Smiling at himself, he went to have dinner with his family.
~~~~~~~~
Thursday afternoon – 6:35 P.M.
Knocking on her father’s hotel door, Anjelika glanced down the hallway. Her father was staying at the Warwick Hotel courtesy of the CIA. She wasn’t sure what he was going to do with the rest of his life. She knew he hoped to spend his time in Denver with her and her children. They were his only remaining family and he was aging fast.
The door opened and his bodyguard filled the entryway. He gave her a grudging nod and moved aside so she could step into the suite.
“Leave us,” she said to the bodyguard in Russian.
The bodyguard looked at her father and he nodded. The man went out onto the patio to smoke.
“You are angry,” her father said in Russian.
“The child got so anxious about meeting you that she tried to cut off her breasts,” Anjelika said in Russian.
Her father nodded as if it was expected.
“She cannot be a prima ballerina with her shape,” her father said. “Ivan has been very concerned. He has been watching her diet and keeping her exercises up.”
“Watching her diet?” Anjelika felt the blood rush to her face. “Keeping her exercise up? The child has an eating disorder.”
“Most of them do,” her father shrugged.
“She almost died!”
“Greatness requires great sacrifice. She has the potential for greatness.”
“Still the same old monster,” Anjelika spat at him. Spinning in place, she walked toward the door. “You are not welcome here. Without our help, you shall rot in prison where you belong.”
“You’re angry with me,” he said. “For this child? Or for everything else?”
Anjelika stopped in her tracks.
“For everything,” he said. “You are such a child.”
She turned to him. They shared a long angry moment.
“What could you possibly know of greatness?” Anjelika asked. “Greatness is a human endeavor and we both know you are not human.”
He nodded. She wasn’t sure if he was agreeing with her or simply acknowledging her anger. She watched his face. He shrugged.
“We have had a lot of… trouble,” he said.
“I am the only child you have left,” Anjelika said. “All of my siblings, every last one of them, are either dead or in prison. You stole my children from me. They suffered unspeakably. I suffered unspeakably.”
“To live is to suffer,” he said.
“Nietzsche?” Anjelika asked. “You stand in front of your only remaining blood relative and quote Nietzsche?”
“I’ve been with the CIA for a month,” he said. “It has… worn my manners. Please, my angel, sit down with me and share some tea.”
Unsure of his motives, but not willing to back down, she poured herself a cup of tea and sat down on a couch in the sitting area. He watched her movements and repeated her actions. He sat on the couch at an angle to the one she was sitting on. He took out a flask and offered it to her. She shook her head and he poured some into his tea.
“You’re an alcoholic now?” she asked.
“No,” he said. “Trying to stabilize myself for our conversation. I’ve always found our arguments to be difficult. You’re smart and cunning like me, but beautiful like your mother. You have her voice. I find Vodka steadies me.”
She gave him a hard smile.
“Yes, fuck me,” he said. “Do you hate me, Anjelika?”
“No,” Anjelika said. “You did what you had to do because of who you are, where you came from and the situation at hand.”
“But?”
“I wish you were a different man,” Anjelika repeated something she’d heard her mother say. Nodding, he acknowledged the thought and her mother.
“I wish I was a different man too,” he said. “Your mother… She always saw the whole of life and death and love. It was one big package and she made every decision from that place. Me? I have always dealt my cards right here, right now. It wasn’t until she was gone that I understood our difference. It wasn’t until you were gone that I saw the gaping hole in my life.”
He shrugged.
“Why did you decide to leave Russia?” she asked. “Why are you here?”
“Mikhail, actually,” he said. “He also sees the whole of the world – life, death, goodness, badness, humanity. Like your mother. He didn’t know who I was. We played chess while his Valerie was a super hero on a movie set. We argued, a lot. Like his mother, he doesn’t back down or feel intimidated. He looks so much like your mother and Perses. Both. I don’t know, Anjelika. Out of the mouth of your son, I finally understood what I needed to know.”
“Which is what?” Anjelika asked.
“To your original point,” he smiled at her. “Believing perfection is possible is almost like believing in fairies and goblins. I have insisted on perfection all of my life. I have created hell for every being that came near me.”
“And this garbage about greatness?” Anjelika asked.
“That’s experience,” he said. “What do you know about greatness?”
“I grew up around greatness all of my life,” Anjelika said. “The greatest violin player. The greatest ballerina. The greatest artist. The greatest murderer. The greatest thug. The greatest…”
“Yes,” he said. “And?”
“Greatness belongs in the world of your fairies and goblins,” Anjelika said. “There is only now, only people doing their best every day. And the world has changed. What was great is no longer.”
“Yes, I have learned that,” he said.
“Sissy will be a great ballerina,” Anjelika said.
“Is that what you’d like me to do? Make that happen?” he asked. “All of this is over this child?”
“You don’t need to do anything,” Anjelika said. “She will do it on her own.”
“Then why are you here?” he asked.
“Do you still have your gift?” Anjelika asked.
He nodded.
“We can heal her wound,” Anjelika said.
“And mine as well?” he asked.
“Your wound?” Anjelika asked.
