Good Medicine Senior YearChapter 56 Holy Week and Pascha Part I
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December 31, 1984, McKinley, Ohio
Elizaveta greeted me at the door with a soft kiss, then took me to her father’s study. She left me with him and Gennady, then went to the kitchen to put the finishing touches on the meal. I accepted a splash of brandy from Viktor and we toasted.
“When do you head back to Harvard?” I asked Gennady.
“Wednesday afternoon,” he replied.
“You know, I never asked if you had a girlfriend.”
“I do. A girl who lives in Boston, but who’ll move here if I ask her to marry me, which I intend to right after graduation. Her name is Anna; she’s Serbian, and is faithful.”
“How long have you been dating?”
“Since right after the start of my Junior year. She’s the daughter of one of my professors. We met at a social gathering at his house.”
“I assume the wedding will be in Boston?”
“I don’t see any way around that which allows me to survive,” he grinned. “I’d have every woman in her church after me! And not in a good way!”
“Any idea when?”
“It would be up to her and her family, but I suspect in the Fall. We’ll see. I know your schedule is going to be difficult, so I’ll see what we can arrange so you can be there.”
“Thanks. I’m sure Elizaveta will appreciate that as well.”
“I don’t want to upset HER either,” he replied with a grin, “and I’d strongly advise you not to do so!”
“She does have a lot of her grandmother in her,” Viktor said with a similar grin. “My mother-in-law is ... strong-willed.”
“Do you know many Russian woman who aren’t?” I asked.
“No!” they both replied.
“But some are stronger-willed than others,” Viktor replied. “And my daughter is one of them!”
“Good luck, Mike!” Gennady added.
“Thanks, but I was fully aware of what I was in for once she approached me and read me the Riot Act for not paying enough attention to the girls at church, and then listing her qualifications and making quite clear not only what she wanted, but what she expected!”
“And like any wise man in an encounter with a Russian woman, he said ‘Yes, Dear’ and that was the end of the discussion!” Viktor said with a laugh.
“I heard that!” Elizaveta said from the doorway. “Dinner is ready.”
“Yes, Dear!” I replied with a smirk she couldn’t see.
“I’ll wipe that smirk off your face, husband!” she declared.
“Busted,” Gennady whispered.
“Yeah,” I agreed, shaking my head.
The three of us got up and went to the dining room. Elizaveta gave me a hard look, but I could tell by the slightly upturned corners of her lips that she was fighting a smile. Dinner was delicious as always, and dessert was fantastic. While the women cleaned up, Viktor, Gennady, Iosif, and I went to the living room with coffee.
“Use your best judgment about when you bring Elizaveta home tonight,” Viktor said.
“Probably around 1:30am,” I replied.
“That’s fine.”
We talked together and about fifteen minutes later, Elizaveta came into the room and said she was ready. I said ‘goodbye’ to my future father-in-law and brothers-in-law, and Elizaveta and I put on our coats, hats, and gloves and headed out to my car.
“What did my dad and brother say before I came into the study?” Elizaveta asked as I pulled out of the driveway.
“Nothing I didn’t already know!”
“What do you mean?”
“That you are a Russian woman, even if you haven’t fully trained to be a «бабушка»! Strong-willed and feisty!”
“And is this a problem?” she demanded.
“Why no, of course not,” I replied flatly.
“Clarissa and Tasha are right - you are a goofball!”
“I also have a strong sense of self-preservation!” I chuckled.
“So long as you do as I say, we’ll never have any trouble!” she teased.
“I don’t believe that’s the meaning of ‘compromise’!”
“It is in my mind!” Elizaveta declared firmly.
“Of course it is!” I replied.
“You do know I’m teasing, right?” Elizaveta asked, her voice softening.
“Yes, and I’m teasing right back! But I do have a question.”
“What’s that?”
“Exactly how you intend to wipe the smirk off my face!”
“Wouldn’t YOU like to know!”
“I would! And please be VERY detailed!”
“Can I be serious for a moment?”
“Yes, of course.”
“I don’t even know how to tease that way because I’ve never done anything other than kiss you, and not much of that.”
“I think, given that we have almost five months before we marry, the wisest course of action is for me not to tease you in that way until we can actually do something about it.”
“You have your room at Doctor Blahnik’s house...” she said quietly.
“As much as I want to be with you, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said gently. “We should wait until after the marriage ceremony as we agreed.”
“Is it wrong to want to?”
“Absolutely not!” I agreed. “It’s normal.”
“We are betrothed...”
“Yes, «Котёнок», we are, but we also need to make sure we keep things in the correct order.”
“But you’ve done it already!” she protested.
“Yes, that’s true. But for you and me, together, waiting will be worth it.”
“I might explode before then!”
