Love in E Flat (15 page)

Mrs. Penkov smiled. “It was my pleasure. It will all work out now, I believe. It’s been too long for these little ones.” She looked down at Ana. “Now you two behave. And have fun. We’ll see you on Monday.”

Ana grinned, looking very excited as she held on to Agata’s hand. Lou noticed Dmitry glance at John before he frowned and merely nodded as he stood close to Agata. Mrs. Penkov said something softly in Russian and kissed each child. She regarded Lou and laughed quietly. “I’m not sure if you planned on this, but I think your being here might have saved an international incident.” She shook Lou’s hand, then Edie’s and John’s.

After saying goodbye again, she walked into her office and quietly shut the door. Tom Farnsworth seemed to visibly wither with fatigue.

“I could use a drink.” He laughed and rubbed his temples.

Agata laughed along, then hugged him. From his shocked reaction, Lou figured Agata Karetnikov was not an emotional woman. However, he smiled and hugged her in return. “It will work out, Agata,” he whispered.

Agata pulled back. “
Da
. I hope so. Now let us go back to my hotel, and I will tell you everything.”

Lou had promised Agata from here on out, everything would be off the record, but damn, what a good story: Just what was a famous Russian cellist doing with two orphaned refugees?

Chapter 11

Ana and Dmitry looked in awe around the plush hotel suite. So did Lou. She walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window, which had a magnificent view of the Christmas decorations that lined the busy Chicago avenues.

“This is something,” she said, turning back to the room.

Agata had taken the children’s coats. “It is. Please make yourselves comfortable.” She disappeared to the bedroom.

Lou noticed how awkward Agata seemed and wondered how much tension and sadness the children had to deal with. It wasn’t that Agata looked out of her element with the children, just hesitant. Lou shook her head. Who could blame any of them feeling hesitant and awkward. Both parents gone, alone at the center in Chicago while Agata tried to settle the legalities. It was enough to put anyone on pins and needles. She had to smile, though, when Ana sat next to Edie on the couch; Brown Bear was getting a workout.

Dmitry stood in stoic silence by the window, watching them.

John sat in the deep cushioned couch, as well. “I could get used to this,” he said, settling back.

“Learn to play the cello, honey,” Edie said, still playing with Ana.

From the window, Lou heard the amused laugh. John playfully glared at Dmitry. “Don’t laugh. I could learn to play the cello.”

Lou laughed outright now. “Oh, John. I don’t think so.”

“Don’t listen to them, Dmitry. Don’t you think I could?”

Dmitry tried not to grin. “Maybe the tuba,” he said in a low voice.

“Who is playing the tuba?” Agata asked as she rejoined them. “It must be John or Lou. John is big enough, but one needs a good deal of hot air to blow that thing.” She looked at Lou and smiled happily.

“Very funny,” Lou said.

This time, the rest of them laughed as John feigned indignation. “Hmm. And we were close to becoming friends, Dmitry. I guess I’ll have to ask Ana if she wants to go to the football game with me on Sunday.”

Ana regarded John seriously. “I do not like football.” She thrust Brown Bear at him. “But you can take Brown Bear. He likes football.” She immediately shot Dmitry a challenging glare.

“Oh.” John looked at Dmitry, who now had made his way from the window to the couch. He still kept a guarded distance, however. “What do you say, Dmitry? If it’s okay with Agata?”

Dmitry shrugged and looked at the floor before glancing at Agata.

Again, Agata looked hesitant, unsure. Lou thought perhaps it was too much happening at once for her. And suddenly, Lou’s heart ached for Agata, who looked as though she were conjuring up a million scenarios. Then Agata smiled. Lou was helpless to do anything but smile, as well, because Agata’s smile was one of pure affection.

“
Da
. Of course you may go if you like, Dmitry. Do you like football?” Agata asked. “I went to a game with Lou. It’s not soccer like they play in Europe, is it?”

“Oh, no, Agata,” Dmitry said quickly, his voice filled with contained excitement. “It is much better. They wear helmets and pads and can use their hands…”

“And other body parts,” John added.

“Coming from a voice of experience,” Lou said.

Dmitry’s eyes lit up. He took a step toward John. “You…” He swallowed. “You know how to play football?”

“No,” Lou said, earning a glare from Edie.

“I played a game or two,” John said to Dmitry.

“He played in high school and college,” Edie added proudly, “middle linebacker.”

Agata gave Lou a confused look. “It’s a position. A…” Lou stopped. “Never mind.” Agata shrugged.

“But you did not play professional?” Dmitry now stood at the end of the couch by John, who looked up at him.

“Nope. Didn’t get a chance. I had an injury.”

Dmitry looked at the arm of the couch, gently running his fingers back and forth on the fabric. “I am sorry.”
 

The look on John’s face broke Lou’s heart. “Thank you.” He leaned closer and whispered, “But I did get the girl.” He winked and motioned to Edie.

Dmitry once again hid his grin. “So whattaya say?” John prodded.

“I would not mind going.” Dmitry shrugged.

John grinned. “Well, we’ll be watching the Bears. You may change your mind.”

“Bears?” Ana said. “Then you have to take Brown Bear.”

Dmitry frowned. “Ana, I cannot take a stupid bear to a football game.”

“Why not? He may have a brother playing,” Edie said.

Ana’s eyes grew wide as she looked at the stuffed animal, then to Edie. “He could?”

“Sure she, er, he could. Right, honey?” Edie gave John a stern look.

John and Dmitry looked from Edie to Ana’s hopeful gaze. John turned back at Dmitry. “We’re outnumbered,” he said. Dmitry nodded sadly in agreement.
 

“Sure, Ana,” Dmitry said. “Is possible.”

