Chapter 11: December 25, 2014 (Continued)

Anya and Lizaveta (Liza)

“I’m not going! I don’t know Uncle Petro or anyone in his family ... and why would I want to live in Kiev, I can hardly speak the language, and there’s a war going on in Ukraine ... and they hate Russians, even the ones born there!”

Anya Netrebko watched her agitated sixteen year-old sister Liza as she paced the brightly lighted loading dock at the back of St. Anne’s parish hall waving their Uncle’s letter around. They had just finished Christmas dinner in the hall and had come outside for a little quiet away from the high-spirited crowd. Neither had felt very festive – their mother was in the hospital, they were homeless, almost broke, and with the sunset had come a distinct chill. It would be pretty uncomfortable sleeping in the car again tonight, especially since they didn’t have enough gas to run the heater.

“No one said you had to go. Uncle Petro is just offering ... Mama wrote about ... well what’s been going on here ... and that was before she got sick.”

Liza stopped her pacing and looked at her sister, “I can get a job and we can live in the car for a little while until we find a place ... and while Mama gets well...” Her voice broke as the tears came. She sat down next to Anya feeling the cold concrete through her much-washed jeans and hugged her older sister. “Anya ... what are we going to do?”

Anya just didn’t know, but she wouldn’t admit that to Liza. She was the oldest and at almost eighteen she had the responsibility to care for her sister while their mother was in the hospital. “While Mama gets well.” Those words haunted her, because when she had pulled the doctor aside and asked him to tell her the truth about their mother’s condition he had taken her to a small office near the intensive care unit and explained about the infection that was trying to kill her. He told her that he was guardedly optimistic because she was young, but their mother Lilia had waited a long time to come to the hospital. That was two days ago and there had been little change. Anya knew she would have to tell her sister something soon, but not tonight, not on Christmas. At least for today let her live the fiction that their mother would get well.

“When we leave here we’ll go to the church and light a candle and we’ll pray and then we’ll go to the hospital and wish Mama a merry Christmas.”

Liza, who had struggled to keep her faith after the death of their father and as their mother’s health deteriorated, pulled from her sister’s embrace and looked at her for a few moments and then said, “Anya, I’m glad you still believe...” Anya still prayed but after all that had happened to them, she had begun to wonder if God had abandoned them. Their father, who had come with his new bride to America from the Ukraine, was always filled with optimism and he loved his adopted country and he was proud to tell everyone he was a ‘citizen by choice.’ Now he was gone – killed three years ago in a construction accident.

They had been devastated and still missed him, but shortly after his death their mother had slipped into depression. She could still function at a basic level and kept house and made lunches for them, and would listen to their stories about school and even occasionally help with homework, but the life had gone out of her. Most of the time she walked around like she was in a trance, never initiating conversations or even laughing. Anya tried to think about when she’d last heard her mother laugh – probably sometime before the funeral. Could it really have been that long ago?

Without warning she and Liza had been evicted yesterday. To their dismay they learned the rent on their tiny one-bedroom apartment had not been paid in over three months. So they had taken their few items and filled the back of their fifteen year-old Subaru wagon, and with little money and no place to turn they had slept there last night, huddled together in the car in the hospital parking lot for warmth and comfort. Anya was ashamed she hadn’t known how dire things were and once their mother got sick and had to take time off from her cleaning job, how quickly things had spiraled out of control financially.

Liza smiled at her sister as she dabbed at her eyes with a wad of soaked tissues, and said, “You’re right, we’ll go to the church and light a candle and say a prayer ... A prayer can’t hurt, especially on Christmas.”

At that point they were interrupted by the arrival of a tall and very striking short-haired blonde. She came striding out onto the loading dock from the direction of the large kitchen with a phone pressed against her ear.

Kate walked out onto the loading dock, phone against her ear. Harrison had called but the noise inside made it difficult to hear him.

“Is everything okay?”

She heard Harrison chuckle. Kate, get hold of yourself, she thought. You’ve got it bad girl if just hearing him laugh sets the butterflies in your stomach to fluttering around.

“Can’t I just call you and see how you’re doing?” he said teasingly.

“Of course you can!” She said it a little louder than she intended.

“Are you in the middle of something? Should I call back?”

