Page 380 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 1

Aaron beamed at her. Stephanie, his Sugar Plum Fairy, hadn’t been very happy about stepping aside for Anna, but no one could deny her talent. The critics were looking forward to the opening of Jewels and more displays of Anna’s dancing. She was the youngest female principal in the history of the ballet company.

They watched a movie in the bedroom after dinner until Anna fell asleep in his arms.

Anna’s eyes snapped open as a familiar body slipped into bed behind her. “Alex?”

“Nein, Liebling. I am sorry. It is Wilhelm.”

“Wilhelm!” She turned over and flung her arms around his neck and he held her close. He was the next best thing with Alex out of town. She savored his familiar presence and buried her face in his shoulder. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Always, Liebling. I will always be here for you.” He kissed her cheek and rubbed her back until she fell back into a peaceful sleep.

Chapter 178

The alarm blared, but Anna didn’t want to wake. She was cradled within the embrace of powerful, secure arms. Her groggy mind initially identified Alex before the realization hit her that he wasn’t home yet. Besides, Wilhelm wasn’t as muscular as Alex.

But Alex would be home today. Anna smiled at the thought. She needed her husband. She needed his assurance that everything would be alright. Soon.

In the meantime, dancing would soothe her soul. And Wilhelm’s presence as well.

She stretched her arms and legs and sat up. Wilhelm didn’t wake at her movements, which made Anna smile. Alex always woke up the second Anna did, if he wasn’t already awake. One of the many things she loved about him.

Anna scooted out from under the covers and glanced fondly back at Wilhelm as she walked to the bathroom to get ready.

When she emerged a while later, dressed for class, Wilhelm was sitting up in bed and looking at his phone.

“Have you heard from Alex?” She’d already checked her phone several times while getting ready.

“Nein, not yet.” Wilhelm looked up with sympathetic eyes. “It is very possible he will not be home today. Jobs can take longer than expected sometimes, and he cannot communicate with us until it is complete.”

Anna forced a smile and gave a sharp nod. “I know,” she whispered. She did. Alex had warned her. But her heart still fell at the thought. She needed Alex home. Today. She needed his arms around her. Today. She turned away, pretending to be busy with her dance bag, trying to control her tears.

Wilhelm came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Anna, do not be afraid. He will be home soon. He always comes home.”

She squeezed a point shoe in her hand and blinked several times. “Okay.” She nodded, but didn’t turn to look at him. “I should go eat breakfast.”

Wilhelm kissed the back of her head. “Try not to worry. Dance wonderfully today. He will be home as soon as he can. I know he will.”

At every break during her rehearsal, Anna hurried to her phone to check for messages, but the screen remained stubbornly unchanged. He’s okay. It’s just taking longer than he thought it would. He’ll be home soon.

Returning home would take time. Russia was far away. He would call soon.

When the rehearsal finally ended, there still hadn’t been a word from Alex. She told Aaron he could go home, that she’d be okay with Wilhelm. Aaron reluctantly agreed, making her promise that she’d call him if she needed anything.

Anna become inseparable from her phone, keeping it either in her hand or within reach on the rehearsal room floor. At night, it remained right by her side as she slept.

She curled up on the living room couch every evening, gazing out the window, willing the two black SUVs to appear around the corner. Devin called Thursday afternoon to let her know she didn’t need to attend the Friday night Gathering, a decision that she suspected Wilhelm might have influenced. He didn’t sound very happy about telling her.

As Saturday came, fear was eating away at her heart. Wilhelm did his best to reassure her that this wasn’t the first time Alex had taken much longer on a job than expected, but his words brought little comfort. She could feel her sanity degrading day by day, and if he didn’t call soon, she feared she wouldn’t survive.

Wilhelm settled beside her on the couch and patted her leg gently. “Anna, let us go do something, get out of the house.”

Anna shook her head. “I want to be here when he arrives.”

“He will call when he gets to Frankfurt, remember? He is stopping there on his way home. We will have plenty of time to get back before he arrives.”

Anna chewed on her lip as she contemplated Wilhelm’s words. He was right; Alex would call as soon as he reached Frankfurt. A distraction might provide some relief from the relentless worry that gripped her heart. She nodded slowly and stood.

For Anna’s sake, Wilhelm maintained his positive outlook whenever he spoke to her, but his stomach churned with every thought of his son. Alex was exceptionally skilled at his work, meticulously planning his missions with incredible precision. He was rarely so off on his timing, but it had happened in the past.

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