“Just let it build and our wedding night will be AMAZING!”
“If I don’t die first!”
“We’ll have sixty or seventy years to make up for the next five months!”
“I should say you’re being mean, but I know what might happen with your ordination if we did. And I want you to become a deacon.”
I was SO tempted to tease her, but that actually WOULD be me being mean, so I let it go. I also savored the idea of what our wedding night was going to be like if she had all that pent up desire. Occasional stoking of that smoldering fire would likely result in a night which put my first night with Tasha to shame. I immediately put that out of my mind, because comparing was completely inappropriate, as was thinking of Tasha in that way.
We arrived at Doctor Blahnik’s house and asked how we could help get things ready. Milena took Elizaveta with her to help her, while I stayed with Doctor Blahnik in the kitchen to help prepare sandwiches and other snacks.
“Trying to make a point?” I asked after Elizaveta had left.
“Who? Me?” Doctor Blahnik asked with a smile.
“Yes, you! You don’t approve of traditional roles, so you sent Elizaveta to help set up the bar while I’m preparing food!”
“She is a bit heavy on the ‘Suzy Homemaker’ bit.”
“I know, but, if you think about the path she’s chosen through life, it makes sense. And before you object, I asked her to take calculus, chemistry, and physics instead of Home Ec for the next two years. That provides many more options after I’m done with medical school.”
“Is she going to work?”
“That all depends on the timing of kids. At a minimum, she needs to graduate before we have our first. That takes me at least through the first two years of medical school. After that, we’ll see. The thing to remember is that this is the path she’s chosen, and it dovetails nicely with the path I’ve chosen. But, I won’t do anything to discourage her from working or going to college if that’s what she wants to do.”
“I take it you’re planning more than one child?”
“Yes, we are. How many we have is up to her, really. My part is pretty easy,” I added with a smirk.
Doctor Blahnik laughed, “Yes, at the start, but I can’t imagine you not being very involved in your kids’ lives.”
“Of course! But we have several years as a couple first, something I think is very important, especially given her age.”
“I take it she’s not staying the night?”
“No. I’ll leave around 1:00am to take her home and come right back.”
We finished in the kitchen just as the first guests started to arrive. Dale and Marie arrived soon after that, and by 8:00pm the party was in full swing. It was a fun evening - I played my guitar and sang, socialized, and danced, though I was careful not to dance too close to any girls except for Elizaveta, and even with her I was careful so as not to increase our temptation. Just before midnight Milena, Joel, Derek, and I filled champagne glasses, and Doctor Blahnik led the toast when the clock struck midnight. Elizaveta and I exchanged a soft kiss, and about an hour later, I took her home.
January 1, 1985, McKinley, Ohio
“When did you learn to play Born to Run?” Clarissa asked when we ate a late breakfast on Tuesday morning.
“I’ve been practicing for nearly two years. I only really became satisfied with that complex guitar riff about a month ago.”
“I never heard you practice it.”
“Because I only practiced that song in private. Even Doctor Blahnik hadn’t heard it.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to get it right before I played it for anyone.”
“Oh, you got it right alright! I never realized strumming a guitar could make girls cum!”
I laughed, “Oh, it did not!”
“There were three girls who probably left wet spots on their chairs! But they saw Elizaveta who looked like a lioness guarding her cub!”
“I didn’t intend for that to happen.”
Clarissa laughed, “This time!”
“Ancient history. And it just shows how careful I need to be. Which girls, by the way?”
Clarissa laughed even harder, “Wouldn’t YOU like to know!”
“The cute redheaded theater major and her black friend,” I replied with a smirk. “And the brunette music student with short hair and major curves.”
“So you DID notice!”
“All three of them angled for dances, but, as you say, Elizaveta was keeping close watch on me.”
“Did any of them succeed?”
“You KNOW that I’m a sucker for redheads! But I didn’t let her dance nearly as close as she wanted to.”
“Your serious sense of self-preservation kicked in.”
“Obviously!”
“What’s up for today?” Clarissa asked.
“Just a lazy day around the house,” I replied. “Elizaveta is doing something with her mom and grandmothers. They have a New Year’s Day tradition of going to a Russian tea room, and no men are invited. I was thinking of soaking in the tub.”
“Speaking of things we want but can’t have...” she sighed.
“That would probably be over the line.”
“And cuddling?”
“I don’t think Elizaveta would be happy about that. And frankly, I don’t think any girl who would marry me would be happy about that, unless we were talking that weird fantasy of a bisexual girl.”
“Or you and I get married.”
“Lissa...”
“I know! I know! What I said to Tasha...”
“I’d say that reflects reality more than what you’re thinking right now. Why?”
“Because it’s actually hitting me what I have to give up. It just won’t be the same.”
