“And did he go?”
“No,” Natalia shook her head. “Of course he didn’t go. Olga made sure of that.”
“That’s his wife?”
“Yes, his wife,” Natalia couldn’t say it without a little bit of spite in her voice. “I shouldn’t blame her, really. I know that. It wasn’t her fault.”
“Does it have to be anybody’s fault?”
“No…,” Natalia didn’t seem so sure. “But when Olga came along, that’s when everything changed. She was the girl who used her feminine charms to get what she wanted. Leon didn’t stand a chance, and I hated her for that.”
“Did he love her?”
“I don’t know. He certainly fell for her. When she got pregnant the two of them weren’t even married yet, but Leon did what he thought was right.”
“Maybe it was right.”
“Whether it was or not, Leon felt trapped. His first child was followed by two more, and he knew he would never get away from this life. You have to understand, Leon and I were going to leave this place together. That was always the plan. It was the secret we shared.”
“Times change. Sometimes plans have to change with them.”
“I don’t need a lecture.”
“That wasn’t my intention.”
“I’m sorry. I know that things change, but Leon had a hard time adjusting. As much as I like to see him as this bold, charismatic figure, he has a darker side to him. When he’s happy, he’s the happiest man around, and when he’s not… well, I only wish I could help him.”
“I’m sure you did your best.”
“It wasn’t enough. Leon sank deeper and deeper into the bottle until he couldn’t find his way out anymore. Finally he just left. He ran off to Tiraspol. He left his wife and children behind. In Leon’s mind, he thought he was doing them a favor.”
“You haven’t heard from him?”
“I saw him. I went to Tiraspol to find him myself. I thought I could bring him back. I thought I could save him. I even tried telling him how desperately Olga wanted him back, but he wouldn’t listen.” Natalia fought to mask the pain as she thought back to the days spent pleading with him to come home. “I didn’t realize he was already lost. In the end I abandoned him there. I left him. Can you imagine how that feels?”
“I don’t know what else you could have done.”
“I ask myself that, all the time.”
“He could still sort himself out, couldn’t he? Maybe he just needs more time.”
“I never give up hoping. Someday I’m going to come back to the house and he’ll just be there, like he never left.”
Multinovic gave her an encouraging nod.
“That’s part of the reason I vowed to myself not to leave Drosti. So I’d be here when he finally got back.”
“But you did leave.”
“Yes. I did. It would be easy to blame Sonia, but the truth is I wanted to go. Those dreams I shared with Leon, they didn’t die off altogether.”
“So you’re not really cured then, even now. You’re still a rebel underneath.”
Natalia picked at the remains of her cake but didn’t respond.
“That’s not such a bad thing,” Multinovic went on. “Pledging to spend the rest of your life in this little village is a mistake. Drosti is too small to contain you. The sooner you come to terms with that, the better.”
“Funny to hear that coming from you.”
“My situation is different.”
Natalia nodded in agreement. “I just want to take my family with me, out of harm’s way. At least until this all blows over.”
Multinovic put a thumb and forefinger on his chin. “Speaking of which, I have something else for you. More than just a birthday present.” He reached into his shirt pocket and produced his own thick wad of bills. When he unfurled them, Natalia saw that these were not rubles. They were hundred euro notes. He spread them slightly and placed them on the table. “It’s twenty-five hundred. Enough to take your family away until the fall.”
“But…” Natalia was confused. “Why would you do this?”
“Take it. Please. Get your family out of here.”
“I can’t pay you back,” she said. “Not anytime soon.”
“You can survive. That is payment enough. Even if I never see you again.”
Natalia looked at the money before her and then sprang to her feet, moving around the table. She squeezed Multinovic tightly and then leaned back to look him in the face. A crimson hue showed on his cheeks. “Thank you.” She released her grip and took a step backwards. “I will try to repay you, someday. A bit at a time.”
“Don’t consider it a burden.”
Natalia picked the notes up and shoved them into a pocket. “I’d better go.”
“Yes,” he agreed. “The faster you leave Drosti the better.”
Natalia hurried to the door, letting herself out through the foyer and onto the street. It was a beautiful spring day with just a slight chill in the air. For the first time in as long as she could remember, Natalia was overcome with a sense of hope.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Ivanka crossed her arms and frowned, sullenly staring at the Euro notes resting on the kitchen table. “And what did you have to do for it?”
“Nothing, mother,” Natalia replied.
“Don’t lie to me! I know what people are saying.”
“He’s a good man, mother. Don’t listen to those small-minded people.”
“Nobody gives away this much money without expecting something in return.”
“I’m telling you, he’s trying to help us, that’s all!” Natalia was becoming angry. Why couldn’t her mother accept that this was an offer of goodwill and nothing more? Why must there always be an ulterior motive?
Victor stood with his arms crossed, equally dubious. “Even if what you say is true, do you know what you are asking? Who will tend our fields? Feed our animals? How will we make a living when this money runs out?”
“None of that will matter if we’re dead!” Natalia shot back.
