Black Equation - The Gifted Ones

Epilogue

Song Choice: Life is a Beautiful Thing (attached Youtube video on the side)

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." – Dr. Seuss

 

 

Epilogue

Katerina Ilyinsky loved the sun. It was warm against her cheeks. She loved the clouds and the blue, blue sky as well. She liked it here better. At home, it was always cold and she was forced to wear that awful red sarafan together with an equally awful kokoshnik. They're both itchy and ugly and heavy and she hated them fiercely. Also, the sky was a constant gray, and Katerina found it to be a sad color. She didn't want to be sad. No one deserved to be sad.

Her Da said that they will stay here for two weeks. She was happy to be here. No school. No boring piano lessons. No noisy cat with the ugly eye.

A vacation, he said. She loved vacations! If she asked her Da, maybe he would let her stay here for good. Maybe her Ma won't mind. She bet they would love it here too.

"Ma, ma!"

"Yes, darling?"

"Ma!" she frowned. "I'm your princess, remember?"

Her Ma rolled her eyes. "Okay. Let me repeat . . . what do you need, princess?"

Katerina grinned. "Can I play?"

Her Ma looked around the pretty garden, and with a smile, she leaned close to little Katerina.

"As long as you're careful."

She giggled as she held out her palms and squished her Ma's face.

"Boo!"

Her Ma laughed before giving her a wet kiss on the cheek. Katerina beamed at her Ma and ran off.

Colorful flowers!  She clapped her hands together in glee after she touched the reds and yellows and blues and greens. She turned around as she felt that one of her Da's friends, the pretty lady with a pretty hair, was watching her with sad eyes.

Why was she sad? she wondered. Maybe she's hungry? Maybe she too wants to play?

Behind Da's pretty friend were two boys, the eldest only one finger taller than her. The taller one had dark brown hair like the pretty lady, while the other had sparkly gold hair like the man holding the pretty lady's hand. They were both hiding shyly behind their mama. Maybe they wouldn't be shy if Katerina asked them to be her friends.

"Wanna play?" she asked as she hopped her way to them. Her Da then picked her up and put her on his broad, broad shoulders.

"Da!"

"Yes, princess?" She loved her Da more, because he never forgot to call her princess, unlike her Ma. But today, that love wasn't enough to keep her playing with him.

"Put me down!" she squealed in laughter. "I wanna play with them!"

"With who?"

"Them!" she pointed imperiously at the two startled boys.

"Oh . . . them. Go ahead sweetie," her Da smiled before gently putting her down. "Can I ask who they are?"

She frowned. "I haven't asked their names yet!"

All of his friends laughed at her Da as his face turned funny and weird. Katerina ignored her Da and his boring adult friends. She smiled at the brown-haired boy. "Hello. Why are you hiding?"

Without waiting for them to speak, she grabbed their hands and pulled them to the nice spot near the reds and yellows and blues and greens. "Let's make flower rings!"