Fort Morgan (39 page)

“
Hey!” Mike’s voice came.
The SUV rocked with what sounded like the spray from a garden hose.
“Get away from there!”

“
You heard him!” Honey’s
voice came from the other side of the SUV.

Jill opened her eyes to see a stream of
water cover the SUV. Katy moved in her arms, but Jill held on
fast.

“
You are loved,
Katy-baby,” Jill said. “I love you. Daddy loves you. Paddie loves
you. The boys love you, as does everyone who knows you. You are so
loved.”

“
Mommy?” Katy
whispered.

“
Yes, Katy-baby,” Jill
said.

“
I don’t feel so good,”
Katy said.

She threw up all over Jill, but Jill didn’t
let go. Outside the SUV, she heard what sounded like Mike chasing
someone or something off. Through the window, she saw Honey trying
to open the door of the SUV. Jill rolled down the window a tiny
bit.

“
How did you get use of
your hands?” Jill asked through the crack.

“
Fairies after the twins
were born,” Honey said. “I have a daughter named Maggie, and my
mother, Tiffanie, is ridiculous.”

Jill opened the door. Jill gave Katy’s limp
body to Honey and climbed out of the SUV.

“
What was it?” Jill
asked.

“
Crows,” Honey said. “They
were trying to get into the SUV. You didn’t see them?”

“
I saw my father, Perses,”
Jill said.

“
What does that mean?”
Honey asked.

“
Nothing good,” Mike said
as he walked toward them from the back of the garden. “We need to
talk to Delphie.”

“
She’s in New York with
Sissy,” Jill said.

Mike nodded. Without
saying another word, he stalked back
to
his studio in the garage. Jill
raised an eyebrow to him and turned to Honey.

“
Let’s get her inside
before something. . .” Jill nodded.

Honey took off wheeling. Clutching Katy to
her, Jill jogged toward the Castle. Honey opened the door, and they
got inside. Jill carried Katy upstairs and settled her into her
bed. Rather than leave her alone, Jill lay down in bed with Katy.
An hour or so later, Katy shifted in bed.

“
Katy?” Jill
asked.

“
Mommy?” Katy
asked.

Jill put her hands on either side of Katy’s
head. The darkness was gone. She clutched Katy to her and wept.

~~~~~~~~

Tuesday evening — 7:05 p.m.

New York City, New York

“
Will you share the rest?”
Sandy asked.

Sissy’s eyes pleaded with Delphie. They were
sitting next to Sissy’s hospital bed.

“
We heard from Ivan the
bare minimum of what happened at the gulag,” Sandy said. “I’d love
to know how you put the whole thing together.”

“
There isn’t any more to
tell,” Delphie said. “I found Ivan, and Seth arranged for his
retrieval. He had surgery and came to Denver.”

Delphie shrugged.

“
It feels
so. . .” Sandy said.

“
Cold,” Sissy
said
in a croak.
Sandy went to her bedside and gave her a few ice chips.

“
We want romance,
Delphie!” Abi said with a grin.

Sandy nodded.

“
It is kind of cold,”
Delphie said with a nod. “Give me a minute. Let’s see if I can find
something that will pull it all together.”

No one dared to say a word while Delphie
stared off into space. Finally, Delphie gave a nod.

“
Let’s try this,” Delphie
said.

~~~~~~~~

The bright Colorado sun
shone through the window in a small kitchen. The marble floor,
expensive cabinets, and granite counters indicated the kitchen was
in
a beautiful
apartment or possibly a condo. A thin woman, wearing only a
skimpy lace thong, moved into the kitchen. She leaned against the
counter and took a drag on her cigarette. The sunlight and smoke
created ribbons of white in the kitchen. An exaggerated cough came
from somewhere in the kitchen. The women went to a small table and
leaned over. She kissed someone whom the light and smoke had made
invisible.

“
I wish you wouldn’t
smoke,” Ivan’s voice said.

“
I know you do,” she said.
She gave him a sarcastic smile. “I wish you would stop teaching
that child, but do you?”

Trailing the cigarette, she turned away from
him. She leaned against the wall near the entrance to the
kitchen.

“
Katia,” Ivan
said.

“
Kate,” the woman said
between her teeth. “My name is Kate.”

“
Your name is Katia,” Ivan
said. While he remained at the dark table, they heard the amusement
in his voice.

“
I’m named after my stupid
Russian grandmother,” Kate said. “She was Katia. I am
Kate.”

“
You
are
in a mood today,” Ivan
said.

They heard the sound of
folding a newspaper, and he got up from the table. He walked
through the stream of sunlight and smoke to put his arms
around
her
shoulders. He wore a dark T-shirt and his briefs. His bare tights
were thick with muscles marred only by a pattern of grey
scars.

“
Are you nervous about
your exam today?” Ivan asked.

“
Where were you last
night?” Kate asked.

“
I was at the hospital
last night,” Ivan said. “You know that. I woke you when I
returned.”

“
That’s right, you were at
the hospital visiting that
child
,” Kate said. “The
child
you are obsessed
with.”

“
Kate,” Ivan said in even
tones. “Sissy is very ill.”

“
Oh
whaa
,” Kate said. “The
little ballerina has an eating disorder. Big deal. Welcome to the
club.”

Ivan deftly plucked the
cigarette from Kate’s mouth. He went to the sink and put out the
cigarette under a stream from the faucet. On his way back, he
opened the window. The ribbons of smoke dispersed into a unified
fog. When he neared her, she jumped on him. She wrapped her legs
around him and he caught her. They
kissed
for a few minutes before he
pulled back from her. He smiled, stroked her hair, and set her
down. He poured himself a cup of coffee from a percolator and sat
down in the dark corner. There was a sound of rustling newspaper.
Kate stared in his direction

“
Be obsessed with me,”
Kate said in a low tone.