Kate smiled. “No, we’re just wrapping things up. I figure we’ll be home in less than an hour.”

There was a pause on his end.

“Harrison?”

“I just wanted to thank you for making this a very special Christmas...”

Kate made a conscious effort to hold back tears. He was thanking her! It was her turn to pause, and then she finally said, “Harrison ... I can’t tell you what it meant to me to be included in your family Christmas. The drawings from you and Jenny made it ... so special.”

Of course what Kate was thinking about right then was how safe and warm she had felt on the sofa sitting next to Harrison with his arm around her.

Silence, and then, “Jessica, I’m so glad you joined us. I was afraid Christmas away from the ranch would be particularly hard on Jenny and Natalie, but somehow you came up with the right gifts ... but more importantly ... you were there.”

The butterflies in her stomach had somehow multiplied.

“Well, Natalie did have a few suggestions.”

He laughed again. “Yes she did and who do you think suggested the drawings for you? She’s quite the little fixer isn’t she?”

Kate couldn’t help think about her conversation with Natalie in the truck just a few hours ago. “Natalie loves both of you very much.”

“I know, and God knows what Jenny and I would have done without her especially the last couple of years...” His voice trailed off probably thinking about Cindy and all that had happened to him and their family over that time.

“Jessica, you know the job you gave her, well she’s so happy doing all those things and keeping busy and feeling useful. She’s as happy as I’ve seen her in a long time.”

“Harrison, she’s a godsend to me too. I gave her a job but she’s earned every penny she’s getting and more. Even after a week I couldn’t imagine doing without her. I hope it hasn’t interfered too much with all she does for you and Jenny.”

“No, no it hasn’t. Natalie needed something like this. Plus she’s quickly made new friends and has met lots of people in the community. I fear when school starts I’ll have my students asking if I’m Natalie’s brother instead of the other way around!” He laughed.

Kate laughed too. “I know the feeling. The way she has me organized half the town probably thinks I work for her!”

There was silence for a few moments before Harrison spoke again. This time he sounded a bit more serious, “Jessica, do you think you could check with Natalie ... I mean Ms. Willets and see if you have some time on New Year’s Eve to maybe go out to dinner with me?”

Kate was stunned and the butterflies had turned into a nest of bees buzzing in her stomach.

“ ... or, do I need to check with Ms. Willets first? She does seem to jealously guard your time!” This was delivered more lightheartedly as if he were trying not to laugh.

In the same vein Kate replied, “Well Mr. Willets, I usually make no exceptions ... everyone has to go through Ms. Willets to schedule an appointment ... but since I’m very fond of your family I’ll make an exception. I do know I have no plans ... so far ... for New Year’s Eve, so I guess you’re in luck! I’ll simply inform Ms. Willets to block out that evening. What time do you have in mind?” She had a hard time suppressing a giggle.

Hearing the tension in his voice dissolve into amusement, he asked, “How about six? Unless of course Ms. Willets already has you scheduled and hasn’t got it on your calendar yet...”

“Then she would just have to reschedule that appointment! And six would be perfect. An early dinner would be far from fashionable but it would enable us to get back in a timely manner because Ms. Jenny Willets has already informed me that your family has a tradition of watching old movies, playing board games and drinking cocoa while waiting for midnight. I suspect you would want to be home early enough not to disappoint her, and she did assure me she planned on staying awake until midnight.”

Harrison laughed. “You have Natalie controlling your time and I have Jenny! So how about after our ‘early dinner’ you join us for the family traditional New Year’s?”

“I think that will be wonderful.”

“Well it sounds like we have a date for New Year’s.”

“Yes ... yes we do, and Harrison ... thank you for asking, especially asking me to join the family for later.”

He was quiet for a few seconds and then said, “And maybe I can find us something a little stronger than cocoa.”

“Cocoa is fine with me, but I could maybe bring along a bottle of Champagne for midnight ... since neither of us has to drive...”

“That’s perfect. I think we could start a new tradition and add Jessica and Champagne to our New Year’s traditional festivities!” He laughed. But then his voice turned serious, “Sorry Jessica ... didn’t mean to get ahead of myself. I don’t mean to tie you up every New Year’s Eve ... I mean ... well as you get settled here in Lodi ... I’m sure you’ll get lots of invitations for New Year’s and other times.” He didn’t sound very happy about that.

