The Lives Of The Romanovs

A Day At The Zoo (Season 5 Premiere)

Olga
May 1926

It was getting hotter and hotter outside. This May was particularly warm compared to the past years. Igor and I had started a garden in our flowerbeds in the courtyard and the backyard. Maria had always told how much she loved it, and I wanted to follow in her footsteps. It turned out, she was right. I was growing roses, lilacs, and sunflowers.

Poor Vladimir had no choice but to move back to Russia. He would have had no help in France and wanted Paul to be close to his grandparents and other relatives. Paul was growing into a very handsome child and still looked exactly like Maria, but male. Vladimir doted on his son at all times and wanted to form a strong bond with him at a young age. Vladimir seemed to be getting a little better...but he was still depressed. Papa and Mama told me that he still cries over Maria and longs for "his Lilas".

Dmitri and Tatiana had a third child. They named their new daughter: Princess Elisabeth Dmitrievna Romanova. She was born in the early morning on November 2, 1925. They agreed that their youngest had a very English look to her, so they wanted to give her an English nickname. So, my niece's nickname was Beth. And finally, this child looked exactly like Tatiana. Tatiana was happy to have a child who looked like her and not like Dmitri.

Little Dmitri was going to turn three-years-old in two-months. Apparently, Tatiana's doctor friend found a teacher for Little Dmitri to start learning to lip read and speak. And so far, it had been very successful. He still could not speak in full sentences very well. But he knew his animals and family members. Which according to his teacher, he was moving along just for a deaf child. And learning Russian Sign Language was easy for Little Dmitri too.

As for me, I was doing better. On January 5, 1926–I gave birth to my fourth son. His name was Prince Ivan Igorovich Romanov. But my youngest was a very frail boy. Ivan carried the bleeding disorder more severely in comparison to Lyokha and Kostya. Ivan's condition was very much like his Uncle Alexei's. I made sure Stephanie was watching Ivan's every little move. And I will admit, I was more attentive toward my youngest than the older three.

And Anastasia...I did not really know. She has probably only written five times in the last year and- a-half that she has been gone. From what I know, she somehow landed the lead in a movie called "Torrent" and the movie was released earlier this year. And from what I have heard, the movie was a success. Now, Anastasia was working on another movie called "The Night We Saw Each Other". The film was about a Prince who falls in love with a young peasant woman, but it's a forbidden romance. Anastasia has earned herself the leading role. But that's only according to the magazines.

Last month, the zoo had been reopened to the public. Igor and I have been making some speeches there and meeting Russian peasants and Igor's employees. They loved seeing us and their seeing Tsarevich Oleg and Princes Alexei, Konstantine, and Ivan. To me, they were: Oleg, Lyokha, Kostya, Ivan. Also in our home, the time for a governess had come. She was a strict woman in her early thirties named Cassandra. She was not willing to put up with any shenanigans from Oleg. Though, it was not common for a governess to stay with a young boy for very long. Once Oleg was a bit older, we would get him and all of the boys a tutor.

"Olga Nikolaevna, may I take the boys to go see the elephants?" Stephanie asked. I was in the midst of feeding a giraffe a fish. I looked over and sighed.

"Yes, go ahead. But keep Ivan in the stroller the whole time. We cannot risk him being accidentally dropped or something along those lines on day like this. It's too beautiful outside!" I exclaimed.

Oleg came up to me and hugged me. "I love you, Mama. I will look after the little ones. Do not worry."

I giggled. "I know you will, my little Tsarevich. Go on. Go to Nanny Stephanie and your brothers."

"Bye Mama." Lyokha waved at me. I watched them go away from me. It was still insane how fast time was moving. I could swear that Oleg was just a newborn baby, but he's not. My eldest is five-years-old. My second is four and my third is two. I felt myself becoming old though. I was almost thirty-one. I looked much older than I did at twenty-three.

"Olga!" Someone shouted my name. I turned my head to see who said it. Dmitri and Tatiana were here with Baby Irina, Little Dmitri, and Beth. Beth was being pushed in the stroller by Dasha while Dmitri was pushing the other stroller with Little Dmitri in it. Tatiana was holding Baby Irina's hand. Baby Irina was becoming a true beautiful with wavy brown-hair and large-brown eyes. I adored my niece truly.

"Tatya!" I smiled and walked over to her. Tatiana and I embraced in a tight hug. Dmitri and I hugged as well next. I looked at my little nephew and bent down to look at him.

"Little Dmitri." I smiled. I was working on learning to sign to him and what he was saying. But he did one hand motion, and I could not figure out what it was. "Tatiana, what does that mean?"

"He said 'aunt' in Russian Sign Language. You are going to respond by taking your palms, making them face you, and kind of make two circles. But the first one should be lower and the second a little higher."

"Like this?" I tried it. Little Dmitri leaned up and took my wrists. He corrected how I waved my hands. I couldn't help but giggle. "He is a true genius."

Dmitri scoffed. "This is pure rubbish. Come on Baby Irina, I shall take you to see the monkeys."

"Daddy, could we go see the tiger instead? I want to try and paint it at home later!" Baby Irina exclaimed and took Dmitri's hand.

"Sure, darling. We can see anything you'd like. Come along Dasha. Let's give my wife and Olga Nikolaevna some time to themselves. They'd like to gossip without us." Dmitri and everyone else walked off. Tatiana watched him walk away and gave a deep exhale. Her and I started walking in the other direction.

"I can assume he has chosen to not learn Russian Sign Language then?" I asked. Tatiana shook her head.

"No matter how much I push for him to. He just will not. Dmitri thinks it is ridiculous."

"But Little Dmitri is learning so quickly. His signing is beautiful and he is grasping new words. Last time I came to visit at your palace, my nephew was showing me how to write his name!"

"Yes, but he is having the most trouble speaking. He only knows how to pronounce 'Mama' and 'Papa' well. Every other word sounds like gibberish."

"Tatiana, he is not even three-years-old yet. You cannot expect him to be fluent so quickly. Little Dmitri is smart. He is just going to take some time learning, that's all."

Tatiana shrugged. "I hope so. But he's a clever boy. I think he shall get it soon. Moving on...have you heard from Anastasia?"

I scoffed. "Have I heard from Anastasia? Do not be ridiculous. In the last one-year and a half, she has probably written about five times."

"I know...it is just such a shame. After the death of Maria, this family has never been the same. I have never seen Mama so sad."

"And Papa. Two of their children have died and one child ran away from home. You and I are all they have left."

"Do not say it like that, Olenka. You will make me cry, and I do not feel like crying today. I have too much on my plate."

I chuckled. "Spending your money on that hospital? I heard your hospital is expanding."

"Yes, we are trying to make more rooms. There will also be an ambulance. New medicines and surgeries will also be taught to the current doctors at the hospital."

"And how does Doctor Ivanov feel about this? Never mind, I am sure he is fine with it as long as you are there." I said in a flirtatious tone with a smirk.

"Olga! That is inappropriate!" Tatiana shrieked. "I know you all like to joke about Anton and I. Even my husband does. However, I do not appreciate it."

"Ah, you are turning twenty-nine this year. It is time to learn how to joke." I linked arms with her.

"I know how to joke. I just do not appreciate crude humor. It is rude and uncouth."

I giggled. "I love you, Tatya. I am so happy you are here, right now."

"I love you too, Olenka. Maybe 1926 will be different. All we need is hope, right?"

"I think so. And if 1926 stays the same, there's always next year."