Page 45 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 2

Someone padded into the bedroom. “Oh, Anna...” Peter unclenched her fingers and took the sheet from her. “Here, let me do it.” He took it off the bed and started again, doing it as he did everything: perfectly.

“I’m sorry.” She crawled to her feet and reached for the other sheet. Tears blurred her vision and she swiped them away.

Peter put his hands gently on her upper arms. “Have you showered?”

Anna shook her head. “I wanted to get the sheets changed first.”

He took the sheet from her. “I’ll take care of the bed. You go shower.”

She did as he told her, showering quickly, then returned to find the bed made and Peter sitting on it, waiting for her. She started to untie her robe for him and he shook his head. “No. It’s okay. Do you want some dinner?”

Anna hesitated. She wasn’t hungry, but knew she should eat. “Sure.”

He took her out to the dining table where there were several takeout containers. “Do you like Chinese? I got it while you were... busy.”

She took a seat and couldn’t help but bite her lip as the delectable aroma wafted up from the food. He retrieved plates and silverware and set them on the table. As he opened the containers, a wisp of steam escaped, and he nudged them in her direction. “Help yourself. I got a bit of everything.”

Anna dished out some rice and some sort of chicken and vegetable dish as Peter sat watching her. He could at least report back to Devin that she was eating.

“My parents are coming up for opening night,” he said, scooping out a heaping spoonful of rice and dumping it on his plate. “Vlad and Nina as well.”

“Nina?”

“My aunt.”

“Oh.” She frowned. “Up?”

“Yeah. My parents live in Laguna Beach. My mother’s American.”

That would explain his excellent English. “I didn’t know that.”

“I grew up in Laguna Beach but went to secondary school in St. Petersburg so I could dance there. I lived with Vlad and Nina. When they gave up the idea of having a boy, I started spending more time with them.”

“You have a thick accent, though.”

“I’ve spent the last ten years primarily speaking Russian. And I spoke Russian when I lived at home too. At least to my father. My mom made sure I learned proper English. Being here has helped a lot. She’s happy.” He chuckled.

“Were you born here?”

He shook his head. “I was born in St. Petersburg. So were Sergei and Pavel. But Yuri and Natalya were born in California.”

“Your brothers and sister?” They had “been together” for six weeks, and she realized she barely knew anything about him. She knew he had three younger brothers and a sister from the pictures on the wall, but hadn’t learned their names.

Peter nodded and smiled. “My mother is thrilled that she doesn’t have to freeze to see me dance Nutcracker this year.”

Anna smiled, not sure what else to say.

They ate in silence for a few minutes, then Peter spoke again. “Thanksgiving is coming up. Do you want to come with me when I visit my family?”

Anna looked up. “Go with you to... visit your family?” She furrowed her brows, puzzled. “Why?”

Peter shrugged. “Thought you might want to get out of the city.”

She looked back down at her plate. “If you’d like me to.”

“I’d like it if you came.”

“Okay.” She took a bite of dinner, wondering why he was being so nice.

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