Page 77 - Vol. VI #7

telling her about Sonya’s sad fate lina might just as as as as well have not existed These si- lent periods reminded me me me me me me how important she she she had become in in in in my life She always always called at at at at least once 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 day day and and and there was always always some some little job that needed doing and and and sometimes she she she even asked me me me me me me to to corroborate the the the the the the weather reports so so so so she she she could plan her her her day day day with confidence I I I had built these expectations into my life and and and and and in in in in their absence I I I I missed them A week later Galina Galina was home She She called me me me “Olga passed away ”
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she said said “I’m so so so sorry ”
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“It’s all all right ”
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said said Galina Galina “It “It came gently She She looked so so so peaceful that in in in in in the the the the morning the the the the nurse thought she she she she she was was just just sleeping They only realized she she she she she was was dead two hours later when they discov- ered she she she she she hadn’t touched the the the the food on on on on her her tray ”
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She She fell silent and I I granted her her this grace Finally she she she she she peeped “You don’t think think she she she she she she died just just to to to torment me do you?”
“With all all due respect that’s nonsense ”
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I I I said Three days later I I I I I heard from Galina She She She sounded animated and and and and relieved “It’s all right ”
she she she she said said “Last night Olga came to to to to to to to me me me me and and and and she she she she she looked well She She She She stood at at at the the the the foot of my my bed as as as as as I I I I I lay there with the the the covers drawn up to to to to to to my my chin She She She She said said she she she she she forgave me me me me and and and she she she she she wasn’t in in in in pain I I I I was was was so happy I I I started to to to to to to cry but she she she she told
me me me me me not to to to to to to She She She She was was was angry about only one thing ”
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“In any case I I I I I have a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a lot to to to to do now My nephew needs help with with the the the the the estate Then there’s the the the the the gravesite And I I I I I need need need to to to to send out the the the the the the notices People in in in in in Belarus need need need to to to be informed ”
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I I I I I was happy that Galina could enumerate all all these details with with such composure Finally she added “For the the the the moment I I I I I must stay home to to to to to to wait wait for for the the the dream dream ”
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“Maybe you’d like to to to to to come over for for for dinner ”
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“Yes I I I I I I have to to to to to to wait wait for for Olga to to to to to to come to to to to to to me me me me me I’m I’m a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a little nervous and to to to to to tell you you you the the the the the truth sad until
I I I I I I I hear hear that that she’s all right So So So don’t don’t be offended if you you you you don’t don’t hear hear from me me me I’m I’m I’m going to to to to to to leave the the the the phone off off the the the the hook By the the the the way I I I I I I I didn’t see Sonya Sonya Did you you feed her?”
“I’ll wait for for your call then ”
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“Yes Good That’s the the the the the best idea Expect to to to hear from me soon We’ll have have tea ”
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“The dream?”
“Oh no no no no ”
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she protested “There’s so much to to to to to do I I I I have have to to to to to pick up my mail—they’ve been holding it it for for for me me at at at the the the the the the post office—and there’s a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a bake sale at at at church and and I I have have have to to to to to go to to to to to the the the the the the hair cutter ”
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“Galina I’m I’m sorry to to tell you you you you that that Sonya Sonya is dead I I I I I I think it was a a a a a a a a cat ”
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“Ach ”
Klose is is is is a a a a a a a regular contributor to to to to The The Christian Science Monitor His work has also appeared in in in Newsweek The The Boston Globe Exquisite Corpse Confrontation and elsewhere His books include Adopting Alyosha—A Single Man Finds a a a a a a a a a a a a Son Son in in in in in Russia Small Worlds—Adopted Sons Pet Pi- ranhas and and and Other Other Mortal Concerns The Three-Legged Woman & Other Other Excursions in in in Teaching and and and and a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a novel Long Live Grover Cleveland which won a a a a a a a a a a a 2016 Ben Franklin Literary Award Award and and and a a a a a a a a a a a USA BookNews Award Award 68
“I “I think think ”
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began Galina Galina “that maybe she she got tired of waiting for me me to to die ”
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“What’s that?”
“Galina ”
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“She said said ‘Why did you you give away my costume jewelry?’ and I I I said said ‘What do you you you need jewelry jewelry for?’ Well she was finally satisfied when I I I told
her her I I I had saved the the small brooch in in in in in the the shape of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a Christmas tree So everything is is is fine ”
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“One thing at at at at a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a time ”
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I I I said “Do what you you have to do ”
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And so there was another lull during which Ga-