“If what you said to Tasha is true, and I have no reason to believe it isn’t, then I’m not sure what to do.”
“If I could...”
“But you can’t. I mean, sure you could physically do it, but you’ll be fighting yourself for the rest of your life and that is a recipe for disaster.”
“I know,” she said quietly, then sighed deeply. “I know.”
“Stand up,” I said.
“Why?”
“Just stand up.”
She did and I took her in my arms and hugged her. That was, I felt, both the least - and the most - that I could do. There was no doubt in my mind that if we’d attempted what she was suggesting, it would end in tears somewhere down the road. We hugged for several minutes before she slipped from my arms and we sat back down to finish our breakfast.
“I keep thinking maybe I could.”
“Maybe?”
“I know.”
“You’ve said ‘I know’ several times, but you aren’t acting like you know.”
“I know,” Clarissa replied with a wry smile. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t ever apologize for who you are, Lissa!”
“But I’m making things difficult for you!”
I smiled, “No, you’re making them difficult for YOU. I love you and I’ll be here for you. And we’ll still go to medical school together, do our Residencies together, and practice together.”
“And Elizaveta is going to tolerate that?”
“She thinks you’re the safest girl on the planet.”
“And you’re going to let her continue to believe that?”
“Yes, because you and I are both smart enough and strong enough to prove her right. We can do this, Lissa!”
We finished our breakfast, and after we cleaned up, we went for a walk. Neither of us spoke, and we simply enjoyed the quiet of the neighborhood blanketed in new-fallen snow. The peace and serenity were wonderful, and I was very glad not to run into whomever the man was from Tim Saddler’s former church. We walked for about twenty-five minutes, then returned to the house where we sat in front of the fire with mugs of hot chocolate.
“What does Abby think?” I asked.
“I haven’t really discussed us with her, beyond you being my closest friend and about you supporting me when I came out to my parents. I don’t think she needs to know we made love any more than Elizaveta needs to know.”
“Does she know you experimented?”
“No. I didn’t see how I could bring that up without implying something you and I want to keep secret.”
“But you told Tasha.”
“I think Tasha is special, and I think she’s going to be a good friend to both of us.”
“On that, we agree. Jocelyn knows as well, obviously.”
“Another girl who will be a good friend. In a way, I wish Robbie and Lee were planning to stay in the area long-term, but that doesn’t look likely.”
“Sadly, no. But I hope to stay in touch with them when they move to wherever it is they end up.”
“California,” Clarissa replied. “I’ll wager anything they decide to go to grad school in California and Sophia goes with them. It’s the one place that is semi-sane about the treatment of gays and lesbians.”
The doorbell rang then, and Doctor Blahnik was up, so she went to answer it. She walked into the great room a minute later, and by the surprised look on Clarissa’s face, I knew something strange was happening.
“Mike, you have a visitor,” Doctor Blahnik said as I turned towards her.
“Angie?!” I exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to talk to you,” she replied, her voice clear and strong, as it had been when we’d first met.
“Is your mom with you?”
“No. I came alone.”
Which meant she had driven, something she wasn’t supposed to do.
“Does your mom know you’re here?”
“No. Can we talk, please?”
“Use my study, Mike,” Doctor Blahnik offered.
I nodded and got up, and Angie followed me to Doctor Blahnik’s study. We sat down in two comfortable chairs which were side by side, but slightly angled towards each other.
“Ang,” I said gently, “you know you aren’t supposed to drive. And your mom is supposed to know where you are.”
“I know you care about me and are concerned, but can we just set that aside for now, please?”
“OK,” I replied. “What did you want to talk about?”
“The future; what I want and how I can achieve it.”
“Have you talked about this with Doctor Mercer?”
Angie smiled, “Yes, but we don’t agree. Will you just let me say what I came to say, and then I’ll go.”
I wasn’t sure it was a good idea, but I didn’t see any way except to let her say what she intended to say, though I was uncomfortable both with what I expected to hear and with her driving home. I didn’t want to upset her, either.
“OK. Go ahead.”
“For the last year, I’ve been working, going to church, taking classes, and living a normal life. You know there are three things I wanted - to be a teacher, to marry, and to have children. But I have a condition which has made me unstable and interfered with my goals. But I learned to live with my condition, and to control it without drugs, except for antidepressants.
“But you see, I think I only need those because of my despair over the future. I don’t think it has to be that way. I think, with the right man and the right circumstances, I can have those things - a teaching job, a husband, and children. You know I love you with every fiber of my being, and I know you love me, too. I also know you’re betrothed to Elizaveta, but I had to tell you all of this because I want to be with you, Mike. I’m ready to be with you. In every way.
