Passage into Light by Judith Pella

Author:Judith Pella [Pella, Judith]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC042030, FIC042000, FIC026000
ISBN: 9781441229717
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2015-10-08T00:00:00+00:00

26

The old neighborhood had not changed. Even as he could hear artillery shells exploding in the city center, he approached his home with a sense of warm security. A new order was rising up in Russia. The old was about to be swept away—if Andrei did not misjudge Lenin—in a way that would be staggering. Yet the old babushkas still gossiped to each other on their doorsteps; children still squabbled in the street; the grocer was still yelling at his wife. Andrei almost expected to see Talia sitting on the doorstep of their building as she had many times in the past in order to catch him and fill him in on the day’s events.

But Talia wasn’t there. He wondered if she would even be inside. At least his mama would be there. Then Andrei hesitated. He knew his mama would never hold grudges against him for any of his actions. He was not so sure about anyone else. They must know about his amnesia and would no doubt forgive him for his disappearance since getting shot eight months ago. But what about before that? He and Yuri had had little chance to talk in the turmoil of their last meeting. He remembered his last words to Yuri were “I love you.” But what had been Yuri’s response? Andrei couldn’t remember.

Of course his brother loved him. The wisdom Andrei had offered Rudy regarding reconciliation with his father was just as applicable to him and Yuri. The world had changed radically in the last several months. It was hard to believe that Yuri had not changed also.

And Talia . . . ?

Andrei could still see the devastation in her eyes when he did not recognize her. It must have hurt her terribly. Then for him to disappear again. Suddenly something occurred to Andrei. That look . . . had there been more to it than simply being rejected by a friend? Could there have been more?

“Andrei,” he mumbled into the night air, “you are worse than Yuri standing here analyzing everything. You’ll never know anything unless you get moving.”

He took a steadying breath, then started toward his mother’s building. He climbed the steps, opened the door, and entered. Even the smell in the entry hall had not changed—musty dampness mingled with onions and frying lard, and whatever else various tenants had cooked for dinner. He mounted the long flight of stairs to their floor. He met a woman he knew from years ago on the stairs, but she did not seem to recognize him, so he said nothing. It made him realize how long it had been since he had been home, not counting that brief stay when he came in March. He was acutely aware of how much he had changed.

When he reached the door, he felt stiff and awkward as he lifted his hand to knock. How many times had he burst through that door as an exuberant boy? What would he do now?

But when the door opened in response to his knock, he completely gave up his analyzing and followed his first impulse.

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