“Well, what will us girls do on Sunday then?” Edie asked.

Lou frowned. “This girl wanted to go to the game.” She saw the stern look from Edie and Agata. “No. Shopping?”

“Can we go to the stores by the water?” Ana asked through a wide yawn. “Mrs. Penkov took all of us one day.”

“By the water?” Lou asked, then realized. “Ah. The shops on Navy Pier.”

Ana nodded and pulled her stuffed animal close to her and closed her eyes. Agata smiled and gently picked her up in her arms. “Too much for one day. Time to rest before dinner.” She kissed Ana’s curly head. “Dmitry…?” Agata turned to Dmitry.

Lou nearly laughed at the mortified look on Dmitry’s face as he glanced at John. However, Ana lifted her head and meekly called out for her brother to join her. Dmitry grimaced and obediently followed Agata to the bedroom.

“They’re adorable,” Edie said with a sigh as she sat back.

“Cute kids,” Lou agreed, sitting in the overstuffed chair next to the couch. “I can’t wait to hear what’s going on.”

There was a knock at the door and all three froze. “Should I get it?” Lou whispered.

“Lou? Would you mind?” Agata voice called out from the bedroom.

“I say yes,” John said with a grin.

It was Tom Farnsworth, and behind him, a waiter pushed a tray that carried a plate covered by a silver dome, a bottle of champagne, several glasses, and two bottles of Coke.

Tom lifted the silver warmer off the plate and snagged a french fry. “I took the liberty. It’s on the city of Chicago.” Tom signed the check for the waiter and looked around the suite. “Where’s Agata?”

“The kids were pooped,” Lou said.

“Oh. Well, they can have the Cokes later.”

“So may I call you Tom?”

“Certainly. And I’m sure you want to know what’s going on. But first, my question…What do you three have to do with this? I have to tell you I was shocked to see Agata had company.”

“We’re covering Aggie’s visit to Chicago, doing an interview that will be in our Christmas edition.”

“Christmas edition?” Edie asked.

“I just thought of it,” Lou said with a grin. “Good idea, I think.”

Tom ate the french fry, then started to open the bottle of champagne. “And what will you write about?”

“Don’t worry. We’re only writing about her music and basics of her life. We already promised not to include today’s adventure. Whatever it is,” Lou said.

Tom seemed very relieved as he popped the cork on the bottle of champagne.

“Celebrating too soon, Tom?” Agata stood behind the couch. She smiled, but to Lou, she looked so tired.

“I don’t think so,” he said with a confident air while pouring the champagne. “The documents are on their way to the lawyers. I took the liberty and ordered from room service. Some snacks and some Cokes for the kids. And…” He held up the bottle. “For the grownups.”

Agata raised an eyebrow; Tom held up his hand. “Not too much, just a glass to celebrate.”

“The children need to be alone for a little while. They are exhausted. This may be too much for them.” Agata looked back at the closed door. “I hope I did the right thing.”

“You absolutely did.” Tom handed each a glass of champagne.

Lou was still in the dark, and by the looks on Edie and John, they felt the same. However, they took the glass of champagne as Tom proposed the toast.

“To not letting them win,” Tom said to Agata.

“To doing the right thing,” Agata said softly.

“To not knowing what the hell is going on,” Lou chimed in, touching everyone’s glass.

“Hear, hear,” John and Edie said, laughing along.

They took the obligatory sip, then Lou offered the chair to Agata. “Sit down, Aggie, please. You look exhausted.”

“Thank you,” she said with a smile, letting out a sigh of relief as she sat in the deep cushion. She ran her fingers through her hair and took another sip from the glass, then set it on the end table. “So let me tell you what has happened.”

Lou sat on the couch next to John and Edie. Tom loosened his tie and poured another glass of champagne; poor guy, Lou thought he looked like he’d been through the wringer, as her grandmother used to say.

“Inga and Dmitry Maslov were friends of mine. They were not musicians. My parents knew Inga’s parents long ago,” Agata said, looking at Lou.

“Political friends?” Lou asked softly.

Agata nodded. “Where I took after my parents with music, Inga took after her parents with politics. Inga was outspoken, full of life, and full of rebellion.” She laughed. “If this were any other time in Russian history, say, just before World War II, she would have been in gulag.” She picked up her glass then. “Perhaps along with my parents.”

Edie sat forward. “Your parents were dissidents?”

“No, not really, but they had many friends and colleagues who were scientists and those with varied political views. Free-thinking people.”

“Aggie, who was Mr. Dvorak referring to earlier?” Lou asked. “His name sounded familiar.”

“Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn,” Agata said. “Now he was a dissident.”

“In every sense of the word,” Tom said, raising his glass.

“He told the world about the gulag, the work camps that killed so many. His writings were blocked for decades. Around 1974, he was sent out of Russia and returned after the Berlin Wall came down and Communism ended.”

Aggie took a sip of champagne before she continued, “Inga’s parents knew him and supported him. They were thrilled when he won the Nobel Prize for Literature. And my friend inherited their beliefs. As I explained to Lou, it was Communist Russia, and my parents had been given much because of their contributions to the world and Russia in the arts. We had a very comfortable home in St. Petersburg and lived well.” She took a drink from the champagne. “They were expected to do as the government said, and for the most part, I believe they did. However,” she laughed and continued, “they had dinner parties and some of the guests were very questionable. I do not remember Mr. Solzhenitsyn among them but would not be surprised.”

“What time was this?” John asked.

“In the mid-seventies. I was just a child, mind you,” Agata added with a grin. “But as the world changed, and the Berlin Wall came down, so did Communism. My parents died too soon. They did not see much of Russia away from Communism.”