“That’s all I had to say. All I wanted was for you to hear what I had to say, face-to-face, so you could know that I’m perfectly rational and perfectly capable of being who I want to be. I know I’ve put you in a difficult situation, and I know you’re probably confused. Just think about what I’ve said, and come see me when you’re ready to talk. And now that I’ve said my piece, I’m going to go back home.”
She stood, bent down, placed a soft kiss on my cheek, and then walked out of the room leaving me in stunned silence. I shook my head to clear it, then got up and followed her. When she got to the front door, she turned, smiled, opened it, and walked out into the cold, snowy afternoon. I stood staring at the door which she had closed behind her until Clarissa and Doctor Blahnik came into the foyer.
“Mike?” Clarissa asked.
I turned, shook my head, and walked back towards the great room.
“You’re pale,” Doctor Blahnik said. “Are you OK?”
“I’m not quite sure,” I replied.
“Did you have a fight?” Doctor Blahnik asked.
I shook my head slowly, “Far from it.”
“Jesus!” Clarissa breathed. “She thinks she’s healthy enough to marry you! For real, this time! And she came to claim you!”
“Right the first time,” I replied.
“But why did she leave?” Doctor Blahnik asked.
“I’d guess two reasons,” I said thoughtfully. “First, she couldn’t risk getting too emotional or having a debate, because that might result in us having to call her mom or Doctor Mercer. Second, because she didn’t want an automatic answer, because she knew what my answer would have to be if I was forced to answer immediately.”
“What are you going to do?” Clarissa asked.
“Talk to Doctor Mercer tomorrow. I don’t want to disturb her today, and I certainly don’t want to cause either Doctor Mercer or Mrs. Stephens to freak out about Angie driving here alone. Well, they will freak out, but only after Angie is home safely.”
December 30, 1984, McKinley, Ohio On Sunday, after church, Clarissa, Elizaveta and I went to Tasha’s apartment to spend the afternoon with her and Nik. Tasha and Elizaveta prepared dinner together, and had a quiet conversation in Russian, while Nik, Clarissa, and I talked. From their body language, I got the impression that «бабушка» Natalya was giving Matushka Elizaveta advice. My first thought was that I should be very afraid, but that thought was fleeting, and I realized that if there was...
March 28, 1985, McKinley, Ohio On Thursday, after my lesson with Doctor Blahnik, I met with Mark and Alyssa for our final catechism class. We finished reviewing the Nicene Creed, and then went over the baptismal rite to ensure they knew exactly what would happen on Holy Saturday morning. “Seriously?” Mark asked. “A horse trough?” “It’s painted gold with three-bar crosses on each side,” I offered. “The only other options are a river or a lake. We could probably arrange that, if you felt it...
August 21, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “When’s your last day?” Grace asked on Tuesday morning. “Tomorrow. I need to participate in checking in Freshmen starting Thursday. Are you working Thursday and Friday?” “Thursday, because it’s check-in. Friday I’ll be at orientation. Do you think we could keep our chess dates?” “Evenings are out because of studying, but Tuesday and Thursday afternoons are completely free, except for my guitar lesson on Thursday right after lunch.” “What about Tuesday...
June 5, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “Do you want me to sleep at Doctor Blahnik’s house tonight?” Clarissa asked when she arrived at the dorm early on Tuesday evening so we could go to dinner. “No,” I replied. “Ice cream with Grace isn’t a date. And besides, you know the score.” “So this doesn’t end with her licking your cone?” she teased. I laughed, “No. I won’t be more than an hour or so.” “I’ll hang out with Jocelyn and Dona. I don’t want Kelly to complain I was in your room without you...
June 9, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “I’ve figured out what’s wrong with this game,” Dona said after we’d played the first nine holes. “What’s that?” “Using as few strokes as possible to get it in the hole!” I guffawed. “I mean, seriously, who wants FEWER strokes than average?” she continued. I laughed harder. “And who thinks that the best possible way to score is one stroke, then you take it out and move on to the next hole, never to put it in the first one again? GUYS! That’s who!” I...
June 2, 1984, McKinley, Ohio On Saturday morning, Clarissa left for her volunteer job at the local free clinic and I headed to the dorm to move my things from eight to two. It took about an hour to move everything and get it set up again. I’d just finished when I heard a very familiar voice call my name. “Hi, Jos!” I replied happily, holding out my arms. We hugged and exchanged a gentle kiss and then I pushed her cart down the hallway to her room. “You could have come up to get me to help...
April 28, 1985, McKinley, Ohio On Sunday, after the Divine Liturgy, Father Nicholas asked me to come to his office. “I spoke with Vladyka last evening. He gave his blessing for you to play in your band with a couple of conditions, which I don’t think will be a problem. The venues are important - no bars or clubs. He’d prefer you play things like High School dances, or venues where no alcohol is served. The key is decorum.” “Thank you. I’ll make sure I discuss any concerts with you in...
