Tatiana and Alexander: A Novel(48)

Edward caught up with her and asked if he could carry Anthony for a bit. Tatiana nodded. She bent her head low so she wouldn't see Edward carrying Alexander's boy, so the ancient ruins would stay in Rome where they belonged, far away from an afternoon in Sheep Meadow with Vikki and Edward.

He bought the Cokes, water and some strawberries, and the three of them slowly walked back to her blanket on the grass. Tatiana didn't speak.

"Tania," said Edward. "Look at how he's smiling." He laughed. "The infant smile, nothing quite like it, is there?"

"Hmm," said Tatiana, not looking. She knew Anthony's toothless ear-to-ear smile. She'd seen it in action in the infirmary at Ellis. The German and Italian soldiers worshipped Anthony.

"I bought something nice for you and him. You think it's too early for him to eat strawberries?"

"I do, yes."

"But look--aren't they nice? I bought too many. Have some. Maybe you can cook them up or something."

"I can," Tatiana said quietly, taking a long drink of water. "I can make jam, I can make jelly, I can preserve them whole in sugar, I can make pie out of them, and crumble, I can cook them and freeze them for winter. I am queen of preserving fruit."

"Tania--how many ways are there of cooking blueberries?"

"You'd be surprised."

"I'm already surprised. What are you making me now?"

"Blueberry jam."

"I like the skim off them."

"Come here and have some."

She brings the spoon to his mouth and lets him taste. He licks his lips. "I love that."

"Hmm." She sees the look in his eyes. "Shura, no. I have to finish this. It needs to be stirred constantly. This is for the old women for the winter." Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

"Tania..."

"Shura..."

His arms go around her. "Did I mention that I'm sick to death of blueberries?"

"You're impossible."

CHAPTER TWELVE

Conversations with Slonko, 1943

"MAJOR!"

Instantly, Alexander opened his eyes. He was still in the interrogation classroom, still in the wooden chair, still guarded by Ivanov. In walked Slonko with grim strides.

"Well, Major, it looks like you're going to have to stop playing games."

"That'll be fine," said Alexander. "I'm not in a playing mood."

"Major!"

"Why is everyone shouting?" Alexander rubbed his head. His skull was cracking.

"Major, do you know a woman by the name of Tatiana Metanova?"

It was harder for Alexander to stay composed. He kept still through willpower. If I can live through this, he thought, I can live through anything. If I can live through this, Iwill live through anything. He wasn't sure whether to lie, whether to tell the truth. Slonko was obviously planning something.

"Yes," said Alexander.

"And who would she be?"

"She was one of the nurses at Morozovo hospital."

"Was?"

"Well, I'm not there anymore, am I?" Alexander said mildly.

"Turns out she is not there either."

That was not a question. Alexander said nothing.

"She is more than just a nurse, though, isn't she, Major?" said Slonko, producing Alexander's domestic passport out of his pocket. "Why, right in here, it says that she is your wife." Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

"Yes," Alexander said. His whole life in one line. He steadied himself. He knew Slonko was not done by a long shot. He needed to be ready.

"Ah. And where is she at the moment?"

"I would have to be omniscient to know that," Alexander said.

"She is with us," said Slonko, bending forward. "We have her in our custody." He laughed with satisfaction. "What do you think of that, Major?"

"What do I think of that?" said Alexander, not taking his gaze away from Slonko. He folded his arms around his chest and waited. "Could I have a smoke?" he asked, and was brought one. He lit it with steady hands. Before anyone spoke again, Alexander decided Slonko was bluffing. He decided tobelieve Slonko was bluffing. Just yesterday, was it, Stepanov had told Alexander that Tatiana was missing and no one could find her. Stepanov said Mekhlis's men were all in a panic. Yet there was nothing about that from Slonko in their previous two conversations. Nothing at all, as if the matter were unknown to him. Suddenly now, he had pulled Tatiana out of his hat with the proud air of a peacock. He was bluffing. Had they caught her, Alexander would have been asked about her sooner. Slonko would have certainly brought up that they were looking for her and could not find her. But there had been not a word from him about Dimitri, not a word about Sayers, and not a word about Tatiana.

Still, he was alone, and Slonko was with three guards. There was bright light shining directly into Alexander's face, there was the feeling of weakness all over his body, of no sleep, of mental exhaustion, of an aching wound in his back, and there was his weighted-down heart. He said nothing, but the effort cost him considerable resources. How many resources did he have left? In 1936 when he was arrested he had all his resources and he had not been wounded. Why couldn't he have met Slonko then? Alexander grit his teeth and waited for the rest.