Page 74 - Vol. VI #7

Sisters (continued from page 39)
response to to to her her her her sister’s terminal illness I I I did not want to to to hear intimate details of of her her her her her private mem- ories Truth to to to tell I I I I I had had had had always regarded Galina as as something of of of an an an an an an an asexual being I I I I I had had had had never never known her her her her her her her her her late husband had had had had never never seen seen her her her her her her her her her with another man But I I I I recall thinking that she she must have been very seductive in in in in in in in in in in in in in in in her her her her her her her her youth I I I I had had had had once seen seen an an an an an an old photo of of of her her her her her her her her while repairing an an an an an an elec- trical outlet in in in in in in in in in in in in her her her her her her her her tiny bedroom There she she stood in in in in in in in in in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a fetching white satin dress her her her her her her hooded eyes gazing smokily at at the the lens in in in in in in in in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a pose reminiscent of of of Marlene Dietrich The The caption could have read “You’ve been a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a naughty boy ”
Her eyes were red and and and puffy her her her hair disheveled She blew her her her nose and and and waved me me in in in in “Where have you been?” she she she asked “I tried to to to call three days ago but but dropped the the phone and and and and it it it broke I I I got in in in in in my car but but it it it wouldn’t start The The whole world was was conspiring against me me me ”
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Then she she fell back onto her her sofa and began to to sob And yet Galina wasn’t naïve We had had had had our political discussions She was was was conversant in in in in in in in the the the language of of of abortion feminism and and education policy Her social views were rather liberal: she she she was was was an an an an an an equal opportunity booster and and placed great value on on on on on on on prenatal health care for for indigent women Although she she she stopped short of of of name-call- ing ing ing she she she considered it it it it it it it “sloppy thinking” for for politi- cians to to to to speak with with enthusiasm about war Galina Galina nodded and waved her her kleenex at at me me “Yes yes ”
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she she said “It’s awful She’s decided to to to com- mit suicide ”
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Be this this as as as as it it it it it it it may I I I I could not conceive of of of sitting down with with her her to to to to discuss her her romantic entangle- ments And And yet I I I I I sensed I I I I I needed to to to gird myself For better or or or or worse I I I I I I was now involved in in in in in this this conflict conflict if if only as as as as the the the beneficiary of of unsolicited information “She left the the the the day after you you dropped her her her her her her off I I I tried to to call call her her her her her her at at at at home that that that night but there was no answer I I I I finally called her her her her her her son son my nephew and found out that that that she’s in in in in the the the the hospital But she she she she she won’t let them do anything for her her her her her It’s strange though that that that she she she seems to to to have have a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a strong appetite ”
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And And so so I I I I I I waited One day passed then then two On On the the the the the third I I I I felt it it it it it best to to to to go to to to to Galina’s house What if if bitter words had erupted into physical conflict? No it it it it was was was silly to to to to think this But then then again when I I I I I considered the the the the the the volcanic emotions in in in in in in in in in play espe- cially on on on on on Olga’s part anything was was was possible “I didn’t didn’t know Galina Galina had a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a son son She told me me she she she she she she didn’t didn’t have have a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a family ”
As I I I approached the the the the house I I I saw an an an an an awful sight Sonya’s carcass was was was lying lying under the the the the hemlock growing next to to to to to Galina’s porch She had been torn to to to to to pieces her her little bald head lying lying at at at an an an an an impos- sible angle to to to to to her her bloody breast Her black eyes were staring heavenward as as as as as as as if in in in in in in in in supplication I I I went to to to to to to the the the door door and and knocked In that small house Galina was was always a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a few steps away After a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a long minute I I assumed she she wasn’t home And then footfalls The door door opened and and there she she stood a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a good man who went to to to an an an an an early grave Please don’t ask me me for details ”
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And then “She’s jealous that that you’re my friend ”
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I I I I I sat opposite her her her in in in in in the the the easy chair “To tell you the the truth I I I I was was afraid to to to to come When I I I I dropped Olga off ”
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“Galina!”
“I “I would like to to say that she’s waiting for a a a a a a a a a a a a mira- cle but she she she cursed God long ago Can you you believe we’re really sisters?”
“Where is is she?”
Galina Galina looked at at at at me me her her her eyes soft and and and full of of com- passion “This may sound cruel but she she she she she wanted you you to to to believe this that that she she she she she was was all alone in in in the the world so so so that that that you you you would pity her her her and and and be be on on on on her her her side No she she she she has she she she she had a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a husband He was was “She actually told you you you this?”
“Not in in in in in so many words but your name kept com- ing up Please don’t think poorly of her her her for it ”
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Galina continued continued to to blow and wipe her her her nose her her her