Tatiana and Alexander: A Novel(142)

"Wait, wait, what INS man?" Vikki asked. "You don't mean the vulture, the viper, Vittorio, the marauder, Vassman?" Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

"Yes, him. He nice man."

Vikki laughed. "His own mother can't get a parking space in her son's garage. You got him to issue temporary visas? What did you have to do for him?"

"I madepirozhki for his ailing mother andblinchiki for him and told him he was making success of very difficult job."

"Did you go to bed with him?"

Tatiana sighed. "You impossible."

"Edward, have you heard what Tania is doing at Ellis?"

"Oh, I know all about it."

They were having lunch at the Ellis cafeteria, which was now full of nurses and doctors, since Ellis had become, once again, a refugee port. One of those nurses was not Brenda, who, to everybody's enormous surprise, quit in June 1945 when her husband came home from the Pacific. No one even knew that Brenda had a husband.

Vikki told Edward the Lower East Side story.

Edward nodded, looking fondly at Tatiana; in fact, looking at Tatiana in a way that made Tatiana look away and Vikki's eyes widen. "Vik," he said, "the entire Ellis Island knows about Tatiana. Why do you think they don't let her go on the refugee boats anymore? She lets in every single person on those boats. They know of her halfway across the ocean. Oh, to get into Tatiana's inspection line, to get her to touch them."

"The refugees I understand. But how does she get Vassman to issue them visas?"

"She hypnotizes him every morning. If that doesn't work, she slips something into his coffee."

"You're implying she sees him in themorning? "

"You two have to finish, all right?" said Tatiana. "You just have to stop."

Edward continued. "Just the other day, I had three women come looking for her on a Saturday afternoon. They took a ferry to Ellis to look for her."

"Much like your wife used to look for you?" Tatiana asked mildly.

"No, not quite," Edward returned. "My soon to be former wife was not coming to offer me her life services the way these people come to Ellis seeking you."

"I don't know what you talking about," Tatiana said. "They come to bring me apples."

"Apples, a shirt, four books." He smiled. "You weren't there. I told them I could give them your Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

address--"

"Edward!" The girls shouted in unison.

He laughed. "Apples delivered right to your door, no?"

"No." Tatiana said.

At the newspaper stand, the man who sold Tatiana and Vikki theTribune looked at Tatiana and said, "You're Nurse Tatiana, aren't you?"

Instantly alert, Tatiana said, "Who wants to know?"

The kiosk man smiled. "They call you the Angel of Ellis. Take the paper. Don't pay me. Take it. I have a hundred customers because of you."

As they walked away, Vikki said, "I'm beginning to understand. Oh, my God. You're not doing it for them ."

"Doing what?"

"You're doing it foryou . You said to that man,who wants to know , as if you're waiting for the person who wants to know if you're Nurse Tatiana."

"Wrong again. How can you be so wrong in one day?"

"Who are you waiting for?"

"It remains from old days," Tatiana said. "Someone looking for you, it's bad sign."

"You're full of shit. Who are you waiting for?"

"No one."

"When do you find the time? You have a child. You have two jobs. And I live with you. When do you have time to lead a secret life?"

"What secret? I do nothing. Occasionally I ask our building super if they looking for another doorman. Is that so hard?"

"I don't know. I don't ask. Why shouldyou ?"

"Because it costs me nothing," Tatiana replied. "But now Diego from Romania is gainfully employed."

"What a gas you are," said Vikki, as she opened the door, putting her arm around Tatiana. "Is this your legacy to America?"

"It is not my legacy," said Tatiana, walking inside. "It is my thanks." Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

Vikki was frequently not home in the evenings. She went out dancing, and to the pictures, she went to dinner, she met friends at bars. When she came home late at night, she often had had too much to drink and wanted to talk, and Tatiana, usually awake no matter what time Vikki came home, obliged her. One evening, though, Tatiana was already in bed sleeping. This did not deter Vikki, who threw off her dress and climbed in next to her. Vikki put her hands over her head and then sighed extravagantly.

"Yes?" said Tatiana.

"Oh, you're not asleep?"

"Not anymore."

Vikki took her hands away from her face. She looked tipsy. "Oh, Tania, Tania. I couldn't get a taxi. Walked all the way home from Astor Place in my high heels. I'm so sore."

Tatiana heard Vikki crying. Drinking at night tended to make all the Italian emotions come out in Vikki. Tatiana reached over and stroked Vikki's hair. "What's the matter, Gelsomina?"