"Anna! Oh, Mamochka,” Mary sobbed. Stephan’s eyes filled
as he carefully removed his baby from Anna’s limp arms, and
placed him in Mary’s arms. Stephan gently closed Anna’s eyes
as Aunt Tetta and Uncle Archie neatened the bedclothes and
arranged Anna’s hair. Slowly, they filed out of the room, all
weeping openly. They led Mary and the baby to Mary and
Stephan’s bedroom.
Mary and Stephan were inconsolable. They felt lost, as if there
was no way they could go on without Anna. "I will be back with
the preacher as soon as I can," said Uncle Archie. "I will make
a pot of tea," said Aunt Tetta, as with round shoulders
she made her way to the kitchen.
Baby John suddenly began to wail loudly, interrupting his grief-
stricken parents. As the baby cried, Mary’s breasts began to leak
freely and Mary came back to reality. She put her baby to her
breast and he suckled hungrily. Stephan and Mary realized
that they had to go on; they needed to care for their baby. They
knew that Anna would want them to do that, to live their lives well
and happily on the farm that she wanted them to have.
Uncle Archie returned with the preacher. The family went to
Anna’s bedside and they prayed for Anna’s soul, that she live in
heaven with God in peace. Afterwards, Uncle Archie went
out to the barn and made a coffin for Anna. Stephan found
a perfect resting place for Anna on the property and dug her
grave.
They buried her within the grove of apple trees, shaded from
the hot summer sun, protected from the harsh winter winds,
the seeds of the fallen apples creating tiny saplings that sprouted
all around her each spring. Mary and Stephan would visit often
as they picked the apples and pruned the trees into prime fruit
bearing shape.
Mary made apple pies, apple cobblers, applesauce and apple cider.
Later, Stephan learned to make applejack, a potent potable. To
Stephan and Mary, the apple remained as a living reminder of
their journey for freedom, the reward of their toil and the continuity
of life, as well as their beloved Anna, who lived in their hearts forever.
The Voloshins went on to have ten children and dozens of
grandchildren. Their second-born child was a girl. Mary and
Stephan named her Anna Kessler Voloshin.
The End
