Saving Katya

by Sandra Edwards

  He was clutching her chart against his chest now and looking at her with one of those pity looks. Feelings of claustrophobia settled around Kate like a straitjacket.

  “That’s not a problem. If I’m not with her, another attendant will be,” Debra said. “Does this mean she can go?”

  “There’s really no point for us to keep you here any longer. Before you leave, we’ll prescribe some eye drops. They’ll help to relieve the pressure until you can see your doctor back home.”

  “What if I don’t get the surgery in time?” Kate asked.

  A dark shadow panned across his eyes seconds before he shook his head. “Your eyesight will go away…and it won’t come back this time.”

  CHAPTER 10

  ALEXEI HURRIEDLY polished off an in-room breakfast, dressed casually and grabbed his skates before heading out to Kate’s photo shoot. He couldn’t openly oversee it; instead, he had Serge taking care of that for him. Freed from the position to manage the project, Alexei was able to join Kate on the ice.

  His time was better served keeping her safe. He didn’t want her doing any jumps and spins that might lead to a fall. Above all else, Kate didn’t need to fall.

  Alexei paid the brisk chill in the air no mind as he hurried along the fairway toward the outdoor rink. The camera crew, Serge, Kate and Katya and their friends were already there. There was a time, not so long ago, that Alexei would’ve been the first one there. But ever since he’d run into Kate Peterson here at the Winter Games, he’d been distracted.

  Serge propped his sunglasses on top of his head and stole a quick glance at Alexei, just long enough to flash him a look that said everything was going as Alexei had planned.

  Alexei claimed a sideline bench near him and mindlessly put on his skates while watching Kate as she warmed up on the ice and the photographer began snapping pictures.

  The guy seemed content, at first, with this simple act, but his satisfaction was short-lived. Soon, he began taunting Kate, encouraging her to, “show her stuff.”

  She hesitated at first. But something, perhaps the gravity of the situation—she needed the money—pushed her to move faster.

  That wasn’t happening. Alexei pushed himself up from the bench and skated out toward Kate, coasting to a stop at her side. “Good morning, Katya.” It wasn’t the smartest thing in the world to say, but it was the best he could come up with on short notice.

  “Morning,” she said, and dropped it at that.

  “Don’t tell me you’re working, and so soon after your release from the hospital?” Alexei scanned the ice rink with a wandering eye.

  Kate shrugged. “Guilty as charged.”

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

  “It’s just a short photo shoot,” she said with a nod. “It won’t take long.”

  “When the shoot’s over,” he said, “can I count on you to take it easy for the rest of the Games?”

  “Sure,” she said, and plastered on a smile to hide her lingering unease. Kate had enough to worry about without adding Alexei discovering her secret to the list.

  An indistinct moodiness befell Kate and left her feeling odd and out of sorts. A shiver rippled up her back. An old adage breezed through her thoughts about how that meant somebody had just walked across her grave. Kate’s breath caught in her throat. The thought fled her brain and iced her veins as it shot out through her body. She felt her face flush hot.

  “Are you sure you’re feeling okay?” Alexei’s voice filled with worry.

  “Yes,” she whispered, and backed it up with a nod. “Why do you ask?” Kate studied Alexei as they circled each other like prey. What was he up to? She didn’t like it, not one bit. And she didn’t like him hovering, either. If he found out about her illness, or she actually lost her sight, he could end up using it against her.

  “You look a little pale.” His tone was far too serious to suit Kate.

  Kate’s heart pounded so loudly it felt caged inside her chest. The urge to sit down swept over her. Seconds later, her vision blurred. She barely had a chance to recognize the dull ache swelling inside her head and quickly tried to ward it off with a mental block.

  No luck. The pain amplified. When the dizziness set in, she reached for her forehead, wishing she had something to grab onto. She panned her free hand in front of her, finding nothing but air.

  As everything faded to black, she swore Alexei’s enchanting embrace caught her.

