To The End With You

C h a p t e r F i f t y - S i x

Photo: Igor Konstantinovich (1914-15?)

December 1915
I sit with my sisters while hanging out with some guards. Olga swoons over Mitya of course as I look at him in disgust, I don't like him, I don't like him one bit. He takes advantage of her, complaining about his rank to Olga and then moving upward because his complaint was told to papa. I roll my eyes at the thought. Olga sits beside him like a puppy dog. She is missing out on a good person from right under her nose.

I sit as my sisters converse, Tatiana speaks to Malama. He swoons over her, even gave her a dog. Tatiana enjoys his flirting but I can tell she doesn't take it very close to heart. I wonder who is pulling her heart strings? I can never tell, she is so well at hiding her feelings. Olga, not so much as she speaks of Mitya all the time and behaves depressed when he is not here. I sit bored, Dimitri Pavlovich left, Papa and Alexei are still not home.

The guards have little interest to me and my 'lack of charisma', I don't have lack of charisma. Yes, I did hate walking around the wounded, I was getting anxious while speaking with them. Surgery is much more easier but here I don't have to speak to them. I sit as my sisters continue to indulge in conversation as our fellow nurses watch them. I almost die of boredom before I see Igor walk in and I shoot up in excitement. "Igor!" I exclaim excitedly. He smiles at me, "Good afternoon Vanya"

"What are you doing here?" I ask him. "Oh I just came to see if you could deliver this to Alexei"he says, handing me a letter as I look down at it before looking up at him, he is very tall. "Of course cousin, care to join?" I ask him. He glances past me before looking at me again, "Maybe another time" he smiles sadly. "Oh" I say. "Well I hope to see you soon, may god keep you safe" I tell him. He smiles at me, "Thank you Valentina, may god keep you safe as well" before leaving. I got back to my spot as I notice Tatiana smirking at me.

"What is it Tatya?" I ask her with sass of course. "You seem very excited to see Igor" she says to me with a sly smile. I look at her, "Yes, he is good company and I was very bored" I tell her as Rita, our friend and fellow nurse as well as Nurse Chebotareva tell the wounded to go back to their beds. "Hey Vanya, do you want a palm reading?" Rita asks me. I turn to her, "A palm reading?" I repeat as Mitya DOESNT leave instead decides to join in on the conversation.

"Sure" I tell her trying to hide my annoyance at him. I show her my palm as she looks at the palm while nurse Chebotareva watches. "You will do something extraordinary" she reads and looks up at me. I blink twice before I get to open my mouth Rita is reading Olga's palm as Mitya gives her flirty looks. "You will have 12 children" she says looking at Olga. Tatiana laughs and I join in as Olga flushes, "Well that seems a little too much" she comments as she keeps to herself as Nurse Chebotareva as laughs.

"Your turn" I say to Tatiana. Tatiana refuses so it takes us a few minutes to convince her until Rita finally gets to read her palm, "You will do something surprising" she says to Tatiana. Olga teases her as I keep to myself, at least Tatiana doesn't have an incompetent man. "I'm going to go" I say not wanting to be around Mitya anymore. I notice his eyes on me, Tatiana looks at me, "Already?"

I nod my head yes as I go to wash my hands before I see wounded Misha on a stretcher. Misha wounded. I run, getting ready to help him, my romantic feelings did fade but he was still a good friend. I but in as I help pass the tools in surgery. Thankfully only his leg took the worst, other then that he is fine. He had a bad gash on his forehead so I helped wrap the wound. I make sure he is comfortable before Nurse Chebotareva pulls me aside and tells me that I should go home that he will be watched over so I shouldn't worry.

I go home and eat dinner in the library with the big pair. "The mail has arrived" Olga notices as I walk up to the servant that has given us our mail. I notice a letter to Tatiana from the one and only Dimitri Pavlovich. To annoy her I slowly go through the mail while I notice her wait anxiously. "Is there anything for me?" She asks. I look up at her, "What's the rush?" I smirk. Tatiana gives me a serious look, "Vanya-,"

"Oh this letter?" I pull it aside from the rest. "To Tatiana Nikolaevna from Dimitri Pavlovich" I say playfully feeling my inner annoying little sister mischief arise with in me.Tatiana stands up, "Valentina you are behaving very childish, give me the letter!" She demands. Olga watches in amusement as I put the other letters aside, yet still hold onto Tatiana's letter from Dimitri.

"Maybe I should open it" I tease as I eye the letter. Tatiana's eyes widen as she starts to go after me, "Vanya I swear-!"
I start to run away as I laugh, "Sending love letters to your dearest Dima?" I taunt as I run. "Valentina!" Tatiana shouts at me. I keep running down the palace halls as I notice a familiar looking woman walk across the hall to another room. I stop running once I get there to find her gone, remembering her familiar green dress.

Tatiana eventually catches up to me and smacks me, "ow!" I rub my head, "Never do that again!" She walks off probably to read her love Letter.

The next day goes by fast, surgery after surgery, annoying Mitya as usual. I run into Evelina. "Darling!" She comes up to me with a bright smile on her Rosie cheeks as I finish my work for the day. "Hello Eve" I say to her. "I heard you assisted in Misha's surgery I was so worried" she says. "It was no big deal" I shrug. "Come! I'm sure he wants to see you!" She pulls me to his bed. Misha sits up and looks at me with his striking eyes, "Hello Vanya" he says. "Hello Misha I hope you feel better" I tell him. He nods as Evelina takes his hand, "I won't be a nurse anymore" she announces.

"What?! Why?" I ask her confused as she looks at Misha and smiles, "I'm pregnant!"she exclaims as her eyes are filled with joy. I stand with my jaw dropped to the ground. She shows her her baby bump when pressing her dress against her stomach, clearly visible, "Oh shi.....should I spread the news?" I recover smoothly. Looking down at Misha but he doesn't look too happy.

"Of course Vanya! I will be able to be your full time in waiting" she smiles. I nod my head as I look at my nonexistent watch, "Well congratulations!" I smile as I walk to the car where Tatiana waits for me.