Page 14 of Mysterious Teacher : Arrival
Seeing how she still made no offer to invite him in, he tried again. “Would you be so kind as to allow me just a moment to call and advise them of my tardiness?”
“Perhaps you’d be best to call a mechanic as well.”
He chuckled as he nodded. “Yes. That is a very good idea. Very good indeed.”
“Your family...is it a local number that you wish to call?”
Again with the unexpected questions. “I’m certain that it is. I may be lost, but I know I’m in the general vicinity of their residence.”
“All right,” she finally said as she stepped back and waved him in. “But, as the hour is late, you must insist that you make it a short call.”
“Absolutely,” he said. He followed her into the American style home that was worlds away from the homes he’d known in Russia. His childhood home had been small and humble, and as a young man he’d shared a cramped apartment with a friend.
But this...open space with plenty of windows, beautiful artwork, bouquets of flowers. It was a grotesque display of wealth that made him want to spit on the floor.
He steeled himself and smiled at his hostess.
“This way, please,” she said, leading him to a sitting room or office or den.
The room was large with plenty of room to sit and chat with guests. To the left was a small desk, like a secretary. A heavy-looking black telephone sat on the desk beneath the glow of a lamp.
But what really caught his eye was the girl sitting at the desk. While he recognized her as the younger girl he’d seen in the window, it was her way of dress that surprised him. Her pristine black shirt had a high and ruffled lace collar that gave her a haughty air as she held her chin above the ruffles. The puffy sleeves narrowed just below the elbow with a line of pearl buttons that went down to her wrists. She wore a long black puffy skirt and a black leather belt around her waist. Her long dark hair was pulled up into side braids topped by a small black fascinator hat, and a pair of round, gold rimmed glasses sat on the tip of her nose.
While he wasn’t very familiar with American fashion, he felt certain that this was not the way of dress for such a young woman at the middle of the 1950s. In fact, it very much resembled images he’d seen of women from the Victorian age or early 1900s.
“Good evening, young Miss,” Boris said with all the charm that he could muster.He felt like he was in a room with royalty.
“Good evening, kind sir,” the young woman said with an air that was far beyond her years. “And please do call me April.”
“Yes. Good. April.”
“Now, what brings you to Summer House?”
“I’m having mechanical issues with my vehicle. It has broken down and I’m afraid I’m a little lost.”
“He’d like to use the telephone to advise his family of his delay,” Sonya added.
“Oh,” April said as she vacated the seat and gestured for him to come to the telephone.
“You see, the day has been so long,” Boris said, stammering somewhat as he picked up the receiver. He had no idea what number to dial or what he would say. “I’m more tired than I thought...and oh so hungry.” He took a whiff of the aroma that wafted in from the kitchen. “And something sure does smell heavenly in here.”
“Oh,” April said. “I know the hour is late, but we were just about to sit down to dinner. If you’re truly so hungry, why don’t you join us before heading back out on the road.”
He smiled. He beamed. This was even easier than he had anticipated. Just like Igor had said. Americans are so trusting. “It certainly would be my pleasure to enjoy a good meal with two such hospitable ladies.”
“Good,” April said. “Then it’s settled. Please, make your telephone call and come join us in the dining room. It’s the third door to the right. Oh, and you can wash up in the lavatory just two doors to the left.”
“Thank you,” Boris said. “It shouldn’t be long.”
Thankfully, the ladies left him alone. He pretended to make a call, spoke out loud to his imaginary American family that was waiting for him and even laughed loudly. Saying his goodbyes, he finally hung up and followed the heavenly aroma that filled the air. He stopped in a small lavatory – just a toilette and sink – and washed his hands of the sticky sweetness of the peaches he'd eaten with his fingers. He dried his hands on the small pink hand towel edged with satin ribbon and continued on his way to the small, informal dining room.
“Ah,” he said as he found them serving the evening’s meal. Compared to the cold fatty slices Igor had brought to the car, this was a true feast. “How splendid. This is truly more than I could have hoped for.”
The younger woman sat at the head of the table while the older one took a seat to her left. Boris pulled back a chair on the young woman’s right and sat down.
“This smells divine.” The plate in front of him was truly sent down from heaven.
“In honor of my new tutor’s arrival, I decided to welcome her with a feast fit for a queen,” April said with a whimsical giggle.
