I was shocked how long the walk was so far and we still had longer to go. Alisa walked along with no problem though. She was chattering on about how her mama makes the best cookies in all of Russia. Andrey was silent for the whole walk. I knew he didn't like when people died and now this little girl might be homeless because her father died. Andrey's father was asking the girl questions about her mother's illness when she stopped at a battered old house.
"This is it." She said rather quietly. I couldn't belive my eyes. The house was so small and it looked barely suitable for a mouse to live in let alone a family.
She opened the door for us and showed us in. I knew at once her mother wasn't alive. The house was cold and it had this feel about it....it felt abandoned.
"Where is your mother?" Dr. Antonov asked her.
"Oh over here in the bedroom." She said taking his hand and leading him there.
"What if her mother isn't alive? We can't just leave her here." Andrey whispered quietly. He was right we couldn't leave her here but I had a plan worked out already.
"She will come to the ballet with me." I knew Madame Markova wouldn't mind one more student and the child did have the perfect body and strength for a dancer.
Just then a sad looking doctor and a solem looking child came into the sitting room.
"She was dead before we got here." The doctor said sadly.
The child said nothing. Just stood there staring at the door. No tears or protests to her mother's death. She was completely silent.
I just bent down and hugged her gently and she started crying.
"Hush hush now. Everything will be alright. You will be taken care of. I promise." I gently smoothed down her hair all the while trying to sooth her. I knew it would be a while. I remembered the pain I felt when I had lost my mother. Here this child had lost both parent's. She would need time to heal.
I picked her up and nodded to Andrey and his father it was time to go.
Andrey walked next to me the entire time. Less half way through the walk Alisa was sleeping in my arms.
"Do you want me to carry her for a while?" Andrey offered. I had to admit my arms were stiff.
"Sure if you can." He gently took her from my arms without even waking her up. His father just turned and smiled at us and kept walking. By the time we got to the ballet our feet were killing us and the sun was almost down.
"I can take her now." I said turning to Andrey.
"No it's alright."
"Annika! Andrey! Oh we were so worried about you!!" Katya said flying toward us Igorek behind her.
"We are alright Katya we just in countered a......." I couldn't finish. I was going to cry myself.
"A tragedy." Andrey finished touching my shoulder.
"Oh...." Katya noticed the sleeping child and motioned to Igorek. He gently took Alisa from Andrey and started walking toward our room.
"Why don't you two sit down and tell me what happened." Katya gestured to the seats beside her.
We told her everything. When I couldn't go on Andrey did. Replaying it was tragic itself. I just kept seeing the mans face right before he died then Alisa's hurt one when he did.
"Oh my! The poor little thing! So young." Katya said shaking her head.
"That's why we need to keep her here." I said hoping Katya would agree.
