listened. Finally she heard heavy shuffling steps, and sighed with relief.
Bill opened the door, and the woman gasped. The old man looked so upset that sincere compassion overflowed her heart. «What happened?»
«My doggie…» He sniffed. «Goldy… She passed away…»
Vera stood still. Then she looked at the package in her hands.
«I’m so sorry.» Vera did not know what to do. «Your picture… I have done it…»
«Picture?» Bill honestly forgot about his order.
«It is my gift to you.» Vera opened the carton, took the picture out, and showed it to Bill.
He looked, recalled everything, and burst into tears. Hugging him tenderly, as if he was her father, Vera wept too.
* * * * *
Bill Thompson parked his car, slowly went deep into the city park and sat on a bench.
Depressed, as never before in his life, Bill wanted to cry under the awful loneliness lying heavily upon him. The naked trees cast gloom over him. Skimming across the gray sky, the torn leaden clouds were drizzling and the tiny droplets fell on the face of the old man and ran down onto his skin like tears.
He looked around the empty playground, and many memories came to his mind.
Goldy, the small funny puppy… Goldy, smart faithful companion… Goldy, barely hobbling, following him…
However, suddenly Bill felt these thoughts leave as other memories pushed them aside.
A slender cheerful woman was smiling, and gladness filled his soul.
Just to be with someone who understands you.
«Alla,» Bill whispered. The cold autumn wind blew into his face, and the image of the woman disappeared. The loneliness came back, but now Thompson knew what to do.
Resolutely getting his feet, Bill strode to his car.
He turned the vehicle so sharply that the tires screeched, and he smiled, feeling himself young and almost happy.
He reached his house, and quickly went in. He looked at the empty dog bed, but now the pain in his heart was much lighter. It was not grief, just sorrow. He took out Vera’s picture and put it on the wall above the bed. He looked for a long time at the image of Goldy.
«Good-bye, girl.» He sighed. «I don’t know how much time I have. I hope you understand me.»
He took the receiver and made a call to his travel agent.
«Hi! It’s Bill Thompson,» he introduced himself. «I want to buy a ticket to Moscow, Russia. Yes. The first flight you can give me. Next Monday? Great!» He smiled.
Chapter 31: Love in Moscow
At the Sheremetyevo International Airport, Bill Thompson saw a man holding a sign with his name and he went to him. Smiling, the guide shook his hand. «Welcome to Moscow! But you didn’t reserve a hotel room, I’m afraid we could have problems with that.»
«Not to worry,» Thompson replied. «I’m going to stay with my friend. Where can I get a phone book? I want to call her.»
The guide faltered. «In Moscow don’t have a White Pages like the U.S.A. It’s not an easy task to find someone’s phone number.»
Not expecting such a problem, Bill got confused. He took out the paper that Alla had given him.
«Then can you at least help me find this address?» he asked timidly, as now he was ready to hear that it would be difficult too, but the guide looked and nodded. «Piece of cake.»
He opened a map, checked it, and pointed to a street. «Here. Do you want to go right now?»
«Yes please.» Bill sighed with relief and followed the guide.
In the car Bill gazed outside with curiosity. He was surprised that the airport was placed so far away from the city. It took about thirty minutes of driving before he saw the first buildings.
The view did not impress Bill. The trees already had no leaves, but there was no snow, which he had expected to see. Fields and forests did not look much different from the northern part of the United States, and Bill felt disappointed.
«If you want to see exotic nature, then go to the tropics,» he said to himself. «You are here for another reason.» And addressing the guide, Bill told him a phrase in Russian that he was preparing for the meeting with Alla.
The guide gaped at Bill, and the man got confused. «What did I say?»
«Would you marry me?» repeated the shocked guide.
«Did I pronounce it correctly?» asked Bill with worry. The guide burst out laughing. «You did pronounce it almost without an accent. I just got surprised, thinking you addressed this proposal to me.»
Bill understood and laughed too. He looked through the window again.
The car was moving along the highway skirting around Moscow, and Bill noticed with surprise that the houses on each side were very different. Inside there were many tall towers and long buildings. Outside the highway most of the houses were small and surrounded by individual gardens.
The traffic amazed Bill. He did not expect to see so many cars. Most of them were very expensive: BMWs, Mercedes, and Volvos. He noticed some American cars, and a lot of Japanese. However, certain vehicles looked strange, and he did not know their names.
The speed and carelessness that some drivers showed scared Bill and he was glad when they finally left the highway, and the car went along a small straight avenue.
The guide stopped the vehicle, and, opening the window, he asked the first woman about the address. She shrugged her shoulders, and shook her head. The guide asked another man, but got the same answer and Bill felt anxious.
«It’s okay,» the guide said to him understanding his concern. «A lot of new buildings are built every year, and a lot of new people move here. Did she tell you what her house looked like?»