“You could ask anyone to heal her,” he said. “Mikhail can do it. He says Jillian is stronger than he.”
“Why do you think?”
“Because I have a lot in common with this Sissy,” he said. “Because you don’t want to spend the rest of my life with a father who craves only perfection.”
“And you won’t spend a minute of time with my children and their family if you don’t let go of this… fantasy,” she said. “Not one minute.”
“You’ll make that so?”
“I will not allow them to be broken by your insanity.”
“You are your mother’s daughter, then,” he said.
Unsure of what he meant, she focused on her tea.
“And Perses?” he asked. “You know he brought me in.”
“I asked him to,” Anjelika nodded.
Her father was so surprised that he stopped moving. He couldn’t look at her or speak for a moment. He held the tea to his lips, paused for a moment, and then set the cup down.
“Thank you,” he said.
His eyes held unshed tears. In this moment, the monster was gone leaving a frail, lost old man in his place. He was like a remnant from a time when wars were cold, fought with propaganda, and missiles waited patiently on desolate plains to destroy the world. She smiled.
“Shall we go see the girl?” he asked. “Mikhail and Valerie asked if I would stay for dinner. If you will give me your permission.”
“They live with Delphie,” Anjelika said. “She is an Oracle, a true phenomena. She will know everything. Even you won’t be able to hide.”
“I managed to avoid her when I was here before,” he said.
“You won’t this time,” Anjelika said. “And Bruno?”
“He’s here because, like me, he has nowhere else to go,” he
r father said. “He and I are relics looking for a museum to rust in.”
Anjelika nodded. He went to the sliding door to get his bodyguard.
“They call you Otis,” Anjelika said.
“So does my passport,” her father smiled. “I am Otis now.”
Nodding, she moved toward the door.
“You can still call me Papa,” he said.
He touched her back. For the first time in almost twenty years, they embraced.
“Welcome to America, Papa,” Anjelika said. “Now behave.”
Laughing, he followed her and Bruno out of the suite.
~~~~~~~~
Thursday evening – 7:35 P.M.
“That’s five,” Charlie said from his position at the window in Noelle and Sissy’s room. Biting her finger nail, Noelle came to the window to look out.
“There are two more police cruisers,” she said.
“There are six cruisers over here,” Nash yelled from the kitchen window.
“What exactly did you do?” Sandy turned to look at Seth.
“I quit the police force,” Seth said. He was sitting on Sissy’s bed holding her hand.
“Why did you quit, Uncle Seth?” Sissy asked.
“I didn’t want to do it anymore,” Seth touched her face. “Some day, you’ll be sick of being a ballerina.”
“If I ever get a chance to be a ballerina, I’ll never get sick of it,” Sissy said. “Never. Ever.”
“Oh you will,” Seth said. “You might never get sick of dancing or performing or using your body in this way. But some day, you’ll get tired of doing the stupid stuff to make some insecure boss happy.”
“What did they want?” Sandy asked.
“End it with Ava,” Seth said. “It’s probably a smart thing to do. She’s young; I’m old; whatever. But I almost died in the service of my city and the Chief wants to control my private life?”
Seth shrugged.
“I didn’t want to do it anymore,” Seth said. “So I quit.”
“Why are the police here?” Aden came in from showing Anjelika and her father down to dinner. He looked from face to face. “Charlie?”
“Not me,” Charlie pointed to Seth. “They’re here for him.”
“Seth?”
“I’ll go out in a while to talk to them,” Seth said. “Right now, I’m enjoying my time with Sissy. Was meeting Otis hard?”
“No, he was really nice,” Sissy said. “He said he knew Ivan from Russia and that Ivan brags about me and… I can’t wait to be dancing again.”
Sissy gave a bright smile then a shadow came over her face.
“I feel kind of stupid,” Sissy said.
“We all do stupid things,” Seth said. “Some day I’ll tell you about some of mine.”
Sissy smiled.
“Are you going to be all right?”
“I think I’m going to be all right,” Sissy said.
With her words, Noelle dove onto her bed to hug her. Charlie flopped at the end. Nash and Teddy were close behind.
“They’re like puppies,” Seth said.
Smiling, Sandy nodded.
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED and EIGHTY-ONE
Stuck
Friday morning – 10:45 A.M.
“You’re saying you’ll sell me this house for what you paid for it,” Jeraine’s eyes scanned Jacob’s face. They were standing in the middle of the kitchen of the little house in Five Points. “And you got it for fifteen thousand under the bank’s asking price.”
“They want me to buy a larger building,” Jacob said. “I’d need to move it so… I haven’t decided.”
Jeraine’s eyebrows went up.
“He thinks you’re trying to cheat him,” Tanesha said. “Cocaine. It’s rotted your brain, Jer.”
“Come on.” Trying to keep from laughing, Jill took Tanesha’s arm. “Let’s check out the backyard.”
The women laughed their way out of the house.
“Why would I cheat you?” Jacob asked.
“Why wouldn’t you?” Jeraine asked. “You’re a rich white man. I’m a dumb n…”
“Jake?” a woman’s voice came from the front of the house.
“We’re in here,” Jacob said.
