Day Two

1

We slept till eight o'clock pressed tightly together, when my cellphone rang. It was Pavel.

"Hi," he said in a voice that was far from cheerful, but was, nevertheless, devoid of gloomy and desperate notes so typical only five hours before. "Where are you?"

"At home", I lied, looking at Lena's naked back. Perhaps, I wasn't lying too much, as my home was where I slept with Lena whenever it was.

But Pavel was in a more practical mood and was thinking in terms of territory.

"What?" he cried. "You're needed here. In an hour at the latest. Do you hear me?"

"Sure," I said. "I'll be there in twenty minutes at the latest."

He didn't pay attention at the material impossibility of such a quick move, his mind was engaged in other process. He said after a pause:

"Sergey, I wanted to thank you."

"For what?"

My astonishment was unaffected.

"For what you have done for me, for my son last night."

"But...", then I figured out that there was something I didn't know. I had to fill urgently the gap in my information. I said:

"That's ok. You know, actually, I'd been in such a stress, I can hardly remember exactly what happened. What have I done?"

There was a puzzled pause on the other end of the line, then he said:

"You brought me the briefcase at three o'clock in the morning, don't you remember?"

"Yes," I said. "Then I went home".

"But why? Why didn't you stay?"

"I don't know, I was under such a stress, I could hardly understand what I was doing."

I got out of bed and went to the bathroom. Lena was still asleep or seemed so.

"But how did you do that?" Pavel said. "Through your girl?"

"It was a complicated operation," I said elusively. "But now, what are you doing? Where is Anton? Did they call you?"

"Yes, five minutes ago. They are coming with him."

"Did you hear him?"

"Yes, they let me talk with him, he's ok."

"You're lucky."

"I hope so."

"I'll be there in ten minutes."

In that moment the door of the bathroom opened and Lena's naked figure appeared. Her skin was pink and seemed glowing in the rays of the rising sun.

"Lenka, you're stunning!" I couldn't help whispering, as if fearing to frighten away her beauty. Her hair was tousled, her eyes were supernaturally large and fresh like drops of dew on roses on an early sunny morning.

She smiled and stretched languidly.

I said:

"I must be going. Are you coming with me?"

She gave me a long enigmatic look before saying: "No".

Then she said:

"Where are you going?"

"To Pavel's room. He's expecting the liberation of his son. Do you know the story?"

She nodded:

"Yes, I heard something about it."

"From whom?"

She shook her head:

"I don't remember. Perhaps, from Robert."

I was bewildered and didn't conceal it:

"What's he got to do with it?"

She got in the bath tub, drew the curtain and opened the water.

"Want to join me?" she said, breathing noisily and clapping herself on her breast.

"I wish I could, but I can't, I've got to go."

But in the next moment I figured out that I didn't have to hurry. In fact Pavel didn't want me immediately, I could allow myself to be there in half an hour, perhaps later. With quick movements I dropped my gown, drew away the shower curtain and stepped into the tub. The water stream was scalding, I shunned it and ended up against Lena's back.

"You still want me, don't you?" she said, it wasn't hard to figure it out.

"I always want you," I whispered burying my face in her hair and, anticipating her question about me, I added:

"How was Hewlett?"

"Are you jealous?" she said putting her face under the water, her eyes closed and her features became dim.

"I'm mad about you," I said.

"Did you say the same thing to the women you had been with last night?"

"No. I was as mute as a fish."

"Why do you want to know about Hewlett? Do you fear to be judged inferior to him?" She paused, stayed under the water with her mouth open, until it filled up, then spat out the water and said:

"He's not better than you, he's different."

"Did you like it with him?"

She opened her wonderful eyes, smiled slyly and said:

"It was fun, yes, I liked it."

I felt as if instead of water from the shower ran a stream of shit. She laughed, put her hands on my shoulders and pressed her head on my breast:

"Don't get offended, it's only my job." Then, casting a glance down my waist, she added:

"You don't want me anymore, do you? That's my fate, I accept all your cheating on me, but you never forgives me any man I have to stay with."

"This time is different, and you have admitted it yourself," I said, trying desperately to be casual.

She turned off the water. We stayed naked in front of each other and were quickly becoming strangers. I felt that once dressed we would hardly be able to undress naked in front of each other never more. It was horrible to feel like that, all of a sudden I felt like howling. Lena said:

"You must be going. Get wiped and dressed." She stepped over the edge of the tub and took the towel. I smiled, took the second towel. I ought to be a pro. It was only a passing sentimental weakness.

"I will survive," I said.

She was furiously rubbing her head, burying it in the towel. She stopped for a moment, looked out of it and shook her head:

"I don't doubt it."

In the next moment I pulled on my trousers and shirt.

"What are you doing today? Are you seeing him?"

"No. Not today."

"Ok. See you." I pecked her on the cheek and ran out, as I was putting on my jacket and a show of cheerful indifference that could deceive everybody but me or Lena.

But where had I really been last night? What had I dreamt and what had really happened?