June 17, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “I’m going to break things off with Maggie tomorrow,” I said after Clarissa, Jocelyn, and I arrived at Tasha’s apartment for our usual Sunday dinner. “What?!” Jocelyn exclaimed. “I thought you were going to take the Summer.” “I’ve thought a lot about it, talked with Tasha, talked with Clarissa, and had a short talk with Doctor Blahnik. Basically, I let my promise to Maggie cause me to ignore the reality of the situation.” “Lara?” Jocelyn asked. “It’s...
January 2, 1985, McKinley, Ohio “Well?” Clarissa asked after I returned to the great room. “Wait and see. Angie’s next appointment is a week from tomorrow. I’m hoping Doctor Mercer waits until then to talk to Angie, but I’m afraid she’ll call Angie’s mom and THAT will cause Angie all sorts of heartache and might even set off her condition.” “Wouldn’t Doctor Mercer know that?” “Yes, but the problem is that Angie did something Doctor Mercer thinks is inherently dangerous. She’s almost...
October 20, 1984, McKinley, Ohio After Vespers on Saturday night, I headed back to campus and found a note saying the gang had gone to see Thief of Hearts and would be back around 10:00pm. I was dying to know if Clarissa and Sandy had received their letters from McKinley, but it looked as if I’d have to wait a few hours to find out. Given that my close friends were out, I really didn’t have much to do, so I picked up my guitar and played, though I didn’t sing. I started messing around with...
July 29, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “Your mom hasn’t called you yet?” Tasha asked when our small group gathered at her apartment on Sunday afternoon. “No,” I replied. “But I figured it would take a couple of weeks of not hearing from me or Liz before she decides she needs to talk to me.” “You’re doing OK?” “Yes. It’s not all that different from you and Sasha, except that your dad figured it out quickly.” “If by that you mean you shamed him into behaving as a Christian should, then yes.” “How...
May 13, 1985, McKinley, Ohio The phone rang very early on Monday morning, startling me awake. A quick glance at the clock told me that it had to be Angie calling, and I dreaded answering the phone. Reluctantly, I got out of bed and moved across the room to answer it. “Mike,” I said after I picked up the handset. “Mike? It’s Mom.” “Mom?” I gasped in surprise. “What’s wrong?” “Grandpa Loucks had a heart attack,” she said. “Dad is on his way to Chicago.” “How bad?” I asked. “His prognosis...
June 16, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “So that’s it?” Clarissa asked when I hung up the phone on Saturday morning. “Yes. After I talked to the investigators on Thursday morning, they closed the investigation and late yesterday the base commander told Maggie’s dad he wasn’t going to take any action. According to what Karl said, the base commander gave Maggie’s dad an unofficial reprimand about what he said to me, but that won’t have any negative effect on his career.” “And Maggie is going to see...
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January 24, 1985, McKinley, Ohio The phone rang on Thursday evening while we were studying and I went to my room to answer it. “Hi, Mike; It’s Fran Mercer.” “Hi, Doctor Mercer.” “I had a session with Angie today and explained to her about why the state wouldn’t let her marry. It didn’t go well.” “What happened?” I asked apprehensively. “She became very angry and agitated. Her psychiatrist ordered a mild sedative, but she’s refusing to take it.” “Lord have mercy,” I replied softly. “So...
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Hi ISS readers, I think all you know me. For the new readers, at first I introduce myself. I am Moni, late 40 and 5’-7”. I was born in a middle class Bangladeshi Muslim family and serving in a public organization. My whole life is lustful indeed. As I gained some practical experience about sex at my childhood, I became a sex-maniac and whenever I got chance I tried to fuck any aged girls or women with many tricks without applying force or at least to peep the uncovered boobs and pussies from...
October 17, 1981, McKinley, Ohio There was a knock at the door just before 6:00pm and I was sure it was the girls so I called out for them to come in. As expected, it was Jeannette and Marie. “Ready for hot meat between buns and slurping creamy white liquid?” Jeannette teased. “My bedroom is right there!” I grinned. “Should we leave you two the room?” Marie smirked. “Dinner first, then dessert!” Jeannette laughed. I took Angie’s hand and the four of us left the dorm and headed for the...
December 16, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “That was an interesting speech by your bishop,” Clarissa said as we relaxed in my room after studying for Monday’s Analytical Chemistry exam. “You mean because it sounded like he was speaking directly to me? Or to you?” “It almost seemed as if he were excusing sin.” “I understand how you could hear it that way, but what he was doing was acknowledging the power it has over us. Paul wrote about it in Romans 7. Believe it or not, I don’t have that entire...