Jeraine turned toward the front door. A middle aged woman in a flowery dress entered the house. He knew he’d met her somewhere before.
“You’re right,” Delphie said. “There’s an ugly darkness here.”
She smiled at him as if she’d known Jeraine all his life.
“Are you ready to get to work?” Delphie asked.
“We have some b-dness to work out,” Jeraine sniffed at the funny white woman.
“I liked you a lot better when you were Jermaine,” Delphie laughed.
Puzzled, Jeraine looked down at the silly woman. It wasn’t until Jacob looked away to keep from laughing that he remembered how he knew Delphie.
“The girls are in the garden?” Delphie asked.
Jacob nodded.
“I’ll go out while you finish your important business.”
Delphie gave a little wave and laughed her way out to the backyard. They heard Tanesha and Jill laugh.
“Relay,” Jeraine said. “Second leg. And that’s your Mom’s best friend; she’s in my mom’s knitting group. She used to make us…”
“Brownies,” Jacob said.
“Joystick Jake.” Nodding, Jeraine put his hands on his hips.
“Nympho Jer,” Jacob said.
“Hey,” Jeraine said. “You were just as bad as me.”
“I wasn’t married,” Jacob said.
“True dat,” Jeraine opened his mouth to explain. Seeing the look on Jacob’s face, he closed his mouth.
“Tanesha is my family now,” Jacob raised his eyebrows at Jeraine.
“Got it,” Jeraine said. “And I’m doing my best.”
“This is her house,” Jacob said.
“Everything I have is hers,” Jeraine cleared his throat. “I always wanted her to come home.”
“You’re still talking?” Tanesha walked in from the backyard.
Jeraine and Jacob looked at her.
“Let me clear this up,” Tanesha said. “His dick is bigger than yours, Jeraine.”
“How would you know?” Jeraine asked.
“Joystick Jake has a reputation.” Tanesha laughed. “Pay the man so we can get on with it.”
“Get on with what?” Jeraine asked.
“We’re going to clear the dark funk out of this place,” Tanesha said. “Rodney’s coming to help. Delphie was just telling us how to do it.”
“If you’re going to live here, you have to help,” Jill gave him a laughing smile.
“Otherwise, the good energy will reject you,” Tanesha said.
“And my small dick?” Jeraine asked.
“That’s it,” Tanesha looked him up and down before laughing.
“You have to own the house, before we can clean it,” Delphie said. “Jake doesn’t really care if you buy it or not. He got it for Tanesha. But in order to make it yours, you need to make the commitment to own it.”
“What is she talking about?” Jeraine asked.
“Commitment,” Jacob said. “Can you commit to this house?”
“I don’t know what that means,” Jeraine looked at Jacob, then at Tanesha. Panic rose through his core. He rubbed his lips together to keep from saying something he knew Tanesha would think was crazy. His eyes sought a way out of the small kitchen. “What are you asking?”
Jill stood in front of him. She put her hands on his chest and looked up at him. Offended by her touch, he grabbed her hands and looked down at her.
“Listen to your soul,” she said.
His eyes locked with hers. Thoughts and images flashed through his mind. After a few moments, he took a breath and she stepped back. Tanesha took her arm. Jill gave her an ‘it’s done’ nod.
“How much did you say it was?” Jeraine asked.
“It was listed for seventy-five thousa
nd; fifty was their bottom line,” Jacob said. “I got it for thirty-five.”
“Do you want a check or can I wire the money to you?” Jeraine asked.
“If we make it what you want, we’re talking about putting at least another hundred thousand into the house,” Jacob said. “Is that doable?”
“Sure,” Jeraine said. “You’ll bill me when we’re done or as we go.”
“You’ll be over market for this house and this neighborhood,” Jacob said.
“But you think I can get that music studio in the basement,” Jeraine said.
“Music studio?” Tanesha asked. “What?”
“I didn’t tell you?” Jeraine asked. “The basement is perfect for a studio. Come on. I’ll show you.”
Jeraine opened the basement door and jogged down the steps. Jacob followed him.
“What did you do?” Tanesha whispered.
“He was stuck wanting to be famous,” Jill whispered. “I just caught him up to the present.”
“And commitment?”
“He wanted so badly to be successful, he couldn’t commit to his life for the fear that his success would get in the way,” Jill said. “Like I said he was stuck.”
“Are you going to whisper up there forever or come and see?” Jeraine yelled from the basement.
“This is a good thing?” Tanesha whispered.
Jill nodded. Tanesha squeezed her arm.
“You girls go on,” Delphie said. “I’ll set up here.”
Tanesha was on the basement stair landing when she heard Jeraine say the words she’d longed for:
“This is a great house.”
Smiling, she went to hear about his music studio.
~~~~~~~~
Friday afternoon – 1:45 P.M.
Charlie swallowed hard. He was sitting in the administrative office of Denver Online High School. He had just finished his last assessment test and they were running his scores right now. If everything went well, he would meet with an advocate to plan his attack at finishing high school. He looked at Sandy, who was sitting across the waiting room. She gave him a soft smile and a nod. Sandy thought it was all going to be all right.
Fairplay, Denver Cereal Volume 6 Page 28