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“Well, Fyodor Mikhailovich,” he said, turning to the older man. “I think that we have business to discuss. Perhaps we should let the young lovers go while we talk privately.”
“Not this time, Pyotr Vladimirovich,” replied Shukshin. “These two need to hear what we’ll talk about.” He rose, looked out the window and closed the shutter. Pavel and Vera shuffled in their seats expectantly. Pyotr felt nervous for the first time. Uh-oh, something about Tanya…No, it couldn’t be that. It was only another of Shukshin’s schemes.
“You’re scaring me, Shukshin. What’s this all about? Why did you invite me here and ply me with fine food…” he nodded at Vera…”unless you want something? I know you.”
Unexpectedly Pavel answered him. “This discussion is about me, Comrade Pyotr Vladimirovich Korpov.”
He had not been addressed in this formal way for so long the public official had almost forgotten his whole name. The young man had an interesting accent—from the Baltics, perhaps? He sat up in his chair, reached for the bottle. “Please go on.”
“As you have been told by Shukshin, I have been helping him on the farm for some time now and, as you’ve also astutely observed, I love Vera and have asked her to be my wife.”
“Yes, yes, perfectly natural…to your health!” He tossed back a shot.
“There’s only one problem. All my papers, identification and other documents have been lost.”
“Lost? As in stolen? It should be reported to the police. I am acquainted with the chief of police. I could convey your complaint.”
“No, not stolen,” Pavel replied. “I don’t need to involve the police.” But Pyotr felt he was holding something back. “Just lost,” he finished lamely.
“I understand,” Pyotr answered. A silence fell over the room. “You’re not from this region, are you? You’re supposed to be working somewhere else and you abandoned a project to move here? Where is it? Latvia, Lithuania?” He thought Vera smothered a smile at this comment but Pavel seemed disturbed. “One of those countries, isn’t it? I knew from your accent. You can’t put anything past me,” and at this he nodded at the older Shukshin to let him know that he was working with a sharp customer. “If you had papers for this area, I would know about them. After all, I am the public official for the Volga region.”
Libros Libertad 