Page 79 of Crimson

“Grandfather,” Nadia whispered. “Are you awake?”

For a long moment, nothing happened.

Then, ever so slowly, Stanislav turned his head to look at her.

His eyes were so cloudy that she wondered if he could see her at all.

He swallowed, his throat making a dry clicking sound. Then he croaked, “Samara...”

Nadia was about to say,No, grandfather, it’s me Nadia.But then, instead, she nodded her head and said, “Yes, Papa, it’s me.”

A ghost of a smile spread across Stanislav’s face.

“Papa,” Nadia whispered urgently, “do you remember the boy I was in love with? Before I married Petya?”

Stanislav’s forehead contracted, creating a road map of wrinkles running in all directions. He scowled and squirmed slightly beneath the covers.

“Petya...Petya is a good boy,” he rasped. “A good family.”

“But what about the other boy?” Nadia said. “The one I waited for at the bridge? What happened to him, Papa?”

Stanislav scowled again, slowly shaking his head side to side. He refused to answer.

“Did you kill him?” Nadia said, her voice growing more urgent though she was trying to remain quiet. “Did you kill him, grandfather?”

Stanislav gave a long, rattling sigh. His scowl loosened, and his face relaxed. He turned away from Nadia and looked up at the ceiling once more.

“I’m sorry, Samara,” he said. “Sorry for everything.”

Nadia let out a choking sob.

She wanted to hit the old man in the bed.

But what good would it do?

She was grieving for a boy who died thirty-five years ago.

Before she could turn away from the bed, a hand gripped her shoulder and spun her around.

“What are you doing in here?” Rashel demanded.

“Nothing,” Nadia said, trying to pull away from her aunt.

Rashel looked completely mad, with her eyes popping, her hair wild around her shoulders, and her dressing gown only loosely belted on her scrawny frame.

“What did you say to him!” Rashel shrieked, trying to shake Nadia by the shoulders. “What did you tell him?”

“Nothing!” Nadia said, easily pulling free of her aunt’s weak grip.

Rashel looked utterly distraught. She was examining Stanislav’s face, as if she would read Nadia’s conversation with him written in his blank expression.

* * *

31

Nikolai

Nikolai was awake all night long, pacing his room, and wondering how he could ever win back Nadia.