“Natalia!” her mother recoiled. “Have you lost your mind? You can’t believe these stories you’re telling!? Not really!”
“Where would we even go?” added Victor.
“Anywhere you want,” answered Natalia, though she knew their options were limited. Nobody in the family had a passport. “Tiraspol if you’d like, or even Chisinau.”
“No, no, no!” Ivanka slammed her hands down on the kitchen table. “This is our home! We are not leaving! I won’t hear anything more about it!”
“Mother, they will kill you if you stay! You have to believe me!”
“Nobody is coming here, Natalia! Nobody!”
“And what of the children?! Will you risk their lives as well? I won’t let you do that!”
“Please, Natalia! I know that you saw some horrible things, but you must forget about these men. It is time to move on.”
“I wish I could forget, mother. If only I could. But Goran Zigic won’t let me forget. He made sure of that.” Natalia unbuttoned her pants and yanked them down to her thighs in one violent motion and then pulled up her shirt with one hand. With the fingers of her other she traced the scar, carved in the letter Z. She showed off the cigarette burns across her stomach and down the insides of her legs. “No, I never will forget.”
Ivanka took a step closer. “He did this to you?” She was aghast, seeing this evidence of her daughter’s torture.
“It was nothing compared to what he did to Sonia.”
Ivanka looked away, covering her mouth, yet still not willing to believe. Not willing to admit that someone would do this to her beautiful daughter.
“We can send you and your sister away, with Olga and the children,” said Victor, succumbing to reality more quickly than his wife.
“No!” Natalia was emphatic. “We all go!”
“I must take care of the animals,” Victor protested.
“Vladimir can watch the animals. At hi
s own farm. We can sell them. Whatever he’ll give us!”
Victor turned to Ivanka for her reaction.
“If we went to Tiraspol, perhaps we could see Leon,” she said.
“Yes!” Natalia replied. Any excuse that might help convince them to leave was a good one. “The children should spend time with their father. But we must go quickly. These men could come at any time.”
“How quickly?” asked Victor.
“Tonight. We will go to the hotel in town and then board a bus first thing in the morning.”
“So soon?” Ivanka was distraught.
“The sooner the better. I’ll tell the others to start packing.” Natalia moved out of the room to gather the rest of the family.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
It took three trips in the battered Lada to get everyone into town. Twice the car became stuck in the mud, and Natalia and Rita were covered in brown muck by the time they’d pushed it out. To Rita it was all a grand adventure but Natalia was on edge, expecting Zigic’s men to appear at any moment. Even when the family was safely checked into the hotel, she worried that the men might show up looking for a room. They had to stay someplace when they came to town, after all. The proprietor, an old family friend, assured Natalia that she would admit no other guests.
“If you see any other foreigners at all I want you to let us know immediately,” Natalia said.
“Yes,” the proprietor assured her. “Don’t worry about a thing.”
Natalia nodded. Most likely she would worry for the rest of her life, but getting out of Drosti would help. When she had showered and changed into clean clothes, Natalia stepped out, leaving her family in the hotel with strict instructions to stay put until she returned. She wanted to see Gregor one last time, to thank him for everything he had done. The training, the money…the friendship. Or was it more than that? A sense of melancholy haunted her, knowing that she very well may never see him again. There was so much she wished she could say. So much she wanted him to understand. So much she didn’t understand herself. The emotions she was feeling had crept up on her over time. She’d gone from fearing him, to pitying him, to feeling an unlikely connection; two outcasts against the world. The thought of not having him in her life filled Natalia with dread and sorrow. He was a war criminal in hiding, despite his protestations of innocence. An arms dealer, more than twice her age. But the feelings didn’t lie and she was almost certain he had them, too.
Natalia walked briskly through the village, pistol tucked into her waistband in the small of her back. She was on constant alert, so close to being away safely. One more night in the village and they’d be gone. When she rang the bell, Multinovic buzzed her into the foyer and then opened the inner door. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes. They’re at the hotel. We’ll leave town in the morning.”
“Wonderful.” He showed his own sign of relief. “I am very glad to hear it.”
“I just wanted to thank you again. You don’t know what this means to me. Not just the money, but everything. You’ve taught me so much...”
“I hope it is enough,” Multinovic answered.
“It will have to be.”
“I just wish I could have left you as you were; that innocent young girl I used to see in the restaurant, with the light in her eyes.”
“You didn’t steal my innocence. You’ve just made me a survivor.”
“You’ve always been that, whether you realize it or not.” Multinovic stepped aside from the doorway. “Would you care to come in? I’d like to give you one more lesson, if it’s not too late. In fact, I was hoping you’d come by.”
“What kind of lesson?”
“Follow me and I’ll show you, but promise you won’t take it the wrong way. It’s just another part of your training.”
“Something new then?” She was slightly suspicious.
“Yes. Something new.” Multinovic led her into the next room where two place settings rested on the table, an unlit candle between them. Draped across a chair was a short red dress. On the floor, a set of matching red shoes with stiletto heels.