«Like a lying skyscraper.» Bill suddenly recalled, looking at a long nine-story building not far away from them, and the guide moved the car to this house. He checked the address and smiled. «Here it is!»
Many cars were parked around it and they barely found a parking place. The guide took Bill’s suitcases, and they went to the building. Excited, Bill walked as fast as he could. He wanted to run.
Near the entrance they saw cars decorated with ribbons and flowers, and, understanding it was a wedding motorcade, Bill thought about Alla and smiled dreamily.
The small old elevator moved up very slowly, and Bill shifted from one foot to the other with impatience. When they reached the floor, he rushed out and looked around. Here there were just four apartment doors, and he found Alla’s at once. Suddenly growing shy, Bill walked to the door, and the guide followed him.
Bill mechanically uplifted his arm to knock, but the door was covered with soft leather upholstery. He saw a doorbell, and he pushed the button. It rang, and he heard a yap and other dog noises. Bill heard Alla shout at her pets. Her voice sounded closer and closer, and his heart was jumping like a frog in a hurry.
She opened the door, and Bill saw her wearing an elegant white dress. An awful suspicion flashed into his soul, as he recalled the wedding motorcade in front of the building.
«I’m late!» he thought with despair. «She’s getting married!»
«Bill!» She threw her arms up. «What a surprise! I’m going to the wedding of my friend, come with me.»
She grabbed his hand, and went in. He glanced at Alla’s small fluffy dogs jumping around them. Smiling, the guide entered holding the suitcases.
«Change your clothes fast!» The woman led Bill into her room.
«I don’t have a gift for them,» he murmured.
«I have!»
«I’m not shaven,» he mumbled, opening his suitcase. Alla skeptically touched his skin, «It’s okay, don’t worry.» Then she left, and he hastily took out his tuxedo. He felt like it was a dream, he could not believe this was going on in reality.
«I’ll drive you,» the guide told him when Bill came out, and all together they left the apartment.
* * * * *
In the car Bill and Alla sat in the back and hugged each other.
«I can’t believe you’re next to me!» they said at once and laughed.
«Did I tell you my neighbor is American?» asked Alla. «Once I saved her doggie, and we became friends. Now she’s getting married to a Russian guy.»
Wearing a very fluffy white fur coat, Alla looked like she was sitting inside a cloud. Bill could not tear his eyes from her beaming face, and feeling himself so young and full of power, he even thought, «Maybe I’m dead, and in Heaven? This is an angel beside me…»
* * * * *
The guide drove about twenty minutes, then stopped the car in front of a restaurant.
«I need to find parking,» he explained as Alla and Bill got out.
When they entered, Bill saw a long table and a lot of people in the hall.
Alla quickly made her way through the crowd, and hugged the bride, «Congratulations! Sorry we’re late, but look, it’s Bill! Do you remember, I told you about him?»
«Congratulations!» Bill went close. «Nice to meet you.»
«When did you arrive?» the bride asked as she smiled and hugged him.
«This morning,» Bill replied and surprised even himself realizing this.
«My God!» he thought. «I feel like I’ve spent a week here, but I’m not tired at all!»
«I wanna throw my bouquet,» the bride said to Alla. «I need your assistance.»
«It’s not a Russian tradition,» she explained to Bill. «I need to organize the people.»
Alla addressed the guests. She ran around and bustled, and Bill watched her with a smile. The men stepped aside. The women bunched in the middle of the hall, and the bride threw the bouquet.
Bill kept his eyes on Alla only, and when the flowers slapped his forehead, he gasped, startled and not understanding what had happened. Rebounding off his face, the bouquet landed in Alla’s hands, and everybody laughed and applauded.
«I don’t believe in superstition.» Smiling, Alla shook her head.
«I’ll make you believe,» Bill murmured quietly. «Can I have the everybody’s attention?»
Alla shouted something in Russian, and the guests became quiet, gazing at them.
Clinging to his walking stick, Bill lowered himself on one knee.
«Would you marry me?» he asked in Russian and everybody burst into an ovation. He shoved his arm into his pocket, and grew cold not finding the box with the engagement ring that he had prepared for Alla.
«I’m an idiot!» he thought with vexation. «What if I forgot it in her apartment? I look like a fool!» He checked another pocket, and sighed with relief. He took out a ring, and put it on the finger of his fiancée, and she helped him get up.
The man next to them said something in Russian. The only word Bill understood was «American’, but he saw Alla’s face blush, and he asked anxiously: «What did he say?»
«If he said something offensive,» Bill thought resolutely. «I’ll hit him, so help me God, I’ll do it!»
«He said that you Americans are going to take away all the pretty Russian women,» Alla explained with a bashful smile.
«Not all of them.» Bill laughed. «But the most beautiful for sure.» And he kissed his fiancée.