She almost blurted, ‘With you and Jenny and Natalie, every New Year’s celebration sounds wonderful, ‘ but some part of her brain thought perhaps it was too soon for that kind of commitment.

Kate didn’t try to hide the amusement in her voice as she replied, “Harrison, I think we can take it one New Year’s at a time. You know since we live so close to each other and Natalie, sorry, Ms. Willets works for me, well ... you might get tired of me hanging around pretty quickly!”

She could hear the smile in his voice when he replied, “Well let’s see ... You pay Natalie’s salary so she’s kind of stuck with not getting tired of you, and Jenny already wants to draw your portrait with the pencil set you got her for Christmas, so she’s in your corner ... Heck, even Banner likes you best these days, despite the fact Sam pretty much follows you everywhere. So that just leaves me to win over, right?”

“And I haven’t won you over yet?” She teased.

“Well ... I’m pretty hard to please ... and I’ve been called stubborn and demanding, and I have pretty high standards ... it takes more than beauty, intelligence, kindness, a sense of humor and a shiny new black F-150 to win me over.”

She laughed. “Oh, pray tell what more would it take?” She was tingling from his words.

He paused and then asked, “How well do you shoot?”

“I’ll work on that!” She replied laughing, “But you might be surprised!”

He laughed too and then said, “I’d better let you go before Ms. Willets comes looking. Oh hang on Jenny wants to tell you something.”

“Jessica, I’m getting ready for bed. Thank you for my drawing set. Will you come over tomorrow?”

“Of course I will. I want to see what you’ve drawn.”

“Okay and Merry Christmas Jessica.”

“Merry Christmas Jenny.”

Harrison came back on. “She’s one tired little girl but I think she’ll finally sleep now. Of course her new drawing set will probably be on her bed. Thank you again for that. When you get back tonight, will you stop in?”

“For cocoa?”

“I’d be happy to fix cocoa.”

“I’d like that very much.”

“Okay, see you soon.

“See you soon Harrison.”

She took her phone from her ear and just looked at it for a few seconds while she digested the fact she had a date for New Year’s Eve. She smiled. Then it hit her. This was her first date ever. Before her parents’ deaths she had been out with groups for pizza, to a show or a ball game but that didn’t count. Now her first date was with Harrison! She did a fist pump and yelled, “Yes!”

Anya watched the beautiful blonde woman as she smiled at her phone and gave a fist pump in her excitement. Anya smiled too. It was nice seeing someone happy on Christmas. Liza had ignored the entire episode, still seated next to her but staring into the darkness beyond the loading dock. Anya wondered what it would be like having a life without worry and one where you could buy expensive jeans and sweaters and shoes. Even when their father was alive they never had money to buy more than the basics. She knew her mother shopped at the local thrift store and Anya was happy to get the ‘bargains’ her mother often found.

Anya also wondered if someone as nicely and expensively dressed as the blonde woman might even notice them, and if she did would she just quickly disregard them as people who had no place in her circle. That was unkind, Anya thought. There were lots of people giving up Christmas evening with families to help out here at the church. They didn’t have to be here. They could be home in their nice warm houses enjoying dinner with their families. Tears leaked from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks at the thought of families together and having a place to live and not having to live in a car while their mother was in the hospital. Anya quickly brushed the tears away. For some reason she didn’t want the young woman to see her distress. She was ashamed of their condition and feeling hopeless in the face of their predicament. Anya turned away. She hoped the young woman would leave.

Kate turned to go back to the kitchen and stopped. In her excitement with the call from Harrison she had apparently missed the fact that two young women were sitting close together on the concrete floor at one side of the loading dock. “Oh, I’m sorry ... I didn’t realize anyone was out here.” She gave them quick appraisal and saw two pretty teen girls, one blonde and the other auburn-haired. They both looked slightly disheveled wearing clothes that were far from new. Their thin jackets were completely unsuited for the weather predicted for the evening and overnight. She wondered if they had a place to stay.

She then remembered seeing them inside. They had kept to themselves off in a corner, and there was no adult with them. As she moved closer she saw the older of the two brushing tears with her fingers. Kate flushed as she recalled her own plight not so long ago and her heart went out to them. As she stood over them she quietly asked, “Its Christmas, is there anything I can do?”