February 9, 1985, Milford, Ohio “Do you mind sitting in the waiting room for five minutes while I talk to Doctor Mercer about Angie?” “That’s fine,” Elizaveta replied as we walked through the door of the building where Doctor Mercer had her office. We went upstairs and into the waiting room and Doctor Mercer greeted us. Elizaveta sat on the couch and Doctor Mercer and I went into her office. “Elizaveta will join us after we talk about Angie,” I said. “You don’t need any private...
August 31, 1984, Duquesne, Pennsylvania “Anything I need to know?” I said as we neared Lara’s house. “Not really. I told you about both sets of parents.” “Names? I mean other than I know your biological dad is Sergei Viktorovich Federov.” “My step-mom is Alisa, my step-dad is Albert, and my biological mom is Elena. My step-siblings are Karolina and Pavel. Oh, and my cat is named Lilia Felicksovna Koshkaa,” she added with a laugh. “Cute! I take it that your step-dad’s house is typically...
September 29, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “Yes!” Elizaveta squealed. Everyone clapped and the grandmothers put the choker and bracelet on Elizaveta, who was impatiently waiting to come to me. Just before she did, Gennady hurried over, winked, and we exchanged a Russian greeting, causing everyone but Elizaveta, who simply rolled her eyes, to laugh. Once Gennady moved away, Elizaveta quickly came to me and we hugged tightly, then Elizaveta turned to her maternal grandmother. “Grandmother, may I...
October 13, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “I’d like you each to fill out this worksheet,” Father Nicholas said. “Please do not collaborate on the answers. It’s important for me to understand our starting point. Please don’t overthink this, or write down what you think I want to hear or what you think the other person wants to hear.” I scanned the worksheet before I began, something I did for every exam, quiz, or worksheet, then began with the first questions which mostly had to do with how well I...
November 17, 1984, West Monroe, Ohio “What did you say to get your dad to come upstairs?” Elizaveta asked as we climbed into my Mustang for the drive back to McKinley. “I just insisted he keep his word to you.” “To me? I’ve never spoken to him until today!” “The promise he made, three years ago, to love any girl I married and treat her like a daughter, was made to you. Well, assuming I’m not in enough trouble with you that you’re going to call off the wedding.” “You said you wanted to be...
January 17, 1985, McKinley, Ohio “My parents were kicked out of the church because they wouldn’t make me stop coming to Saint Michael the Archangel,” Mark said when I greeted him and Alyssa on Thursday afternoon. “Are they going to the Lutheran Church?” “Starting on Sunday, yes.” “What about yours, Alyssa?” “They’re supposed to have a meeting with the elders on Saturday morning. I invited them to Saint Michael, and Mark’s parents suggested they go to the Lutheran church.” “But it’s not...
February 16, 1985, Greater Cincinnati, Ohio “Good morning, Subdeacon,” Father Stephen said when Elizaveta and I walked into the main lobby of The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati. The hospital was on Mt. Auburn, one of the highest points in the city, and offered a nice view of the city below. Father Stephen was clad in his ryasa. “Father, bless!” I said, holding my cupped hands for his blessing. “Bless you, Subdeacon,” he said, making the sign of the cross over my upturned palms. I kissed...
May 26, 1985, McKinley, Ohio On Sunday morning, I decided to walk my usual route through Doctor Blahnik’s neighborhood, rather than run. I had nervous energy I needed to burn off, but I didn’t want to burn off ALL my energy. I put on my shorts, t-shirt, and running shoes, and went out the front door. I was surprised to find Clarissa sitting on the steps waiting for me. She hopped up and we exchanged a hug. “What are you doing here?” I asked. “Waiting for you! Ready?” “For?” She laughed,...
September 20, 1984, Milford, Ohio “Thanks for coming here, Mike,” Doctor Mercer said when I walked into her office. “I felt I had to. Clarissa and Sandy are at Frisch’s, and I’ll join them when we’re done. They know it could be a while.” “Have a seat,” she invited. Instead of sitting down, I went to the couch, took off my shoes, lay down, and stretched out. Doctor Mercer got up and moved to the chair which was positioned just behind my head. “This is different,” she said. “I know,” I...
December 24, 1984, McKinley, Ohio On Monday, which was Christmas Eve, I slept in, ate a light breakfast, then made some tea and went to sit in the music room to start reading Foundation. I read for about fifteen minutes before Doctor Blahnik came into the room. “What time are you leaving?” she asked “About 11:00am.” “And you’ll be back tonight?” “Around 9:30pm, most likely. We’ll go to Vespers, then have a light meal.” “Will you join Milena, Joel, Derek, and me to decorate the tree? I...
