Natasha and Anna

                                                      image:pexels.com
Natasha Dimitri paced up and down her verandah. She kept repeating to herself ‘Why does he not come? Oh, why is he so late?’ She was waiting for Boris, her beloved Boris.

Natasha loved very few people in the world, only two to be exact; her elder sister Anna and Boris. Natasha had first seen Boris when she was eight and he sixteen, it had been love at first sight for her .As the years rolled by , her love for him grew stronger and stronger, fueled by the belief that he was meant for her and that he too felt the same way about her .Natasha loved him with all the passion her heart was capable of . He was her true love, her secret love, her everything.

Most people thought Natasha strange. She felt things with such intensity that she made people around her feel uneasy. There was and would never be any medium for Natasha .In truth even her parents were a little afraid of her volatile nature. ‘She has an artistic temperament,’ her mother would say trying to quell her worries regarding her younger daughter’s overwhelming passionate nature. In return, Natasha’s father would retort, ‘She’s spoilt.

Of course they never dared to say anything in front of Natasha. But Natasha sensed their disapproval and could not careless Natasha held all the world in contempt.

Except of course Anna and Boris.

Anna was the only person in the house hold who sympathized with Natasha and although her own plodding nature was vastly different from Natasha’s, she loved her tenderly. Anna was intelligent enough to make no attempt to understand Natasha, Knowing it would be useless; instead she loved her the way she was.

Natasha understood, was grateful and repaid that love with a love double in intensity.

That night Natasha worked herself into a frenzy of disappointment and worry at Boris’s tardiness .Every Wednesday Boris had dinner at the Dimitri household. It was an obligation that he fulfilled punctually and eagerly. His late father and Natasha’s father had been the best of friends and when his father had died Natasha’s father had paid for Boris’s upkeep. In consequence Boris paid every person in the Dimitri family every possible attention.

But this particular Wednesday Boris did not come. Natasha went down to dinner and fought back tears of anger when she saw Boris empty chair.

‘Where is Boris, Papa? She questioned father.

‘I am not certain. He told me he was busy and could not come today.’ her father replied genially.

‘What could possibly be more important ban dining with us? Natasha demanded.

To this her father did not reply and Natasha remained broodingly silent throughout the rest of the meal. When dinner was finished Natasha ran to her room. Flung herself on the bed and proceeded to cry stormily.

Eventually her tears dried. Then She took up a glass of hot milk to Anna .This had been a nightly ritual for years. Natasha always took up a glass of hot milk to Anna and then the two girls would talk for hours on end together. They would confide in each other, gossip together and laugh together.

But that night Natasha was in no mood for confidences, gossip or laughter. She was too angry at Boris’s neglect of her.

‘Natasha, ‘began Anna hesitantly after some time’ I could not help but see how disappointed you were when Boris did not come tonight.

Natasha cut Anna off abruptly.’I don’t want to talk about it.’

‘But’

‘Anna please’

                                                          image:pexels.com
So Anna remained silent.

The next day Boris came early in the morning. When he saw Natasha his face lit up and he stretched his hands out to her.

‘Why did you not come yesterday?’ She queried, grasping his outstretched hands and peering up at him.

‘I was busy preparing a surprise for you. Forgive me.’

‘Of course,’ Natasha exclaimed quickly forgetting her anger of the previous night. ‘What surprise?’ she asked eagerly.

Boris smiled fondly down at her. ‘You will find out at the ball on Saturday/

* * *

On Saturday Natasha dressed carefully for the ball, knowing Boris would be there. Her painstaking preparations were rewarded when Boris greeted her. ‘You look lovely’, he said admiringly.

That night Boris was very attentive towards her, dancing with no one but herself and Natasha was brimming over with happiness.

At dinner her father gave a toast. ‘I would like to propose a toast in honour of my lovely daughter Anne and her wonderful fiancé Boris.

Natasha gripped the table. The colour drained from her face. The room spun and she felt faint.

Just then Anna and Boris approached her.

‘How do you like your surprise? Boris smiled at her.

‘I tried to tell you on Wednesday but you would not listen. You probably thought he was neglecting me but how you guessed we were engaged I will never know.’ Anna laughed it was supposed to be a secret. I wanted to surprise you.

‘Yes,’ Boris continued, flashing Anna a loving look which sent a shaft of pain through Natasha’s heart, ‘I was visiting my mother on Wednesday to tell her of our engagement.

Anna and Boris both looked at Natasha expectantly and she rose to the occasion. Concealing her crushing misery she kissed them both and wished them well, and she announced the tears she shed to be tears of happiness.

Later Natasha and Anna talked deep into the night. Anna chattered excitedly and Natasha listened patiently, glad to see her sister so happy.

When Anna began to feel sleepy Natasha kissed her and went to leave.

She pushed at the threshold and looked back at Anna who was just beginning to drink her milk. Natasha smiled a sad yet loving smile and thought ‘I love you too much to spend the rest of my life hating you.

The next day Anna was found dead .She had been poisoned.