  Kate woke to the sounds of—what was it...? Jet engines? She opened her eyes to a dimly-lit room, barely making make out the cylindrical walls curving into a rounded ceiling. She felt rather than saw the bed she was lying in. What the hell?

  “Where am I?” She asked a question that was meant for no one in particular.

  Still, a comforting voice flowed through the darkness. “Alexei’s airplane.” It was Katya. And she was close by. Kate reached out and her palm landed against a small arm. “Katya...?”

  “Yes, Mommy...” The bed moved as Katya crawled up next to her, her breath fanned against Kate’s face. “I’m here.”

  Where were they going? This wasn’t a question she should ask Katya. Even so, she needed answers. “Where’s Debra?”

  “I’m right here,” Debra said.

  “Why is it so dark in here?” Kate asked.

  “The doctors thought it might be best if you weren’t subjected to too much light right now,” Debra said, just as a lamp on the other side of the room flicked on and emitted an noninvasive, soft-glowing light about the aircraft’s stateroom.

  The additional light did more than illuminate the room. A new and horrifying thought crossed Kate’s mind—why was she on Alexei’s jet?

  Kate glanced toward the doorway and saw him standing there, backed against the wall. What’s going on? The words formed inside her mind but her brain wouldn’t send the inquiry to her mouth.

  “Katya.” Alexei looked at their daughter. “Would you like to get something to drink or snack on?” he asked, as if he’d read Kate’s mind and knew she wanted to talk to Debra alone.

  “I sure could use something to drink,” Kate said to her daughter, to give her reason to accept his invitation. “Do you think you could get me something?”

  “Sure, Mommy.” Katya crawled off the bed and took Alexei’s hand as they left the stateroom. He closed the door on their way out.

  Kate projected her anxiety onto Debra with her hardest glare. “What the hell...?” She pushed herself up and swung her feet over the edge of the bed. “What are we doing on Alexei’s plane?”

  “You need to lie back down.” Debra laid a firm hand on Kate shoulder and nudged her back down on the bed. Kate fought it at first, but relented when Debra said, “You’ve pushed your luck as far as it will go. Your time has run out.” Debra’s look flashed serious at Kate, telling her that Debra meant that literally.

  Images of the photo shoot and the mad headache that had fallen upon her—shortly after her vision blurred—flooded Kate’s mind. Shit. Debra wasn’t kidding when she said Kate’s time had run out. But it was too soon.

  Kate began shaking her head erratically. A panicked feeling knotted in her chest. No money meant no surgery. “I’m gonna go blind.” The panic dropped, full throttle, into her gut.

  “With a little luck, you won’t.” Debra’s voice was calm, soothing. Kate looked up at her friend letting her curiosity fuel her expression. “We’re on our way to L.A.,” she said. “You’re going to have the surgery.”

  She eyed Debra. “But I didn’t get the money.”

  “You don’t need money. Not when you have friends in high places.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means it’s all taken care of. The doctors, the surgery, the hospital...they’re all waiting on us.”

  “How is that possible?” As she asked the question, the answer wrapped around her like an electric blanket—it was warm at first, but just like a blanket with a short in the wiring it was prone to shock—Alexei was Kate’s
only hope. And that zapped Kate.

  Kate didn’t want to be beholden to Alexei. But there were far worse things—like ending up blind.

  CHAPTER 11

  ONCE KATE WAS settled into her hospital room and had fallen asleep, Debra slipped out into the waiting room where she expected to find Alexei, his friend Sergio, Katya and Angeline. To her surprise, Alexei was the only one there.

  “Where is everyone?” Debra asked, easing into the chair behind him.

  “I had Serge take Katya and Angeline to a nearby hotel.” He looked at Debra. “He’ll secure suites for us all.”

  He got up and went to the windows on the far side of the room and fixed his gaze on the scene before him. Debra followed him, and gave the park across the street far less attention than Alexei had. The sun was giving way to the pink and purple hues of a Pacific skyline.