“
What makes you think I am
not?” Ivan asked.

“
I know it,” Kate touched
her heart. “You and
the
child
. . . You don’t even notice
it. But you light up every time she is around.”

They could almost hear Ivan scowl.

“
She enters the room, and
you. . .” Kate said. “You’re a different person. A happy
person. A brighter, more beautiful person. You love
her.”

“
She is my student,” Ivan
said in the same even tones. “I love my students.”

“
But you don’t love me,”
Kate said. “Is it because I am not your student?”

“
Katia,” Ivan
said.

“
Kate!”

“
What is this about?” Ivan
asked. He got up from the table and walked to her. “We have
a nice
life. We
live in this beautiful place. You go to school, and I work at the
ballet. Someday, you will finish school, and I will still
work
at
the
ballet
.”

Ivan grinned.

“
Is there something
missing in our life?” Ivan asked.

“
No,
but. . .”

“
Are you not loved
enough?” Ivan asked.

“
No,
but. . .”

“
Is there something you
want that you do not have?” Ivan asked.

“
No,
but. . .”

“
What is this problem?”
Ivan asked.

“
I’ll finish school next
term,” Kate said. She straightened her shoulders and stuck out her
chin defiantly. “I want to get married, have
children. . .”

“
While you are in law
school?” Ivan asked.

“
No,
but. . .”

“
But what?” Ivan’s voice
rose with frustration.

“
Why do you love that
child?” Kate asked.

“
What?” Ivan
asked.

“
Why won’t you marry me?”
Kate asked.

“
Marry. . .”
Ivan groaned. “Is that what this is about? Marriage?”

“
You don’t love me,” Kate
said.

“
Kate. . .”

“
You don’t,” Kate said.
“Just say it.”

“
I love our life,” Ivan
said. “I love being with you. I love the way you laugh, and I love
your
wide-eyed
innocence. I love this life with you.”

“
But you do not love me,”
Kate said.

“
I. . .” Ivan
sighed. “Since gulag, I feel nothing. . .
for. . .”

“
The
gulag
,” Kate sneered. “It’s
like your mistress.”

Ivan raised his eyebrows in agreement.

“
The problem
is. . .” Kate said. Her voice became very sad. “You love
the girl. You don’t even know it. The only person you love
completely is ten years old.”

“
I am no pervert,” Ivan
said.

“
This is what you have me
for,” Kate said. “I’m the substitute until she is old enough for
you to be with.”

“
That’s
not. . .” Ivan said.

“
It is true,” Kate said.
“I’ve known it for a long time. And trust me, I’ve enjoyed being
the substitute.”

Kate raised an eyebrow. She looked him up
and down.

“
There’s a lot to enjoy,”
Kate said.

“
But?” Ivan said
with
a
sigh.

“
But I’m applying to law
schools,” Kate said. “I don’t expect to stay in Denver.”

“
I see,” Ivan
said.

“
You could come with me,”
Kate said.

“
I have the ballet,” Ivan
said.

“
Yes, your other
mistress,” Kate said. She gave a little shrug. “It’s okay, really.
You’ve paid for school and all of this. You’re incredible in the
sack. I’ll keep my clothes?”

“
Of course,” Ivan said.
“Whatever you’d like.”

“
And law school?” Kate
asked.

“
You might need to find
another,” Ivan said.

“
Easy enough,” Kate
smiled.

She turned in place and left the kitchen.
Ivan watched her go. When she was gone, he gave a slow, sad shake
of his head. He rubbed his eyes and went to sit down again.

~~~~~~~~

“
That was Kate,” Sissy
said. “They lived together for a while. She always smelled like
cigarettes and perfume. I thought she tried too hard and thought
too little.”

“
There’s more,” Delphie
said. “Can we. . .?”

“
Sure,” Abi
said.

Family care

Ivan was standing in costume and full
makeup. His face was covered in a light sheen of moisture, and
there were wet spots on his costume. He was slightly older than he
had been in the last memory. He was turned away looking for
someone.

“
Sorry,” a woman dressed
in matching costume and makeup. “I had to pee.”

Ivan nodded. He held out his arm, and she
laid her forearm across the top of his. They went to stand at the
edge of the stage, next to heavy curtains.

“
I hate these things,” the
woman said.

“
Yes,” Ivan
said.

“
You won’t leave without
me, will you?” the woman asked.

“
It’s likely that you will
leave without me,” Ivan smiled. “I love them so much.”

She looked up at him and saw her own
reflection in his clear eye protection. Her eyes scanned his face.
He winked, and she smiled.

“
It was a real pleasure to
dance with you tonight,” she said. “I’d heard of you,
but. . .”

“
I’m sorry your partner
fell ill,” Ivan said.

“
I’m not,” she said with a
saucy smile.

“
And now. . .” A
booming voice came from the stage. Ivan nodded to the woman and
they stepped onto the stage. “Please welcome the stars of our
performance.”

The stage had been transformed into a dining
area with round tables, white table cloths, and wealthy
patrons.

“
May I?” the ballet
director asked.

Ivan smiled, and the ballet director steered
his prima ballerina toward the wealthier patrons. Ivan stood in
place for a moment.

“
Ivan?”

He turned in the direction of a woman’s
voice to see his ex-girlfriend, Katia. She was wearing a
floor-length gown, with diamonds in her ears, around her right
wrist, and her left ring finger. He held out his hands, and she
took them. She leaned forward and, in the way he’d taught her, let
him kiss her cheeks. Feeling movement, he looked up to see a young
man standing behind her. The young man looked almost too
comfortable in his tux; he gave Ivan a cocky grin.