Reunited After 25 Years 10

"When I was little, my parents used to call me Allie."

"Allie? No, I do not like it. Sounds like an Arabic name." The way he pronounced it, it did sound more like 'Ali' than 'Allie'.

"I have a newspaper, Andrea. I have been looking at jobs. Many of them I could do, if I could only get a work permit."

"What kind of work did you do back in Russia, Anton? After you got out of the Navy, I mean."

"I worked on computers, repairing them. That was how I met Nadya. I never told you that, did I?"

"No, I don't think so," Andrea said vaguely. She felt the familiar pain in her heart, yet this time it didn't seem to prick quite as sharply.

"She was a ballet instructor at a secondary school. I went there to fix their computer. Her brother is a famous ballet dancer. Perhaps not so much over here, but back home."

"Well, there are lots of jobs like that around here. People who know a lot about computers are really in big demand. I'm sure you'd have no problem at all getting a job if you had a work permit." Andrea wanted desperately to change the subject.

"What about you, Andrea? How did you meet Dennis?"

"At the roller skating rink. He chose me as his partner for a couples' skate."

"Roller skating?" Anton laughed sharply. "I have been ice skating my entire life, Andrea, since I was a little boy. Is there a rink nearby?"

"Not here in Gloucester. I think there's one in Boston."

"I will take you sometime."

"Anton, did you know my son is dating your daughter?"

"Of course I know. Isn't it wonderful?"

"I bring both good news and bad news," Anton announced the next time he and Andrea were together. "Which you want to hear first?"

"Um...the bad news, I guess." Andrea could feel her heart beginning to pound in her chest.

"I talked to a lawyer," Anton told her. "He said he can help me get a visa extension, perhaps documentation, even. But he charges a lot of money and has to be paid first. I can stay here for the summer, but then I must go home, work, save up money for the lawyer, and then come back."

"Oh, Anton." Andrea felt as if all the air had been knocked out of her. "How long do you think it will take to save up the money for the lawyer?"

Anton thought for a moment. "Six months at least, I think, perhaps a year at most."

"Oh, no!" Andrea felt as if her entire world were crashing down around her.

"Dearest Andrea." Anton's voice was tender as he put his arms around her. "It will only be for a little while this time, and then when I come back again, we will be together for good."

"Well, that six months to a year is sure going to feel like a long time," Andrea said bitterly.

"I know," Anton said. "It will for me as well. But I will write every day. Telephone also."

"But that's so expensive!"

"You are worth it." He smiled.

"So, what's the good news?" Alison asked.

"The good news is there is an ice skating rink only fifty kilometers from here. We will go there tomorrow."

"So, did you have fun?" asked Anton as he and Andrea left the ice skating rink.

"That was the most fun I've ever had in my life!" Andrea exclaimed. "I'm also more exhausted than I've ever been in my life!"

"Not too tired, I hope." He winked at her.

"For that? Never!" She giggled. "You really are the best ice skater I've ever seen, Anton. Good enough for the Olympics, even."

He laughed. "I am a little old for that now. You could do as good also, Andrea, with practice."

"Judging from the number of times you had to save me from falling on my butt, a lot of practice."

They were hardly inside the bedroom before Anton was shedding his clothing and Andrea was following suit.

"I came prepared this time," Anton said, showing Andrea a small package. Andrea looked at it and saw that it was a condom. "I borrowed it from Denny," Anton explained.

Andrea gasped, and he burst out laughing. "I wish you could see the look on your face right now," he said when he could talk again. "It is worth...how do you say it?...a million bucks."