  From the look of despondence he wore, Debra would guess that Alexei Petrova was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. “Do you intend to stay here until Kate’s released from the hospital?” she asked.

  “That is my intention. Yes.”

  “Trying to make up for the past?”

  “Something like that.” There was a sharp disappointment in his voice. Alexei folded his arms across his chest.

  “Something like that?” Debra asked. “Or something like you don’t want to make the same mistake twice?”

  “I didn’t have a choice back then.” Alexei tossed her a grief-stricken glare. “And I can assure you that I won’t willingly walk away from Katya or our daughter this time.”

  Willingly? What an odd thing to say. Alexei Petrova was no longer underage and at the mercy of others. Now he was a wealthy, powerful man. Who could make him walk away from Kate and Katya? “Is that why you’re holding back?”

  Alexei looked at Debra. “Holding back?”

  “Even a fool can see that you’ve got it bad for Kate Peterson.”

  Alexei almost laughed, but caught it quickly and shoved it back down inside. “It doesn’t matter how I feel about her.” He shook his head. “I’ve already hurt her once. I won’t do it again.”

  “That wasn’t your fault. And I don’t see how or why you should be worried about something like that happening again.” Debra’s tone took on a know-it-all quality. “You’re an adult now. No one can make you do anything.”

  “You’d be surprised.” The words escaped before Alexei could stop them.

  “Well, by all means…” Debra raised an eyebrow. “Enlighten me.”

  Alexei knew it wasn’t a good idea, but he also saw the benefits of having someone close to Kate understanding and knowing why, if he suddenly disappeared. “You’re right,” he said in a bit of a defeated tone. “They say, time heals all wounds.” He shook his head and laughed. “But that’s not true...at least in my case.”

  “They also say, absence makes the heart grow fonder, which we’ve already established is the case with you.” She stuck her head around so she was in his peripheral vision. “So how does you being forced away from Kate, again, enter the picture?”

  “Well, let’s just say that I’ve made a United States senator very unhappy.”

  Debra stuck her hand in the air. “You didn’t do anything illegal, did you?”

  “No. I can assure you it wasn’t illegal.” Alexei shrugged. “Even so, she is determined to have me deported...as soon as the Winter Games are over, I will be escorted out of the United States.”

  “Can she do that?”

  “Apparently so. A judge has signed the order.”

  “You have to tell Kate.”

  “What?” Alexei’s heartbeat kicked into overdrive, like it did when he was setting up for a Triple Lutz. “That’ll just give her one more thing to worry about. I don’t want that.”

  “Trust me here,” she said. “I know a thing or two about what makes Kate tick. You tell her what’s going on. She’s got enough on her plate without being faced with having you disappear on her again, and not hearing why from you.”

  Well, when she put it like that.... “I did not want to add to her burden.”

  “Honey...” Debra’s hands were on her hips now. “As long as you have each other, you put forth a united front...there’s no mountain you two can’t conquer.”

  Kate opened her eyes to a hospital room. Alexei was sitting at her bedside, arms folded across his chest, a stoic look on his face.

  “Where is everybody?” she asked, just above a whisper.

  He didn’t say anything right away, and it took him a second or two longer to lift his gaze to look at her. “I secured a suite in a nearby hotel,” he said. “Under the circumstances Debra thought it might be best if she and Katya waited there.”

  Kate felt alone. More alone than she’d felt in a long time. The feeling of helplessness swelled inside her.

  As if sensing her weakness, Alexei leaned toward her and caressed his hand over hers. “I can promise you this,” he said as if choosing his words wisely. “I will be here when you wake up from the surgery.”

  That sounded temporary. Kate’s heart pounded against her chest. “You said you wouldn’t abandon Katya.”

  “And I won’t.” He entwined his fingers with hers. “I’ll never turn my back on either of you.” Bleak lines showed on his face. “They can force me out, but I’ll never leave you to fend for yourself again.”

  Force you out? Kate tried to sit up, but her head felt like a wrecking ball. She winced and sank back down into the bed.