“What is this?” The whole setup made her uneasy.
“I want to impart to you some sophistication. I know the source is dubious, but you walk like a farm girl. You eat like a farm girl. You carry yourself like a farm girl. It is charming in its own way, but there are times when you may have to pass yourself off as a woman with breeding. I know that one evening is not enough, but if you don’t mind, I think we should try.”
Natalia lifted the dress from the chair, thinking back to the last time she was made to put on such feminine clothing.
“If you’d prefer not to…” Multinovic started, sensing her unease.
“No. I’d love to.” She picked up the shoes and moved into his office, closing the door behind her. A few minutes later she emerged with the skin-tight dress clinging to every curve, suddenly self-conscious when she saw the look in Multinovic’s eyes. “What do you think?” she asked, just to hear him say it.
“Impressive.” He tried to maintain a businesslike air. “Let’s get to work. Try walking across the room, stop, turn and come back.” Natalia followed his directions but had barely taken a step when Multinovic began calling out, “Chin up, and let me see some sway in those hips! Remember, you’re a woman, not a farmhand!”
Natalia couldn’t help but laugh. “Who are you to judge?!”
“I did tell you the source was dubious, but I am a man, after all. I’ve been watching women all my life.”
“Fine then, I’ll humor you,” Natalia replied, but with each pass she felt a little less awkward. “I think the martial arts training was easier!” she joked as she went.
“Just remember, to look alluring you must feel alluring, in every fiber of your soul. You must exude self-confidence!”
Natalia recognized the irony in that last statement. The man who implored her to be confident was the same man who made her feel flustered. She wanted to follow his advice. She wanted to be alluring. For him. She closed her eyes as she went. During all of her time as a captive, she’d willed herself to be as unattractive as possible, hoping those men might choose someone else. Now with Gregor as her audience, she let her body move, swaying with the rhythm of desire. She opened her eyes and turned, walking up and back three times, a woman in charge.
Multinovic coughed lightly. “That’s very good. “I think we can move on.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” He looked away, cheeks lightly flushed. “Why don’t we go over table manners next?”
“What’s wrong?” Natalia laughed, sensing the power she held in this dress, these shoes. A power she’d never fully harnessed before, yet intuitively always knew she had. It was a power that he was trying to fend off, apparently with less success than he wished.
“Nothing is wrong,” he coughed again. Moving into his kitchen he lifted the lid off a skillet to reveal two boneless breasts of chicken, simmering in a cream sauce. In another pot, red potatoes were at a low boil. He opened his refrigerator and took out a Caesar salad and a bottle of wine.
“How did you know I would come by tonight?” Natalia asked.
“I merely hoped. It would have been a shame to eat all of this by myself. I’m not keeping you from anything, am I? It is your birthday after all.”
“No, my parents forgot all about it. Only my sister remembered, but I told her to keep quiet. They’ve got enough on their minds.”
“All right.” He placed the salad on the counter and then opened the wine and poured two glasses. Lastly, he took a match and lit the single candle in the center of the table.
“Is this our first date?” Natalia asked with a coy tilt of the head.
“And I’m afraid our last,” he answered. “I’m not ashamed to say, I’ll be very sad to see you go. I’ve appreciated your company these last few months.”
“Why not come with us?” Natalia tried to downplay her eagerness. “This is no life for you here, al
l alone. You know it’s true. Once I’m gone you’ll be right back to how you were before, with nobody to talk to at all. I don’t see how you can stand it!”
Multinovic used a spatula to lift the chicken onto two plates, adding potatoes to each and then some salad before placing them on the table. “So you think I should go on the run, with the entire Nicolaev family?” He laughed at this prospect. “Somehow I don’t think I could stand that any better.”
“Oh, you know, we’re not so bad. Despite what I might have said.”
“I don’t suppose I’d be made to babysit, would I?”
“Ok, fine! Don’t come! But at least know you’d be welcome, any time.”
“Thank you,” he said with sincerity. “I do know.”
They took their seats facing each other, the flame from the candle between them casting a warm, flickering glow across his well-worn features. He raised his glass for a toast. “To life,” he said. “That most precious commodity.”
“And friendship.” She raised her own. “That makes it worth living.”
Multinovic touched his glass to hers.
“What will you teach me now?”
“I don’t know,” he answered. “Perhaps I just wanted one last dinner together.”
Natalia offered a smile. “You could have just asked.” She cut a piece of her chicken and took a taste. The sauce was nothing she’d tried before. Creamy but with a hint of pepper, mustard, perhaps tarragon... “You keep surprising me.”
“Thank you.”
“Where did you learn to cook?”
“From my mother.”
“Your mother?” Natalia seemed surprised.
“Why not? Can’t a boy learn to cook from his mother?”
“For some reason it’s hard to believe you really even have one. It seems more likely that you just appeared on this planet out of thin air.”
“No, I do have a mother. And I was young once, too. I know that’s probably hard to believe as well.”
“I’d like to have seen it. I’ll bet you were a real hell-raiser.”
Russia Girl Page 13