The Summer Garden by Paullina Simons Read Free Book Online Page B

long distance call to Vikki before breakfast.
    Vikki screamed into the phone with joy. “I can’t believe I’m finally hearing from you! What’s wrong with you? How are you? How is Anthony, my big boy? But first, what is wrong with you? You are a terrible friend. You said you’d be calling every week. I haven’t heard from you in over a month!”
    “It hasn’t really been a month, has it?”
    “Tania! What in heaven’s name have you been doing? No, no, don’t answer that.” Vikki giggled. “How has everything been?” she said in a low, insinuating voice.
    “Oh, fine, fine, how’s it with you? How have you been keeping?”
    “Never mind me, why haven’t you called me?”
    “We’ve been—” Tatiana coughed.
    “I know what you’ve been doing, you naughty girl. How is my adored child? How is my beloved boy? You don’t know what you’ve done to me. Tania giveth him and Tania taketh him away. I really miss looking after him. So much so that I’m thinking of having my own baby.”
    “Unlike mine, Gelsomina,” said Tatiana, “your own child you’re going to have to keep forever. No giving him away like a puppy. And he’s not going to be as nice as Antman.”
    “Who ever could be?”
    They talked about Vikki’s nursing, about Deer Isle, about the boats, and the swings, and Edward Ludlow, and about a new man in Vikki’s life (“An officer ! You’re not the only one who can take up with an officer”), and about New York (“Can’t walk any street without getting your shoes dirty with construction debris”), about her grandparents (“They’re fine, they’re trying to fatten me up, they say I’m too tall and skinny. Like if they feed me, I’ll get shorter”) and about the new short teased haircuts and new stilettos, and new fandango dresses and suddenly—“Tania? Tania, what’s the matter?”
    Tatiana was crying into the phone.
    “What’s the matter? What is it?”
    “Nothing, nothing. Just…nice to hear your voice. I miss you very much.”
    “So when are you coming back? I can’t live without you in our empty apartment,” said Vikki. “Absolutely can’t. Can’t do without your bread, without your boyzie-boy, without seeing your face. Tania, you’ve ruined me for other girls.” She laughed. “Now tell Vikki what’s wrong.”
    Tatiana wiped her eyes. “Are you thinking of moving out of the apartment?”
    “Moving, are you joking? Where am I going to find a three-bedroom in New York? You can’t imagine what’s happened to apartment prices since the war ended. Now stop changing the subject and tell me what’s the matter.”
    “Really. I’m fine. I just…” Anthony was by her feet. She blew her nose and tried to calm down. She couldn’t speak aloud about Alexander in front of his son.
    “You know who’s been calling for you? Your old friend Sam.”
    “What?” Tatiana instantly stopped crying. She became alert. Sam Gulotta was her contact at the State Department for the years she had been trying to find Alexander. Sam knew very well Alexander had been found; why would he be calling for her? Her stomach dropped.
    “Yes, calling for you. Looking for Alexander.”
    “Oh.” Tatiana tried to keep her voice careless. “Did he say why?”
    “He said something about the State Department needing to talk to Alexander. He was adamant that you call him. He’s been adamant every time he called.”
    “How many times, um, has he called?”
    “Oh, I don’t know, try…every day?”
    “Every day ?” Tatiana was stunned and frightened.
    “That’s right. Every day. Adamant every day. That’s too much adamant for me, Tania. I keep telling him, as soon as I hear from you, I’ll give him a call, but he doesn’t believe me. Do you want his number?”
    “I have Sam’s number,” she said slowly. “I’ve called him so many times over the years, I have it committed to memory.”
    When Alexander first returned home, they had gone to Washington to thank Sam for helping with