  “I knew this was a bad idea.” Alexei encased his hands around hers. “I didn’t want to give you anything else to worry about.”

  “Alexei, you’re scaring me. What aren’t you telling me?”

  “I’d given up hope, a long time ago, of ever seeing you again.” His face exposed his vulnerability. “But I never stopped loving you, Katya.”

  Whoa. Okay, so she wasn’t expecting that. She may have wished for it, but she wasn’t expecting it. Kate drew a breath, readying to put her heart out there on her sleeve when Alexei saved her.

  “Please, let me finish.” He gave a crooked half-smile. “Then you can tell me where to go.”

  That made Kate smile. She used to say that all the time, back in the day. When we’re old enough, we’ll them all where to go!

  “I may have given up hope of reconciling with you, but I never deluded myself that I could ever love any woman more than I loved you.” He shrugged. “You may not find the particulars particularly interesting, but let’s suffice it to say that I’ve gotten myself in a bit of jam.” His eyes lit for a split-second, the way they used to when he applied her euphemisms correctly.

  “What kind of a jam?” All sorts of emotions, worries, and hopes flooded her thoughts. A mixture of distress, fear, apprehension and trust filled her up until finally sadness wiped them all away. Sadness over the thought of never seeing him—her first love, her last love, the father of her child—ever again.

  Kate wasn’t ready to see Alexei walk away. Not when they’d just found each other again. Not when he’d just told her he loved her.

  The pain inside Kate head swelled. The last thing she remembered before slipping into oblivion was Alexei’s terrified face.

  Alexei had been sitting at Kate’s bedside ever since they’d brought her back into her room after the surgery. He’d fallen asleep twice that he recalled. He checked his watch. Two hours since she’d come back to the room. When was she going to awaken?

  He took her hand loosely in his. “Katya...” He called her name barely above a whisper. “I’m being deported. There’s no way I’d ever leave you otherwise.”

  CHAPTER 12

  KATE WANTED THE bandages covering her eyes gone in the worst way. She’d never be able to open her eyes as long as they were weighting them down. Wading through the fog filling her brain, she presumed she must have had the surgery and that’s why the bandages were there. In that case, her fate was close at hand. She was going to win or lose. And the way her luck ran, the outco
me wasn’t likely to end well.

  Amid her sleepy stupor, she thought she heard Alexei’s voice, but it sounded miles away.

  “...the thought of walking out of your life again is tearing me apart.”

  Why again was he going to leave her? Kate tried to swipe away the cobwebs of confusion. The answer was there, somewhere, inside her brain.

  “I can’t worry about what happens to me though,” he said. “I have to make sure that you and our daughter are okay.”

  If he was so worried about them, why was he talking about leaving? The reason was there, right next to her yet out of her grasp. Grab it, Kate. Get it....

  Deportation? She swore somewhere along the way she’d heard Alexei say something about being deported. But when was that?

  Before the surgery? She wanted to ask him when that might have been. “Alexei....?”

  “Katya?” His tone was anxious, and distant. She felt his hand encasing hers; she knew it was him. Nobody’s touch had ever affected her like his. “Is the surgery over?”

  “Yes.” His voice relaxed a little. “Two days ago.”

  “Two days?” Had she heard that right? “Have I been asleep all this time?”

  “Mostly.” He leaned closer to her; she could tell by the motion of the bed. “How are you feeling? Does your head hurt much?”

  “No.” She tried to shake her head but wasn’t sure if she had. “I’m not feeling any pain.” She wanted to ask him about the deportation. “Is Katya here?”

  “She was earlier. She’s gone back to the hotel with Debra.”

  The clouds in Kate’s head had begun to clear, and she was glad of it. “We’re alone. Right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Am I losing my mind, or did you say something to me about being deported?”

  “You heard that?” He let out a stifled laugh. “I thought you were sleeping.”

  “I probably was.” She gave in to a moment of silence, to let him get comfortable with the idea of telling her more. “So, it’s true then? I wasn’t dreaming it?”