Theophany, January 6, 1985, McKinley, Ohio After I dropped Elizaveta at home, I took a chance and drove to Father Nicholas’ house. Matushka Natalya greeted me at the door and let me in. Father Nicholas invited me to his study. “Sorry to bother you at home, but the bishop suggested I speak to you.” “Am I going to be happy at the end of this conversation?” “Angie drove from Cincinnati on New Year’s Day to talk to me.” “I thought she wasn’t supposed to drive!” “She’s not. She did it...
March 15, 1985, McKinley, Ohio “What did I hear you playing?” Clarissa asked when I came downstairs on Friday afternoon. “Just practicing,” I replied. “Yes, but that was no guitar!” she protested. I frowned, “I really should have skipped practicing this week. It’s a surprise for my wedding.” “Wait! That’s one of those Russian guitars like the girl had in Doctor Zhivago!” “A balalaika,” I confirmed. “It was Doctor Blahnik’s suggestion.” “What songs can you play?” “The only one I play...
April 19, 1985, McKinley, Ohio Elizaveta drove my car to Pizza Inn, where her friends had reserved the small banquet room for the party. She’d be taking her driving test Thursday, and wanted a bit more practice. I was sure she’d pass, but with BMV employees, one never knew what might happen. When we arrived, Elizaveta backed into the parking spot just as I’d taught her, and after locking up the car, we went inside to where ten of her friends and their boyfriends or girlfriends were waiting,...
September 29, 1984, McKinley, Ohio At the close of Vespers, Father Nicholas, I, and two acolytes left the altar. He completed the prayers which served as the Dismissal, then turned to the congregation. “One announcement,” he said. “Tomorrow, immediately following the Divine Liturgy, we’ll have a betrothal ceremony for Subdeacon Michael and Elizaveta Kozlova.” There were a few gasps, but otherwise, no real reaction because we were in the nave, where applause or chatter was completely...
Sunday Of The Prodigal Son - February 10, 1985, McKinley, Ohio On Sunday morning, when I left the altar during the canon of Matins to retrieve Father Nicholas’ homily which he’d left in his office, I was pleased to see Mr. and Mrs. Greenwald standing near Mark and Alyssa. When I returned to the altar with Father Nicholas’ notecards, I quietly let him know that they were in attendance. As the Matins moved to the Divine Liturgy, the hymns foretold the destination of our Lenten journey, which...
May 25, 1985, McKinley, Ohio “In Psalm 8, we read - When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers; The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man that You are mindful of him; And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels; And You have crowned him with glory and honor; You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet. “‘Crowned him with glory and honor’ - that is us,...
December 27, 1984, Rutherford and McKinley, Ohio “Marie, this is my friend Dale Melrose. Dale, this is my friend Marie De Santis.” I could tell by the look on Dale’s face he was VERY attracted to Marie, and knowing Marie, she’d be more than happy to entertain him, if that’s what he wanted. “Dale,” Jocelyn said, “this is my boyfriend, Bill Ebersole. Bill, Dale.” They shook hands and I suppressed a chuckle at the thought that Dale didn’t look at Bill the same way he had at Marie. We walked...
December 28, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “That’s how you left it?” Clarissa asked, later that evening, as we sat by the fireplace. “Given I didn’t have an answer to her question, there wasn’t really anything more I could say. She didn’t make me leave or anything, and we had a nice dinner with her parents and maternal grandparents. And she kissed me properly when I left.” “That’s good, I think.” “I think it’s neutral, which is, I suppose, ‘good’ from one perspective.” “I think you were right...
March 9, 1985, McKinley, Ohio On Saturday morning, Clarissa and I had breakfast together at Doctor Blahnik’s house where we were both staying during break. I’d slept at the dorm the previous night because it didn’t officially close until Saturday at noon. I had walked over from the dorm, made my toast with jam and sliced a grapefruit, then poured a glass of grapefruit juice and joined Clarissa at the kitchen table where she was eating bacon and pancakes with maple syrup. “How are things at...
April 15, 1985, McKinley, Ohio “How are you feeling, Petrovich?” Clarissa asked when she came to my door on Monday morning after I’d run and prayed. “Fine. I slept like a log last night! What did Abby think?” “She was pretty awestruck by the service and had a good time at the party. Everyone else seemed to have a great time, too.” “I think Clark made some new friends,” I chuckled. “He spent like three hours with the old men smoking and drinking!” “So did Gene. Did Jocelyn have to pour...
May 25, 1984, West Monroe, Ohio After our second round, Violet and I went to her bathroom to shower. We needed to get back to the party, so we didn’t take too long, and once we were clean and dry, we dressed and I helped her change the sheets on her bed. She put them in the washing machine, and checked the time so she could return to put them in the dryer. Once she was satisfied there was no remaining evidence, we left the house to walk back to the party. “Thank you for fucking my brains...