Kate saw the older one – the blonde, the one in tears, open her mouth to speak, when the younger girl spoke up. Her voice seemed to radiate anger and frustration. “You want to help? I’ll tell you what you can do...” Kate heard her choke back a sob. “You can find a cure for our mother who’s in the hospital ... you can fix it so we don’t have to sleep in our car.” She was crying now. “You can keep me from having to live with Uncle Petro ... in Kiev ... and from being cold and hungry ... and not having a bed to sleep in. That’s what you can do!”

Kate watched the older girl put her arms around her sister as she sobbed. She turned and looked up at Kate and said, “I’m sorry. It’s just ... well ... with everything that’s happened to us recently my sister’s a little upset. We’re grateful for the meal and the containers of leftovers everyone has provided. It’s just things seem overwhelming right now...”

Kate felt close to tears herself, remembering those Christmases when she was cold and hungry and alone. She pulled one of Jacob’s handkerchiefs from her pocket and dabbed at her eyes as she pulled out her cell phone. Natalie picked up on the first ring and she said, “Natalie, can you break free for a few minutes and meet me out back on the loading dock?”

“Anything wrong boss?” Natalie had started calling her ‘boss, ‘ and despite dire warnings from Kate she had persisted. “No, nothing’s wrong. It’s just there are a couple of young women who might need some help before we leave tonight.”

“Be right out.”

“Thanks. See you in a minute.”

She tuned to the older girl and put her hand out and said, “I’m Jessica Brandt, and other than finding a cure for your mother I might be able to help you.” This caused the younger of the two to look up but there was no real hope in her eyes and the tears continued to flow.

Brushing tears with one hand and extending the other the older girl replied, “I’m Anya and this is my sister Liza.”

About that time Natalie appeared. “Hi boss, what’s up?” Kate frowned at her, but then shook her head and smiled and said. “Natalie Willets meet Anya and Liza. I’m sorry I don’t know your last name.”

“Netrebko, like the opera singer.”

Kate nodded and said, “That should be easy to remember. I saw Anna Netrebko in La Boehme. She’s amazing.”

Natalie rolled her eyes and said with a smile, “La Scala?”

“No, You Tube. It has music videos other than Tim McGraw and Keith Urban,” Kate deadpanned.

Natalie laughed and said, “It does?” And then she asked, “Was there a reason I was taken away from a sink full of greasy pans, or is this just going to be a discussion of the merits of certain opera singers versus certain gods of country music?”

Kate smiled. “Natalie if you weren’t so indispensable...”

“I know you’d fire me and find someone more obsequious.”

“I’d settle for obedient. Maybe I’ll just hire Jenny and train her right.”

Natalie laughed. “Good luck with that!” Then she went on to say, “Okay, let’s start again without the Abbot and Costello routine for these ladies.” She turned to Anya and put out her hand. “Hi I’m Natalie. I take care of Ms. Brandt here,” pointing toward Kate with her free hand. Her tone inferred ‘Ms. Brandt’ couldn’t take care of herself. “I’m happy to meet you.” Turning on her professional persona, Natalie turned to Kate and asked, “What kind of help are we providing?”

“It appears these ladies are without a home right now. They’re living in their car.”

Liza chimed in saying, “We were evicted yesterday. Our mother’s in the hospital.”

Natalie was shocked. “Who evicts people on Christmas Eve?”

Anya hung her head. “We were three months behind on rent.”

“Like I said, who evicts people on Christmas Eve?” Natalie paused. “Obviously housing is the first priority.” She thought for a moment. “Jessica did you know Julia Alvarez is here?”

“She is? I didn’t see her.”

“When I came out she was helping with the kitchen cleanup. Should I go and see if I can find her?”

“Please.”

“Okay be right back.”

Kate looked at the girls, who had composed themselves for the moment. “Julia Alvarez is my property manager. Well, actually she works for a corporation that manages some apartment buildings and maybe she has some ideas...” Her voice trailed off as she saw their look of dismay. “No you misunderstand, I know you don’t have money for rent, but I think we may be able to find a place without charge for a while – maybe until your mom gets out of the hospital and back on her feet.”