Excerpt
She would have to leave, go back to the hotel, her students would be searching for her. Besides, she needed to use the washroom and the public one would be foul. She stood up. The sky and the canal seemed to meet on the same plane, rearing up like a wall around her, containing her, isolating her from the others. She teetered before the sensation abated.
“Goodbye, goodbye,” she intoned. The two men were arguing about something.
Volodya jumped up. “See you tomorrow, my hitraya zhenshchina, my wily woman.”
“Yes, tomorrow, mmmm.” Her mouth would not create any more words. She kissed him, full on the lips. That would have to be her answer. She turned toward the trolley stop. All the way back to the hotel she laughed, but it was a bitter laughter.
★
The afternoon’s vodka continued to war with dinner’s tough roast beef. Though Jennifer’s digestion was sluggish, her mind was keen, and she lingered over the meal, pondering the day’s events. Soon she realized that Paul and Hank were waving her over.
“Okay what is it?” She stood between their chairs, curious.
“We’re going to head to another hotel for a drink. Want to come?” Paul told her. “Hank’s got the idea that we’re being watched too much here and that it’s cramping his style.”
“Yeah, I want to check out the nightlife elsewhere.”
“We could try the Hotel Europe,” Jennifer suggested. “In fact, I’d really like it if we went there.” The notion of them behaving like tourists sitting in a modern bar, sipping cocktails, sounded stuffy and polite after the unabashed, Russian-style park bench drinking earlier in the day, but she wanted to act on an idea she had in mind. Hopefully she wouldn’t expire from alcohol poisoning before tomorrow.
“Aawwright, let’s have a wild time,” Hank replied. “No Natasha, no statistics—just a chance to talk about the trip so far—and maybe pick up some women.”
“Oh, you mean we shouldn’t invite Chopyk?” said Paul innocently.
“I’m sure I saw him on Nevskiy Prospect with a blonde,” sniggered Hank.
Libros Libertad 