To The End With You

C h a p t e r F o r t y - F i v e

Photo: Someone's drawing of the big pair 1914

August 1914
"And he di- dien't"
"Didn't" I corrected the wounded solider. "Didn't, ever lie again!"the solider finished with pride and excitement. "You are doing so well!"I acknowledged. Since I was too young to be a Red Cross nurse, the little pair and I were keeping the soldiers company. We would tell stories, play games, and teach them how to read. I was currently teaching this solider named Ivan how to read, he was learning very fast.

The little pair and I agreed that we would provide them with children's books at first since they are much more simple to read and as the solider progressed we would bring much more advanced books. "Alright Mr. Lebedev time to rewrap your bandages."said Tatiana. She was in her nurse uniform. It contained a green long sleeved dress with a white apron that had a large Red Cross in the center. She also had a large head piece on like what our Aunt Ella wears.

When the war started Mama opened up our palaces as hospitals where nurses could aid wounded soldiers. The big pair, Mama, Anna, and Lili all were trained as Red Cross nurses. Tatiana of course being the youngest. "Valentina Nikolaevna, your sister is truly a saint on earth, pay close attention to her! You could learn something." The old man laughed. "Oh Mr. Lebedev," Tatiana giggled at the old mans words.

I didn't take insult to the old man's comment. He was still a little drugged up on pain meds since he got three bullets wounds to the leg. Everyone knew that he got lucky. If the bullets would have gotten him in his upper body, he would have been as good as gone.

"I have a daughter like you back home in Yekaterinburg!"the old man said. "Yekaterinburg?" I repeated off guard. "Yes! A small town but very well maintained. You have heard of it?"the man asked. "Uh, yes I- I have to go use the restroom, I will be right back." I pardoned myself. I walked to the nurses kind of break room. I got a glass of water and sat down at the break table. "Hello Vanya!"Olga greeted. "Hello Olga"I muttered back. "How are the soldiers?"I asked her. "In pain but they seem to be getting better, very flirtatious too."she chuckled while washing her hands. Olga continued to speak to me but I just zoned her out. Yekaterinburg, that house is just sitting there waiting for us, a death trap. I wonder if Papa can order it to be demolished, would they have no choice but to let us leave? No that is stupid, they would find a different house to put us in.

"Vanya, are you even listening to me?" I snapped out of my daze and looked at my sister, "what?"
"You know Vanya I was saying that I had the strangest dream the other night. All I could remember was that I seemed to be at a psychiatric hospital and there was a man claiming to be my husband! It was all so strange! At the beginning of my dream there was a nurse there and she gave me a shot to calm me down. I asked for my name and she told it was Ekaterina Burgess. I explained to her that it must be a mistake and I told her about our family and when that man that claimed to be my husband came the nurse mentioned my conversation with her about our family, he told her how I had biopolar disorder and that I was delusional as well as schizophrenic, like you once were Vanya" Olga continued to go on, "It was all so odd, I kept thinking about where Tanya was and where were all of you but I can't seem to remember why we were separated in the first place! But I do remember distinctly asking 'Do you know who I am?'"

"Maybe that dream was telling you something?"I told her. "Maybe!"Olga repeated. She checked her watch and seemed to jump in surprise, "Break time for me is over! Bye Vanya!" Olga left the room in a hurry. I got up and composed myself, I had to get back to the solider. I walked back to the large room containing wounded guards laying in multiple beds in close proximity. They were only separated by swamp green curtains. I walked up to Ivan's bed to find him fast asleep. "You took too long and the old man fell asleep." Tatya said while standing next to me with her hands placed on her hips.

"Sorry Olga caught me in a conversation." I told her. "She loves to talk doesn't she?"Tatiana chuckled. "Well go make yourself useful, Miss Prophecy," Tanya ordered before walking away from me. I walked over and sat down on a chair by a window with a unoccupied bed next to it and watched the outside. I was not good at starting conversations with strangers like my younger sisters. I didn't have the charisma that Maria contained and I did not have the witty remarks of Anastasia.

"Vanya!"I heard a voice behind me. I turned around, "Mama! What are you doing here? I thought you were in surgery." My mama stood intimidatingly tall in her nurses uniform. "Why are you not helping the soldiers?"she scolded. "I am sorry Mama but I am afraid that I can not be useful in the ways you want me to be," I sighed. "What on earth are you speaking about child?"she questioned tiredly. "Mama it's scary talking to strangers! I am shy!"I cried out. Mama took pity on me. She came closer to me, petting my long chestnut hair for comfort. She had her gaze on the window, "I know what it's like my маленький цветок,, I was the same way when I was a little girl, you unfortunately get that trait from me. You would be a great addition as a nurse but you are too young. We must wait until November when you are at least 16 and then I will see what I can do." Mama interpreted.

"Thank you Mama." I was very thankful for my Mama. "Can I hug you?"I asked her. "Vanya we are in a public place, we must display an example-,"I cut my Mama off by wrapping my arms around her waist and leaned my head against her side, since she was standing and I was sitting. I closed my eyes, feeling the mother love I never had in my old life, "I love you Mama" it took mama a few seconds to swallow her unexpectedness. She put one hand on the side of my head and the other on my back, pulling me closer to her. "I love you too dearest"she whispered as we both continued to look out the window, watching the little pair converse with wounded soldiers outside in the Tsarskoye Selo gardens.