Chapter 10: Love And Other Things June 23, 1984, West Monroe, Ohio I’d had to skip my Saturday morning mini-golfing with Dona because Clarissa and I needed to be in McKinley for Sasha’s 11:00am wedding. Saturday weddings were not the norm, but Vladyka ARKADY had granted «ekonomia» because of the circumstances. While we were in the Apostle’s Fast, there were no strict canons against marriage during the Apostles Fast like there were for the Dormition Fast which would begin in a week. Given...
June 30, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “I was right!” I said when I arrived at Doctor Blahnik’s house after lunch with Mr. Kozlov. “No way!” “He asked me to take responsibility for the distribution of charity to individuals and families in need. He’s been doing it, temporarily, because of Deacon Grigory’s heart attack. As he said, it does belong with clergy, and typically falls to the deacon.” “Good call, Petrovich.” “He did have a second matter to discuss,” I grinned. “So, actually, we were both...
August 4, 1984, Rutherford, Ohio “Hi!” Liz exclaimed when Lara and I walked into the restaurant in Rutherford on Saturday morning. “Hi!” I replied, hugging her. Paul and I shook hands with a nod, I hugged Emmy, and then the five of us sat in a round corner booth. “Liz said you did really well on your test,” Paul said. I nodded, “I’ll get into the school I want, which is all that really mattered to me. Well, I have to have an interview, but I don’t foresee any problems there. Clarissa did...
October 1, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “Hi, Ang,” I said when she came to the phone. “Hi, Mike!” she answered. “How are you?” “Fine. How are you?” “OK. Have you thought about what I asked?” “Yes. Has Doctor Mercer talked to you about it?” “Yes,” Angie sighed. “And you agree with her?” “It’s more complicated than that,” I replied gently. “At this point, with my upcoming ordination, that kind of sin would be a serious problem. Father Nicholas warned me, without us talking about you, that he’d...
October 18, 1984, McKinley, Ohio On Thursday Clarissa, Sandy, and I had our fifth and final interviews in Pittsburgh. It followed the same basic pattern as the other four. Each of the schools - McKinley, OSU, UC, Indiana, and Pittsburgh had something to recommend itself. The girls and I discussed the strengths and weaknesses of each of the four schools besides McKinley, and decided, if we all didn’t get into McKinley, our order of choices would be UC, Indiana, Pittsburgh, and then OSU. Any...
October 20, 1984, West Monroe, Ohio “Please do not let my parents bait you into an emotional response,” I said to Elizaveta as I turned off Route 50 in West Monroe. “You think they will?” “I have no idea; I just wanted to warn you.” “Paul seems really nice,” Elizaveta said. “And yes, it was bad that he broke the law, but he and Liz are getting married. So in the end, they’re doing the right thing. You’re five years older than I am, and right now, I’m only about a year older than Liz...
November 3, 1984, McKinley, Ohio “That was fantastic, Mike!” Melody gushed when the debate ended about two hours after it had begun. “He served me up a series of fastballs right over the plate,” I replied. “His mistake was attacking externals at first, because that put him on the wrong foot from the get-go. If he had focused purely on theology, I wouldn’t have been able to score so many points with what amounted to ‘zingers’.” “You had him too tied up in knots trying to explain how he knew...
December 11, 1984, Rutherford, Ohio “What do you want us to do?” Clarissa asked. “If you and Jocelyn will just wait here, Elizaveta and I will go get my dad.” “You’re that confident?” “No, but I have to seem confident to successfully make the case to my dad. And I have less than ten minutes in which to do that.” Jocelyn and I got out of the car, then Clarissa and Elizaveta got out of the back seats. I took Elizaveta’s hand and led her into the County Administration Building. We took the...
January 12, 1985, Greater Cincinnati, Ohio “You came alone?” Doctor Mercer asked when I walked into her office in Milford. “I did. I’m going to see Angie’s pastor after you and I finish our session.” “Did you tell Elizaveta you were going to be here?” “Yes.” “Did you tell her WHY you were going to be here?” “No. That seemed to me to introduce unnecessary turmoil. I did tell my bishop and priest about the situation.” “That’s unexpected. Why tell them and not her?” “I saw my bishop on...
January 12, 1985, McKinley, Ohio “How are you, Mik?” Jocelyn asked when I arrived back at the dorm. “I feel like I’ve gone fifteen rounds with Ali.” “Would you even last one round?” “No, of course not, but I STILL feel like I was in the ring for the full fifteen.” “I know you usually talk to Clarissa, but she’s with Abby. I have an ear if you want.” “I love you, Jos; that’s never changed. And I can use an ear.” “Then come on,” she said. “Your room?” “We’ll leave the door open if you...