Page 37 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 1

She took a breath to compose herself and gave him her practiced smile. I am here to please Kurt.

Dinner continued, with the others talking around Anna once more. She answered questions if asked, but otherwise stayed silent, wondering how she had been so wrong about Kurt, thinking he was different from the other men she’d known. She forced herself to finish her meal, but it suddenly tasted like cardboard.

After everyone had finished, the busboy cleared the dinner plates from the table. The server placed a piece of chocolate cake with a single candle in front of her. She looked around. No one else had one. “What’s this?” She glanced at Kurt.

He grinned and kissed her. “Happy Birthday, Anna.”

Wilhelm leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Happy Birthday, Liebling.”

Anna stared at the dancing flame atop a pink candle. Why had they done this? Kurt wanted to hurt her, but had ordered her birthday cake? Or maybe it had been Wilhelm? These Germans were very confusing.

Anna looked between Kurt and Wilhelm, searching their eyes to understand their intent, but saw nothing but affection for her. Even Alex smiled warmly at her.

She looked back at the candle and let a tiny smile cross her face. Take the good where you can find it, Anna. There is no guarantee the next moment will be good, but this moment is. Enjoy it.

Anna blew out the candle, and Kurt, Wilhelm, and Alex applauded. Kirsty rolled her eyes. Anna offered to share her cake, but they all declined.

“That is all yours, Anna,” Wilhelm said.

Anna smiled. This is a good moment.

Taking a bite of chocolate decadence, she tried to savor the moment, even as her heart filled with fear for the uncertain night ahead with Kurt.

Chapter 16

Anna’s stomach filled with butterflies as the town car pulled up to the enormous white columned opera house. She leaned forward to peer out the window at the white building, glowing in the night. Long buried memories of dancing floated to the surface.

The last time she’d been here had been her final performance with the ballet school, though she didn’t know it at the time. She’d danced the first act of Giselle with one of the graduating students, performed with her own class at the school, taken her bows, and then Master Jack had taken her back to his house. He never let her perform again.

Kurt helped Anna out of the town car and they walked up the steps through one of the five arched doorways into her most favorite place in the world.

Anna held her breath as they walked through the vast lobby. It mirrored her memory perfectly. The tall Corinthian columns still towered over her, making her feel just as small as they had when she was a child. The carved golden flowers in the arched ceiling still cheered her heart.

She could almost see her younger self and Jenna snaking their way through the crowd, pretending they were in the jungle, eluding capture from some giant monster. Uncle Jack would chide them to behave, but kept their playful secrets. Sometimes he had even played the role of the safe tower they were running to.

Anna blinked back tears. Once upon a time, Uncle Jack had been her champion. Her hero. She blinked back tears as pain stabbed her heart.

Kurt and Wilhelm stopped to talk with someone they knew and Anna looked around, her heart lightening as her imagination wandered back to happy memories from the past. A life-sized bronze statue between two of the columns caught her attention. Her hand slipped out of Kurt’s and she walked on shaky legs toward it. She recognized that pose. Those faces.

Her mouth dropped open as she approached, the bronze faces growing clearer as she drew near. The woman stood in permanent arabesque; the man stood behind her, forever posed with his hand on her waist.

Anna reached out to touch the cold cheek of her mother, and tears spilled over as she gazed into the eyes of her father. They were so beautiful. Pictures of some of their many performances together hung on the wall behind them. A plaque announced their names, their accomplishments, and a brief explanation of their death that cold winter night so many years ago.

Beloved and long gone.

Her back grew warm as someone walked up behind her. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Alex. His voice was low and gentle. “I’ve heard amazing stories about them.”

Anna swiped at her tears. Loneliness stabbed her heart as she stared up into her mother’s face. Why did you have to die? Why did you leave me here alone?

“Anna, are you—Why are you crying?” Alex turned her around by her shoulders. He looked at the statue and then back at Anna and then smiled. “You really do look exactly like your mother.”

“You know they’re my parents?”

Alex nodded.

“How?”

Alex shrugged and moved closer to the statue, studying the faces much as Anna had.

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