Nice Day For A White Wedding

“Cindy,” Alex says, smiling warmly at me. “This is my great aunt Babushka. Babushka, this is Cindy, my fiancée.”

Alex’s aunt steps towards me. For a second, she just looks at me with that same scanning expression, and then she beams at me too, and I feel like I’ve passed the first test.

“You have chosen well. She is beautiful,” she says approvingly to Alex.

The cold, unknowable man I found cheating at the casino smiles slowly at her. Now I can see why he went to all that trouble to make her happy. He truly, truly loves her.

His great aunt turns toward me. “Welcome to Winter House my dear. As you’re almost family now, you may as well just call me Babushka like everyone else.”

She opens her thin arms towards me and I step up and let them close around me. She smells of dried flowers, a sophisticated, but old-fashioned smell that belongs in another world. I quell the unease in my stomach. I am deceiving this fine old lady. Her love for Alex is so sincere and so heartfelt. I promise myself that I will never do anything to hurt her. She releases me and I smile warmly at her.

“It’s so nice to finally meet you. Alex has told me so much about you,” I say.

“Oh, I assure you, it’s all lies.” she laughs.

I feel Alex’s hand land gently on the small of my back. I look up at him unguarded and something sparks between us. It makes my heart skip a beat. He feels it too because I see a muscle twitch in his cheek, then he papers it over with a smile. “And this wonderful woman, my darling, is Valeriya,”

“Hello,” I greet the unassuming woman softly.

She nods back. It’s formal, but at the same time, her expression is warm and welcoming and I get the impression Alex wasn’t making it up when he said Valeriya is almost part of the family.

“And these two young ladies are my cousins,” he goes on. “Petra and Anastasia.” He gestures to the ice sisters one at a time as he says their names. Petra, the blonde one, smiles, a smile so fake I almost laugh. Anastasia at least makes an effort and gives me something that could almost pass for a smile.

“Hi,” I say, with a little wave.

I don’t get a reply or a wave back, but before the moment can become awkward, Alex propels me away from them, and towards his babushka.

“Let’s get you inside,” she says with a smile. “Perhaps you’d like to freshen up before dinner. You must be hungry from all of the travelling.”

“I’m starving,” I admit.

Babushka laughs. “Good. Cook makes enough food to feed an army every time Alex comes.”

We turn with her and go into the mansion. It is at least a few degrees colder inside. Must be all the stone and speckled-gray marble. I am instantly overwhelmed as I look around at the lofty ceilings decorated with intricate plasterwork and gold gilding. The house is a veritable palace with marble statues and the kind of massive old oil paintings that you’d find in a museum or art gallery. Our feet echo in the vast palace.

“You seem very surprised,” Babushka comments.

“Oh, I’m sorry. It’s just so beautiful …” I trail off as Alex’s cousins giggle nastily.

Babushka throws them a look and the laughter stops instantly. She turns back to me and I can see the playful twinkle in her eye.

“Then you should have seen it all before the revolution,” she says. “They carried away the best. It is the same with all revolutions. Fortunately, I like things bright and airy so they rather did me a favor here. Anyway, my rooms are over there. I don’t like the stairs anymore. I look forward to seeing you at dinner.” Turning away from me she says, “Val dear, would you show these two to their rooms please?”

“Of course,” Valeriya replies.

“There’s no need, Babushka,” Alex laughs. “I think I can still remember how to find my way around.”

Babushka smiles. “True enough, my heart, true enough. I’ve put you and Cindy in the South wing. It’s warmer there this time of the year and you will have nice views of the rose garden. You’re in the blue room and Cindy is next door.”

“Thank you, Babushka,” Alex says.

“Right.” She smiles. “Dinner will be served at eight o’clock promptly. See you all then. Don’t be late.”

The two girls move away deeper into the house and Alex and I are left alone again.

Cindy

Alex takes my hand and leads me towards a sweeping marble staircase adorned on either side by the same fierce Griffins outside.

“Your ancestors liked griffins, huh?”

“They are part of our family’s crest. They are supposed to represent courage and bravery.”

I follow him up the staircase, glad to be away from prying eyes, and truth be told I’m enjoying the tingling feeling of my hand clasped inside Alex’s big, powerful one. If only … I kill that thought right there. We reach the top of the staircase and Alex leads me along a hallway that perfectly matches the one downstairs, and stops in front of a door.